User:Millahnna/Sandbox//Essay on Plot Summary Guidelines

Original Message for Timmy (work this into essay).

Plot Summaries

Hi there. I've been following your conversation with Doniago about the length of plot summaries and would like to help if I can. Most recently, you asked him if 700 words was the upper limit. Since I play in TV and Film plots a lot I was hoping I could help clarify. Generally speaking, yes 700 would be the most words you'd want to shoot for. Like WP:FILMPLOT says though, for some movies you might end up going a bit higher. For example, the most recent Star Trek movie is just a hair over 800 words because of the large amount of Trek history there is between all of the different movies and series. Memento is used as an example in the guidelines because the story is complex. I believe Sin City (film) is also a little longer than usual for similar reasons.

Now all of that said, I think you're looking at it wrong by asking "what's the most words I can put in." Assuming I'm interpreting you correctly, it sounds as though you want to make plot summaries as long as you are able to when the goal is more about making them as clear as possible. Think of the plot summary more as text that outlines the major events; you don't need certain details to do this. Take this hypothetical example; say you are looking at the plot summary to some movie and it's only 400 words long. You decide to add in a lot of details (specific dialogue, detailing all of the events in a specific scene, etc.) and make the summary exactly 700 words. Odds are, your edit is still going to get reverted for adding unneeded details, even though you followed the plot guidelines in terms of length.

Put another way, it's not the length itself that is at issue with adding details to a plot summary. The question is do those details actually help a reader better understand the main events of the movie any better or did you add them just because they were bits that you found really cool when you saw the movie yourself. Here's my go-to example from the recent Sherlock Holmes (2009 film). Early on in the movie, the main characters are searching for man described as a "ginger midget" who ties into the main plot of the movie because of scientific experiments he is performing. At one point, Wiki's plot summary for this man included this description several times, as well as some notes related to the controversial label of midget in modern times. Absolutely none of this was helpful in understanding the main events. All that people really need to know is that the man is missing and how his experiments connect back to the main storyline. The fact that he is a red-haired midget is trivial and the controversial nature of the term midget in OUR times has absolutely no relevance to piece of fiction set over 100 years ago.

Of course, a lot of this is subjective. Some editors are purists about keeping plot summaries as short as possible, others (myself among them) are more about making them clear and concise without too many trivial details. Some may have other priorities entirely but still be making edits that are considered good by the consensus. But plot summaries are the most heavily edited part of movie articles (due in part to anon editors adding in those unneeded details) and, therefore, are watched fairly closely for "detail creep" in many cases. Keep that in mind as you work on your edits.

I hope all of that helps a little. If you have any questions, I'll try to clarify if I can. Good luck and happy editing! =) Millahnna (mouse)talk 19:21, 22 April 2010 (UTC)