What is the best way to start a screenplay

Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Personally I hated Volger.

I thought most of the content of his book consisted of standard writing conventions reinvented with unnessicary classical-inspired new-agey definitions.

He presents ideas as if they are difinitive and universal, then waters down all of the ideas so that they're undefined and amorphus in application. In reading it, I kept thinking to myself "this is astrology for screenwriters!"

I suggest that other people might find something in there of value, but I personally felt that it was the worst book on screenwriting I've ever read.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

We can be very methodical, organized and efficient in our approach to writing a screenplay, but in the end it's the plot, the conflicts and characters that are going to keep the audience turning the pages. Or in other words the story.

My approach is to daydream a story based on something that happened to you, you read about, your heard about, or maybe just came out of that mysterious subconscious of yours.

So, let it bounce around in your brain considering different twists and turns, letting it evolve at it's own pace. At some point, when you've let this process perk for a bit you'll be surprised what emerges from your creative imagination. Then you're ready to approach that blank screen on your computer. Your fingers will keep the keyboard hot as your accumulated thoughts tumble out.

Finally, when you put the story together, let your personality come through in the telling. If you're a sardonic, witty type guy, make sure there's someone like that in the story. If it's your voice, the story will ring true.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Finally, when you put the story together, let your personality come through in the telling. If you're a sardonic, witty type guy, make sure there's someone like that in the story. If it's your voice, the story will ring true.
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Well said. It's kind of like the old "write what you know" advice, but I always found that "write what you know" is a little too simplistic. If you want to write a sci-fi piece about flesh eating robots, you’re not likely to know much about the subject matter. So you do research, let your imagination run wild, whatever. But you can still let your voice come through in the story and through the characters. If you’re the sarcastic smartass type, maybe you’ll want some of your robots to be smartasses while they’re munching flesh.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

[quote author=J_Barnes link=board=writing;num=1088293514;start=15#20 date=08/19/04 at 10:14:26]
He presents ideas as if they are difinitive and universal, then waters down all of the ideas so that they're undefined and amorphus in application.  In reading it, I kept thinking to myself "this is astrology for screenwriters!"
[/quote]

What Vogler really did in that book was re-state what Joseph Campbell became famous for: identifying common structure and archetypes that can be found in all effective stories.

I can understand why you hated it. It says, basically, "Good cookies are made of flour, butter, eggs, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, nuts, etc... It doesn't matter what order you add the ingredients, or even if you use all the ingredients. If the cookie tastes good, that's all that matters."

He doesn't really ever tell the reader how to write a good screenplay.

The book was useful, however, for identifying things you may have left out of your recipe, leaving your story lacking somehow...that added spice, be it plot twist, confrontation, loose ends, whatever. It's just good to be aware of all the tools and elements a screenwriter has at his/her disposal.

Can't wait to check out the books mentioned! :)
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Oh, yes...I agree with what you're saying. I still hated the book, obviously, but it's good to hear someone echo some of my problems with it.

THe main problem I had with his book wasn't the lack of screenwriting application, it was in the complete vague ambiguity he used to define each one of his assertions. It's been so long since I struggled through it's pages that I can't remember any direct quotes, but he seemed to be fond of picking an archtype (wasn't that all Jungian?) and defining it as one thing...but then tagging on a qualification that would allow that archtype to apply to many or one person or none at all...essentially giving himself a back-door out of what was a firm assertation.

He would essentially say: Your cookies must have all-purpose flour or they won't be cookies...but sometimes you won't need flour, or perhaps you'll use a different kind of flour, maybe something else in your cookie will act like flour for a little while...but it will still prove that you need flour.

You MUST have sugar in your cookies...of course, sometimes you won't put sugar in because something else in your cookie will be sweet, or sometimes you will use honey or molassas or something else that isn't sugar but provides a similar effect, or maybe you won't want a sweet cookie at all and you'll skip the sugar...it's cool, whatever...

Yeah, it's hard for me to think of him as anything but a total hack. He took two widely cherished efforts in story theory and rehashed them with mystical synonyms and then hammered it into a mold for screenwriting books.

Out drops this turd of a book...
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Hahaha! Yeah, I think you've hit it on the head. "There's no trick to it, it's just a simple trick." Kind of like a Cliff's Notes for Campbell and Jung.

Funny, though, it was still a good read. Must have been all the references to legitimate works that kept me interested. :P

So the McKee book is what I was really looking for?
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

I haven't heard a bad thing said about McKee yet...some people passionately love it. I haven't read it myself though.

I've noticed that I'm not gaining anything at all from reading about writing anymore, now I just write and learn.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

I just heard a new term; coverage. It's supposedly how the studios check usage the of plot lines. e.g. if your script is a rewrite of the Star Wars thing, then you would get a poor score on scifi - space as there are many script with the same theme.

Does this sound correct? and is it possible to check my script ahead of time?

Thanks,
Bill
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

"Coverage" is when the studio receives a script, and they hand it off to a "reader" (which is a frustrated screenwriter, usually) who then reads it and declares that it's awful.

(which is partly due to jealousy, partly due to protecting their job, but usually due to the fact that 99% of screenplays are awful). ;D

Coverage involves giving an "executive summary" of the plot, plus ranking the script for its merit in various categories such as originality, strength of story, etc.  Then there's a final line for "Recommendation", which usually gets filled in with "pass", "consider", or "buy" or something similar.

Once a screenplay has been "covered", it's usually branded for life.  So don't send it out for coverage until it's READY.  You can hire screenplay consultants to cover your script for you, it's a very common practice, but the trick is in finding someone QUALIFIED.  There are a million people out there offering the service, and they charge $75 to $300, but if they're not superb, then it's wasted dough.

The best I've found is www.hollywoodscript.com.  Craig Kellem is the real deal (an ex-ICM agent, producer of "The Rutles" movie, he reps talent and he knows talent and he really knows story).  And his rates are affordable.  So get Craig to read your script before you send it to a studio.

Regarding McKee, I've read his book and taken his class.  Absolutely magnificent.  I recommend making sure McKee's book is the last screenwriting book you read, after you've already learned what everyone else has to offer, because his take is very very different, but very valuable.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

[quote author=J_Barnes link=board=writing;num=1088293514;start=15#26 date=10/29/04 at 07:23:12]

I've noticed that I'm not gaining anything at all from reading about writing anymore, now I just write and learn.[/quote]

Amen to that!

Now, where's my favorite pen...oh yeah, I'm at work! :o
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Barry, I am in awe. Not only do you know the DVX inside and out, but your other knowledge is impressive as well !!

Anxiously awaiting your book,
Bill
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplayI st

Re: What is the best way to start a screenplayI st

I started my career as a writer. A friend of mine from college and I shared an apartment in L.A. and worked odd jobs (a particularly appropriate term for working in Los Angeles) to pay the bills. His routine was to write a scene and write perhaps a half a dozen or more different takes on every line of dialogue, then edit. His first drafts always came in at over 1000 pages! He would slowly trim away until he could get it down to 100-120 pages. I, on the other hand, would write bare-bones first drafts, perhaps 70-80 pages. Then I would flesh out scenes and dialogue, and finally I would have 100-120 pages. Two completely different approaches, both took a substantial amount of time, and in the end pretty much the same result. And, after a considerable amount of time, we both sold scripts that were produced.
I suppose the moral of the story is that however you can pull the story out of your head and heart and put it on paper, just do it. I see a lot of low budget films that have good production values but were shortchanged in the story. Write about something you know about, you are passionate about, and put it on paper.
As for books, I lile Syd Field's stuff, and I couldn't live without Final Draft.
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Filmkid, one of the things I've found out about myself during this process is that I'm a visual guy. I see the scene rather than hear the dialog if you get my drift. I was talking with an old ad agency buddy, and he suggested that instead of fighting the dialog, I should storyboard first and complete the dialog as the drawing is finished instead of trying to imagine the scene from the dialog. Hope this wasn't too rambling early in the morning. ;D
 
Re: What is the best way to start a screenplay

Bill -

There is no set rule as to whether visuals come before, with or after dialogue, or vice versa. If you "see" the scenes first, put them on paper then approach the dialogue. One easy way of getting dialogue to come out - just write the dialogue as if you were doing the talking for all the characters. Don't try to think how that character would say something, but how you would if you were in their shoes. Then tweak it later to fit different speech patterns, etc. I have found that this not only saves time, but you will get a more honest version of your story. Hope that helps.
 
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