Posted by Julie Stewart on Friday, October 23, 2009,
In :
Characters
The Essence of Character by Linda Cowgill
Just like real people, characters are defined by their actions more than their words. Linda Seger gives you three rules that will help your characters become more human.
Great movies constantly replay in our imaginations, on the same bill with other memories, fantasies, and dreams. How do they get there? What makes us include them in that highest of personal repertories? Unlike other memories, we haven't directly experienced "the plot" of the mo... Continue reading ...
This article appeared in the June 2009 print edition of The Irish Times
by Paul Shrader, screenplay writer : "Mishima", "Taxi Driver", "Cat People", "Affliction"
Movies, television shows, cartoons, streaming video, YouTube clips. We’re swimming in storylines, suffering from ‘narrative exhaustion’. Can traditional cinema keep up ?
SCREENWRITERS love to complain. They are disrespected by producers, deemed dispensable by directors, not duly credited by critics, treated like employees by act... Continue reading ...
Posted by on Monday, April 20, 2009,
In :
Structure
A Technique-Based Approach to Screenwriting : by David S Freeman who opens his bag of tricks to reveal some of the techniques the best screenwriters keep up close at hand.
We know that painters have techniques for their craft, such as mixing colors and utilizing perspective. And actors have all sorts of techniques for "getting into character."
But what about screenwriters? Can they also have a palette of techniques they can employ?
By a "writing technique" I mean:
1. It can be identi... Continue reading ...
Posted by Julie Stewart on Friday, March 27, 2009,
In :
Structure
Re-read you screenplay and ask yourself these questions :
1. Is it properly formatted?
2. Proper spelling and punctuation. Sentence fragments okay.
3. Is there a discernible three-act structure?
4. Are all scenes needed? No scenes off the spine, they will die on screen.
5. Screenplay descriptions should direct the reader's mind's eye, not the director's camera.
6. Begin the screenplay as far into the story as possible.
7. Begin a scene as late as possible, end it as early as possible. A screenpla...
Continue reading ...
Re-read you screenplay and ask these questions : -
1. Imagine the trailer. Is the concept marketable?
2. Is the premise naturally intriguing -- or just average, demanding perfect execution?
3. Who is the target audience? Would your parents go see it?
4. Does your story deal with the most important events in the lives of your characters?
5. If you're writing about a fantasy-come-true, turn it quickly into a nightmare-that-won't-end.
6. Does the screenplay create questions: will he find out the truth... Continue reading ...
Posted by Julie Stewart on Wednesday, March 11, 2009,
In :
Basics
Often the hardest thing is to get started. What you need to do is to STOP PROCRASTINATING - just get a few sheets of paper and a pencil. Don't waste time setting up nice little files on your computer - then going for a break 'while you think' .... Don't get caught up in what you great opening scene is going to be - or how to construct your 'hook'. Realistically, they are waaaaaaaaay down the line.
If you've got an idea for a story - and you believe in it. You truly think that it will make a go... Continue reading ...
For the Euroscript Screen Story Competition 2009 you have two pages to sell your script. To help you, here is a quick checklist. There are no rigid rules, so you don’t need to follow this slavishly, you won’t penalise you if you don’t, it’s simply a life-raft if you’re drowning . . .
You can use this checklist even if you don't enter this particular competition.
CHARACTER
Is there a clear central character? (Or, if it’s an ensemble piece, is it clear which characters form part... Continue reading ...
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