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I love that AHA! avalanche.

Cracker Funk

Cracker Funk

As a feature screenwriter, I'm fairly new. Just now starting work on only my second one. So, I don't know if this is something I can always expect to experience, or if it's just coincidence that I've experienced it on both of my first feature screenplays.

One thing. One lousy stinking thing that I couldn't decide on. I had a general idea of what situation I wanted a character to be in, but couldn't nail down specific details. Then, finally, almost out of the blue, the details surface, and they just fit.

Problem is, across the span of the entire feature, there are a TON of these tiny little details that have yet to be figured out. All I've solved is one of them.

But wait a minute. The more I think about it, this one detail has a significant impact on all the others that are undecided. With one detail nailed-down, one-by-one the dominoes start to fall, with all the problematic areas practically solving themselves.

Is this what it feels like when writer's block finally dies? Whatever it is, it's awesome! :D

Anybody else have similar experiences?
 
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That Eureka moment is always a feel-good moment for sure, Cracker. And it's true about all those tiny details buried in the bigger story. Sometimes one door opens, then one or two close. But it's nice when it's the other way around!

Is this your next feature for shooting?
 
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It's brilliant, isn't it?

Writing FROM the page and not to it, is a beautiful way to work. Your material remains sharp and fresh. Although there can and will be 'dry spells', it's as honest as it gets. For me, anyway.
 
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Flicker Pictures said:
Is this your next feature for shooting?
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Yep. I needed someone to die. And I needed their death to be as damn-near tragic as possible (without involving murder, suicide, or war). Common-sense seems to me that what makes it most tragic is who they're leaving behind, and what happens to those people when they are gone. So I had the general idea, just no specifics. The specifics I decided on aren't all that revolutionary, but they fit, and they've plugged up some pretty big holes in other parts of the story that I didn't even realize it would have an impact on.

PTP, I think I know what you mean, by writing "from", instead of "to" the page. However, I think you're a more learned writer than I am, so I'm curious to hear you expand on that, should you care to.

Cheers!
 
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Cracker Funk said:
PTP, I think I know what you mean, by writing "from", instead of "to" the page. However, I think you're a more learned writer than I am, so I'm curious to hear you expand on that, should you care to.
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Ofcourse. Still alot to learn, but cheers :) (Bring Charles, Jeff and Fantasy Sci Fi, Writers Unite!)

What I meant by "Writing from the page, instead of to the page" is regarding how one firstly approaches their writing, and secondly how strict they are through the process.

When writing from the page, you allow breathing room, you allow the opportunity for your story to develop everytime you sit down. Giving yourself that freedom is essential. Writing is a long process. Whether it's short or feature length, factual or narrative, you fully expect to devote alot of your time to sitting, very likely in the room, the same chair etc. So it helps - whether or not you've had the story in the back of your mind for the past five years - to have this, again, for use of a better word and perhaps no-more appropriate, freedom.

What you've experienced above is one of the most rewarding assets of a Writer. Spontaneity. Spontaneity breeds ideas, and that's how stories come to life.

p.s I'm really looking forward to this feature. I'm hoping to read it, if you would allow me to do so, so keep those spoiler tags at the ready.
 
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Wombat said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mania
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:lol: I did drink a lot of coffee today, now that you mention it.

Papertwinproductions said:
Ofcourse. Still alot to learn, but cheers :) (Bring Charles, Jeff and Fantasy Sci Fi, Writers Unite!)

What I meant by "Writing from the page, instead of to the page" is regarding how one firstly approaches their writing, and secondly how strict they are through the process.

When writing from the page, you allow breathing room, you allow the opportunity for your story to develop everytime you sit down. Giving yourself that freedom is essential. Writing is a long process. Whether it's short or feature length, factual or narrative, you fully expect to devote alot of your time to sitting, very likely in the room, the same chair etc. So it helps - whether or not you've had the story in the back of your mind for the past five years - to have this, again, for use of a better word and perhaps no-more appropriate, freedom.

What you've experienced above is one of the most rewarding assets of a Writer. Spontaneity. Spontaneity breeds ideas, and that's how stories come to life.

p.s I'm really looking forward to this feature. I'm hoping to read it, if you would allow me to do so, so keep those spoiler tags at the ready.
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Thanks. For sure, I'd love for you to read it, when it's ready for review.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
As a feature screenwriter, I'm fairly new. Just now starting work on only my second one. So, I don't know if this is something I can always expect to experience, or if it's just coincidence that I've experienced it on both of my first feature screenplays.

One thing. One lousy stinking thing that I couldn't decide on. I had a general idea of what situation I wanted a character to be in, but couldn't nail down specific details. Then, finally, almost out of the blue, the details surface, and they just fit.

Problem is, across the span of the entire feature, there are a TON of these tiny little details that have yet to be figured out. All I've solved is one of them.

But wait a minute. The more I think about it, this one detail has a significant impact on all the others that are undecided. With one detail nailed-down, one-by-one the dominoes start to fall, with all the problematic areas practically solving themselves.

Is this what it feels like when writer's block finally dies? Whatever it is, it's awesome! :D

Anybody else have similar experiences?
Click to expand...


When I'm starting new screenplays, one thing that's helped me, is nailing down a real good logline before you begin anything. Along with that, when I'm starting out, I like to immediately think, "where's the conflict?". I make a list of the worst possible things that could happen to my protagonist, and I put them in order from "most serious" to "least serious". This seems to help everything evolve organically.
 
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Screenwriter said:
When I'm starting new screenplays, one thing that's helped me, is nailing down a real good logline before you begin anything. Along with that, when I'm starting out, I like to immediately think, "where's the conflict?". I make a list of the worst possible things that could happen to my protagonist, and I put them in order from "most serious" to "least serious". This seems to help everything evolve organically.
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The logline has been locked down for months, though there's no way you would know that from this thread (which has been kept intentionally vague). The kind of details I decided on yesterday were for a back-story for a secondary character, though they are important enough to the overall story that it had a ripple-effect, answering some nagging questions elsewhere in the script, and filled one major plot hole.

That's a good idea to have a worst-that-could-happen list. I shall try it. Cheers. :)
 
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Indiefilming said:
Does anyone else find that going for a walk cures writer's block? The max it has taken is 5 hours of walking. But it always seems to work.
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Walking with music that goes with my theme works for me. I always start a new film with some particular piece of music that encapsulates the feel and energy I'm going for, then leave that looping while I think. It keeps my creativity centered and focused.
 
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Nate North said:
Walking with music that goes with my theme works for me. I always start a new film with some particular piece of music that encapsulates the feel and energy I'm going for, then leave that looping while I think. It keeps my creativity centered and focused.
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Same here. If there's a tone and I can find music to fit it, not so much to use later on in the actual product, then it helps tremendously.

There are a lot of ways to open the flood gates. Music, reading, eating, drinking (alcoholic or non), and especially telling people you trust about what you're doing. Not so much so they can give you good ideas, but when you actually talk on the material you're writing it's like it becomes legit in a way.

About two years ago or so I started to really voice, with my friends, what I wanted to write and just throw pitches at them (as if I were really pitching an exec) and then I could either see the sillyness or the great parts of it.. that brought me back to the page.

Some writers say that once you know the "theme" then everything else is pretty easy. I don't feel like I'm a theme writer, and more so a character writer so for me, once I know the characters and their flaws/goals, then I know what I'm writing around those.

I'm also more prone to find the major and minor sources of conflict as soon as possible. Sort of like what was said earlier, I just put them in a skeleton, as a visual roadmap.

One thing I cannot do, though, is write a treatment. It sucks so much of my personal creative energy out. I'd rather be using those words in a script.
 
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Kholi said:
About two years ago or so I started to really voice, with my friends, what I wanted to write and just throw pitches at them (as if I were really pitching an exec) and then I could either see the sillyness or the great parts of it.. that brought me back to the page.
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I pitch my projects all the damn time. Friends, coworkers, random strangers at the bar (customers). My only restriction is that is has to find it's way into the conversation, naturally, and I need to get a feel that they're genuinely interested in hearing it. If I force it on someone, that could be really annoying, and no fun for either of us.

I find many benefits in doing this. First, it's kinda like the way that stand-up comics really learn the strengths of their material by trying new stuff on new audiences. I can see people's reactions and discover what works and what doesn't. Also, like any form of public speaking, delivering a pitch requires practice, so I feel that this habit gets me better prepared for when the time comes that I'll be making "real" pitches to people who can green-light my next project.

I also enjoy asking friends at work for micro-brainstorming sessions. Yesterday, we named all of the major players: Owen (protag), Walt (sidekick), and the dysfunctional family that they jump in the middle of: Caitlyn, Jesse and Merril Calhoune.

Anyway, it was during one of these micro-brainstorming sessions when I discovered the detail I'd been indecisive about for so long. I asked the question, "In addition to the fact that somebody is young, what might be a reason why the timing of a death would be particularly tragic?". One of my best go-to sources for bouncing-off of ideas gave me an answer, but she didn't really get the question, or maybe I framed it wrong. So, I gave her an example of what I was getting at. After giving her the example (which was 100% impromptu, on my part), I thought, wait a minute, that's actually perfect.

The point I'm getting at is that I find it very beneficial to talk about it. Whether it's a pitch, or brainstorming, or just enthusiastic idea-sharing, I find that a lot of great ideas can come out of the act of talking with someone else. Sometimes those ideas come from me, and sometimes from the person I'm talking to. But one thing that's obviously true is that talking to someone else is a completely different creative dynamic than only talking to that inner-voice in your head.
 
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Indiefilming said:
Does anyone else find that going for a walk cures writer's block? The max it has taken is 5 hours of walking. But it always seems to work.
Click to expand...

Yep. At the moment I'm doing a lot of running (well, I should be doing MORE than I am... training for the Santa Barbara marathon next month) and I like how my mind wanders. The body gets into an automatic groove and the brain can take a break. I don't wear ear buds or bring an iPod, but rather select a few topics that need sorting out (scenes, editing, to do lists, etc) then use those as jumping off points.

When I was writing my last feature, it was during these long runs that I'd stumble upon answers to questions and unlock doors that were jammed up. As soon as I got home I'd run directly to the laptop and hammer out all that I could to get it down before forgetting.

I know David Lynch goes on his "power walk" (I think that's what he calls it?) every day where he spends the whole time musing about some project he's working on.

Dan Brown does push ups every hour, not so much for thinking but to get the blood flowing.

I've found that the solitary aspect of writing gets to me, so getting out in some fashion is key.
 
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Cracker Funk said:
The point I'm getting at is that I find it very beneficial to talk about it. Whether it's a pitch, or brainstorming, or just enthusiastic idea-sharing, I find that a lot of great ideas can come out of the act of talking with someone else. Sometimes those ideas come from me, and sometimes from the person I'm talking to. But one thing that's obviously true is that talking to someone else is a completely different creative dynamic than only talking to that inner-voice in your head.
Click to expand...

Yup! Nothin more valuable, man.
 
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