The power of image is demonstrated over and over again in film as we use our minds to scroll back over movies that have affected us deeply. Whether it is the famous dying words of Citizen Kane - ‘Rosebud’ that sets the story in motion. Or the loop-de-loops of the flying bug at the beginning of ‘Men in Black’ or the shelf of toys at the opening of Monsters Inc. Each image starts us on our journey with the hero/heroine -leading us into their world.
In the case of Monsters Inc, the shelf loaded with toys is a red herring. It’s put there to lull you into believing you’re inhabiting a human world. A safe world, a world where nothing scary can happen; AND then, POW. In minutes you’ve been up-ended into a world that isn’t human at all - a MONSTER world that actually preys on our most vulnerable element - our children.
So, if you’re engaged in the act of creating a screenplay, I ask you; what IS the first image that flashes onto the screen at fade up? Will it land us exactly in the middle of the world in which the story takes place? Or, will it simply be used to lure us in and have the rug pulled out from under our feet moments later.
The act of writing is all about making choices and that first image is only one in a long series of story choices that will shape your audiences reaction to the film you’re crafting. So give it some serious thought as to how you will use that first image. Is it bait? Or is it a straight forward spring board into your story. Does it set the tone, the mood or the era for us? What does that first image accomplish?
The same is true of how we (as the audience) encounter your hero/heroine for the first time. In Monsters Inc, the first time we see James P. Sullivan (Sully) he’s sleeping. Nothing could be more innocent than that. The writer’s are telling us that Sully is as innocent and likable as the little children he spends every night scaring into tears.
Those first moments are important. Use them knowingly and with care; from them springs your story!
I hope this helps. And good luck with your writing. I can’t wait to read the result!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
How do I make a character, who's kind of shy, show his emotions?
Writing really is the study of human beings and how they express
themselves. Every opportunity you can - EXAMINE (like a being from
another world) how the humans that surround you express the vast array
of emotions that color our daily lives.
You’re right, some people are withheld - the merest lift of an eyebrow says volumes about what's going on in their heads. Other are like fireworks displays - about everything; love, hate, happiness, boredom it all gets colored with some incredible display of emotion. The films that affect us the most are the films where the writer has created a VISUAL language that relays even the tiniest detail of a characters INNER landscape (emotional landscape) to us, the audience.
So, give some thought to the multitude of NON VERBAL bits of communication that are peppered throughout your day... your child opens it's arms wide for a hug when you come home; but doesn't SAY anything. Your boss merely crooks a finger in your direction and disappears into her office. You know you've been summoned. At a chai shop, a handsome fellow merely meets your eyes over the lip of his cup, which mostly hides his smile of acknowledgment.... you TELL ME what that means!!
Start cataloging in your mind the various ways people SHOW us every day what they're thinking... instead of using words. Do this for a month and you will be on your way to understanding one of the key elements of screenwriting. Show - don't TELL what the characters are thinking.
I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your screenplay . Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!
You’re right, some people are withheld - the merest lift of an eyebrow says volumes about what's going on in their heads. Other are like fireworks displays - about everything; love, hate, happiness, boredom it all gets colored with some incredible display of emotion. The films that affect us the most are the films where the writer has created a VISUAL language that relays even the tiniest detail of a characters INNER landscape (emotional landscape) to us, the audience.
So, give some thought to the multitude of NON VERBAL bits of communication that are peppered throughout your day... your child opens it's arms wide for a hug when you come home; but doesn't SAY anything. Your boss merely crooks a finger in your direction and disappears into her office. You know you've been summoned. At a chai shop, a handsome fellow merely meets your eyes over the lip of his cup, which mostly hides his smile of acknowledgment.... you TELL ME what that means!!
Start cataloging in your mind the various ways people SHOW us every day what they're thinking... instead of using words. Do this for a month and you will be on your way to understanding one of the key elements of screenwriting. Show - don't TELL what the characters are thinking.
I hope this helps. And I do wish you luck with your screenplay . Let me know when you’ve completed your script. I’d love to read your work!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
I want to write something completely different; not the same old 3 ACT structure!
CHECK OUT MY NEW VIDEO SCRIPT TIPS http://www.youtube.com/user/janwri#p/u/0/sgImz-6h8tQ
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 Shakespeare in Love, 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 piece 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!
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 Shakespeare in Love, 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 piece 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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
