Writing and especially SCREENWRITING is all about making choices.

CHAPTER ONE of the Screenwriting Essentials online tutorial & workbook discuss STORY CONCEPT and idea.

From the very first IMAGE you see on the screen you are telling your audience what to expect in this visual journey they are about to embark upon. I always say that writing is about choices and your choices for telling your movie start with that very first image.

Every artist faces this decision making process, whether it's an oil painter, a photographer or YOU, the screenwriter. Visually speaking, you compose each scene - you choose the location (what does IT say to your viewer). You choose the apparel (to some extent) of your characters - ie are they goth, business, glam or a slouch? You choose ALL the words they speak. What is going on beneath the words they actually say? Are they saying "I love you" while they batter each other with trash from a garbage can?

Now that doesn't mean that you become a 'control freak' as a writer. You leave many, many choice to the director and the actors and the set designer and the locations manager. BUT, when it's IMPORTANT to our understanding of the story or the emotional landscape of the heroine/hero you put the DETAILS in your script. You CHOOSE the words that make it clear.

There is a power and a responsibility in every story choice you make as a writer. With proper planning - you can learn to revel in the choosing - not be frozen in place - unable to act or stymied with indecision.

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

I often see movies that have more than one writer. How does this work?

This is a really good question and like most things in the movie business, the answer is really situational; dependent on WHY those extra writers were brought in to work on a script. These are only some of the examples.

1) A producer (the money person) has a story idea - but he/she is not a writer. So one writer, or several, are approached to create the screenplay. In the film credits this is usually phrased by STORY BY: xyz person SCREENPLAY BY: abc person/s.

2) A writer (you or me) creates a 'spec' or 'indie' script... one that has no actor or directors attached (the talent); but is created merely because the writer thought it was a good idea and thought the screenplay might sell. A producer (the money guy) or name director reads the script and really likes it EXCEPT for xyz... whatever reason. So they contract with the writer (through an agent and or lawyer) to buy, or at least option, the script. The initial writer agrees to the changes and the deal is a 'go'.

But in the process of trying to find the perfect director or name actor to sign onto the script - more changes are suggested to the writer. This time the writer decides the changes will really compromise her initial concept/theme/idea. For whatever reason, she refuses to make the changes the producer suggests. Let's be clear, once you sign a contract - the producer owns your script. He is legally able to find another writer to MAKE the story changes no matter what you think. Hence the 2nd name in the credits.

3) Or, on the road to finding the perfect blend of story/producer/director and actor - the script goes through many, many rewrites; ideally these are done by the original writer. But sometimes another writer, who has an established expertise, (dialogue for instance) will be called in to FRESHEN the script or give it a skew to a particular actor's talents. (think Schwartzeneger's 'Ill be BACK' line). Often these collaborations between writers are quite amiable... most writers are fully aware of the limits to the skills they bring to the table.

There are many, many other situations where a whole stable of writers take turns polishing a script for various complex reasons. Film making is a collaborative art, and your original screenplay is often only a springboard for other creative talents that will combine to bring your script to the big screen. You really need to be able to stand back and let that happen. AND never sign a deal or contract without the advice of a really good agent or film lawyer who will protect your rights in the eventuality of any of the above creative writing situations.

I hope this helps. And good luck in your writing. I'd love to read your work!

Why should I take a screenwriting course? My dad says, 'If you can talk you can write!'

You're dad's almost right! I say that very thing fairly often. The biggest difference between talkers and WRITERS; especially screenwriters, is whether you actually possess the determination to STOP talking and start writing.

I assure you all - we, as homo sapiens, KNOW how stories work! We've been telling each other stories for 60,000 or 70,000 years. If you look at the cave art in places like Chauvet - that was ancient people trying to VISUALIZE for their audience the thrilling wild animal hunt that they took part in or just witnessed.... or something like that. We are still doing that today with motion pictures; trying to bring our audience into the world of the hunt - and other stuff.

What writing courses or seminars can do is give you a language or terminology for telling stories. It's hard to talk to someone else about writing unless you have a common language - so classes can provide some formal names for different portions of story craft. Like protagonist, or hero/heroine - 3 Act Structure for beginning, middle and end - or inciting incident or montage. The terms that help us talk to other writers about what we're trying to do in our particular story.

The other thing a formal writing class can do for you is help you organize what you already know from years of telling your own stories to friends, classmates and acquaintances. So classes can GIVE you terminology for what you do. And the can help you SEE the inherent structure in the stories you've been telling.

And FINALLY, organized writing classes can help put you in your seat in front of the computer and actually push you to put your ideas on the page. Classes aren't for everyone; but they can provide some useful tools to starting the journey or even stoke the fire (if yours is sputtering out) for getting those story ideas onto the page when you're not sure of how to pursue your goals for writing.

And in a shameless act of SELF PROMOTION I'd like to call attention to the fact that I've JUST LAUNCHED my own ONLINE SCREENWRITING COURSE. Wordsmythe Screenwriting Essentials can really help get you started.... check out my website at www.wordsmythe.ca today!!

And this is the last time I'll do this type of AD for a long, long, long time. I promise!!!