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Can anyone help me out with script writing?
- Thread starter mitramac
- Start date
i dont really understand your question. first of all if it is the professional trms in the script like: EXT. INT. and stuff like that then you can find guides online. if you just physically cant do it then - well... dont do it? Please explain your question more and more people on this forum will reply
When I first start exploring an idea, I put it on paper as raw brainstorming. I usually start with the concept (logline) and then work on the characterizations. I may even write a scene or two just to toy with how some of the characters interact.
Start with a synopsis and character descriptions. Know your story (theme, plotline, beginning to end) and your characters before writing the actual script. You can even do what I did and take a tape recorder to a local IHOP and brainstorm with a friend, then go home and transcribe it. That will get the creative juices flowing.
The mechanics of a script are not that complicated relatively speaking, and there's free software on the web (http://celtx.com/) to help you with the formatting. The story is the difficult part. Read "Story" by Robert McKee, "The Anatomy of Story" by John Truby and also "The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler. That will get you started. Once you're ready to write the script, pick up a copy of "The Hollywood Standard" by Christopher Riley.
Start with a synopsis and character descriptions. Know your story (theme, plotline, beginning to end) and your characters before writing the actual script. You can even do what I did and take a tape recorder to a local IHOP and brainstorm with a friend, then go home and transcribe it. That will get the creative juices flowing.
The mechanics of a script are not that complicated relatively speaking, and there's free software on the web (http://celtx.com/) to help you with the formatting. The story is the difficult part. Read "Story" by Robert McKee, "The Anatomy of Story" by John Truby and also "The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler. That will get you started. Once you're ready to write the script, pick up a copy of "The Hollywood Standard" by Christopher Riley.
Just get to it... writing is rewriting. George Lucas was a bad scriptwriter, he just hacked away until it worked, like all of us do.
You know that line:
"Travelling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops, kid"- That was 4th draft+
The original was something like:
"Gosh Luke, do you have any idea how difficult it is to negotiate hyperspace?" lol.
*
When I read Lucas' lame first drafts it gave me hope...
You know that line:
"Travelling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops, kid"- That was 4th draft+
The original was something like:
"Gosh Luke, do you have any idea how difficult it is to negotiate hyperspace?" lol.
*
When I read Lucas' lame first drafts it gave me hope...
If you want more hope, track down the Michael Crichton draft of Jurassic Park.
I haven't read enough screenplays yet, but I Have read a boat load of theatrical scripts, and something I've noticed many "newbie" writers doing is including way too much "theatrical direction" in their scripts... ie:
they completely choreograph the fight scenes on paper (not the writers job)
they completely describe the sets and props on paper (not the writers job)
they completely describe the lighting and sound on paper (not the writers job)
etc. etc. etc.
in short, they write a bleeping NOVEL in the format of a script.
Needless to say, we seldom end up producing their scripts.
In general, the best scripts seem to be the ones that are nothing more than the Skeletons of the story... truly, the Bare Bones, only those elements that are absolutely Crucial to the story line...
It's other peoples jobs to come in and add flesh and blood to that... by "over writing" you end up denying them not only their creative and artistic input, but their jobs as well... not the best way to make friends, ya know?
two cents from someone who has Never written a script *shrugs*
they completely choreograph the fight scenes on paper (not the writers job)
they completely describe the sets and props on paper (not the writers job)
they completely describe the lighting and sound on paper (not the writers job)
etc. etc. etc.
in short, they write a bleeping NOVEL in the format of a script.
Needless to say, we seldom end up producing their scripts.
In general, the best scripts seem to be the ones that are nothing more than the Skeletons of the story... truly, the Bare Bones, only those elements that are absolutely Crucial to the story line...
It's other peoples jobs to come in and add flesh and blood to that... by "over writing" you end up denying them not only their creative and artistic input, but their jobs as well... not the best way to make friends, ya know?
two cents from someone who has Never written a script *shrugs*
Actually, no. It is the writer's job to tell the story, and whatever methods are necessary to paint a visual picture in the mind of the reader is how it's done. There is a big difference between a stage play and a screenplay. Stage plays are mostly dialogue. In a screenplay, if you have a unique setting (like a space craft or "Wonderland"), then you bet your bottom dollar that it's the writer's job to describe it in as few words as possible to paint that picture. Yes, the art department will come along and flesh it out, but the writer must give them something to go on, especially in the spec stage.
The difference from a novel is that you don't go into the mind of the character. It's what you see and hear, and if you see a fight, then, yes, you will describe the fight scene. What if your reader doesn't know anything about marshal arts? How would they visualize a fight unless the writer helped? "He hit him, gets hit back, gets kicked, goes down"? Boring.
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VPTurner:
um, isn't that pretty much exactly what I said, only in an overly verbose manner?
for example:
The story takes place in a major US metropolitan city.
unless there's some specific plot element that makes it Absolutely Crucial to the story then don't name the city.
in depth example:
It's a sunny day in Los Angeles. Jane meets Joe. They cruise down Rodeo Drive in a red convertible with the top down. Jane's hair shimmers in the sun in just that way that drives Joe crazy. More stuff happens and they fall in love and live happily ever after.
===
This is common in new writers. Los Angeles, Rodeo Drive, and Red Convertible have absolutely Nothing to do with the actual Story (girl meets boy and falls in love) and they triple the cost of production... last time I checked filming permits for L.A were an arm and a leg.
Leave those (un-necassary) bits out of the script and let the director decide if they want to blow their budget on spendy permits in L.A... OR, free permits in NYC, with a trip down Park Ave. in a Taxi...
yes? no? I dunno.
um, isn't that pretty much exactly what I said, only in an overly verbose manner?
for example:
The story takes place in a major US metropolitan city.
unless there's some specific plot element that makes it Absolutely Crucial to the story then don't name the city.
in depth example:
It's a sunny day in Los Angeles. Jane meets Joe. They cruise down Rodeo Drive in a red convertible with the top down. Jane's hair shimmers in the sun in just that way that drives Joe crazy. More stuff happens and they fall in love and live happily ever after.
===
This is common in new writers. Los Angeles, Rodeo Drive, and Red Convertible have absolutely Nothing to do with the actual Story (girl meets boy and falls in love) and they triple the cost of production... last time I checked filming permits for L.A were an arm and a leg.
Leave those (un-necassary) bits out of the script and let the director decide if they want to blow their budget on spendy permits in L.A... OR, free permits in NYC, with a trip down Park Ave. in a Taxi...
yes? no? I dunno.
Billy Wilder’s Screenwriting Tips
1. The audience is fickle.
2. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.
3. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character.
4. Know where you’re going.
5. The more subtle and elegant you are in hiding your plot points, the better you are as a writer.
6. If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
7. A tip from Lubitsch: Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.
8. In doing voice-overs, be careful not to describe what the audience already sees. Add to what they’re seeing.
9. The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then — that’s it. Don’t hang around.
1. The audience is fickle.
2. Grab ‘em by the throat and never let ‘em go.
3. Develop a clean line of action for your leading character.
4. Know where you’re going.
5. The more subtle and elegant you are in hiding your plot points, the better you are as a writer.
6. If you have a problem with the third act, the real problem is in the first act.
7. A tip from Lubitsch: Let the audience add up two plus two. They’ll love you forever.
8. In doing voice-overs, be careful not to describe what the audience already sees. Add to what they’re seeing.
9. The event that occurs at the second act curtain triggers the end of the movie.
10. The third act must build, build, build in tempo and action until the last event, and then — that’s it. Don’t hang around.
My background -- I write daily with no mental blockage. Script writing allows me to play God. LOL. I am not a know it all. I learn daily. But here is my two cents, some advice.
Get your self some good script writing software (you will be glad you did). Then use it.
Everyone writes differently. I like to let me imagination fly. Push the envelope to the max. Then place the script out of sight for about four to six months. After I have removed from my memory the particulars of the script, I read it and re write as needed (over the course of several months or years). After many re writes, I let others read the script and start the polishing process. After polishing, I do a read through (or round table) with past cast, friends and any available, fellow film-makers.
I listen and take notes. Then based upon those comments and suggestions -- I rewrite and polish as needed. As with all art, you need to know the rules before you break them. Script writing IS an art.
Also read. Read as much as possible of every subject that interests you. Read scripts. Fiction. Facts. Take a notebook to a bar, restaurant, where ever -- listen and take notes. Watch movies. Good ones and bad.
I could go on but I won't. Afterall, this is just two cents...
Get your self some good script writing software (you will be glad you did). Then use it.
Everyone writes differently. I like to let me imagination fly. Push the envelope to the max. Then place the script out of sight for about four to six months. After I have removed from my memory the particulars of the script, I read it and re write as needed (over the course of several months or years). After many re writes, I let others read the script and start the polishing process. After polishing, I do a read through (or round table) with past cast, friends and any available, fellow film-makers.
I listen and take notes. Then based upon those comments and suggestions -- I rewrite and polish as needed. As with all art, you need to know the rules before you break them. Script writing IS an art.
Also read. Read as much as possible of every subject that interests you. Read scripts. Fiction. Facts. Take a notebook to a bar, restaurant, where ever -- listen and take notes. Watch movies. Good ones and bad.
I could go on but I won't. Afterall, this is just two cents...
It's very possible to write a script with a budget in mind.
Movie makers with very little money do it all the time. I
write every script I'm going to produce and direct with a
budget in mind. when I write for television I must write
with budget in mind.
Writing with a budget in mind is sometimes very important
and necessary.
It actually narrows it down to what you can do and what you cannot. This could save some time in choosing locations for particular scenes and give you stricter guidelines.
My budget is always zero and my locations are always school, home, park... I'm not even a film student... yet, but it's quite fun trying to go to extremes with the given settings, props,...etc.
And how much texture could you add to that short scene by having them cruise down Rodeo drive in a beat up red convertible, her greasy unkempt hair flowing in the wind? How much character did you just reveal with those little details? How much conflict did you just foreshadow?
Just saying.
Read more screenplays.
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Reading screenplays is about the best you can do for learning how it's done. That and just writing the hell out of every idea you get.
I also thought Directorik was absolutely right when it comes to writing with a budget in mind.
I also thought Directorik was absolutely right when it comes to writing with a budget in mind.
Buy Final Draft, it's pretty understandable but if you have any doubt, ask here.
Write the story always having the movie scene in your head. For example: "Michael was tired and thinking how good would be if he had won the race" doesn't make any sense. You shall write about how tired Michael is by describing his moves. Maybe saying he were sweating too much or using the walls as support to keep standing up or breathing too much.
The race part you may write that he turned on the tv and watched himself ending up second on a race, maybe the podium showing he in the second place or third place... just never write like you were writing a book.
Also, if you want to be original, avoid Syd Field.
Write the story always having the movie scene in your head. For example: "Michael was tired and thinking how good would be if he had won the race" doesn't make any sense. You shall write about how tired Michael is by describing his moves. Maybe saying he were sweating too much or using the walls as support to keep standing up or breathing too much.
The race part you may write that he turned on the tv and watched himself ending up second on a race, maybe the podium showing he in the second place or third place... just never write like you were writing a book.
Also, if you want to be original, avoid Syd Field.
That is my problem writing like a book , now I am getting a bit better. I am picking so many tips . I wish to know how to make my Indian English , sound like American English , than half of my problem will be solved.
I feel reading unproduced scripts are better . As there is not much camera directions and other stuff.
padma
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Do what Nike tells you...
Just Do it!
Everyone said it. Best way to learn is to jump in and write. Read a whole bunch of scripts, to help you piece together the required elements. If you run into bumps there is a bunch of online resources to guide you through them. My fav is The Script Lab but you just have to find a system that works best for you.
Just Do it!
Everyone said it. Best way to learn is to jump in and write. Read a whole bunch of scripts, to help you piece together the required elements. If you run into bumps there is a bunch of online resources to guide you through them. My fav is The Script Lab but you just have to find a system that works best for you.