Re: What Screenwriting Isn't.
Hi Jubal,
There was a time when I’d completely agree with you about the screenplay not being an art form but as I matured in the craft, I learned what Jack Warner, and Zanuck always secretly preached; “never let the screenwriter know how important he is…”
Jubal, the screenplay is called the “property”; the actors, “talent”. When a film portfolio is created, the first entry into the financing folder is the script, second, the director, producer(s), and finally, what ‘talent’ is attached or interested. Yeah, I know, it’s business and it sucks. But what I have learned is that the script is essentially the same as the architectural plans are to a builder. Without a great set of plans, the builder must constantly ‘fill-in’ and improvise for the gaps left by the architect (screenwriter).
Let me give you an example; the movie “Deep Impact”. Director Mimi Leder once complained that the script, which espoused a great story, was woefully lacking when it came to the comet hitting earth. In fact, in the script, Leder complained that the entire 15minutes where the tidal waves hits, New York is destroyed, the oceans parting and all that were written in the actual script as two words, ….Earth Destroyed!
Leder said that she and the production designers had to do all the work to create a believable sequence. What I’m saying is that a brilliant and artful script is the blueprint for the director and production designer. One can have a great idea for a movie but if the script does not demonstrate its proper execution interweaved with action elements and insightful dialogue, much of the process of making the film falls on the production designer.
As indie filmmakers, we don’t have the luxury of a production designer and therefore we much ascribe to the idea that if it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage. An artful script means that actors hit their lines and marks because the blueprints assist them. Each element knows what must be done because the proper script is like a AAA Triptik and each page and scene are mile-markers that denote a coherent and cohesive film story. That my friends, is the definition of an artful screenplay.
And no John, I’m not arguing. I think you guys are great but I couldn’t urge you more strongly, to write an artfully correct script and your productions will flow like warm butter. By-the-way John, I know what you mean about re-writes. If I had a dog, I'd want to kick him too. Rewriting is the most excrutiating part of the whole deal for me, but you just gotta do it.
Mike
Hi Jubal,
There was a time when I’d completely agree with you about the screenplay not being an art form but as I matured in the craft, I learned what Jack Warner, and Zanuck always secretly preached; “never let the screenwriter know how important he is…”
Jubal, the screenplay is called the “property”; the actors, “talent”. When a film portfolio is created, the first entry into the financing folder is the script, second, the director, producer(s), and finally, what ‘talent’ is attached or interested. Yeah, I know, it’s business and it sucks. But what I have learned is that the script is essentially the same as the architectural plans are to a builder. Without a great set of plans, the builder must constantly ‘fill-in’ and improvise for the gaps left by the architect (screenwriter).
Let me give you an example; the movie “Deep Impact”. Director Mimi Leder once complained that the script, which espoused a great story, was woefully lacking when it came to the comet hitting earth. In fact, in the script, Leder complained that the entire 15minutes where the tidal waves hits, New York is destroyed, the oceans parting and all that were written in the actual script as two words, ….Earth Destroyed!
Leder said that she and the production designers had to do all the work to create a believable sequence. What I’m saying is that a brilliant and artful script is the blueprint for the director and production designer. One can have a great idea for a movie but if the script does not demonstrate its proper execution interweaved with action elements and insightful dialogue, much of the process of making the film falls on the production designer.
As indie filmmakers, we don’t have the luxury of a production designer and therefore we much ascribe to the idea that if it ain’t on the page, it ain’t on the stage. An artful script means that actors hit their lines and marks because the blueprints assist them. Each element knows what must be done because the proper script is like a AAA Triptik and each page and scene are mile-markers that denote a coherent and cohesive film story. That my friends, is the definition of an artful screenplay.
And no John, I’m not arguing. I think you guys are great but I couldn’t urge you more strongly, to write an artfully correct script and your productions will flow like warm butter. By-the-way John, I know what you mean about re-writes. If I had a dog, I'd want to kick him too. Rewriting is the most excrutiating part of the whole deal for me, but you just gotta do it.
Mike
