Friday, 15 April 2011

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Starting this week I would like to share with any followers tips on writing a screen play... I may not be a pro to teach but for those who has been asking me on how to write ... Just follow my blog and i will share with you step by step in writing for beginner.

Cheers mate


SCREEN WRITING STEP BY STEP


Rules Of Engagement –     


1.       Writing is a process. Don’t get too attached to one idea. If it works use it..... If it doesn’t don’t.
2.       Discipline – find the best time to work on your script at your own pace.

First section - Getting started
1.       The idea
2.       Action and character
3.       Structure
4.       4 page treatment

Second section
1.       Create the character
2.       Define dramatic need

Third section - Write the screenplay
1.       Prepare, structure and write act 1
2.       Prepare, structure and write act 2
3.       Prepare, structure and write act 3
Fourth section
1.       Rewrite the screen play

 BEFORE WRITING – Determine -
·         What is your story about
·         Who is your story about

STRUCTURE – Definition  1
·         To build something
·         To put something together

STRUCTURE – Definition 2
·         The relationship between the part and the whole

THE PARADIGM
Paradigm is a model created to be an instructional tool to understand the structural nature of a screenplay.

A screenplay is a story told with pictures, in dialogue and description and place within context of dramatic structure.

ACT 1,2,3 are individual unit of dramatic action.

Most movies are 2 hrs in length. Each page of a screenplay is approximately 1 minute. Basically each screenplay is approximately 120 pages long.
Context is a space – context does not change, only the content changes.

PLOT POINT – incident, episode or event that “hooks” into the action and spins it around in another direction.
PARADIGM

 

         BEGINNING                                                 MIDDLE                                                           END
 ACT 1 (22-30pages)                                   ACT 2 (60 pages)                                        ACT 3 (20-30 pages)
                             PLOT POINT 1                                                                   PLOT POINT 2





Context – ACT 1 - Set Up
·         Dramatic premise
·         The character
·         The situation
·         Relationship between characters.

Context – ACT 2 – Confrontation
·         Character encounter obstacle after obstacle.
·         Dramatic needs to win, gain, get or achieve.

Context – ACT 3 – Resolution
·         What is the solution to the story?

HOW TO-
Get from the beginning to the middle, from the middle to the end?
The answer is to create a plot point at the end of Act 1 and a plot point at the end of Act 2.

Assignment 1 – CREATE THE SUBJECT OF YOUR SCREENPLAY
·         Who is the main character?
·         What is the story about?

Assignment 1 – Part 2 – WRITE A 4 PAGE TREATMENT
·         Character
·         Where they come from?
·         What their goals are?
·         What their dramatic need is? (give an unformed idea a form)


 4 PAGE TREATMENT
PAGE 1 (1/2 Page)
-          Write the opening scene-sequence in a dramatic narrative.

PAGE 1 (1/2 Page)
-          Summarize the action that occurs in Act 1

PAGE 2 (1/2 Page)
-          Write the plot point at the end of Act 1 in a dramatic narrative.
-          Separate sheet of paper – list four obstacles that your character(s) confront during the action of Act 2.

PAGE 2 (1 paragraph)
-          Summarize each of obstacles your character encounters during Act 2

PAGE 3 (1/2 Page)
-          Write the plot point at the end of Act 2 in a dramatic narrative

PAGE 4 (1/2 Page)
-          Summarized the action of Act 3, the resolution
-          Write the end scene or sequence in a dramatic narrative

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