I really want to write a HISTORICAL DRAMA; but the guys on my internet chat group say I'm nuts!! It will never sell.

First thing I tell all my students in this business; BE CAREFUL who you believe.  Especially where your writing in concerned.  As far as your chat group - I guess these guys never saw the films 'Amadeus, Gladiator, Brave Heart or Shakespeare in Love'.  All of these were major box office (and critical) hits and by the way, HISTORICAL DRAMAS.

That said, the writers of these screenplays did beat the odds though, or the prejudice if you will, against historical pieces.  Producers are the people who find the money to actually shoot the movie of your screenplay.  And good producers are smart, film savvy and TIGHT; that's how you get bankrolled to shoot another film... paying attention to the bottom line.

The reason that period pieces or historical films put feat into the hearts of most producers is you can't just walk out the door and start shooting.  You have to have period specific costumes (ka-ching) and all kinds of specialty coaching for your actors (sword play, accents, horse riding (ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching).  And all of this happens BEFORE you ever shoot a foot of film.  Little wonder the mere mention of a historical script sends most producers screaming from the room.

But back to the opening paragraph and those fantastic period piece films which all won rave reviews too - I might add. The one thing they all had in common was FANTASTIC scripts. Fantastic scripts make believers out of top tier actors, who are craving a part to really challenge them .  And top tier actors make believers out of tight-fisted producers and distributors.

So my advice to you, and any writer, is to ALWAYS write what you LOVE.  Write your period piece screenplay to the absolute best of your ability.  Create a main character that every actress on the planet would kill to play.  Create a storyline and theme that is TIMELESS, and your audience won't give hoot that your lead actor is wearing a codpiece!

I hope this helps.  And I do wish you luck with your screenplay - and let me know when you've completed your script.  I'd love to read your work!

 

Everyone talks about the 3 act structure; but I want to create something completely different than the same old movies we see every day.

That desire to create something different is going to serve you well in the writing process; hang on to that!

But first, let's consider a couple of questions before we get to the heart of your question.  WHO is your intended audience for this film?  Are you thinking your script might be an 'art house' piece?  Maybe you're planning something experimental.  NO, you're hoping for that mega-blockbuster at the local movie theater? You need to rethink your prejudice against 3 act structure.  The closer you get to mainstream in intent - the more thoroughly your script should be grounded in 3 acts; beginning, middle and end (or resolution).

Next, let's look at your bias against the 3 act structure. It IS true that some really terrible movies have been created within the context of this format.  But WOW, what about all the really inventive films that have also adhered to it?  Films like Shakespeare in Love, Being John Malkovich, Juno, The Fall and American Beauty were all firmly grounded in the 3 act structure.  What gives?

Many beginning screenwriters lay some really BAD MOVIES at the feet of the 3 act structure.  But writing screenplays is a lot like writing sonnets  (you know Shakespeare- iambic pentameter) in that it's a strict format that can produce some absolutely timeless writing. For instance, Shakespeare's 'Shall I compare Thee to a Summer Day?'.  Or... the really horrible sonnet I wrote in my sophomore English Lit class.

Great sonnets, like great screenplays, challenge the writer to search for a completely fresh aspect on a timeless theme and then tests their inventiveness in pouring their story idea into a jug of very specific proportions.  The bad movies you've seen aren't a result of the 3 act structure; but a result of the lack of skill or persistence on the part of the writer!

I hope this helps.  And I do wish you luck with your screenplay - and let me know when you've finished it. I'd love to read your work.

I've Got a GREAT Idea for a Movie but Don't Know How to Start

And it's no wonder; we see the end result of screenplays all the time on TV, at the movie theatre and when we rent a DVD, but very few people have actually READ a screenplay.  And frankly that is where every aspiring screenwriter should begin - by reading.

The easiest way to go about this is  to visit a website like www.dailyscript.com or www.simplyscripts.com and download the scripts for a couple of mainstream movies. Then, read them from cover to cover.

Now visit your local video store and  rent the DVD of the scripts you just read.  With script in hand, put the disc in to play and STUDY at the very least, the first ten or fifteen minutes of the film.  Actively compare it to the script. Pay particular attention to the opening image that sets the story in motion or signals ground zero for the hero's story line.

The next thing you should really examine is the way the script moves the action from scene to scene.  NOTICE on the page the 'slug lines' (INT: APARTMENT - DAY) and the often brief descriptive text that follows.  Pay attention to the DIALOGUE both as it's written; but also, how it's delivered by the actors.  And finally pay attention to the PACING - how quickly the film & script move the action along as they 'set up' the story and the main character's quest.

The more screenplays you read, the more comfortable you will find yourself with the strict formatting required by the film industry, once you sit down to put your own great idea onto the page.

Good luck with it - and let me know when you've completed your script.  I'd love to read your work.