♣Notes♣
PROPER WRITING FORMAT
- present tense
- 3rd person
-visual voice
THE 3RD PERSON/PRESENT TENSE
- Character is “narrating” story as it happens
-It presents a more immediate & urgent feel to material
-commonly used in screenplays: story/film unfolding as real, fosters more urgent and immediate feel to story
-thriller and suspense genres
PASSIVE
- uses weak verbs
- tells what’s happening in character’s head
- distances reader from story
ACTIVE
- uses strong action verbs
- shows action
- use immediate sentence structure
- conveys story in a lively manner
TIPS FOR WRITING
Everyone will not have problems coming up with a list of excuses for procrastination
The biggest problem is getting started
If you have work in progress never stop for the night if you are stuck
Always solve problem and keep going until you are in safer water
A good night sleep is important
Sleeping on problems is a myth
If you can’t get started on a project start writing anyway
To do this you will need to have some words to type
It doesn’t matter what you write you’ll soon begin to think and move in your own rhythm/pace.
ELEMENTS OF DIALOGUE
Dialogue reveals character: A character will talk about himself and other people will talk about him.
Dialogue establishes relationships between characters: Once you have established your main character’s POV, you can use dialogue with other characters to show that they have attitudes, creating opposite/alternative POVs. This helps to create and sustain the element of conflict between characters.
Good effective dialogue will move the story forward.
Dialogue communicates faces and information to the audience: It conveys essential exposition. Characters talk about what happened, establishing the storyline.
Dialogue comments on the action. (use as little as possible)
Dialogue ties the script together: It is one of the devices that YOU as a writer can use to expand and enlarge your characters.
“If you can see it or hear it, don’t write it.” – Neville Smith
Dialogue should be used sparingly: Never tell the audience what they can see for themselves!
Dialogue is no substitute for action.
In Hollywood when they look at a page and it’s got too much black, too much ink on the paper, they say: “SHIT! IT’S FREEZE THE CAMERA TIME!!!”
Common mistake: Students sometimes never achieve a level of competence as they tend to reproduce conventional spoken language, long statements of REAL TALKING, and defend their decision by telling that:
“It’s how the character speaks.”
Good dialogue is not somebody’s ability to write authentic speech as heard in real life. If that was all there is to it, you can just push a button on your tape recorder and then go collect your Oscar.
Good dialogue is the illusion of reality: You’ve got to know how to edit what people say without losing any of the spirit.
Students tend to create radio shows with images.
FILM IS A VISUAL MEDIUM
A SCREENPLAY IS A STORY TOLD IN PICTURES
Storytelling Tool(1): Observation
Adopt a keen eye.
Develop a natural sense of curiosity.
An observed event, when subject to simple questions, can set up a sequence of possibilities that will develop into a story worth telling.
WHOM AM I WRITING ABOUT?
WHO IS MY CHARACTER?
WHAT IS HE/SHE/IT LIKE?
WHAT DOES HE/SHE/IT DO?
WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM/HER/IT IN HER STORY?
People rarely observe familiar people or things closely. Most people pass thru the day with 20-30% awareness.
Mindless observation VS True observation
Observe in a conscious way.
Develop the ability to see and record people.
THEIR MOVEMENTS
THEIR PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
THE SETTING/PLACES they’re in
PEOPLE-WATCH EXERCISE
Anil approaches Dor, asking about her cool bling computer “FOAMY” what does that mean.
“Oh, Foamy is the name of my rabbit. She’s our glam princess! YOU SEE HER POOFY CHEST HAIR IT IS AMAZING I WANT CHEST HAIR TOO!”
Anil is really surprised, a girl who wants chest hair. HOW COOL. : ) but coincidentally, Dor is the salesperson for hair growth tonic, hence her cool confident look, because she has to sell stuff. And this is the best chance for her to sell her hair growth tonic!
“I can fulfill your dreams! I happen to have hair growth tonic – Pirelli’s Miracle Elixir – with me! It is manufactured in Italy and is specially brewed and intensively tested by scientists for maximum growth in minimum time!!! Guaranteed hair growth in 5 seconds! You can have one today for $2.99 only!!”
Dor happily accepts the bottle and anticipates the chest hair. But nothing happened in 5 seconds.
Dor is angry. THE BOTTLE LIED. It’s just like in the Pokemon games.
What will Dor do?
FIGHT > SKY UPPERCUT
Dor used SKY UPPERCUT!
It’s super effective! Anil endured the hit with the Focus Band!
What will Anil do?
RUN
Can’t escape!
What will Dor do?
FIGHT > MACH PUNCH
Dor used Mach Punch!
Foe Anil was knocked out!
Dor gained 666 experience points! Dor grew to level 66!
Dor is trying to learn Outrage, but only four moves may be learnt.
Forget a move?
…. poof!
Dor forgot Calm Mind. Dor learnt Outrage!
: )
Every story starts with a character.
The character is the heart, soul and nervous system of your story. It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions. Without a character there is no action, without action, you have no conflict, without conflict you have no story, without story you have no screenplay. When developing a character you ask yourself:
Establish your main character: Characters should have a 3 Dimensional Structure.
Physiology
Sex
Age
Height, weight
Colour of hair, eyes, skin
Posture
Appearance
Defects, abnormalities, deformities, birth marks, diseases
Heredity
Sociology
Class (lower, middle, upper)
Occupation: type of work, hours of work, income, condition of work, attitude towards organization, suitability for work.
Education: Amount, kind of schools, marks, favourite subjects, poorest subjects, aptitudes
Home Life: Parents living, earning power, orphan, parents separated/divorced, parents’ habits, neglect, character’s marital status, parents’ mental development and parents’ vices.
Religion
Race/Nationality
Place in the Community; leader among friends, clubs, sports.
Political affiliations
Amusements: Hobbies, books, newspapers, magazines he/she reads
Psychology
Sex life, moral standards
Personal premise, ambition
Frustrations, chief disappointments
Temperament: choleric, easy-going, pessimistic, optimistic
Attitude towards life: resigned, militant, defeatist
Complexes: obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobias
Personality: extrovert, introvert
Abilities: Language, talents
Qualities: Imagination, judgment, taste, poise
IQ
What is the deep and personal secret this character has which he is desperate to protect/hide.
Separate the components of his life into 2 basic categories:
(a) interior
(b) exterior
Interior life takes place from birth until the moment your story begins. It is a process that forms character. [when you start formulating your character from birth, you see your character build in body and form.]
Exterior life takes place the moment your story begins to its conclusion. It is a process that reveals character.
THE ROLE OF CONFLICT
Conflict is the central feature of screenplay
- Man against man
- Man against environment
- Man against self
It’s variations of sex, age, religion and culture which provide variety to the Conflict.
CONFLICT = CHANGE
As universal as change may be, people often resist it for fear of the unknown. People must learn to cope with change if they want to survive. The action in drama depends on conflict. Definition. Opposition of persons or forces. It is the interaction of opposing ideas, interests or wills and creates the plot. Plot cannot be constructed without conflict. As your characters attempt to reach their goals, they come into conflict with each other. The end of the story nears when the protagonist and antagonist approach their goals and the conflict rises to generate maximum suspense and excitement.
CREATING CONFLICT
The protagonist and antagonist must be locked together with no possible compromise between them.
This is done by having characters of strong conviction and purpose who will fight for what they want. The more evenly matched they are the stronger the battle will be and the more suspense will be aroused.
DEVELOPING CHARACTERS
You must create your characters in relationship to other people or things. All dramatic characters interact in 3 ways:
1. They experience conflict in achieving their dramatic need.
2. They interact with other characters.
3. They interact with themselves.
PURPOSE OF 50 WORD STORIES
Breaks down the myth of handling only 1 idea at a time.
Encourages precise and concise writing
Teaches basic script editing skills, to focus and reveal the essential elements
DYNAMIC ACTION
Story is action.
Action encompasses any kind of movement, activity and interaction between characters and also between characters and their surroundings. Talking about how one feels is not as powerful as illustrating why one feels the way they do through action.
Film is behaviour.
Action is the manifestation of behaviour.
The complexity of the human psyche and interaction is better understood when it is possible to watch the actions, nuances and reactions of the characters.
Has the potential to enrich the experience of the audience by heightening the takes and increasing the tension.
MOVING PICTURES
The power of any story lies in the narrator’s ability to project a mental picture for the audience.
Addresses the problem many newbies have to screenwriting: How to convey visually any sense of inner conflict of emotion.
INTERACTIVE LOCATION
Location is: A physical location, a place in which events occur and characters interact.
Interactive location is: A physical setting and surrounding that interacts with the characters of the film by positively heightening their action.
It can enhance the impact of the action and heighten stakes.
Storytelling Tool 2: Memory (1 being Observation)
These memories are points of reference to your past existence.
TIP: Write what you DO NOT KNOW because you will find some part of you that DOES KNOW. There is always room for personal discovery.
The letter is a practical, personal example of how a character (YOU) undergo an inevitable process of change. This process of change is an essential ingredient of any effective story.
In dramatic writing, the very essence is character change.
STORYTELLING TOOL 3: EXPERIENCE
A storyteller should be concerned with the potential of every experience. Everything about you – where you are born, what food you eat, the bump on your forehead – your experience are unique and irreplaceable.
Plunder your own personal background – The things that happen to you as you grow up and the things that are currently happening to you make terrific story sources.
Many of your experiences are universal and translatable and can be used in any location.
A true story is not necessarily a good story. Good stories have to be worked and reworked. True life stories do not offer neat and relevant endings. Life is unpredictable. In a story, we can and must control the events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being like life.
Revision and Rewriting
Rewriting is not just rewriting
It’s rethinking, reconceptualizing and approaching new things
Everyone should at least try and rewrite their stories 5 times
You will never find out what is really in you until you write and rewrite.
(1) READ WITH A FIXED EYE
RE-READ THRU YOUR STORY CAREFULLY
FOCUS ON A PARTICULAR ASPECT EACH TIME IE CHARACTER
(2) THE CHAINSAW IS YOUR FRIEND
Now is the time to look at script economy
Why have your reader dying to finish after 4 pages when they could be cracving for more after 2?
(3) CRANK IT UP!
The stakes are high – can they be higher?
More to lose = more dramatic tension
This doesn’t mean polishing phrases.
TIP
Study your story, see it with a new vision and changed values.
Write it afresh
Then maybe scrap it, start it all over again – don’t be afraid to do this!
After this, then you can begin “polishing”
Finding expressions with character, dialogue that has rhythm.
It may take 2 or more versions to bring out the full color of the characters or yourself
