Screenwriting Resources
As a resource for those taking our filmmaking workshop, and for whoever else stumbles onto the CFB searching for filmmaking tips, I’ve compiled the following information as a resource for beginning screenwriters. I’d like to thank my former intern Ryan DiGiorgi of LazyBear Productions for gathering most of this research, and to a lesser extent my current intern, Kashad Moore (j/k Kashad).
The purpose of the workshops is to promote story-telling with film/digital video, to encourage local submissions for the Back Row Film Festival, and to generally encourage young filmmakers.
The first workshop covers preproduction, specifically, writing your script. Why is writing so important, isn’t film a visual medium? Well, yes, but, that is only the finished product. The first step is getting the idea out of your head and onto paper. Everything you see on the screen starts with the script. And the script starts with a single idea.
Where do good ideas for stories come from? Check out some scripts from films you’ve seen:
http://www.script-o-rama.com/, http://www.screenplays-online.de/
These Hollywood films required months, even years of preproduction, script development, and planning.
But where do story ideas come from? Random conversations with friends, waking up in the middle of the night (a vision from God), locations that evoke a feeling, where else? A good story idea can come from anywhere, but the question is, where is this story going?
Every story has already basically been told in some form. Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self. Any new idea, no matter how original, can be compared to an existing work. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can be helpful to look at previous work to get your ideas in motion.
How do these story ideas then get turned into films? Not just by talking about them! They had to be written down first--then submitted to film companies, completely re-written, then made into Hollywood films.
A lot of the movies you see started with a “what if” statement? From a conversation, someone came up with, What if _____ happened to _______?
What if an alien visitor was left behind on Earth and discovered by a child?
What if werewolves fought vampires?
What if a psychopath designed traps where people had to hurt themselves or others to save their own life?
What if we made a movie about a young rapper trying to make it?
What if toys came to life?
What if a student skipped school and had hilarious hijinx in Chicago?
What if four brothers vowed to avenge their mothers death?
What if two cowboys fell in love?
What if two professional killers were married to each other and didn’t know the truth about each other?
The “Chris Willis” method, as I like to call it is very similiar. Basically I have sat around and heard a thousand converations where someone said, “Wouldn’t it be cool if ______ happened in a movie?” Same concept.
All screenplays have common elements that need to be addressed, but the place to start is with the subject. What is your story about? (Field) Figure this out first, then move on to plot, characters, and endings.
What happens? “The story is NOT an action scene, it’s not a guy falling down the stairs, it’s not ‘wouldn’t it be funny if we dressed up like ninjas’ unless that sentence ends with ‘and then something interesting happens’” (DiGiorgi, 2006).
What else makes a story? Structure. Hollywood agents for writers have very particular criteria they are looking for. One thing in particular is that submitted stories have a “Three Act Structure.”
ACT 1
Setup
Who is the main character and what does he want?
Why?
What does he intend to do to get it?
ACT 2
Struggle
The hero’s plan goes into action
There are problems
He tries several different methods, meeting new obstacles and learning new things at each turn
Just when he’s sure he has everything figured out, his worst fear comes true. He’s ready to give up.
EVERY good movie has this scene, try to find it.
But WAIT. There might be hope.
One last plan
ACT 3
Payoff
CLIMAX: The hero’s last plan is put into action.
The plan pays off and he has the power to get what he wants.
But was it really what he NEEDS?
He takes everything he learned in Act 2 and applies it to his final decision to accept what he wants or reject it.
Resolution
How did everything turn out for everyone?
The Punctuation Method (The Screenwriter Within)
ACT 1 ends with a “?”
The premise is setup, what will happen?
ACT 2 ends with a “!”
Holy crap, I did not think that would happen!
ACT 3 ends with a “.”
Well, I guess it all worked out.
If you don’t know your ending, make up three. The real ending is probably a mixture of these:
The happiest possible ending
The saddest possible ending
The most absurd ending
-The Screenwriter Within
Another important point for scripts submitted to film companies is using the proper screen writing format. Eejit’s Guide has a very good explanation of how to write for independent films.
Is the format really that important? Depends on what you’re doing. The main things is to get your ideas out of your head and onto paper. People can’t read your mind.
Storyboarding is another useful tool in preproduction. Check Eejit’s Guide for help with this as well.
So get to work. And if you'd like to post your ideas or get other feedback from area writers, contact me at Chris-Willis@utc.edu.
For more info see:
Books on screenwriting:
King, Viki. How to Write a Movie in 21 Days.
Gilles, D. B. The Screenwriter Within.
Field, Syd. Screenplay : The Foundations of Screenwriting.
Field, Syd. The Screenwriters Workbook.
Useful websites:
http://www.indiewire.com/
http://www.exposure.co.uk/eejit/
http://www.screenwriting.info/
http://www.dvshop.ca/dvcafe/writing/beginners.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/screenplay.shtml
http://worldfilm.about.com/c/ht/00/07/How_Write_Screenplay_For0962933827.htm