6 Ways To Ensure All Your Scenes Play
by Laura @ About A ScreenplayGreat scenes ‘play’ – they seem to be effortlessly compelling, engaging the reader and involving him on the journey. So what’s the difference between a scene that plays and one that feels flat?
Scenes that are designed to purely reveal exposition or character, or that consist of ‘on-the-nose’ dialogue are often dull. Scenes that evoke emotion, contain conflict and stakes, change the dynamic, allow audiences to gain insight, and push the story forward are the scenes that make a story work.
Follow the link for six ways to ensure all your scenes ‘play’:
Getting Started in Screenwriting with Xandy Sussan
by Jennifer Mattern @ All Freelance Writing getting startedWhether you’re looking for a way to freelance in fiction or you simply want to pursue a screenplay or teleplay as a creative side project, there are some things you should know before jumping in.
Turning DVD Movies Into Novels
by Laura Fabiani @ NouveauWriterA special movie has you entranced in its visual world, captures your attention throughout, and moves you emotionally. You become a part of the movie as “Character X”. Without a doubt, you want this movie to become a part of your DVD collection. Something appealed to your inner self as you watched and immersed yourself in that movie. With some introspection, that piece of entertainment can now serve as an inspiration for a future work of literature.
Why And How To Outline
by Laura @ About A Screenplay structureSuccessful screenwriters understand the power and necessity of creating an outline prior to writing “Fade In”. New writers often overlook this critical step in the screenwriting process believing the “story will take them where it’s meant to go” or the characters “will reveal themselves and their dilemmas” once they begin writing.
The Four Types of Dramatic Conflict
by Laura Cross @ About A Screenplay writing techniques and stylesAudiences don’t flock to see a film where all the character’s play nice and live their lives free of obstacles. Good drama shows characters in confrontation, in dynamic relationships that emphasize their differences and force them to transform.
Do You Know The Way To… Your Screenplay? (Using Scene Cards as a Mapping Tool)
by Laura @ About a Screenplay techniquestoolsScene cards are a great way to visualize your script before writing it. Many screenwriters swear by this technique. It’s pretty much an outline – but on index cards.
Genre and Expectations
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay genresstorytellingAll successful scripts evoke an emotional response from the reader. Your screenplay’s genre helps inform a potential reader what to expect emotionally and structurally. Genre, then, creates a set of expectations and it’s your job as the writer to know what those expectations are and deliver them in a familiar but unique way. Successful genre writing is not about clichés and formulaic choices – it is about understanding what makes a particular genre satisfying to the viewer.
Resume Right: A Theatre Major’s Polish
by Jesaka Long @ a.k.a writer resumeBased on the stories and tips shared in my post Build Your Own Stage, these five skills give all theatre majors something to flaunt off stage. Even if you’re not a thespian, these tips might give you some ideas to spiff up your own resume.
Baby You Can Drive My… Screenplay (Or, Why You Must Know What’s ‘Driving’ Your Script)
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay charactersplotstorytellingWhat’s driving your screenplay? And why do you need to know?
Understanding what drives your script helps you determine the essential foundation of your story (or throughline) and allows you to strengthen the script by incorporating elements (scenes, sequences, and characters) that “serve” your story.
5 Simple Storytelling Techiques
by Brad Shorr @ Word Sell storytellingStories are an incredibly powerful way to get your message across. Most people would rather go to a movie than attend a lecture. Most people would rather hear about your trip to Easter Island than have you refer them to a series of Wikipedia articles.
Story vs. Plot (…and what your plot needs to achieve)
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay plotsPlot is the tool you use to tell your story – it is how you present the story. Your plot does not create the story. Your story creation comes from concept, theme, premise, and character development. The plot makes your story more emotionally satisfying to the reader or viewer. It provides the answers to the questions of who, what, where, when, how, and why, that are necessary to make sense of the meaning of the story. Your plot must be carefully focused and mapped out to reach a specific goal or result.
How To Create Your Main Character’s Backstory
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay charactersBackstory is not necessarily told in the pages of the screenplay. A good writer will embed aspects of the backstory throughout the script and reveal them as the story progresses, never having to inform the reader of the character’s backstory through heavy-handed exposition.
12 Tricks To Create a Cool Title
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay titlesNever underestimate the importance of your screenplay’s title. The title is your script’s identity. Its purpose is to intrigue and arouse a reader’s curiosity (so they’ll want to read your script and possibly pass it on to the studio executive who just might make your movie!)
Malcolm Gladwell’s Book Outliers – A How to Succeed Manual for Writers and Screenwriters
by Robin @ LitCentral successI tend to lean toward non-fiction books. I like knowing the hours spent reading something are beneficial. If the book is interesting I’m done in a few days – absorbing big mouthfuls like a jumbo-size tub of popcorn. If it’s not so good I consume it like a slice of holiday fruitcake – with gracious etiquette – laboring over every bite because I feel impelled to finish what I start. Malcolm Gladwell’s latest book Outliers was not only consumed like a jumbo-size tub of popcorn – it was deliciously smothered in butter.
Five Tips For Writing Your Logline
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay loglinetaglineA logline is a summary of your script. It conveys the dramatic story – condensed into one sentence (more complex scripts sometimes require a two-sentence logline). The logline is not the same as the film’s tagline, which is a catchy, short-phrase or slogan used by film studios to market a movie.
What is High Concept? And Does That Mean My Little Character-Driven Script is Conceptually Low?
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay charactersstorytellingThe term ‘high-concept’ may fall in and out of favor, but it remains the standard for what Hollywood looks for in a film premise. ‘High-concept’ basically means the concept is the highest appeal. It is easily understood and creates immediate excitement. If a film executive hears your idea and asks you what it’s about or has no emotional reaction, then your script is not high-concept.
How To Write For The Hollywood Reader
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay storytellingYour “spec” script (short for speculation script) must pass the infamous Hollywood reader before ever being considered for film development by a studio executive. All screenplay submissions are read and evaluated by a reader or story analyst who produces a “coverage” report.
So, You’ve Got An Idea For A Movie
by Laura Cross @ About a Screenplay moviesA new writer recently pitched me an idea for a horror film: “A sexy high-school senior is pursued through a never-ending labyrinth by an escaped psychopath after witnessing the gruesome deaths of a group of her friends on Halloween night.” Ummm… that’s not a feature film idea. That’s maybe a couple of scenes at the most (and I’m not even going to address the cliché, been-there-done-that, problems of this script concept. By the way, can we use another holiday besides Halloween for horror films? I’m thinking maybe President’s Day, the killer can dress-up as Washington or Lincoln and wreak havoc on car dealerships who don’t honor the traditional President’s Day store-wide sale.)