45 pages into a horror feature screenplay..

Azmyth

Azmyth

Veteran
I'm getting to the point now, where its mainly just filler...

I've written in why the main characters are there..
I've put the main character in a sticky situation, and now he's just realizing whats going on...
people are starting to die....

would this be about right as far as timing? I'm trying to pace the film so that it doesn't drone on about one specific thing for very long. I still have quite a few scenes to write out that I already have in my head.. but I can't figure out what to do for filler between those.
 
Prior to writing the screenplay you have thus far, have you first structured your story with the six or so turning points, clearly defined your protagonist's and antagonist's visible end goals, and sequenced your story?
 
There should never be any filler. NEVER. What you need to do is go back and plan it out. every scene should have an affect on the story.

Here's a hint: there should be a turn halfway through act 2... that's i'm guessing where you need the filler. Well, take away the filler and add another turn.
 
when I say filler.. I mean things that affect the overall "story" but don't really have alot to do with the main characters..

in this case... (without giving anything away) its a zombie flick by the way.

In this case, I'm to the point where I'm trying to show that the zombie infestation is spreading..

which means I'd have random scenes of different people (who don't have any direct connection to the main characters) becoming infected etc. They need to be little snippets.. to show that the epidemic is moving faster than expected. It needs to feel large scale.. without actually being large scale.
 
What I observed in the horror genre is that usually the mythology about the monster/creature is revealed gradually. For example in SESSION 9 somebody finds old therapy-interview tapes and only finishes listening to every tape in the end of the movie.
I'd say that a "filler" can be an answer to a question in an earlier scene. In session 9 it isn't immediately revealed what's recorded on the tapes. The audience keeps guessing and waits for new clues.
My suggestion would be to search for opportunities in earlier scenes to plant some new questions which can be answered during the second half, rewarding the audience for being attentive to details.
 
Yeah, i've got some of that going on already..

basically

the whole first half is the backstory, to present day.. up to the point where the main characters get into the main "problem" of the story. The whole 2nd half is them trying to figure out how to deal with it, how it came to be, and trying to stop it/survive it.
 
Hmm

Hmm

Well I assume you have some sort of outline for the project first? The only good way to make sure that your story works is for it to be outlined completely and in depth. Otherwise, it ends up having to be done in reverse anyway, and that just takes more time. If you don't outline before, you end up having to outline after you finish it to see if it works, and then you usually have to go back and rework a bunch of stuff.

Even for my first screenplay, I had an outline, and it was fairly detailed, but it wasn't good enough, which gave me about a 76 page script when I wanted 90. So now I'm having to re-outline it based on what I actually wrote, see where it's missing some length, and some plot points that ended up being necessary, and then write those in, then figure out how it all fits together once again. If I had just done a better job outlining the first time, I would have saved myself a lot of time and stress.

Fortunately on the second screenplay the outline was nearly perfect, worked great, wanted 100 pages, got to 99.5 and it was crisp.
 
I'm sitting at 50 pages. Alot has happened so far.
The backstory, we meet the main characters, we find out some of the main characters quirks, the "main" character gets in "trouble", and supporting main character spends time trying to find out what this trouble is, while he himself is trying to figure it out. All the while mayhem is ensuing for the other characters caused by the "trouble" the main guy is in. Now the problem has "hit home" and the characters are starting to question whats going on.

when I started writing I had an outline, but being new to this.. it wasn't anything spectacular. I knew what I wanted to have as the backstory and I knew what the main plotline was to consist of. I even already know how it ends. My issue has just been the "little" things that tie everyone, and everything that happens together. the main issue is, I'll sit here and come up with a great way to tie things together and then realize that with my budget and locations available.. I might not be able to feasibly do it.

When your having to write around specific budget/location restraints.. it makes things tons harder.
 
Yeah

Yeah

Yeah, that's very true, that's a huge added challenge.

If all you want to do is be a screenwriter, you can reasonably focus just on the story and basically write what you feel like writing, figuring that if you can write a truly great screenplay and win some competitions, it'll get you somewhere. Even if it doesn't get made, it may get you in the door for some other work. But when you're writing it with the intent to film it yourself, and fund it yourself, your hands are tied to a significant extent.

I had this happen on my first short film, where I had a lot of ways to solve a problem in the script, let's say I came up with 5 ways that I could do something, then I'd end up realizing only 1 of those I could actually do with my budget. It CAN force you to come up with some really creative solutions, but other times it's just frustrating.

My first script, I'm planning to shoot next year, tentative shooting date would be July 1. We'll see how things progress but that's my goal. In my rough draft, one of the bigger problems so far is that I have way too many of the same location being re-used, like there are too many "restaurant" scenes where there needs to be a bit more creativity in location. What actually happens in the scene, and the dialogue, is good, it works, but it can't keep coming back to apartment, house, restaurant repeatedly without seeming like too "small" of a film. So now I have to come up with a new way to do things that will still work within the tiny $140,000 planned budget (at least that won't include camera and post equipment, though, since I own all of that, and some grip and lighting as well). It's a challenge, no doubt about that.

I think the key is to think through things really carefully and just eventually try to find something that's going to work with the budget you have without sacrificing too much quality in storytelling. You have to focus on the advantages and what you do have, rather than what you don't.

I was kind of between the two extremes with my second script, where I think that I wanted to write it so that I COULD potentially film it, but I wasn't willing to make many sacrifices with how the story is told. So I would say sometimes, "This might cost more, but it has to be done this way to work." There were a few times I cut back on this or that to make it a bit more feasible, but that one still would cost at least $500,000 I think. That's with probably very little in the way of recognizable name talent, so I guess ideally I would like to have outside funding. But I figured if I wrote it where it's possible at least to make it for $500,000, it'd be within my eventual means to do so, maybe not in the next few years, but down the road.
 
As everyone has said - there is no filler material in a screenplay.


You want to think about pacing - the heartbeat of your script. You want to have some horror scene happen about every ten pages or so.

It also sounds like nothing horror happens for a while, and that's a problem. How many minutes into the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD did the first zombie attack happen? That was way back in the 60s when people were patient and films probably moved slower.

Next - what's the point of your story? You can go through each of the Romero zombie movies and each is exploring something: consumerism, racism, the class system in America, how we all want our 15 minutes of fame, etc. What is the point of your movie?

Make sure your script is great if you are going to make it yourself. It costs the same to print a crappy script as a great script... and costs the same to film a crappy script... but a crappy script makes a bad movie, and that means you may have to reshoot whole sections, and that costs a lot of money.

PS: Here's the script to a silly low budget monster movie I wrote. Limited cast, limited locations. Written around things I had access to.
http://www.scriptsecrets.net/screenplays/gatorbaby2.pdf

- Bill
 
To add to Bill Martell's comments--- buy Bill's audio CD on writing horror, full of many gems of wisdom. And no Bill does not give me a commission, LOL. I have many of Bill's audio CDs and they are all great.
 
would anyone be interested in reading what I have so far. I think it would be easier to help if you could read what I have.
 
Kill somebody. It is a horror afterall. :thumbsup:

IMO, it's always a good idea to have an outline/synopsis of the story ahead of writing it. Knowing the major events ahead of time can help you figure out all of the little details inbetween. However, since writing is an art and you don't want a stale story (or, worse, a story you become bored with) don't be afraid to explore different paths (kinda like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' for the protag). You might end up with something you think is better than what you originally came up with. Or, you might end up going back to what you had. Give it a try.

(Personally, I like to make a 1-pg character profile for each of my leads to help me "see" things through their minds. It also reminds me, especially when writing for a specific genre such as horror, that my leads are whole persons - maybe not the most level-headed people - but not the stereotypical genre fare. They're people that can be somewhat random in their decisions and in their words. Sometimes, when I can get this randomness to work/fit, I get surprised where it takes my story.)
 
Azmyth said:
would anyone be interested in reading what I have so far. I think it would be easier to help if you could read what I have.
Click to expand...

Azmyth,

Is this your first script? Had you read any books or taking a course in it as yet?

Is this the project that you plan to shoot at the missile (all these years I thought it was a test rocket and never paid attention)?

Had you considered hiring an experienced writer? There are many in ATL.

Bill's likely the most experienced writer in this thread that I know of so definitely pay heed and also look at getting that CD on writing horror as Randall suggested.

If you want to workshop it, you know about the Atlanta Screenwriters Group, right? I know it's a trek but it might be worth it before you start moving ahead before the script is ready.

-M
 
Dingos - great suggestion with the character profiles. To me, a story is all about the characters, even if it's a horror story. A horror story is filled with life or death decisions and situations that change someone's life (if they survive). So the more you can know about your characters, the more you can create that horrible situation that is the worst thing that could ever happen *to them* (rather than to just a generic character).

One of the basic pieces of advice I give people is to find 3-5 films like the one they are writing - good films, their favorites - and then study them. Time them. Look at what makes them tick. Then use what you have learned to write your script. By looking at 3-5 films you won't just chimp what one film does, you'll have several different films and see more of an overall pattern. And you can play with that pattern - break it in a way that is still satisfying to the audience.

Randall - thanks for the plug, the classes are still on sale... but I'm cutting you off. I want to make sure you are *writing* and not just reading books and taking classes, etc. Write!

- Bill
 
Dingos8mybaby said:
Kill somebody. It is a horror afterall. :thumbsup:

IMO, it's always a good idea to have an outline/synopsis of the story ahead of writing it. Knowing the major events ahead of time can help you figure out all of the little details inbetween. However, since writing is an art and you don't want a stale story (or, worse, a story you become bored with) don't be afraid to explore different paths (kinda like a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' for the protag). You might end up with something you think is better than what you originally came up with. Or, you might end up going back to what you had. Give it a try.

(Personally, I like to make a 1-pg character profile for each of my leads to help me "see" things through their minds. It also reminds me, especially when writing for a specific genre such as horror, that my leads are whole persons - maybe not the most level-headed people - but not the stereotypical genre fare. They're people that can be somewhat random in their decisions and in their words. Sometimes, when I can get this randomness to work/fit, I get surprised where it takes my story.)
Click to expand...

I used to love those books..

and actually.. lets see.....

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 is what the body count is up to now.. of course all of them are already "reanimated" at this point. but they died previously.

I tried to write my characters in the way in which they related to me when I was that age. How the people around me acted and such.
 
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