10 Things About Screenwriting: Vol. 3
Some observations about the craft I’ve come up with over the years.
Some observations about the craft I’ve come up with over the years.
Scene description is more like poetry than prose. Active verbs. Vivid descriptors. Think of it as ‘imagematic’ writing.
Three Act Structure = Beginning, Middle, End. Works for stories, subplots, sequences, and scenes.
A compelling Protagonist-Nemesis relationship is one in which there is a psychological connection between them.
Dialogue = Conversation with a purpose.
Plot answers the question: What is the story about? Theme answers the question: What does the story mean?
At a fundamental level, screenwriting is scene-writing.
Want drama? Ask a character: What do you fear the most? Then put them in a story where they have to face that fear.
Go beyond a character’s ‘flaw’. Think about Disunity, psychological and emotional dynamics creating inner conflicts that need resolution.
Begin with character. End with character. Find the story in between.