There are a large number of pitfalls you can make as a screenwriter, but few are as glaring and as easy to avoid as the: 'Fatal Coincidence'. I'm not talking about the coincidences that often start a story, like Jason Bourne being found afloat by the fishing vessel at the beginning of the Bourne Identity. After all, if Mr. Bourne hadn't been picked up, there would not have been a story to tell. I'm talking about the ones where you find yourself saying - That's too improbable to happen! You've seen them at the movies or on DVD, unfortunately too many times. People showing up just at the right time, overhearing something just at the right time, or finding a miraculous clue, just at the right time. Some screenplays hide their coincidences and blend them into the story narrative so seamlessly you don't even notice. Here's one that does it really well (Spoiler alert):
In Scott Beattie's screenplay, Derailed, Charles meets his lawyer just before they go to the police to report that he is being blackmailed over his infidelity with Lucinda. But, first Charles decides he must tell Lucinda. Nice guy. Charles goes to the only places he knows where he can find her:
· At Lucinda's office, Charles is told by the receptionist that she is not there. Coincidentally, Lucinda is just walking out of the building. The problem for Charles is that, this Lucinda is not his lover. (So, who is she?).
· Charles then goes to what he thinks is Lucinda's apartment. But, a real estate agent there the apartment was rented to Lucinda and her boyfriend. (What's going on?).
· Finally, Charles desperately looks in another place he knows - the train station where Charles and Lucinda got off the train after they first met.
There, Charles finds Lucinda kissing the guy is man blackmailing Charles! This sequence constitutes an ideal end to Act II and provides the so-called 'Second Commitment to Act' or 'Plot Point B' in the Three Act Structure Model, and starts the 'Road Back' point in the Hero's Journey model.
Let's face it, the chance that Charles would arrive just at the right time to see this event is improbable, but the impact of the plot point revelation dampens our skepticism. We're ready to enter Act III and watch Charles get his revenge. This is the quality that screenwriter Beattie also incorporated into the plot of Collateral.
In contrast, here's a screenplay that isn't so seamless. In Patriot Games, Jack Ryan, now retired from the CIA, is on a working-vacation in London with his family. Just as Ryan sees his wife and daughter across the street, the IRA attack Lord William Holmes, the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, right in front of him! Later, when an IRA assassin tries to kill Ryan outside the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, Ryan just happens to get a glimpse of the same woman driving away in a Jeep as drove the getaway car after the attack in London. To cap the coincidences off, Ryan's memory of the woman is jogged when he just happens to accidentally go into the woman's restroom instead of the men's, and notice a woman with similar hair to the woman in the two vehicles.
So, how do you avoid 'Fatal Coincidences'?
· Find where they occur in your screenplay by asking yourself: 'Does this really stand a chance of happening?' If a coincidence makes things too easy for the protagonist, then your audience will likely not accept it.
· Give characters a specific reason for being in the location for the coincidence to occur. Note in Derailedhow Charles had a specific reason and rationale to be at the station (to look for Lucinda at a place he knows she visits) whereas as Ryan was there purely by coincidence.
· Have the character work to be in the situation for the coincidence to occur. The event seems more like preparedness simply meeting opportunity - it had to happen sooner or later. In Derailed, if seems like if Charles looks in enough places, he will eventually run into Lucinda.
· Foreshadow coincidences. Charles had already gone to two already familiar locations and received information that told him something was suspicious about Lucinda's story of who she was. By the third location, we were expecting to see something that answered what Lucinda was up to - and there is was! Make the coincidence seem inevitable.
· Have the coincidence explain something so large that the meaning of the coincidence overshadows the event itself.
Fatal Coincidences really reflect laziness and lack of creativity on behalf of the screenwriter. When you submit your screenplay to an agent or studies, Fatal Coincidences will do exactly that to your script. Avoid them!
Dr. Melvyn P. Heyes is a research scientist who has developed http://www.screenwritingscience.com a site dedicated to the analysis and the Sequence-Scene structure and plots of successful movie scripts to help you write your own screenplay. There you will find Screenplay Summaries of classic and contemporary Hollywood and Independent films to use as Templates and Event Roadmaps.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
How to Write a Successful Screenplay by Kal Bishop
First you have to get your head around the idea that there is really only one story. By that we mean this: every story you have ever seen or read is essentially an alternate situation superimposed, with individual style, over the same structure.
The Godfather (1972), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Gladiator (2000), Annie Hall (1977) and every other successful story you have ever seen or read are all one and the same - various situations superimposed over the same structure. Spielberg, Lucas, Scorsese, Coppola, Cameron all use this structure. Shakespeare used this structure. Stories in the Bible, the Vedas, the Torah and the Koran use this structure. You should use this structure.
Second you have to understand what is meant by structure. It is more than simple three or four acts or plot points etc..., it is a consistent, complex process through which your characters are led that results in them resolving their initial challenges. Many people are resistant to the idea that stories are processes because they are influenced by the many creativity myths.
Third, you have to understand, on a very deep level, what that structure is. It is the 510+ stages of the Hero's Journey you need to know about... and, on a macro level, involves:
...Movement through a number of Worlds.
...Transformation from various Devolved Selves to an Ultimate Self.
...Detachment from Older Worlds and Selves and Attachment to Newer Worlds and Selves.
...The Making Explicit of Deficiencies and the Gaining of Capacities.
...The Making Explicit of Challenges and the Laying Out of their Resolution.
...much, much more...
Fourth, you have to become adept with the structure, by superimposing various situations over it. The structure can be literal but it can also be highly metaphoric - it can take time to become flexible with the metaphors.
Fifth, once you have found a situation you are happy with, you develop your story by writing each sequence in your own, individual writing style. Once you have developed the competency, it is not necessarily that difficult: Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky (1976) in three days, Joe Eszterhas wrote Basic Instinct (1992) in 13 days.
Learn more...
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 510+ stage Hero's Journey, Monomyth and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html/
You will receive a free sample file by entering your email address at this site: http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html/
The Godfather (1972), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Gladiator (2000), Annie Hall (1977) and every other successful story you have ever seen or read are all one and the same - various situations superimposed over the same structure. Spielberg, Lucas, Scorsese, Coppola, Cameron all use this structure. Shakespeare used this structure. Stories in the Bible, the Vedas, the Torah and the Koran use this structure. You should use this structure.
Second you have to understand what is meant by structure. It is more than simple three or four acts or plot points etc..., it is a consistent, complex process through which your characters are led that results in them resolving their initial challenges. Many people are resistant to the idea that stories are processes because they are influenced by the many creativity myths.
Third, you have to understand, on a very deep level, what that structure is. It is the 510+ stages of the Hero's Journey you need to know about... and, on a macro level, involves:
...Movement through a number of Worlds.
...Transformation from various Devolved Selves to an Ultimate Self.
...Detachment from Older Worlds and Selves and Attachment to Newer Worlds and Selves.
...The Making Explicit of Deficiencies and the Gaining of Capacities.
...The Making Explicit of Challenges and the Laying Out of their Resolution.
...much, much more...
Fourth, you have to become adept with the structure, by superimposing various situations over it. The structure can be literal but it can also be highly metaphoric - it can take time to become flexible with the metaphors.
Fifth, once you have found a situation you are happy with, you develop your story by writing each sequence in your own, individual writing style. Once you have developed the competency, it is not necessarily that difficult: Sylvester Stallone wrote Rocky (1976) in three days, Joe Eszterhas wrote Basic Instinct (1992) in 13 days.
Learn more...
WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!
The Complete 510+ stage Hero's Journey, Monomyth and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html/
You will receive a free sample file by entering your email address at this site: http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html/
Social Media Changes the Face of Television
Reality Digital has indicated that the growing and ever changing world of social media and online video sharing is having a dramatic effect on modern television.
Consumption of visual materials is growing through the internet medium, with websites like Youtube and Hulu used for the mass syndication of video content. More advanced sites such as Vimeo are now providing high definition video online, proving that the constant development of video and recording technology is showing no signs of slowing down.
The possibilities that the internet has to offer broadcasters are endless. Many channels are now opting to stream their programmes over the web as well as through TV, meaning that more people are tuning into websites to view their favourite shows rather than watching the programme itself. The catch-up TV video platform is also becoming very popular, as most consumers prefer to have their programmes available, as and when they want to view them.
Social media is directly affecting television content too, with more and more programmes adopting interactive elements for audience participation, through social networks such as facebook and twitter. New programmes are beginning to be formed around the social network, rather than the opposite, showing the dominance of social media over television as a whole.
Source: www.realitydigital.com
Consumption of visual materials is growing through the internet medium, with websites like Youtube and Hulu used for the mass syndication of video content. More advanced sites such as Vimeo are now providing high definition video online, proving that the constant development of video and recording technology is showing no signs of slowing down.
The possibilities that the internet has to offer broadcasters are endless. Many channels are now opting to stream their programmes over the web as well as through TV, meaning that more people are tuning into websites to view their favourite shows rather than watching the programme itself. The catch-up TV video platform is also becoming very popular, as most consumers prefer to have their programmes available, as and when they want to view them.
Social media is directly affecting television content too, with more and more programmes adopting interactive elements for audience participation, through social networks such as facebook and twitter. New programmes are beginning to be formed around the social network, rather than the opposite, showing the dominance of social media over television as a whole.
Source: www.realitydigital.com
Monday, July 20, 2009
Web Site to Become the New Industry Standard in Movie Reviews
A new industry standard for measuring and understanding movie reviews, Movie Review Intelligence, Inc. announces the launch of www.MovieReviewIntelligence.com, giving moviegoers and industry professionals -- critics, filmmakers, marketers, distributors, exhibitors, and publishing editors -- the most accurate, detailed, and complete picture of movie reviews possible.
MovieReviewIntelligence.com offers commentary, charts, summaries, averages and comparisons in real-time. The company collects movie reviews on a 24-hour basis, analyzing hundreds of reviews each week in meticulous detail, with the goal of providing a new professional standard for measuring and understanding movie reviews.
MovieReviewIntelligence.com collects reviews from over 65 U.S. and Toronto newspapers, magazines, alternative weeklies, NPR and 'At the Movies.' These publications and critics have been selected because they are the most influential and representative of their kind, as measured by the size of their readership and audience, and largely comprise the body of reviews that moviegoers are seeing, reading and hearing.
Proprietary research conducted on behalf of MovieReviewIntelligence.com shows that 81 percent of moviegoers follow movie reviews. This represents 71,485,980 moviegoers who follow reviews.
The following are the key factors that MovieReviewIntelligence.com analyzes:
Positive Review Ratings: A 1 to 100 percent score that reflects the full range of reviews. The ratings are broken down by taste and geographic sub-groups so that moviegoers can understand how a movie appeals to them.
Review Mixture: This is the degree of variance among a movie's reviews.
Coverage, Volume, and Length: These show the size of the reviews.
Review Timing: This is a measure of when a movie's reviews are published.
Review Media Value: This is the estimated dollar value the reviews would be worth if their print space and airtime were bought like advertising.
MovieReviewIntelligence.com offers commentary, charts, summaries, averages and comparisons in real-time. The company collects movie reviews on a 24-hour basis, analyzing hundreds of reviews each week in meticulous detail, with the goal of providing a new professional standard for measuring and understanding movie reviews.
MovieReviewIntelligence.com collects reviews from over 65 U.S. and Toronto newspapers, magazines, alternative weeklies, NPR and 'At the Movies.' These publications and critics have been selected because they are the most influential and representative of their kind, as measured by the size of their readership and audience, and largely comprise the body of reviews that moviegoers are seeing, reading and hearing.
Proprietary research conducted on behalf of MovieReviewIntelligence.com shows that 81 percent of moviegoers follow movie reviews. This represents 71,485,980 moviegoers who follow reviews.
The following are the key factors that MovieReviewIntelligence.com analyzes:
Positive Review Ratings: A 1 to 100 percent score that reflects the full range of reviews. The ratings are broken down by taste and geographic sub-groups so that moviegoers can understand how a movie appeals to them.
Review Mixture: This is the degree of variance among a movie's reviews.
Coverage, Volume, and Length: These show the size of the reviews.
Review Timing: This is a measure of when a movie's reviews are published.
Review Media Value: This is the estimated dollar value the reviews would be worth if their print space and airtime were bought like advertising.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Breaks Records
Warner Bros. Pictures' "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has already shattered two box office records, first breaking the record for a midnight opening with $22.2 million, eclipsing the studio's own record set last year by "The Dark Knight." "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" then flew past the worldwide opening day box office record: with the domestic gross of $58.18 million and the international totals of $45.85 million combining for an astounding one-day global box office gross of more than $104 million.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Screenplay Writing Tips For the Novice Screenwriter Susan Hart
The very first thing you must have in your head before you get started is a story. It can be about anything, but the concept must be attention getting or emotional, or action-packed. It can be fiction or non-fiction. After you have your story, write it down. Expand on it until it feels like the people in your screenplay are real. If your story is about an actual event or real people or celebrities, copyright must be cleared. For a new screenwriter, perhaps the best thing is to create an entirely fictional story. Get your title if you can. Now you will have your synopsis or small treatment. This is not set in stone and will surely evolve as you get going.
Secondly, pick a genre. This is important to producers and directors. A genre is a story that is mainly drama, or comedy, or Sci-Fi, etc. There are standard combo genres such as Romantic Comedies, known as RomComs. Decide right away what rating your screenplay will be -- G, PG, PG-13 or R. The pool of buyers for your screenplay will be the largest for a PG-13, so a first time screenwriter may choose that one. A genre and rating have to be picked before a writer puts a word onto the computer. You can change scenes as you go along put the general theme and genre cannot be changed, or else you've put yourself through a heck of a lot of work. Look up what the ratings mean and what can be included in a screenplay with a certain rating.
Thirdly, decide on your length. A drama or comedy are usually ninety pages to one hundred pages. A period piece or action/dramas can be up to one hundred and twenty pages. A screenplay by first time screenwriter should be between ninety and one hundred and twenty pages. A rule of thumb for a screenplay is one minute per page (as opposed to play scripts or musicals which are two minutes a page). If produced in Courier New 12 point type, producers can then judge the length of the screenplay, hence ninety pages is ninety minutes and one hundred and twenty pages is one hundred and twenty minutes. And the margins for a screenplay are 1.5 inches on the left and all others 1 inch. There is a very specific format for a screenplay and this is easy to find if you search around for a few minutes on the WWW.
Fourthly, you may find scenes popping into your head at the oddest moments, so keep an easy to use voice recorder handy and use it safely to record notes. It's also a good idea to carry a notebook and pen around or a small computer that you can jot down ideas on.
Lastly, when the bulk of your screenplay is done be sure and register it (you can do it online) at the Writers' Guild of America website. When you have completed it to your satisfaction, write a one page synopsis of the story, topped by a one sentence logline. If you feel that you have a wonderful story but are lacking in some areas of screenwriting such as scene structure etc., there are a lot of writers out there who may be able to help bring your "baby" to life. And after putting your heart and soul into it, you will truly feel like it's your baby.
Susan Hart is a former literary agent, born in England, with the majority of her clients being screenwriters. After many years of helping others get their work published or up on the big or small screen, she is concentrating on her own writing in the areas of articles (of many kinds), short stories, novels and screen plays plus editing and proofreading, Some samples of her work can be found on her website at: http://www.ifreelance.com/pro/49442
Secondly, pick a genre. This is important to producers and directors. A genre is a story that is mainly drama, or comedy, or Sci-Fi, etc. There are standard combo genres such as Romantic Comedies, known as RomComs. Decide right away what rating your screenplay will be -- G, PG, PG-13 or R. The pool of buyers for your screenplay will be the largest for a PG-13, so a first time screenwriter may choose that one. A genre and rating have to be picked before a writer puts a word onto the computer. You can change scenes as you go along put the general theme and genre cannot be changed, or else you've put yourself through a heck of a lot of work. Look up what the ratings mean and what can be included in a screenplay with a certain rating.
Thirdly, decide on your length. A drama or comedy are usually ninety pages to one hundred pages. A period piece or action/dramas can be up to one hundred and twenty pages. A screenplay by first time screenwriter should be between ninety and one hundred and twenty pages. A rule of thumb for a screenplay is one minute per page (as opposed to play scripts or musicals which are two minutes a page). If produced in Courier New 12 point type, producers can then judge the length of the screenplay, hence ninety pages is ninety minutes and one hundred and twenty pages is one hundred and twenty minutes. And the margins for a screenplay are 1.5 inches on the left and all others 1 inch. There is a very specific format for a screenplay and this is easy to find if you search around for a few minutes on the WWW.
Fourthly, you may find scenes popping into your head at the oddest moments, so keep an easy to use voice recorder handy and use it safely to record notes. It's also a good idea to carry a notebook and pen around or a small computer that you can jot down ideas on.
Lastly, when the bulk of your screenplay is done be sure and register it (you can do it online) at the Writers' Guild of America website. When you have completed it to your satisfaction, write a one page synopsis of the story, topped by a one sentence logline. If you feel that you have a wonderful story but are lacking in some areas of screenwriting such as scene structure etc., there are a lot of writers out there who may be able to help bring your "baby" to life. And after putting your heart and soul into it, you will truly feel like it's your baby.
Susan Hart is a former literary agent, born in England, with the majority of her clients being screenwriters. After many years of helping others get their work published or up on the big or small screen, she is concentrating on her own writing in the areas of articles (of many kinds), short stories, novels and screen plays plus editing and proofreading, Some samples of her work can be found on her website at: http://www.ifreelance.com/pro/49442
Monday, July 6, 2009
How to Write a Screenplay That Will Get Read by Jay Schillinger
So you have an idea for a movie? You just know it would be a big hit. All you need now is a good script. You remember that your friend has a buddy who knows someone who once sold a script to Disney. You contact them only to realize that you just don't have the $15,000 necessary to pay this con-artist mid-level Hollywood writer to take on "your baby." What next? Well, if you're like most ambitious, semi-intelligent zealots, you decide to go for it and just write the thing yourself! After all, how hard can it be? If Quentin Tarantino can do it, why can't you?
Congratulations! You're on your way. As Confucius once said, "beginning is half done." And I must say the only feeling better than finishing your first script is selling your first script. I still have the voice mail saved on my phone when I got that call that a production company wanted to buy my script.
So, you Google screenplays and decide to read a few great scripts ("Good Will Hunting," "Rocky," etc.). You get the basic formatting... and you're ready to go... or so you think. And this is where the trouble begins:
FADE IN:
Most scripts never get read beyond the first ten pages. I can't tell you how many times I've seen readers stop reading a script almost before they've begun. Why? Because these readers have 1,000,000 scripts behind yours to read. If they don't understand where your story is going or what it's about by the first 10-pages, they're simply going to assume the rest of the story is just as confusing; and stop reading. Thus, it is imperative that within those first 10-pages of your script, the reader knows (1) what your story is about (2) who your lead actor(s) are and (3) the who, what, where, when and why and how's of your story. SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON THESE FIRST 10-PAGES AS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE REST OF YOUR SCRIPT GETS READ!
Read the script out loud. To yourself. To friends. To strangers. To anyone who will listen. Then, have them tell you where they think the story's going. Have them share their thoughts. Input at this stage is crucial.
One of my favorite scripts is titled, "Big Bear." It's about a group of 20-something friends that take a trip to Big Bear, California. I loved this script and it was my first attempt at writing a comedy. Even though I would laugh every time I read it, the moment I had a group of friends read it out loud - I realized just how not-funny it was. This made me go back in and perform a major overhaul of the project. It's so important to do this. Scripts are not written - they're rewritten.
Now, before I go any further, I will admit that I do realize there is no "one-way" to write a great screenplay. I'm simply giving you the guidelines that work for 99.9% of the people out there. There are always exceptions to the rule. If that's you, great! No need to read on. If not... keep going. You're well on our way!
"A great rule of thumb is one-page per minute of script. Thus, a 90-page script translates into a 90-minute movie. And 90-minutes is the perfect length. How many times have you found yourself looking at your watch or waiting for the movie to get to the big climax? This is the fault of overly-wordy writers who tend to go on and on and on when all they should really be doing is getting to the end! We want our hero to live... we generally know they're going to anyway. We want our couple to fall in love... we generally know they're going to anyway. Stop dragging this on and let us have our satisfaction!"
You've now written 10 great pages. Your story is kicking in. At this point, everything is taking us to the end of Act 1. And where is the end of Act 1? Right about at page 30.
I was at ShoWest in Las Vegas listening to Gus Van Sant, Director of "Good Will Hunting" speak about that incredible screenplay. He said that after reading that story, he went back and circled the pages where the Act's broke. Act 1 was (literally) page 30. Midpoint was (literally) page 60. Act II was (literally) page 90. An incredible script.
Your Act I doesn't have to be at exactly page 30, but if it's not, it's generally a sign that you're dragging on a story point and beginning to bore your audience or reader. Or vice versa; you're not giving the audience enough information. Thus, if not page 30, it should be close to it.
So what happens at the end of Act I? That's up to you to decide. But whatever it is, it should throw your story into the second - and longest Act - Act II.
This could be...
- the girl gets kidnapped
- the boy realizes he loves the lowly waitress (and not the popular cheerleader)
- the code to the nuclear bombs have been stolen
It's endless. But whatever it is, we're now into the meat of our story! Fun, fun, fun!
Act II is, in my opinion, where most stories tend to drag down the entire film since it's the longest portion of the script; generally beginning at page 30 and running to page 75-90(ish). This is the meat of your story. Where the boy hunts down the killer. Where our character begins to develop and we see his/her arc unfold. EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN ACT II PREPARES US FOR THE CLIMATIC ENDING (ACT III).
Act II is where it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen... yet somehow, our story continues. It's here where you really need to introduce a few solid "beats." "Beats" are those moments that people talk about once the movie's over.
Staying on "Good Will Hunting," my favorite "beat" was the scene where Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams) is lecturing Will (Matt Damon) on the importance of life's lessons. He explains that while Will could give him a diatribe on Michelangelo, he couldn't begin to tell him what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.
This scene is powerful in that it showed Will (and the audience) the importance of living life. Exactly what Will needed at this time in his life of denial. It's a scene that sticks with you long after the movie's over. I love good "beats."
And, coincidentally, that scene was written at exactly Page 60 (midpoint).
Every good movie has two or three "beats." The great ones have more.
And now, we're on to Act III. The conclusion. This is the action-packed chase scene where the hero finally gets the villain. Where the boy kisses the girl and finally tells her he loves her. Where the nukes are finally back in the hands of the good guys.
Act III is no fluff. EVERY WORD must pull you forward. EVERY WORD must take you to the end. Act III has them on the edge of their seats. No more beating around the bush. This is in-your-face-storytelling. At it's best.
And then...
ROLL END CREDITS... and wait for the applause.
In Summary:
Pages 1-10: Who, what, where, when, why, how
Page 30: End of Act I
Page 60: Midpoint
Page 90: End of Act II
Page 120: End of Act III
The above really is just the tip of the iceberg. But if you follow that simple structure, you'll be heads and shoulders above those other 1,000,000 writers out there just hoping to have their screenplay turned into the next summer blockbuster.
FADE OUT.
Jay Schillinger is a scriptwriter and owner of NorthCoast Productions; an HD Production and Media Marketing company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He can be contacted at jay@northcoastpro.com. By only taking on a few clients at a time, he can ensure he gives his full attention to each story. Having written over 13 screenplays, Jay's love for great storytelling is endless.
In addition to working for The Walt Disney Studios for eight years, Jay started the independent distribution company Bouquet Pictures Distribution.
Congratulations! You're on your way. As Confucius once said, "beginning is half done." And I must say the only feeling better than finishing your first script is selling your first script. I still have the voice mail saved on my phone when I got that call that a production company wanted to buy my script.
So, you Google screenplays and decide to read a few great scripts ("Good Will Hunting," "Rocky," etc.). You get the basic formatting... and you're ready to go... or so you think. And this is where the trouble begins:
FADE IN:
Most scripts never get read beyond the first ten pages. I can't tell you how many times I've seen readers stop reading a script almost before they've begun. Why? Because these readers have 1,000,000 scripts behind yours to read. If they don't understand where your story is going or what it's about by the first 10-pages, they're simply going to assume the rest of the story is just as confusing; and stop reading. Thus, it is imperative that within those first 10-pages of your script, the reader knows (1) what your story is about (2) who your lead actor(s) are and (3) the who, what, where, when and why and how's of your story. SPEND AS MUCH TIME ON THESE FIRST 10-PAGES AS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE REST OF YOUR SCRIPT GETS READ!
Read the script out loud. To yourself. To friends. To strangers. To anyone who will listen. Then, have them tell you where they think the story's going. Have them share their thoughts. Input at this stage is crucial.
One of my favorite scripts is titled, "Big Bear." It's about a group of 20-something friends that take a trip to Big Bear, California. I loved this script and it was my first attempt at writing a comedy. Even though I would laugh every time I read it, the moment I had a group of friends read it out loud - I realized just how not-funny it was. This made me go back in and perform a major overhaul of the project. It's so important to do this. Scripts are not written - they're rewritten.
Now, before I go any further, I will admit that I do realize there is no "one-way" to write a great screenplay. I'm simply giving you the guidelines that work for 99.9% of the people out there. There are always exceptions to the rule. If that's you, great! No need to read on. If not... keep going. You're well on our way!
"A great rule of thumb is one-page per minute of script. Thus, a 90-page script translates into a 90-minute movie. And 90-minutes is the perfect length. How many times have you found yourself looking at your watch or waiting for the movie to get to the big climax? This is the fault of overly-wordy writers who tend to go on and on and on when all they should really be doing is getting to the end! We want our hero to live... we generally know they're going to anyway. We want our couple to fall in love... we generally know they're going to anyway. Stop dragging this on and let us have our satisfaction!"
You've now written 10 great pages. Your story is kicking in. At this point, everything is taking us to the end of Act 1. And where is the end of Act 1? Right about at page 30.
I was at ShoWest in Las Vegas listening to Gus Van Sant, Director of "Good Will Hunting" speak about that incredible screenplay. He said that after reading that story, he went back and circled the pages where the Act's broke. Act 1 was (literally) page 30. Midpoint was (literally) page 60. Act II was (literally) page 90. An incredible script.
Your Act I doesn't have to be at exactly page 30, but if it's not, it's generally a sign that you're dragging on a story point and beginning to bore your audience or reader. Or vice versa; you're not giving the audience enough information. Thus, if not page 30, it should be close to it.
So what happens at the end of Act I? That's up to you to decide. But whatever it is, it should throw your story into the second - and longest Act - Act II.
This could be...
- the girl gets kidnapped
- the boy realizes he loves the lowly waitress (and not the popular cheerleader)
- the code to the nuclear bombs have been stolen
It's endless. But whatever it is, we're now into the meat of our story! Fun, fun, fun!
Act II is, in my opinion, where most stories tend to drag down the entire film since it's the longest portion of the script; generally beginning at page 30 and running to page 75-90(ish). This is the meat of your story. Where the boy hunts down the killer. Where our character begins to develop and we see his/her arc unfold. EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN ACT II PREPARES US FOR THE CLIMATIC ENDING (ACT III).
Act II is where it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen... yet somehow, our story continues. It's here where you really need to introduce a few solid "beats." "Beats" are those moments that people talk about once the movie's over.
Staying on "Good Will Hunting," my favorite "beat" was the scene where Sean Maguire (played by Robin Williams) is lecturing Will (Matt Damon) on the importance of life's lessons. He explains that while Will could give him a diatribe on Michelangelo, he couldn't begin to tell him what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.
This scene is powerful in that it showed Will (and the audience) the importance of living life. Exactly what Will needed at this time in his life of denial. It's a scene that sticks with you long after the movie's over. I love good "beats."
And, coincidentally, that scene was written at exactly Page 60 (midpoint).
Every good movie has two or three "beats." The great ones have more.
And now, we're on to Act III. The conclusion. This is the action-packed chase scene where the hero finally gets the villain. Where the boy kisses the girl and finally tells her he loves her. Where the nukes are finally back in the hands of the good guys.
Act III is no fluff. EVERY WORD must pull you forward. EVERY WORD must take you to the end. Act III has them on the edge of their seats. No more beating around the bush. This is in-your-face-storytelling. At it's best.
And then...
ROLL END CREDITS... and wait for the applause.
In Summary:
Pages 1-10: Who, what, where, when, why, how
Page 30: End of Act I
Page 60: Midpoint
Page 90: End of Act II
Page 120: End of Act III
The above really is just the tip of the iceberg. But if you follow that simple structure, you'll be heads and shoulders above those other 1,000,000 writers out there just hoping to have their screenplay turned into the next summer blockbuster.
FADE OUT.
Jay Schillinger is a scriptwriter and owner of NorthCoast Productions; an HD Production and Media Marketing company based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He can be contacted at jay@northcoastpro.com. By only taking on a few clients at a time, he can ensure he gives his full attention to each story. Having written over 13 screenplays, Jay's love for great storytelling is endless.
In addition to working for The Walt Disney Studios for eight years, Jay started the independent distribution company Bouquet Pictures Distribution.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Writing Your Screenplay - Show Don't Tell by Susan Hart
As you sit down every day to work on your screenplay, the foremost thought in your mind should be -- write what is to be seen on the screen. There is no point in putting down "Her inner turmoil reminded her of a lost childhood". All that's needed is "She looks at the old photo and starts to sob".
Write your screenplay as if you are in the audience, watching the movie. Every word in a script should advance the story. There's no need to add fluff. If the storyline is not viable and complete, then the screenplay won't fly.
When I write a screenplay I usually see scenes whole, like little vignettes. They could have been inspired by things I've observed, or remembered. Once the main story is down, properly formatted as you go along (and you don't need expensive screenwriting programs to get started), then you can grab other scenes and ideas and plot points from your everyday life and add those to the people and places in your story.
It's best to have a story idea in mind before your start, or else you may get part of the way through the screenplay and get stopped. Scenes can come to you by sight or sound or photos, or even smells. When you are writing a screenplay open up your mind and let the ideas flow.
I've found that a drama or comedy screenplay is best at ninety to one hundred pages and an action or adventure or Sci-Fi screenplay turns out great at one hundred and twenty pages, or two hours of screen time. If you are great at stories but not so great at spelling or editing or grammar, then there are writers and editors out there who can help.
Remember, the play's the thing (according to Shakespeare!)
Susan Hart is a former literary agent, born in England, with the majority of her clients being screenwriters. After many years of helping others get their work published or up on the big or small screen, she is concentrating on her own writing in the areas of articles (of many kinds), short stories, novels and screenplays plus editing and proofreading, Some samples of her work can be found on her website at: http://www.ifreelance.com/pro/49442
Write your screenplay as if you are in the audience, watching the movie. Every word in a script should advance the story. There's no need to add fluff. If the storyline is not viable and complete, then the screenplay won't fly.
When I write a screenplay I usually see scenes whole, like little vignettes. They could have been inspired by things I've observed, or remembered. Once the main story is down, properly formatted as you go along (and you don't need expensive screenwriting programs to get started), then you can grab other scenes and ideas and plot points from your everyday life and add those to the people and places in your story.
It's best to have a story idea in mind before your start, or else you may get part of the way through the screenplay and get stopped. Scenes can come to you by sight or sound or photos, or even smells. When you are writing a screenplay open up your mind and let the ideas flow.
I've found that a drama or comedy screenplay is best at ninety to one hundred pages and an action or adventure or Sci-Fi screenplay turns out great at one hundred and twenty pages, or two hours of screen time. If you are great at stories but not so great at spelling or editing or grammar, then there are writers and editors out there who can help.
Remember, the play's the thing (according to Shakespeare!)
Susan Hart is a former literary agent, born in England, with the majority of her clients being screenwriters. After many years of helping others get their work published or up on the big or small screen, she is concentrating on her own writing in the areas of articles (of many kinds), short stories, novels and screenplays plus editing and proofreading, Some samples of her work can be found on her website at: http://www.ifreelance.com/pro/49442
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