1 Writing The First Screenplay II Instructor: Chris Webb heytherechris@earthlink.net This second in a 4-part sequence in writing a feature film script has you hit the ground running. You begin by pitching your story based on your outline and revising it to make sure the premise can carry the entire movie. Armed with a workable outline, you then flesh it out into either a beat sheet or treatment (at the instructor's discretion) and begin writing your screenplay. Personalized feedback along with mini-lectures on key craft points, including character development, story structure, and conflict, help you to meet the course goal, which is to write Act I (approximately 30 pages). May be repeated for credit. Goals: 1. Working toward completing the first draft of an original screenplay. The instructor and fellow students will encourage each other in the most important aspect of writing a first draft: to keep going. 2. Building a list of contacts. During class time, students will collaborate with other students. Each class provides a forum for students to pitch ideas to each other. Students will be encouraged to provide feedback on each other s work. 3. s and teacher guidance. Most of writing is not in the inspiration, it s in knowing what to do with that inspiration. Students will be given tools for how to break down their thoughts regarding scenes and plot, and will acquire tools as to how to organize those thoughts. Through video, students will be shown examples of different screenwriting techniques, good scenes, bad scenes, and good dialogue versus bad dialogue. Students will be encouraged to critique the examples. Finally, the instructor will encourage learning the rules of screen writing in order to break them, allowing the writer to create their own style. Grading Grading will be based on class participation and completion of assignments. The instructor encourages students to meet outside of class. Students who form professional friendships will be given extra praise.
2 Participation: 50% Assignments: 50% Week 1 Instructor s introductory remarks 1. Instructor discusses his professional and personal credentials. 2. Instructor discusses the need for collaboration and trust in the class. 3. Class contact sheet created. 4. Discussion of what will transpire each week in class: a lecture augmented with video clips, reading student work from the previous week. Discussion Exercise The writer should allow time outside of class to write. This includes time for both writing and editing. How much time allowed depends on the student. This class will be a lab for students to learn good writing work habits. Students will introduce themselves. Discussion (Time Permitting) Week 2 The difference between writing TV and movies. Movie stories are told through action. TV stories are told through dialogue. Using the pilot of "Homicide," we will break down how the writers could have written the first two scenes as a movie instead of a TV show. Getting To Know You Students will introduce themselves at greater length. Instructor will probably ask questions to draw out information that class mates can later use as "conversation starters."
3 "Theme, and how it can help you." What is theme, anyway? What issue are you writing about? What are you trying to say? Using music as a metaphor, the instructor will show clips from several films and show how all the characters embody different sides of the same issue. We will look at The Incredibles, Annie Hall, and Mean Girls. Discussion - Student Projects Students will tell us about the script they are writing. Students will also be encouraged to re-tell us their story as it relates to theme. This is an exciting exercise, as it often clarifies a writer's thinking about their project. - A Few Thoughts about Outlines Instructor will show some examples of outlines, and give pointers on what works, what doesn't, and how to format your outline to save yourself work. Students will bring in their outlines. Week 3 Students will read out a scene or two from their outline or script. Students will be encouraged to comment on each other s work. - Act 1 and Undeserved Misfortune Act 1 Setting the tone and giving your hero a strong entrance. Starting your movie off with a bang is crucial. We ll look at several movies that work, and decide what they have in common. We will also discuss the technique of "Underserved Misfortune," to engage audience sympathy and
4 emotional involvement with your lead character. Some examples can be found in "Forrest Gump" and "Up." Students will work on the first ten pages of their script, including setting the tone and the introduction of the hero. Also... Students are required to make note of an example of Undeserved Misfortune in a favorite movie and share it with the class. Week 4 Students will read out a scene or two from their first ten pages. Students will be encouraged to comment and encourage each other. The Inciting Incident. The inciting incident is crucial it is the moment that triggers the moving into Act 2. We ll look at films that work, and discuss the inciting incident in each student s script. and discussion Homework Writing effective scenes. Instructor will review topics such as creating a beginning, middle, climax and end for a scene, looking for ways to tell your story visually, and using suspense to aid in the scene writing process. We ll look at scenes from great movies, including Pulp Fiction and The Lost Weekend. We ll also look at some not-sogreat writing from Plan 9 From Outer Space. Pitfalls to avoid will be discussed, including many writers habit of telling and not showing, and not creating an activity or business for characters to play during a scene. Write your Inciting Incident scene.
5 Week 5 Workshop/Discussion Students will read out their Inciting Incident scenes in class. The instructor and fellow students will provide encouragement. "The Debate. Once the main character is established, and an inciting incident happens, many questions arise. Questions such as "How much time does the hero have to pursue her goal? Does the hero have fears associated with pursuing the goal? Who can the hero turn to when the pressure is on?" We ll look at examples of these scenes from movies that work, such as "Kingsman - The Secret Service" and "Bridesmaids." Write one of the hardest scenes in your screenplay the Call to Action." Week 6 Class Discussion/Exercise Students will read out their Call to Action scenes. and Discussion: The B Plot. Now that you have worked hard to establish your hero, there's this B Plot stuff... What is it? Why have one? Do you even need one? What does your antagonist or villain do to help develop your main character? We'll look at some great movie villains and what they did to push the hero into the hard process of learning and
6 changing. What does the antagonist want? What is their plan to get it? Do they have any cohorts? Write the first scene in your B Plot. Who is the villain? What do they want? What is their plan to get it? Do they have any cohorts? Week 7 Students will read out their first scene in the B Plot. They should also be prepared to tell the class about the entire B story. "Pointers for writing a screenplay." Students will be given a handout. Instructor will review some of the class' major points about writing a screenplay, with reminders about how to write a scene, how to make your script easier to read, and how to make your script a page turner. Discussion Instructor will lead a discussion where each student will be encouraged to share their screenwriting interests and aspirations. We will share information about how to help each other achieve our goals. Week 8 Guest Speaker The class will get to meet and ask questions of a professional screenwriter TBA. Keep writing!
7 Week 9 Discussion We will talk about the lessons learned from the guest speaker. We will spend the class catching up on any scenes that weren't previously read. Story Check Up (Time permitting) We will have a discussion to help anyone who is having story problems. Week 10 The Last Ideally we will be reading scenes that begin the B plot. Now that I ve written a screenplay, what do I do now? Learning to sell your screenplay is just as important as learning how to write it. Instructor will discuss how to critique friend s writing, the positives and negatives of screenwriting competitions, how and when to look for a writing partner, what to do when the offers come rolling in, how to get an agent, and more. Party and Goodbyes Students are encouraged to bring snacks in for a very informal mixer. In the past, this has been an especially fun class.