Every screenwriter MUST remember that the plot is LIVING! The audience MUST always be focusing on a single action-idea throughout every story event! In addition, the plot and character(s) work together, and action MUST have a connection to the plot. Aristotle believed that "Plot is soul." Because the plot is the very structure that arouses emotions from an audience, it is paramount. To write a good plot, you MUST consider the end. For example: Let's say we are building a tree-house. The visual image of the finished house is the end, so everything in the story needs to lead you to the completed tree-house.
Just a few tidbits while plotting away!!!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Real Reasons Playwright's Fail
I stumbled on this guys blog while writing a paper on Linear and Non-Linear Narrative structure and I just had to share! I love this guy!
Hahaha!
Hahaha!
Friday, May 13, 2011
The 3 Act Film Structure
How to move your story along
The 3 act structure is the most common of all film structures. The 3 acts are very basic and consist of the following elements
1. Beginning
2. Middle
3. End
These three components make up the foundation of the film's structure. All scenes hang on this three act structure. Think of the 3 acts as three pieces of the same line that all have the purpose of moving the story along. In the simplest terms, Act 1 sets up the story, Act 2 develops the story and Act 3 builds towards the climax and finally the resolution of the story.
When you're watching films from this point forward, start paying attention to the structure of scenes and the three act structure in particular. As you watch movies with more of a filmmaker's eye, you'll start to see the similarities between films from a formatting standpoint.
Sometimes, I keep a notepad with me, and I break a film down while viewing it. See if you can find the 3 acts in the film you're watching!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Writing an outline for your screenplay
Your outline will consist of about 50 - 100 lines, each of which describe the particular scenes within your script. While an outline is often not as long as a treatment, it is a very good thing to create before you start writing your script. This is because while the treatment provides a great opportunity to talk about the general ideas, settings and characters in an easy to read format, the outline on the other hand, is a little more technical and will allow you to see the story you are creating scene by scene. In an outline you don't need to include each small scene, but you will use your outline to identify the larger scenes. For example look at the following outline.
Location: Bedroom - Establish the relationship of young daughter and mother
Location: School - Show daughter's dialogue about her mothers lack of care
Location: Party - Establish shots that show the young girl's mother being irresponsible and partying late while her daughter is home alone.
Location: Bedroom - Establish the relationship of young daughter and mother
Location: School - Show daughter's dialogue about her mothers lack of care
Location: Party - Establish shots that show the young girl's mother being irresponsible and partying late while her daughter is home alone.
________________________________________________________________________
As you can see, if you described your larger scenes in this format it would be much easier to create your script. This allows you to analyze each scene and how they connect to each other before you start writing the dialogue.
An outline is a 1-2 page, point form snap-shot of your screenplay and can help ensure your screenplay is cohesive and logical. Changing around the items in your outline is much easier to do than changing around entire scenes in the actual script.
As an amateur screenwriter you must create both a treatment and an outline. The reason being that poor organization is one of the primary causes for screenplays to fail. Often, beginner writers will go off on tangents and will lead their readers along pointless or dead end adventures that don't pull the story forward according to the overall goal / concept of the film.
There are no hard and fast rules for the number of scenes in a film but a good guideline to keep in mind is that each page of your screenplay represents about 1 minute of footage and scenes should be approximately 2 pages each. If you're film is going to be 90 minutes long then you'll have about 45 different scenes. Again, this is just to be used as a guideline. Some of your scenes may be longer and some shorter.
Many new filmmakers want a set of mechanical guidelines (i.e. how many scenes per film, how long should each shot be etc). These mechanical rules simply do not exist. We will try our best to provide "ranges" for you but remember, film-making is an art and you'll have a lot of freedom to experiment.
As you can see, if you described your larger scenes in this format it would be much easier to create your script. This allows you to analyze each scene and how they connect to each other before you start writing the dialogue.
An outline is a 1-2 page, point form snap-shot of your screenplay and can help ensure your screenplay is cohesive and logical. Changing around the items in your outline is much easier to do than changing around entire scenes in the actual script.
As an amateur screenwriter you must create both a treatment and an outline. The reason being that poor organization is one of the primary causes for screenplays to fail. Often, beginner writers will go off on tangents and will lead their readers along pointless or dead end adventures that don't pull the story forward according to the overall goal / concept of the film.
There are no hard and fast rules for the number of scenes in a film but a good guideline to keep in mind is that each page of your screenplay represents about 1 minute of footage and scenes should be approximately 2 pages each. If you're film is going to be 90 minutes long then you'll have about 45 different scenes. Again, this is just to be used as a guideline. Some of your scenes may be longer and some shorter.
Many new filmmakers want a set of mechanical guidelines (i.e. how many scenes per film, how long should each shot be etc). These mechanical rules simply do not exist. We will try our best to provide "ranges" for you but remember, film-making is an art and you'll have a lot of freedom to experiment.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
How To Write A Screenplay Treatment
Generally speaking, a film's treatment is similar to that of an overview or synopsis of the film idea. It usually ranges from 8 to 15 pages and includes all the important conceptual elements, structured in 3-5 acts, each with a beginning, middle and end. When you submit your script, your treatment will often be the first document to be glanced over. If the main concept is enjoyable and your treatment is well written maybe, just maybe, your script will make it into the hands of the "professional script reader". This is an important element of screenwriting which you should know about. When you submit your script to producers, you will not be submitting your scripts to the major decision makers first. Your script will first have to pass through a filter that these large production companies have put in place.
A film treatment states how the audience will experience the film. It's important to write treatments in an active voice and avoid the use of hyperbole (such as "this unique film will explore" etc). When writing treatments you want your audience to be able to visualize your film. You will want to write in present tense and provide an overview of the characters, locations and details of the film. You can write your treatment creatively. The purpose of a treatment is to allow your audience to smell, taste and experience your environment. Reading a treatment (second only to reading a full script) is the closest written equivalent to the look of your film.
That being said, it's important to leave out technical information. In a script you may include camera information if necessary (movement etc), but in a treatment you'll want to keep it limited to non-technical information.
Similarly, you won't want your treatment to have an editorial tone. Again, it's important to stress that you need to avoid editorial writing when writing treatments and instead speak in an active and present voice. Similarly, you should avoid using words and phrases like
"Next we see" - Don't start sentences with "we see". Tell the audience what they see without introducing your sentence with "we see".
Try to avoid passive words such as: Should, will, might and maybe.
Passive words evoke less emotion and take the audience out of the story. Feel free to use dialogue snippets, descriptions of the environment and characters. Essentially use any non-technical element that helps you paint as colourful of a picture as possible.
A treatment helps investors visualize your idea in a personal manner. Treatments don't have a "business feel" to them. They sound dramatic, personal and honest.
Good luck!
A film treatment states how the audience will experience the film. It's important to write treatments in an active voice and avoid the use of hyperbole (such as "this unique film will explore" etc). When writing treatments you want your audience to be able to visualize your film. You will want to write in present tense and provide an overview of the characters, locations and details of the film. You can write your treatment creatively. The purpose of a treatment is to allow your audience to smell, taste and experience your environment. Reading a treatment (second only to reading a full script) is the closest written equivalent to the look of your film.
That being said, it's important to leave out technical information. In a script you may include camera information if necessary (movement etc), but in a treatment you'll want to keep it limited to non-technical information.
Similarly, you won't want your treatment to have an editorial tone. Again, it's important to stress that you need to avoid editorial writing when writing treatments and instead speak in an active and present voice. Similarly, you should avoid using words and phrases like
"Next we see" - Don't start sentences with "we see". Tell the audience what they see without introducing your sentence with "we see".
Try to avoid passive words such as: Should, will, might and maybe.
Passive words evoke less emotion and take the audience out of the story. Feel free to use dialogue snippets, descriptions of the environment and characters. Essentially use any non-technical element that helps you paint as colourful of a picture as possible.
A treatment helps investors visualize your idea in a personal manner. Treatments don't have a "business feel" to them. They sound dramatic, personal and honest.
Good luck!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Re-thinking the HERO
I am re-reading Joseph Campbell's brilliant book, The Hero With A Thousand Faces. I love how Campbell identifies the sequence of events that appears in all dramatic writing while describing the archetypal journey of the hero. It's a masterpiece.
There are so many gems in this book, but here's a quote that I really love:
"The wonder is that the characteristic efficacy to touch and inspire deep creative centers dwells in the smallest nursery fairy tale--as the flavor of the ocean is contained in a droplet or the whole mystery of life within the egg of a flea. For the symbols of mythology are not manufactured; they cannot be ordered, invented, or permanently suppressed. They are spontaneous productions of the psyche, and each bears within it, undamaged, the germ power of its source."
Ahhh... the timelessness of the hero. His journey births a realization of the quintessence of life's ultimate purpose.
Keeping this in mind, I am re-thinking my hero's. Do they experience personal change? Are they transformed? What do they have to conquer? Do they interrupt established order and transform minds?
So... here are some questions to ask when creating a hero:
There are so many gems in this book, but here's a quote that I really love:
"The wonder is that the characteristic efficacy to touch and inspire deep creative centers dwells in the smallest nursery fairy tale--as the flavor of the ocean is contained in a droplet or the whole mystery of life within the egg of a flea. For the symbols of mythology are not manufactured; they cannot be ordered, invented, or permanently suppressed. They are spontaneous productions of the psyche, and each bears within it, undamaged, the germ power of its source."
Ahhh... the timelessness of the hero. His journey births a realization of the quintessence of life's ultimate purpose.
Keeping this in mind, I am re-thinking my hero's. Do they experience personal change? Are they transformed? What do they have to conquer? Do they interrupt established order and transform minds?
So... here are some questions to ask when creating a hero:
- What is the crisis?
- What role does the antagonist play to move the hero forward on his/her journey?
- Are there supernatural encounters?
- What is your hero afraid of, and does he or she conquer her fear in the end?
- What reward does the hero receive?
- How does your hero get back?
- Does he or she return with the ELIXIR?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Up at 4 - Cock-a-doddle-do!
I am not overly fond of keeping rooster's hours, but this phenomenon continues to happen on a regular basis, and why I find the need to sit up, grab my laptop and come online is also a mystery. Nothing like further stimulating my brain!
Anyway, this is a new blog. I already have four others that I can't begin to keep up with, so what the heck am I doing with another one? I have no clue. At any rate, here I sit in the dark, all alone on my bed typing away!
I am a professional writer, and while screenwriting is definitely my passion, it is not the only kind of writing I do. Truthfully, I feel a bit like Virginia Woolf. She was labeled a bit of a writing whore, because of the various genres that she wrote in, and that would definitely be me!
Perhaps I should use this quiet moment to work on one of my screenplays, or perhaps I should attempt to go back to sleep... I could sit here and wait for inspiration...
However...
I'm not feeling it... Jack London says, "You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." I definitely don't have the energy for that, soooooo...
I am going to go back to sleep!
...to be continued...
Anyway, this is a new blog. I already have four others that I can't begin to keep up with, so what the heck am I doing with another one? I have no clue. At any rate, here I sit in the dark, all alone on my bed typing away!
I am a professional writer, and while screenwriting is definitely my passion, it is not the only kind of writing I do. Truthfully, I feel a bit like Virginia Woolf. She was labeled a bit of a writing whore, because of the various genres that she wrote in, and that would definitely be me!
Perhaps I should use this quiet moment to work on one of my screenplays, or perhaps I should attempt to go back to sleep... I could sit here and wait for inspiration...
However...
I'm not feeling it... Jack London says, "You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." I definitely don't have the energy for that, soooooo...
I am going to go back to sleep!
...to be continued...
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