They say its the last book on screen writing we'll ever need and I think they are right. 'Liking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story.' Save the cat is the scene where the hero saves the cat that defines who he is that makes us like him.
1. What's it about
We need a one line log line or a hook. It must have four components 1) Irony - emotionally involving, like an itch 2) a compelling mental picture that blooms in your mind 3) audience and the cost - tone 4) a killer title - say what it is cleverly
So we need irony, audience and cost, a clear sense of what the movie promises and a killer title. The logline says what's it about, who its for, tone, potential, dilemma of its characters, type of characters, easy to understand and compelling
To the logline add an 1) adjective to describe the hero 2) the bad guy 3) a compelling goal we identify with as human beings
Once it is made Pitch It
2. Same Thing Only Different
Avoid cliches. Dance around the cliches but turn away - give a twist. What is it most like? Genre.
Monster in the house - a confined area, a sin that creates a monster
Golden fleece - internal growth, hero's growth
Out of the bottle - a genre summoned out of the bottle, hero is a put me down
Dude with a problem - ordinary guy in extraordinary circumstances
Rites of passage - growing pains, everybody;s in on the joke except the person going through it, end point is acceptance
Buddy love - hate each other, incomplete halves, all is lost
Why done it - audience discovers something about human nature that they did not think was possible before the crime was committed
Fool triumphant - idiot gets the society, underdog - institution
Institutionalised - groups, newcomers
Superhero - extraordinary person in an ordinary world
3. It's about a guy who...
The 'who' is our way in. Who's represent us
4. Let's beat it up
Structure - 15 beats
Project title/Genre/Date
1. Opening image (1) - set tone, type, style, the before shot, what's it about
2. Theme stated (5) - the question or statement, thematic premise, character tics
3. Set up (1-10) - introduce all main characters , things to fix
4. Catalyst (12) - knock the world down
5. Debate (12-15) - chance for hero to say its crazy, ask a question
6. Break in 2 (25) - Act break, distinct shift, choice made
7. B Story (30) - love story, new characters
8. Fun and games (30-55) - promise f the premise, core of the poster
9. Midpoint (55) - either high or low, stakes raised, false victory
10. Bad guys close in (55-75) - reverse the midpoint
11. All is lost (75) - whiff of death, stick in death visual
12. Dark night of the soul (75-85) - hope lost
13. Break into 3 (85) - B+A = Solution
14. Finale (85-110) - wrap it up, all bad guys done, new society, emotionally satisfying
15. Final image (110) opposite of opening image
5. Building perfect beats
The Board
Four parts - Act one (1-25 pages), Act 2 (25-55 pages), Act 3 (55-85 pages), Act 4 (85 -110 pages)
40 cards
Each card describing the place, what the scene is about, conflict between,
Important parts are - Break in 2 must come in page 25 and midpoint at page 55, break in 3 at page 85
9 cards in each row
So far we ave 1) a killer logline 2) test marketed it 3) genre 4) hero found (one who offers most conflict and the longest way in an emotionally pleasing way) 5) primal goal + a bad guy who wants him to stop
6. Laws of Screenplay physics
1. Save the cat - the hero has to do something when we meet him so that we like him and want him to win (be mindful of getting the audience in sync with the plight of the hero to start with)
2. Pope in the pool - to bury exposition put Pope in the pool while you're expositing
3. Double mumbo jumbo - one piece of magic per movie
4. Laying pipe - audience can stand only so much pipe
5. Black vet aka marzipan - here's a veteran and a veterinarian (don't overdo)
6. Watch out for the glacier - bad guys come on too slowly
Covenant of the Arc - every single character in your movie must change in the course of your story (except the bad guys)
7. Keep the press out - no media in the script
7. What's wrong with the picture...
1. The hero leads - proactive, motivated, clearly stated goal, seeks out clues on what to do next, he tells others what to do
2. Talking the plot- show don't tell, dialogue to be natural (we must learn about characters by what they do)
3. Make the bad guy badder
4. Turn, turn, turn - plot must spin, intensity as it goes forward, plot must go forward faster, more complicated. More must be revealed along every step of the plot about your characters and what all this action means - flaws, treacheries, fears
5. Emotional Colour Wheel - laughter, scared - drained, wring out all the emotions of the audience
6. Hi, how are you, i am fine - flat dialogue, engaging characters talk differently from us, all characters should not speak the same
10) take a break
We know when the hero ends up but we do not want to give them the pain of growing up. Step back to all characters, take them to starting point
11) a limp and an eye patch
- too many minor characters - give them a limp and an eye patch
12) Is it primal - survival, hunger, sex, death, danger
...
It has enough stuff to make me want to visit every story I have written to improve it. Brilliant book and a must read for all story tellers.
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