Screenwriting Week Two

SCREENWRITING – WEEK TWO

FORMATTING

SCREENWRITING - WEEK THREE and FOUR

STRUCTURE

1) Determines what happens and when it happens. a. The sequence of events told in proper order TO ELICIT MAXIMUM EMOTION. i. Curiosity – what will happen? ii. Suspense – will it happen or not? iii. Tension – when will it happen? iv. Hope – looking forward to it happening v. Worry – dreading that it will happen b. The cities you visit on your cross-country trip. c. The cup that holds the beverage.

2) Defined by the Hero’s VISIBLE OUTER MOTIVATION. a. Movie is a journey where the writer knows the destination. Structure is where the hero needs to be on that journey.

3) Consists of three Acts, Six stages, and five turning points. a. Gustav Frietag paradigm b. Michael Hauge’s Plot Structure paradigm

SIX STAGE PLOT STRUCTURE ON BOARD

Watch short films.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD SHORT SCRIPT Focused and specific Fresh idea Characters that engage the audience Engaging locales Surprises – twists and turns

SIMPLICITY Told in one sentence One main conflict – one incident Secondary conflict optional

CONFLICT More than just the seeds of conflict – begin with pre-existing conflict 2

Best characters are strong personalities who oppose each other over the story problem.

ORIGINALITY Fresh set of characters dropped into familiar arena Content based on ideas never explored before in film (Brokeback Mountain) A new POV toward an old subject (Unforgiven) Combination of genres (Blazing Saddles) Murder mystery raised to level of tragedy (Chinatown)

Considering the originality of the idea can save hours of reworking later on. Ask yourself “WHAT IS NEW AND DIFFERENT ABOUT MY STORY?”

FILMIC QUALITIES Must be visual, power of images – more than talking heads Use sound and image to tell story Fluidity of Movement: Character action defines who they are Movement through space and time

DEEPER MEANING The Theme-the broader subject matter Theme is underlying, unifying idea concerned with universal concepts Insures audience will relate to material on a deeper level than just the plot. Theme is ultimate subject of film. Themes grow out of who you are and what you believe. Themes are evident in Character Arc. Themes made visual and clear in climax.

Watch more shorts and discuss structure, theme, and character development.

THREE PART STRUCTURE OF SHORT SCRIPT

Beginning, Middle, End – same as feature, but can be totally different

ACT I - BEGINNING – THE SETUP. Needs to happen ALMOST IMMEDIATELY Inciting Incident can happen even BEFORE the story begins Set up character wants and needs Set up Main story Problem – Narrative Question. Will character get _____?

ACT II - MIDDLE – RISING ACTION The Plan – Hero acts on desires Rising action requires a variety of escalating conflicts. Not repetitive conflicts. Like Leadbelly says about the blues… 3

Obstacles: Whatever opposes the protag to achieve goal The antagonist Physical obstructions Inner/psychological or Mystic forces

Complications: Differ from obstacles. They don’t immediately impose a threat to hero. Work best when they’re unexpected. Add tension – What will hero do? Arrive in the form of: character, circumstance, event, mistake, misunderstanding, discovery

Reversals – One of the most powerful writing tools Change of plans is one example 180% shift in direction of action

Crisis – Whenever the hero confronts an obstacle. Creates conflict, because the outcome is in doubt. Creates suspense, which necessitates decisions.

Above all… GIVE US THE UNEXPECTED.

ACT III – END – THE RESOLUTION

CLIMAX – highest point of the drama Conflict resolved… or not A discovery or realization for characters and audience Twists, punch lines, reversals, most effective for short

RESOLUTION – Falling action Unresolved problems are closed here Best ones have a final insight or new revelation, which puts everything into context by elucidating the theme. Often included in climax.

CHARACTER Most short films are character pieces. Show character for who they really are. Character drives action. Best stories are about choices and commitment. Consequences for taking action and Sacrifices made because of choice. Story becomes a Test of their commitment and the price they are willing to pay. Character Arc. Sometimes characters are agents for change and do not change themselves. Others around them change. 4

Develop your Antagonist even more fully than your Protagonist.