THE SCREEN WRITING NOTES 

  • Script: Avoid all bindings, except 3 holes with braids. You want them to be able to copy the script easily and circulate it!

  • BOOK" "Standard Guide to Script Format" Two versions: Ask for FILM or Television.

  • Layout script on 5 x 7 cards. Each scene on a separate card, much like a storyboard. Attach setups and payoffs to each card. Once entire script is laid out, much easier to write script.

  • Most people choose boring jobs or names for characters.

  • Use baby name books for names. Also need to have correct ethnic or nationality origin for character.

  • Books on Slang available for writing dialogue.

  • Utilize Set Ups and Pay offs: If you give information, must be pertinent to story: i.e. character was cab driver in college (set up), later uses expert driving skills to get out of trouble (pay off). Michael J. Fox in Back to Future: Set up: skateboards; Pay Off: uses skateboard to get out of trouble.

  • Write all of your setups and payoffs on separate sheet of paper to be used in your script.

  • HIGH CONCEPT IDEAS SELL! i.e.: "Back to the Future"

  • SOFT TOUCH, i.e. "Fried Green Tomatoes", "Terms of Endearment" hard to sell unless established writer or excellent story & writing.

  • Secret of Great Dialogue is to have an original character. Pick three behavioral traits to give to your characters, not similar, but not opposite. (Arrogant and selfish are too similar; selfish and giving.) i.e. Aimless, Brooding, Authentic.

  • Dialogue must be colorful and reflect traits of characters: i.e. Cher in "Moonstruck" - religious, practical, hedonistic.

  • Viewers do not know which side will emerge in the action.

  • Dr. Joel Fleishman ("Northern Exposure") whiney, thinks he's great, etc.

  • Good films to see: "Water for Chocolate" & "Strictly Ballroom"

  • Eventually expand your characters to 5 to 6 traits.

  • Practice giving your character three traits and writing dialogue illustrating these three traits. I.E. Chattering, Only Pushed so far, Helpless.

  • Examples of Good TV Dialogue: Thirty Something & Northern Exposure

  • Mannerisms are traits. Think of unusual ways to do things.

  • Scene sculpting: brainstorming - i.e. employee fired by boss in an unpredictable way.

  • Write in camera angles ONLY when it is important to the scene. If not, leave them out. That's the director's job!

  • Create Villains in the same manner that you create good characters.

  • Villains are interesting people w/ three or more traits who do bad things. Can use "images" instead of traits.

  • Villain Traits: i.e. threatening, friendly, nervous

  • "Crying Game" excellent example of unique "Villains"

  • Characterization: Lead Character MUST grow.

  • All lead characters must have E, L, B, or W: Emotional Fear, Limitation, Block, or Wound. They may or may not be aware of it.

  • The Plot brings that E, L, B or W to the surface as an obstacle to be overcome.

  • **A movie is the lead character thrown into a plot and having to deal with their emotional fear, limitation, block or wound.

    E. L. B or W.: Character Arc - character growth

    Types of character arcs:

    (lead characters may have several character arcs to work on in the film)

    Learn to realize you're not ugly.

    Learn self-confidence.

    Learn you have value to others.

    Learn to accept your own flaws and limitations.

    Learn to accept other people's flaws (48 Hours, Outrageous Fortune)

    Learn to Give Love (Scrooge)

    Learn to be vulnerable in Love (Music Man, Romancing the Stone)

    Learn to laugh at your self in life (Alan Bates in Zorba the Greek)

    Have a 2nd chance in life. (Cocoon, It's a Wonderful Life)

    You are somebody not a nobody. (King of Hearts)

    Learn you are uniquely you. (The Graduate, Karate Kid)

    Learn to take risks. (Romancing the Stone)

    Learn to forgive others. (Tom Hanks - Nothing in Common)

    Learn to emotionally win over handicap. (Mask, My Left Foot)

    Learn to have dignity. (Mask, Kiss of the Spider Woman)

    *The Bittersweet Ending accomplishes the character arc, but ending unhappy: i.e. Kiss of the Spider Woman, Mask, Thelma & Louise

    Learn to Recover from failure. (The Verdict)

    Learn to Accept Responsibility (Silkwood - Cher)

    Learn to Standup to Masses (Footloose)

    Learn that you don't need others approval. (Kathy Bates - Fried Green Tomatoes)

    Learn to have ethics. (Wall Street, Star Wars: Han Solo)

    Learn that you are lovable. (Breakfast Club, Mask)

    Learn that ...

  • You can do something great. (Tucker)

  • You make a mark in the world

  • You can help those you love. (Crimes of the Heart)

  • It's the simple things that count. (Baby Boom, Hook)

  • Overcome Pride (Ordinary People: Mary Tyler Moore - fails in achieving character arc)

  • Forgive, overcome guilt (Ordinary People: Timothy Hutton)

  • Right to Exist (Timothy Hutton: Ordinary People)

  • Overcome Fragility (Thelma & Louise)

  • Standup to Oppressors (Kiss of Spider Woman, Cool Hand Luke)

  • Overcome numbness.

  • Living life on the "Inside" not on the outside. (Driving Miss Daisy)

  • Overcome prejudice. (Driving Miss Daisy, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner)

    CREATING CHARACTER DEPTH IMPORTANT!

    Avoid Cliches. Need Original Characters to sell in Hollywood.

    Give your characters a biography: HOW?

    Ask these questions about your main characters:

    1. How does alcohol affect them?

    2. Taste in music?

    3. Posture?

    4. How takes criticism? How gives criticism?

    5. How show affection for opposite sex and same sex?

    6. Unusual traits or habits?

    7. How do they order food?

    8. Biggest fear? (Indiana Jones' fear of snakes!)

    9. What upsets them?

    10. Anything unique when eating, preparing food, preparing for bed, morning rituals, flirting, shopping, etc.

    11. Type person attracted to and why.

    12. How can you bruise his/her ego?

    13. In a rut or romance at work?

    14. Family relationships, if pertinent to story?

    15. Hobbies? (Michael J. Fox: skateboarding in Back to Future)

    16. Financial Situation?

    17. Where would person go or do if very happy or sad?

    18. Living environment? Type?

    19. Feelings about animals?

    20. Nicknames?

    21. What good at? Sports, art, cooking, etc.

    Ways to Make Characters likable or sympathetic. Establish "Rooting" interesting from viewers.

    Characters must be colorful w/ eccentricities. Not bland.

    1. Undeserved misfortune.

    2. Stakes get higher - danger increases.

    3. Frustrated at things that frustrate us.

    4. Suffers from insecurities and problems that we can identify with.

    5. Someone who decides they're "okay", the genuine article!

    6. Displays Courage - physical, moral or emotional

    7. Loyal to a friend.

    8. Helping the unfortunate or helpless.

    9. Having a pet, dogs over cats. (Plot can be evolved with character talking to pet, as opposed to "thinking".)

    10. Charitable acts - don't boast or take credit.

    11. Fights for just cause.

    12. Underdog.

    13. A good act - saves someone.

    14. Have someone boast about the character.

    15. Stays true to own beliefs or code of honor (Raiders, Bogart in Casablanca)

    16. Has fun, playful energy - funny.

    17. Clever - outwits obstacles or opposition. (McGyver)

    18. Generosity.

    19. Relates to small children.

    20. Self-sacrifice for greater good.

    21. Sane man in a crazy world. (PeeWee Herman, Woody Allen)

    22. Higher goal or Vision (Ghana)

    23. Incorruptible (Untouchables)

    24. Heroic effort to pull self up. (Rocky)

    Villains are created by reversing these likable traits!!

    Characters evolve "kicking & screaming" through their emotional roller coasters or character arcs. That creates the plot.

    Dialog Techniques: Make It Real, but Colorful and Unique

    1. Spoken Speech: When a question is asked, characters answer should be more than yes or no. This is an opportunity to show off character traits and keep story line interesting.

    2. Interruptions or Simultaneous Dialogue

    3. Answer Question with a question - develops character

    4. One-Liners - make it unique -for "bit" players.

    i.e.: (Character ordering drink from waitress, bit player): "Miss, we'd like another round of drinks. Put it on my tab." "Miss to you, Mam to your baby-faced darling. What do you want?"

    5. Random thoughts and diversions - comments or questions from characters coming our of left field, half sentences, "Blips", tangential comments, delayed responses, etc.

    6. Staying on own track. Characters do not respond to each other but stay on their own different dialog track (two different subjects)

    7. Technique: thinking of dialog & characters as musical instruments or a type of music.

    8. Begin the scene in the middle of conversation.

    "On the nose" dialog or saying exactly what you mean, is POOR dialog. Subtext dialog: dialog doesn't say what they mean, but denotes a feeling, which in turn "tells" the viewer what they mean.

    Brainstorming High Concept Stories.

    Ideas for movies must be unique, intriguing and can be summarized in one or two sentences. (To sell the idea!) The plot determines story & characters. There is a five times better chance to sell a HIGH CONCEPT story, particularly w/ SUSPENSE, than a SOFT soft.

    I.E. Back to Future, No Way Out

    SOFT Story: plot unimportant, characters & relationships important. I.E. Harry Met Sally, On Golden Pond.

    Hard to sell in Hollywood. Cannot be described in one or two sentences.

    Films must make 2 times their cost (cost: $20 to 25 million to produce)

    Screenwriting lingo:

    Stakes: whatever's at stake in story for character

    Rooting Interest

    One-Liner or Log-Line: one-line description of plot

    Episodic: poor story, hero has no objective (Down & Out In Beverly Hills)

    More Notes . . .

    Movies of the Week are seven acts. 3 acts (big action at top of hour before commercial to keep audience for next hour) and 4 acts.

    Feature films: three acts - 107 to 122 pages (no longer)

    ACT I is 30 pages (or 10 - 15 cards). Get to know major characters. Know what hero must accomplish. Hero cannot turn back at end of ACT I. The clear ACT I break is the point of no return, when the character makes the choice to go on.

    ACT II is 60 pages. Hero tries to make progress toward goal. Obstacles, complications, "ticking clock" suspense. ACT III break: low point for hero, everything goes wrong.

    ACT III is 30 pages. Plot and action on upswing. Hero coming to grips with character arc. Get out of problem and climax to finish.

    How to tie the Character to the Plot and create tightly written scripts?

    1. Set ups and Pay offs

    2. Character overcomes emotional limitations, fear, blocks or wounds; resolves character arc. Hero has grown. To accomplish plot objective, character must complete character arc.

    3. ZIG: Plot forces character to deal with arc (E L B or W)

    4. ZAG: Character arc growth influencing the plot (twists). Hero overcoming E L B or W, enables hero to do something (that hero couldn't do before) to influence outcome of plot.

    ZIGS and ZAGS are happening throughout the script to influence and make up the plot. The more ZIGS & ZAGS, the more exciting the plot and more real, interesting the characters.

    5. Skills - hero picks up skills to help accomplish task. Plot forces hero to gain skills.

    6. PING-PONG method: Character growth develops by another character's E L B or W. (i.e. Thelma & Louise)

    OBJECTIVES: Things your hero has to accomplish:

    1. Get Justice

    2. Win a competition

    3. Get an item.

    4. Destroy enemy

    5. Expose enemy

    6. Capture enemy

    7. Close Pandora's Box (The Fly)

    Chaos unleashed, needs to be controlled. Greek Tragedy - set wheels in motion.

    8. Extricate from crazy situation (I Love Lucy; Afterhours)

    9. Save a group or get a group to safety. (War Games; Airplane; Airport)

    10. Get an enemy out of your life

    11. Make Way Home

    12. Triumph over harsh situation. (Private Benjamin)

    13. Survive People who want to "kill" you - physically, emotionally, spiritually (Rambo; Dead Poet's Society; Cuckoo's Nest)

    14. Get a 2nd Chance

    15. Get Recognition (Flashdance; Working Girl)

    16. Escape

    17. Get Someone to leave you alone (Sleeping with the Enemy; Fatal Attraction)

    18. Get them to accept You (Dirty Dancing)

    19. Get Girl or Boy

    20. Learn the Truth (Chinatown; JFK)

    21. Get away w/ mischief; defy authority; destroy property (Ferris Bueller) KEY ingredient in teen films.

    22. Get Revenge (Porky's)

    23. Get out from their control

    24. Make something right; undo a wrong.

    NOTES . . . continued

    Plot must hit the Bottom Line: hit people emotionally; laugh; scare; blow mind.

    Plot needs TWISTS & Complications:

    1. ZIG - little objectives to accomplish throughout story

    2. Accidental obstacles

    3. Solution creates other problem: out of one mess and into a bigger one.

    4. New Information revealed: changes picture

    5. Someone changes sides; traitor

    6. Stakes increase

    7. Hopeless, insurmountable obstacles

    8. Hero has two choices to make: both choices lead to disaster; harm or death to loved one.

    9. Something breakdowns: eqt. hero needs to perform job

    10. Mini-objections

    11. Hero falls in love and complicates story.

    12. Must get someone else to do something

    13. Villain has big trick up sleeve, hero unaware of

    14. Forced to carry out someone else's agenda

    15. Villain knows hero's secret plan

    16. Something from hero's past comes back to haunt him/her

    17. Reinforcements don't arrive as expected

    18. Enemy isn't dead or out of commission

    19. Gains are illusionary

    20. Someone doesn't react as expected

    21. Natural obstacles/disasters

    22. Hero walks into trap

    23. Villain has more "weapons" than anticipated

    24. People think hero is bad guy and go after him/her

    Pitching the Thriller: What's the crime to get the story going? Needs to be unique and plot must be unique to sell concept.

    Never been used before.

    Brainstorming Tools!

    How To Generate HIGH CONCEPT Ideas!

    Plug Into Your Mental Computer: Making Changes in any of these areas will change your PLOT! (i.e. Platoon = Wall Street/ Bridge Over River Kwai = Kiss of Spider Woman; They have the same plot! Only the variables changed!)

    Changing the following variables can generate HIGH CONCEPT Ideas:

    1. Sex

    2. Genre

    3. Location

    4. Time

    5. Age of Character

    6. Who's the Villain?

    7. Who's the Hero?

    8. Character's Objective (Fear, Limitation, Block or Wound)

    9. Upside Down. (turn situation upside down, i.e. Beetlejuice, people haunting ghosts)

    10. Stakes

    11. Twists

    Take any favorite movie and change one or two variables, changes the plot and creates a NEW story!

    Sources for IDEAS!:

    1. Other movies

    2. Magazines/newspapers

    3. Personal experiences

    4. Asking: "What if" something is real,

    or if something happened? ("WHAT IF" GAMES!)

    5. Particular character, line of work, experience, etc.

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