INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING I Tuesday 7 10pm July 7-September 8 INSTRUCTOR: DIANE DRAKE Contact: dianesclass@gmail.com WRITERS PROGRAM CONTACT INFO: For help with any adminstrative issues: 310-825-9415; writers@uclaextension.edu GOAL: To learn the basics of the craft of screenwriting, conceive a workable idea, complete an outline, and begin the first act of your screenplay. HOMEWORK: You will be expected to watch one particular movie each week which we will then use to examine and illustrate the week s topic of discussion. These should all be fairly easy to access either through local rental boutiques or via Netflix. All written homework assignments MUST BE TYPED. Please bring TWO copies of each written assignment to class. One to be turned in at the beginning of class, and the other for your personal use during class discussion. All scenes must be written in professional screenplay format. You may use whatever screenwriting software you prefer, but please do use one. SUGGESTED READING: About the Craft : HOW TO WRITE A MOVIE IN 21 DAYS Viki King - The 21 days part is laughable, but much of the rest of this book is extremely useful. MOST IMPORTANTLY Screenplays, Screenplays, Screenplays: Read as many as possible. See how things literally look on the page. Note how a writer leads your eye, how economical they are in their description, how they describe action, how they talk to you as the reader and manage to take you into their confidence, (or not). If you read enough of these, you can t help but start to absorb things, and your work will begin to become more intuitive and fluid. You ll get a stronger sense of what to do, and what not to do. Websites for downloading free scripts:? Drew's Script-O-Rama www.script-o-rama.com
? Simply Scripts www.simplyscripts.com? Daily Script www.dailyscript.com For Television, esp. Pilots: http://tvwriting.googlepages.com/ If you want to purchase hard copies, or for a far more extensive selection check out: www.scriptfly.com Other Website Tips: There are loads of websites out there devoted to screenwriting-- you can do a search. Two that I ll call your attention to are: 1) www.wga.org the Writers Guild of America site which has plenty of things one can access even without being a member. 2) www.wordplayer.com. This one s run by Terry Rossio & Ted Elliot, (of SHREK and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN fame, among others). Lots of great articles, discussion boards, etc., there. About the Business: ADVENTURES IN THE SCREEN TRADE William Goldman An older book, but still fascinating and educational. WHICH LIE DID I TELL? William Goldman ON WRITING Stephen King WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN? Budd Schulberg, (technically fiction and decades old, but classic) Also ELIA KAZAN: ON WHAT MAKES A DIRECTOR This is a small booklet available from the Directors Guild of America. I think much of it-- about how to approach and lead a creative life-- is very useful advice for writers as well. And the parts that don t pertain to writers specifically, (or even tend to somewhat condescendingly minimize their contributions), still constitute helpful insight for writers who must deal with directors About Writing and Creativity and, oh yeah, Your Eternal Soul: IF YOU WANT TO WRITE Brenda Ueland An extraordinarily insightful and inspiring book about the creative process in general, and writing in particular, originally published in 1938(!) I m inclined to call this one required reading, but as it s not about screenwriting, per se, I ll refrain-- for now
BECOMING A WRITER Dorothea Brande BIRD BY BIRD Anne LaMott GRADING: Attendance: 25 points Class Participation: 30 points Homework Assignments: 45 points 90-100+ points = A; 80-89 = B; 70-79 = C; 60-69 = D; we re not going to even think about going below this. Bonus Points (5) Attend an evening at the Writers Guild and write up a short summary/review of it. Many of these are events open to the public for a nominal fee and often feature top writers in the business. For info: www.wga.org AND the Writers Guild Foundation www.wgf.org SUGGESTED VIEWING LIST: These, in no particular order, are some of the movies that make me want to write movies. A few of these will be assigned viewing for the class. I encourage you to start keeping your own list. Sideways Lost in Translation Casablanca Pulp Fiction Body Heat Broadcast News The Lives of Others Tootsie Thelma & Louise It s A Wonderful Life Erin Brockovich Enchanted April Meet the Parents Roman Holiday Sunset Blvd. Bull Durham The Full Monty Before Sunset Aliens Il Postino Local Hero
Moonstruck Shop Around the Corner Hud Babe Romancing the Stone Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid Swingers The Year of Living Dangerously Mr. & Mrs. Smith Amelie Out of Sight sex, lies & videotape Dave Toy Story Big True Lies Clueless Four Weddings and a Funeral Hannah and Her Sisters Shakespeare in Love American Beauty When Harry Met Sally The Best Years of Our Lives Groundhog Day Desperately Seeking Susan A Hard Day s Night Big Night Man on Wire Once CLASS GUIDELINES ETIQUETTE Good feedback is essential for any artist, and I think it goes without saying that everyone is here to learn, and to support one another in that process. I will endeavor to offer honest, but constructive critiques of your work, and encourage you to do the same for each other. Please try to be as specific as possible in your feedback and to treat each other s work with the same respect you d want yours treated. Also, please remember that appreciation of any art form is subjective not EVERYONE has to like your work. Not everyone ever will. You, as the creator, must be open and honest enough with yourself to take in the feedback that is offered and then judge for yourself what applies, what you feel is relevant and constructive and useful, and what isn t. WEEK I
1. INTRODUCTIONS Why we re all here 2. The Syllabus Our roadmap 3. What is a movie? The Best Definition I Know 4. The Big Idea: Say it in a sentence, (or two ) 5. What you need to know Some Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Idea 6. A movie needs a beginning, a middle and an end 7. Writing what you know 8. Idea Generation Tip: What ifs? 9. Why We Go to Movies Handout - Mark Twain on James Fennimore Cooper 1) PREPARE TWO movie ideas of 1-3 sentences each for presentation in class next week. 2) Watch TOOTSIE WEEK 2 1. PRESENT AND DISCUSS your story ideas 2. WHAT IT S REALLY ABOUT OR THEMES AND RESONANCE - The hero s journey - Archetypes - Never underestimate the power of the Underdog - What Sydney Pollack called the spine and the importance of knowing what it is you re trying to say. 3. STRUCTURING YOUR STORY THE THREE ACT BREAKDOWN Screenplays are structure - General length and purpose of each Act Plot Points including my own personal definition of Plot Point #1 which can also often function as your one-liner. Discussion of these elements in action using TOOTSIE The Engine of the Plot Handout - Monologue to the Maestro Ernest Hemingway 1. Watch TOY STORY
2. WRITE A 3-ACT BREAKDOWN of TOY STORY, identifying the Set up, (Act I), the Body of the Story, (Act II), and the Resolution, (Act III), as well as the major plot points. (Approximately 3 paragraphs). WEEK 3 1 DISCUSS the TOY STORY breakdown in depth. 2. PLOTS, GOALS, CHARACTERS & STAKES And how they all intertwine Discussion of these elements in action Goals: What a character WANTS vs. what a character NEEDS (to learn). A word of advice from Mick Jagger The Value of a Great Antagonist Stakes Is it clear what a character wants? Is this worth rooting for? Bottom Line: Make me care. The fundamental things apply. Handout Neuroses? Hollywood is Perfect for You 1. WRITE A ONE-PAGE SYNOPSIS OF YOUR STORY. Include the premise, the major characters, the main story beats and the resolution. 2. Watch SIDEWAYS WEEK 4 1. READ AND DISCUSS Your one-page synopses 2. Discussion of Characters and Character Pieces, especially when the lead IS his own antagonist. 3. STORY STRUCTURE BREAKDOWN: ACT ONE The Set Up Opening scenes The first ten pages Setting the story in motion, establishing tone The Inciting Incident What s the Worst that Can Happen? From page 10 to 25, escalating the tension and need for the main character to take ACTION Plot Point #1 The end of Act One, as the story turns in a new direction OUTLINE Act One As an exercise, together we ll again watch the First Act and do a beat sheet outline of the First Act of one of the movies we ve covered.
Handout Interview with Callie Khouri 1. WRITE A ONE PAGE BEAT SHEET STEP OUTLINE of your Act One. This should contain 6-10 steps or major beats. 2. Watch THELMA & LOUISE WEEK 5 1. READ AND DISCUSS: Act One Outlines 2. STORY STRUCTURE BREAKDOWN ACT TWO The Body of the Story Act II The Body of the Story Murphy s Law Kicks In Discussion of Act II in THELMA & LOUISE Obstacles/Complications/Side Effects/Shifts/Character Evolution How to keep things moving including a couple cheap (ish) tricks Nothing Wasted, Nothing Extraneous It s a 110-Page (give or take) Haiku Handout Interview with Judd Apatow *Bonus Handout The war of words between Judd Apatow and Mark Brazill (creator of That 70 s Show ) 1. WRITE THE STEP OUTLINE FOR ACT TWO OF YOUR SCREENPLAY, hitting all the main beats of the story. There should be roughly 15-30 beats in Act Two. 2. Watch MEET THE PARENTS WEEK 6 1. READ AND DISCUSS: Act Two Step Outlines 2. STORY STRUCTURE BREAKDOWN ACT THREE The Resolution 3. CHARACTER ARCS AND ENDINGS A matter of life or death Know Thy Ending I cannot emphasize this enough The Moral to Your Story What is a Character Arc? Satisfying an audience You want your hero to be a hero* (*usually)
Epiphanies What is the or else? By this point, we d better be rooting for something The importance of the last 20 pages Handout Writing is Easy Steve Martin 1. WRITE THE STEP OUTLINE FOR ACT THREE, (about 5-10 steps). Your entire step outline for all three acts should now run approximately 30-45 beats, or 6-10 pages. 2. Watch THE LIVES OF OTHERS just because it s great, and thematically very powerful. WEEK 7 1. READ AND DISCUSS: Act Three Step Outlines 2. PROBLEM SOLVING Class discussion of where we stand and what problems have been encountered thus far 3. Possible Guest Lecturer Handout Elizabeth Gilbert ( EAT, PRAY, LOVE ) advice on writing 1. REVISE your entire Step Outline 2. Watch PULP FICTION Note its unique structure, and also how masterfully Tarantino makes these very unsavory characters sympathetic. Also notice how almost every scene in the movie is a matter of life or death for at least one person. WEEK 8 1. SCENE STRUCTURE Beginning, middle and end within the scene. Writing Scene Description Economy and evocation Arrive Fashionably Late and Leave Early Let the audience put it together
Keep it Simple This is a blueprint, not a novel Bits of Business Giving your characters something to do Build, don t repeat Handout Hollywood-onics Homework Assignment 1. WRITE YOUR OPENING SCENE 2. Watch MR. & MRS. SMITH Note its many strengths and a few weaknesses, (hint: biggest weakness is Act III). Also, note the dialogue. WEEK 9 1. DIALOGUE Writing Dialogue And your point is? Subtext We ll watch some good examples Making the medicine, that is, the exposition, go down. A great example from Jon Stewart When you re stuck, something to ask yourself. (The light bulb test) Handout - TBD 1. REVISE your opening scene. 2. Watch one of YOUR favorite movies and get inspired. And nake a list of the other things that inspire you, (art, cooking, music, dance, travel, whatever), and make it a point to seek these experiences out. WEEK 10 1. WHATEVER WE VE NOT COVERED THAT YOU WANT TO DISCUSS How to win an Oscar a few random thoughts Agents and Managers and Lawyers, Oh my Rejection, Trusting in the Journey and in Your Own Voice Handout Throw in the Towel Terry Rossio
Finish your Script!