Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for a visual medium. Unlike a play where the action is "talked out," the action within a screenplay is "acted out" visually. The old saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words" was never more appropriate in relation to screenwriting. Having had the benefit of reading many screenplays as a reader, one of the most annoying, teeth grinding, nails against a chalkboard, signal of bad screenwriting is when the reader is told something instead of shown something. For example, I can't put a number on the amount of screenplays I've read with descriptions like this:
"JOHN enters the room. He is Frank's best friend and the life of the party."
OK. We, the readers, are supposed to know this because the writer said it? What makes matters worse is when, right after making this statement, the character of John engages in an activity or line of dialogue not even remotely associated with his "life of the party" description. In a movie script, the writer should introduce every action and/or character the same way the moviegoers will be introduced to them on the screen. Now compare the above introduction of John to this one:
"As Frank makes his way through the crowd of people at the house party, his attention turns to where the loudest commotion is coming from. As he enters into the living room we see his friend JOHN surrounded by hoops and hollers, dancing on a table while a beautiful topless blond sits on a chair receiving a lap dance from him."
Get it? Now doesn't this get the point across visually that John is not an introvert? In screenwriting you must always check to see if what you are trying to get across is being transmitted visually at all times. Not to downplay or trivialize dialogue, but no matter if the movie you are watching is good or bad, you can watch a movie on cable, turn down the volume, watch the movie from beginning to end with no sound, and know exactly what the movie is about. Why? Because a screenplay has to be VISUAL or else the movie will not be made. To show you just how important visual writing is, some writers do not write a line of dialogue until the structure and flow of the action is completed from beginning to end. They write the dialogue last because when they go to each scene, know what the scene is for, and what will happen in the next scene, they will be able to write the dialogue within a context.
"How NOT to write a screenplay: 101 Common Mistakes Most Screenwriters Make," by Denny Martin Flinn, is probably the first book you need to read if you want to know not only how a good screenplay is NOT written, but also the mindset of the Hollywood script reader. This is important because if you don't impress the script reader, the person the people with the money use to filter out the good from the bad screenplays, no one else will see it. You may not write a great script after reading and applying the wisdom within its pages, but you will not write a bad one.
On the flip side if you want to know HOW to write a screenplay, look no further than "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting," by Syd Feld. I personally recommend this book because not only is Mr. Feld known as "the father of structure," but also he deals specifically with the art of screenwriting and less with the business of the movie industry. No need to rush. That part will come later. "The Screenwriter's Workbook" is another book by Syd Feld and the companion book to Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting.
"500 Ways To Beat The Hollywood Script Reader: Writing the Screenplay the Reader Will Recommend," by Jennifer M. Lerch concentrates on how to make your screenplay enjoyable to the Hollywood reader and literally gives you 500 ways to avoid having your script scrapped by the reader and passed on to the people who can bring your idea to life.
"The Screenwriter Within: How to Turn the Movie in Your Head Into a Salable Screenplay," by D. B. Gilles and "How To Write A Movie in 21 Days: The Inner Movie Method," by Viki King are two other books I personally recommend. Both books deal strictly with the screenplay itself and less with the movie industry. Trust me, you will have plenty of time to deal with that hurdle once your final draft is completed.
Mr. Mark S. Gonney is a former script reader for the urbanworld film festival and an article writer for the urbanworld film festival.
Screenwriting, Screenplay, and Movie Script Resources for Writers: The online resource directory geared towards helping writers overcome the peaks and valleys of the creative process and complete their final draft!
express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect... Read More
As you set out to create your first niche non-fiction... Read More
This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More
Griselda spent hours polishing up her resume. No detail was... Read More
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately... Read More
----------------------------------------------------------Permission is granted for the below article to forward,reprint, distribute,... Read More
What does one do as a writer who loves writing... Read More
I recently read a book where everything was akimbo. Arms... Read More
A writer writes. Bet you've heard that one... Read More
Let's Discuss Publisher Ethics:If you are an ezine publisher or... Read More
What am I going to write about?Which topic is the... Read More
For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking... Read More
Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and... Read More
What's the best way to plot?Quick answer: the best way... Read More
There is an image most people carry of the artist... Read More
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my... Read More
You may wonder why I have chosen this title of... Read More
Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More
Editorial guidelines, also known as writer's guidelines, are the rules... Read More
Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon... Read More
This is the ideal topic for us all to think... Read More
Structure in the form of frameworks, work processes and goals... Read More
1. What Is A Premise?A premise is the point you... Read More
Most of us hate housework.Nevertheless, even the most hopeless slobs... Read More
In this article you will find tips on: How to... Read More
tidy up service Arlington Heights ..Among the various foolproof methods used to boost traffic to... Read More
What's the best way to plot?Quick answer: the best way... Read More
Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business... Read More
A book coaching client recently emailed me that she was... Read More
Freewriting is a release from the prison of rules. It... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More
In most aspects of business, we will be expected to... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
If you have been online for any length of time... Read More
Long ago, movie directors mastered the technique of creating a... Read More
Okay. So I'm not David Letterman. But I doubt if... Read More
Writing is hard work, and like all hard work, one... Read More
So you want to learn to research well, and not... Read More
As a previous article ("Making Better Word Choices ? 4... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More
For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters... Read More
Q. I'm staring at a blank screen with an equally... Read More
Writer's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every... Read More
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction... Read More
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching... Read More
How long should your chapters be?I can't resist... I have... Read More
Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you... Read More
Writing |