The 3 ACT STRUCTURE is so boring - I want to write something completely NEW!

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

But first, let’s consider a couple of questions. WHO IS YOUR INTENDED AUDIENCE for this film? Are you thinking yours would be an ‘art house’ crowd? Maybe you’re planning an experimental film? Or are you hoping for a mainstream distribution deal? The closer your intended audience is to the mainstream, the more thoroughly your story should be grounded in the standard 3 act structure; beginning, middle and end (or resolution).

Next, let’s look at your bias against the 3 act structure. It IS true some really terrible movies have been created within the context of this format. But WOW, what about the really inventive films that have also adhered to it? Films like 'Being John Malkovich, Juno, The Fall, American Beauty' are all firmly grounded in the 3 act structure too. 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… like Shakespeare’s “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer Day.” Or the really horrible assignment I wrote my sophomore year in college. I had the format down pat, but Shakespeare would have rolled over in his grave.

Great sonnets, like great screenplays, challenge writers to search for a completely fresh aspect on a timeless theme - and then test their inventiveness in pouring their story idea into a ‘jug’ of 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 completed your script. I’d love to read your work!

GENRE whets the story appetite of your audience. Know it and use it effectively!

I always say that GENRE is like the smell of good food cooking. It sets you up for the story adventure that lies ahead. It gets your audience in the mood. It’s the appetizer that tempts their palate.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term, GENRE is the way we categorize stories - like mystery, action-adventure, drama, comedy, buddy films. I could go on and on - but I think you probably get the picture.

Genre is important for marketing purposes. What’s the first thing you ask when a friend calls you up and says, ‘Do you want to go see XYZ movie?” You say, “What IS it?” You might not use the word, genre…. But that’s what you mean. From your film-going experience you already know what genres you prefer to see. Maybe action-adventure, or comedies but man, never westerns. See what I mean?

The thing about genre is that is more than mere categorization though. It is the process by which we begin the storytelling journey. And it’s important to understand for a number of different reasons. First of all, IF a film is billed in a particular genre - say Comedy. The audience is going to expect to LAUGH. A western? They expect cowboys! So as a writer, you need to be aware of what expectations an audience will have for the particular genre of film you are WRITING.

So what genre ARE you writing with your film? Family drama, biographical drama, or something else? The first thing you need to do then is identify your genre and then WATCH a number of different films from the same genre to begin to figure out what the signifiers are for it. Really watch several good films from your chosen genre and note what elements give your particular genre its’ shape. And then make certain those types of elements are included in your own storyline.

Genre signifiers are like a road map for your audience or highway signs that they can subconsciously check off and say, “Oh, okay. I know where were going.”

I hope this helps. And good luck with your writing. I can’t wait to read the result!

I've got a GREAT movie idea; 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 theater 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 best way to go about this is to visit a website like www.dailyscript.com or www.simplyscipts.com and download the scripts for a couple of mainstream movies. Then read them from cover to cover.

Now go to 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 the first 10-15 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 storyline.

The next thing you should really examine is the way the script moves the action from scene to scene. NOTICE the slug lines (INT: APARTMENT - DAY) and the often ‘brief’ descriptive text that follows it. Pay attention to the DIALOGUE as it’s delivered by the actors - and as it’s written. How much direction is in the text and how much seems to be the result of collaboration between actors and the director? And finally, pay attention to 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 structure once you sit down to put you own great idea to paper.

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