Sheetal suggested this book and I picked it up. It makes for great reading and asks very relevant questions and offers simple solutions. I loved the way she summarized it at the end with questions to ask ourselves. Superb read.
Gathering Ideas
Getting the idea, Ordering your ideas, Index Cards, Outline, The Treatment, Keeping a Journal, Researching the story, Recording Yourself
Q. What makes me want to write this story?
Do I hear the vices of my characters?
Have I thought through the elements of my script - story, theme, characters, images, dialogue?
The Three Act Structure
The Set Up, Beginning with an Image, Creating the style from page one, Finding the catalyst, Raising the Central Question, Act One Development, Beats, Creating Turning Points,
Developing Act Two, The Second Turning Point,
Focusing on Act Three, The Big Finish,
The Mid point scene
Q. Did I begin with an image?
Does it give a sense of the story's style and feeling?
Do I have a clear catalyst to begin the story?
Is it strong and dramatic?
Is the central question clear?
Does it set up the climax of the story?
Does each turning point bring up the central question?
Is the climax a big finish?
What Subplots do
A good subplot adds dimension to a script, it gives the protagonist an opportunity to smell the flowers, t fall in love.It pushes the plot line, often changes the plot's direction. It carries the story's theme. Reveals character's vulnerability. Shows transformation of characters.
Q. Do I need this subplot?
Does it add dimension, add to the story, intersect it?
How many subplots do I have?
Does each subplot have a clear structure?
Does subplot resolution occur close to the climax of the plot?
Do they have a sense of a beginning middle and end?
Act Two - How to Keep it Moving
Most Act Two Problems come from insufficient momentum and lack of focus.
In Act Two characters do things. The second Act has to develop the story and create strong action that has a direction and will resolve itself. Each scene should come out of the previous scene, creating a tight story that moves forward to the story's climax. Action also comes from implied scenes which occur off screen yet push the story forward.
The Obstacle is an action point because it forces a character to make a decision, take an action or move in a new direction.
How many obstacles - Rule of three (based on joke construction - set up, developed, paid off)
The Complication - is an action point that doesn't pay off immediately. Something happens but the reaction comes later. Adds anticipation.
The Reversal - Strongest kind of action point is the reversal which changes the story's direction by 180 degrees. They can work physically or emotionally. (monsters seem dead but come back)
The Twist - - it reverses expectations and pushes the story in a new direction. It might set you on a whole new track.
Structuring and Reshaping a Scene -Can structure some scenes in the three Act structure
Creating a scene sequence - a series of action-reaction scenes grouped together about the same subject that has a beginning, middle and end
Resolution
Momentum problems - normally occur because there's no clear three-act structure
Script elements - action points, implied scenes, obstacles, complications, reversals, twists, scene sequences, momentum, pacing
Q. How are action points used?
Is the story moving through action points or dialogue?
What action points are used in the script - obstacles, complications, reversals, twists?
Is the script focused or going off on tangent?
The story can move forward through physical actions or dialogue or emotional responses. As long as it contains action-reaction scenes, your script will have direction, focus and momentum.
Once you have a structure - think of ways to connect the audience to the protagonist.
Establishing a Point of View
Through whose eyes do we see the story.
Voice Overs (Any idiot can write a voice over narration to explain the thoughts of a character)
Flashbacks (chiefly informational and not dramatic. They stress the inner psychology of the character than present actions that force present actions. They reveal character but rarely motivate the character. Motivation pushes the character forward.)
Q. Are voice overs necessary? Are flashbacks intrinsic to the story?
Creating the Scene
Scenes are a story's building blocks which advance the story through action, images and dialogue. A great scene involves an audience emotionally. A scene can accomplish many things at the same time - its background can show an image that expresses an idea. Its actions can reveal character. Its dialogue can advance the story. A combination of all these can explore a theme.
Most film scenes are short - anywhere from a sentence or two to as many as three or four pages.
A good scene 1) advances the story 2) reveals character 3) explores a theme (good and evil, identity or integrity, greed, love, betrayal etc) 4) builds an image
Make sue that your A story and B story beats are clear
Show rather than talk about action
In order to decide where to start a scene, first decide where to end it
Exposition Scenes - To tell an uninteresting piece of information use these techniques 1) put it in opening credits 2) use visuals 3) scatter the exposition and don't deliver it all at once 4) let interesting characters deliver uninteresting information 5) add emotion to your information's delivery
Q. Do all scenes have a reason for being in the story?
Do they move the story forward?
Is my entrance into each scene made at the latest possible point, or am I giving unnecessary information before my scenes actually start?
Do I exit soon as I have made my point?
Are my scenes about images, conflict, emotions or simply information?
Creating a Cohesive Script
Cohesiveness is achieved through foreshadowing and payoff, recurring motifs, repetition and contrast
Q. Is everything I have paid off foreshadowed in my script?
Is everything I have foreshadowed paid off in the script?
2) Have a I found original ways to foreshadow and pay off information?
Have a changed functions, disguised foreshadowing information, used humor to set up and pay off information?
Making it Commercial
Three elements for commercial success 1) solid script structure 2) creativity 3) strong marketability
Universal Appeal - Successful films express a clear theme, an underlying idea that tells us something about the human condition. A theme conveys the meaning of a story's events - what the writer believes about why things happen. Its about cause and effect and the meaning of life.
Most movies will have personal stakes as well as relationship stakes, survival stakes, and maybe even stakes related to success and achievement.
Q. Can I state my theme in one line?
Does my story serve my theme?
Is my theme expressed through character and action?
Do images help clarify my theme?
Balancing Images and Dialogue
In film making the eye is paramount. If the actor says something that contradicts what we see, we'll believe what we see on screen and not what is said. Producers like to see a lot of white. Few lines of dialogue and splotches of description
What does it look like?
Look of the place, authentic. Plan visuals out carefully. Add imagination. Create cinematic metaphors.
Dialogue - adding visual metaphors to dialogue enriches a script's language, and encourages the audience to bring more thought and emotion to their understanding of the character. Use of similes helps.
Creating Subtext
Subtext is a thought or idea that is not directly or overtly expressed. Characters are defined a much by what they don't say as by what they do say. They keep secrets from others and from themselves. And often they hide the true meaning beneath their words. Through subtext a character becomes richer and deeper.
Read dialogue aloud. Fix visuals and dialogue late in a rewrite.
Q. How many scenes contain strong images?
Are you creating too many scenes that take place in vague apartments of hotels?
Do you have cinematic metaphors?
Can you render your theme into visuals?
Did you read your dialogue out loud?
Finding your character's spine
Most stories are relatively simple. They become complex through the influence of characters. The main character is motivated to achieve a goal. He takes actions to achieve it. At the end, the goal is attained.
A character spine is determined by 1) his motivation 2) goal 3) action
Motivation pushes the character forward. Its a catalyst at the beginning of the story to get the main character involved. Motivation needs to be clear and focused, expressed through action, not talk.
A goal pulls the character towards the climax - !0 great risk 2) direct conflict 3) transformation of character
In a character rewrite first look if you have created a strong character spine.
Q. Is my main character motivated by action or talk?
2) What is my main character's goal?
3) Is my main character active or passive in achieving that goal?
Can I clearly discuss my character's spine in a few words?
Finding the Conflict
Six types of conflict - Inner (characters inner conflicts), Relational (between two strong willed diametrically opposed people), Social (between an individual and a group), Situational (disaster), Cosmic (versus god or devil) and Us vs Them
Conflicts are generally not resolvable without somebody getting hurt.
Clearly express the goals of both antagonist and protagonist in terms that reveal why they're in conflict.
Q. Who is my protagonist?
Antagonist?
What is their conflict?
Is it relational? Societal? Situational?
How is the conflict expressed?
Have I created small conflicts among other characters?
Creating Multi dimensional and Transformational Characters
Characters are of thinking, acting and feeling dimensions. Thinking consists of philosophy, values, attitudes and points of view. Acting consists of actions and decisions leading to actions.
A story line spine by 1) set up 2) turning points 3) climax
When reworking a main character, its often helpful to begin with a transformational arc. Begin by looking at the skills and characteristics your character needs in order to attain the desired objective.
Q. Have I gotten stuck in stereotypes?
Have I defined certain characters through one dimension?
What is my protagonist's transformational arc?
What influences help my main characters change?
Characters Function
Main characters
The Protagonist -who the story is about, who we're expected to follow, to root for, to empathise
Antagonist - the opposing force
The love interest
Supporting Roles
Catalyst, Confidant,
Q. Can I identify the major functions of all my characters?
Does every character in my script have a function?
Who is my protagonist?
Is my protagonist driving the action?
Does my protagonist achieve her goal at the climax of the story?
Who is my antagonist?
Is there a confidant?
Is my protagonist receiving hep from supporting characters?
Even if you just ask yourself the questions you have enough to rework on your script. Brilliant stuff.
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