Beginnings are about hooks, premises, propositions...
Endings are about characters, outcomes
Monday, December 2, 2013
An ACT - Screenwriting
What is an Act? What is an Act break?
When a character changes sub-goals.
They have a story goal and set out to achieve it. The reach the end of act 1 when they get the person place or thing they think will give them their story goal.
But it doesn't give them their story goal. It sends them toward a new person, place, or thing, to fix or make the first person place or thing work.
Character wants to get a magic sword before a dragon shows up at the village.
He gets it at the end of ACT 1.
But it doesn't work.
ACT 2 find the guy made the sword.
He finds the guy at the end of Act 2
But the guy lost the directions
ACT 3 go to the Swamp and get the directions and get back to the village before the dragon shows up.
When a character changes sub-goals.
They have a story goal and set out to achieve it. The reach the end of act 1 when they get the person place or thing they think will give them their story goal.
But it doesn't give them their story goal. It sends them toward a new person, place, or thing, to fix or make the first person place or thing work.
Character wants to get a magic sword before a dragon shows up at the village.
He gets it at the end of ACT 1.
But it doesn't work.
ACT 2 find the guy made the sword.
He finds the guy at the end of Act 2
But the guy lost the directions
ACT 3 go to the Swamp and get the directions and get back to the village before the dragon shows up.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Be Specific
Every line of dialog and every action should be an attack on the other character to get something specific.
Dialog - instead of "you people", should be "you"
Dialog - instead of "you people", should be "you"
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Defining Concept - Screenwriting
What is a concept?
In business....it's the unique aspect of a product or service that addresses a problem, makes a task easier, simpler, more fun to do, etc.
In screenwriting? It's the unique way a character addresses a problem. It's their "job", their skill set, their Goal, their Reason for going after the goal, it's their world.
In business....it's the unique aspect of a product or service that addresses a problem, makes a task easier, simpler, more fun to do, etc.
In screenwriting? It's the unique way a character addresses a problem. It's their "job", their skill set, their Goal, their Reason for going after the goal, it's their world.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Developing your Theme - Screenwriting
How do you develop your theme?
You develop your theme by having characters ask the other characters why they want what they want.
You develop your theme by looking at How the characters go about getting what they want.
For example:
Your main character might lie to other characters. Jerry in Fargo does this consistent behavior throughout the story.
You develop your theme by having characters ask the other characters why they want what they want.
You develop your theme by looking at How the characters go about getting what they want.
For example:
Your main character might lie to other characters. Jerry in Fargo does this consistent behavior throughout the story.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
"Who" is your Topic - Screenwriting
Every scene may contain your main character.
However your main character may not be the Topic.
The topic is the character in the story that every character in the movie is concerned about for selfless or selfish reasons.
Every Reaction scene should revolve around this "Topic Character"
Every Action scene should revolves around your "Main Character"
However your main character may not be the Topic.
The topic is the character in the story that every character in the movie is concerned about for selfless or selfish reasons.
Every Reaction scene should revolve around this "Topic Character"
Every Action scene should revolves around your "Main Character"
Monday, November 18, 2013
Staying on Topic - Screenwriting
Every scene should concern the specific person place or thing your main character wants.
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