When writing a screenplay, a “beat sheet” is an invaluable tool. After you’ve come up with your concept; characters; beginning, middle and end of your story, a beat sheet enables you to put it all together and take a 30,000-ft view of your story. A beat sheet allows you to check your work. It allows … More Constructing A Beatsheet
Are You Ready to Write Your Script…? Egri offers a checklist for making sure you’ve put the necessary thought into your work before you start. If you’ve done the following 11 steps, your script will be ready to go! Formulate a premise. Choose the protagonist. Choose the antagonist. Create a unity of opposites. Choose the … More Art of Dramatic Writing, Part 5: When You Write Your Script
Once you’ve defined your premise and created 3-dimensional characters with a “Unity of Opposites,” how to realize your plot on the page…? Point of Attack At what point do you attack a story? People always say “start late, end early.” What does that really mean? What sets a story in motion? What makes a character … More Art of Dramatic Writing, Part 4: Crisis, Climax and Resolution
Now that we’ve discussed Egri’s take on the pivotal characters in a script, let’s look at how the protagonist and antagonist work in concert to create the dramatic structure that is your script. Orchestration There is a saying, “There is no action unless there is a need; and there is no need until there is … More Art of Dramatic Writing, Part 3: Conflict and Unity
People ask me how I developed my ideas and theories about writing for theater and the screen. They often ask where they can go to get more information and develop their own deeper understanding of the craft of screenwriting. Three Basic Rules I start by telling them my three essential rules: Put your butt in … More Art of Dramatic Writing, Part 1
Plotlines vs Loglines As we discussed last week, plotlines and loglines are different. Loglines are selling tools designed to excite an audience. Plotlines are designed to help you, the writer, clearly understand the beginning, middle and end of your script. A good plotline will distill the essential dramatic elements of your script down to their … More Plotline Essentials: “The 8 C’s”
From the Nitty Gritty to the 30,000-ft View Let’s take a break from dissecting the inner working of a scene. Let’s step back and examine the process from back to front. When you’re script is done and even before, when you’re in the middle of writing, if you tell someone that you’re working on a script, … More Loglines vs. Plotlines
One Good Scene Deserves Another While we’re on the topic of scene work, let’s examine what makes a scene pop in a screenplay. What are the essential tasks of a scene in a screenplay? They must do two essential things. Move the story forward and keep the audience engaged. One Job at a Time A … More The Well Written Scene, Part 1
How to Use Breakdowns. Now that I’ve given you some examples. Try to do a few for yourself. Watch some films and see if you can pick out the 20+ moments I’ve listed above. While you’re at it, note the elapsed time when these moments occur. General convention is that one page of a script … More Using Breakdowns In Your Work
Another Academy Award winning movie written and directed by Damien Chazelle is one of my favorites: Whiplash. A vicious game of psychological warfare between a talented pupil and psychotic teacher transforms into a fascinating character study and a meditation on what it takes to achieve artistic greatness. LOGLINE: Plagued by the failed writing career of his … More Structure Breakdowns: “Whiplash.”
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