Before The Outline
04/06/11 10:23
For development purposes we define:
Story: the journey (transformation) of a human being.
This should not be confused with
Plot: the external events that bring about that journey.
These two things are absolutely not the same, but they do work hand-in-hand with each other. The story can be seen as the core value of the film you are writing. It does not change. It is one of two criteria by which all notes and ideas can be judged. (the dramatic question being the other, we’ll get to that in a bit) The plot, however, is flexible. It can change, and adapt, just as long it is helping to better tell the story. Read More...
Story: the journey (transformation) of a human being.
This should not be confused with
Plot: the external events that bring about that journey.
These two things are absolutely not the same, but they do work hand-in-hand with each other. The story can be seen as the core value of the film you are writing. It does not change. It is one of two criteria by which all notes and ideas can be judged. (the dramatic question being the other, we’ll get to that in a bit) The plot, however, is flexible. It can change, and adapt, just as long it is helping to better tell the story. Read More...
What We Do In Our Classes
02/12/11 14:13 Filed in: Classes
I had a screenwriting friend the other day explain to me that she didn't know we were developing material in these workshops. She thought it was the traditional lectures and "writing group" type of class.
No. No, no, no, no.
In the evening Story and Plot classes we develop material to be sold or independently produced. This is an important distinction. Our goal is to have finely tuned finished projects. We take Read More...
No. No, no, no, no.
In the evening Story and Plot classes we develop material to be sold or independently produced. This is an important distinction. Our goal is to have finely tuned finished projects. We take Read More...
On Teaching Screenwriting
01/19/11 22:04 Filed in: Theory
INTRODUCTION
I am a professional screenwriter. I also teach screenwriting to aspiring screenwriters. I consider myself skilled at both and I actively seek to better myself in each role. It was a great surprise to learn just how much one informs and improves the other. Teaching has become a great pleasure of mine and I have invested more time to it each year. This is not a complaint. I enjoy it. There is honestly no downside to teaching willing and eager students.
I am not a “script consultant” or a “script analyst”. I am not a guru (though admittedly, my ego will get the better of me sometimes). I don’t like those pursuits much as the aspiring writer usual needs far more than just notes on their script. The questionable value of paid consultants was... Read More...
I am a professional screenwriter. I also teach screenwriting to aspiring screenwriters. I consider myself skilled at both and I actively seek to better myself in each role. It was a great surprise to learn just how much one informs and improves the other. Teaching has become a great pleasure of mine and I have invested more time to it each year. This is not a complaint. I enjoy it. There is honestly no downside to teaching willing and eager students.
I am not a “script consultant” or a “script analyst”. I am not a guru (though admittedly, my ego will get the better of me sometimes). I don’t like those pursuits much as the aspiring writer usual needs far more than just notes on their script. The questionable value of paid consultants was... Read More...
Can You Teach Talent?
01/13/11 18:02 Filed in: Theory
The short answer is, “No.”
The long answer is, “No. You can not.”
If you are not a storyteller you will not “learn” to become one. Not ever. It’s just not in the cards for you. You might get better, sure, but that's a relative comparison that won't help you too much. One of the most common comparisons I make with writing it to athletics. An athlete may gain experience. They may learn fundamentals and be “coached up”, but if the raw natural athleticism isn’t there, the player will never be great. Not ever. And there just isn’t anything anyone can ever do about it.
The young writer is a raw athlete. Their talent can be wasted or nurtured. It is honestly up to them. Read More...
The long answer is, “No. You can not.”
If you are not a storyteller you will not “learn” to become one. Not ever. It’s just not in the cards for you. You might get better, sure, but that's a relative comparison that won't help you too much. One of the most common comparisons I make with writing it to athletics. An athlete may gain experience. They may learn fundamentals and be “coached up”, but if the raw natural athleticism isn’t there, the player will never be great. Not ever. And there just isn’t anything anyone can ever do about it.
The young writer is a raw athlete. Their talent can be wasted or nurtured. It is honestly up to them. Read More...
Improve The Read, Part 1
01/10/11 12:10 Filed in: Practical Advice | Theory
Evoking the emotional experience of the movie is, of course, easier said than done. How exactly does the writer do such a thing? How do we get the reader to "see" the film in their mind's eye? Instead of that cold, distant feeling that they just finished reading a document?
I wrote before that I spend 80% of my time on improving the quality of the read. Dialogue is without question the easiest and quickest part of writing a screenplay for me. There's no doubt in my mind the extra effort is worth it. Read More...
I wrote before that I spend 80% of my time on improving the quality of the read. Dialogue is without question the easiest and quickest part of writing a screenplay for me. There's no doubt in my mind the extra effort is worth it. Read More...
New Mission of the Screenwriter
01/05/11 10:18 Filed in: Theory
The primary mission of the screenwriter has changed. It is no longer to create a blueprint for production. Sure, some A-list writers have that luxury, and TV staff writers certainly do. But those of us who make our living writing on spec or convincing the people that hired us (or actors or directors, for that matter) that this script will make a great film have an entirely different job description. Our job is this: to create the emotional experience of watching the movie on the screen. This is not an issue of semantics. It is an entirely different philosophy of what you choose to put on the page. : Read More...
Defining Structure
Structure is your friend. Structure is there to help you tell your story in the best way possible. Structure is not formula, though thousands of years of human story telling has taught us a thing or two about the craft. Simply defined: Read More...
Interview with C-47 Magazine
11/07/10 18:24 Filed in: Filmmaking
With that in mind, I thought the whole unedited interview might be of some value: Read More...
The Importance of Story
I usually start out with my students giving them a big speech about the importance of story. I consider 50% of my job actually getting them to buy into that value system. This is easier said than done. Read More...