Question: “What’s the structural difference between a play, screenplay, and teleplay?”
Another open forum question — this one form Elle:
What is the real difference, structurally, between writing a play, a screenplay and a script for television? Is it okay to focus on just one or two of the three, or if I really want to write for television should I become familiar with feature screenplays as well just to be well versed in the basics (plot structure etc)?
It’s a fair question as each is a different form of storytelling. And in the case of TV, you’ve got even further delineations of form: 3-camera sit-coms, single-camera, one-hour dramas.
Fortunately, you can go to great web resources like SimplyScripts.com which have — for free! — thousands of scripts available for research in the following areas: Movie Scripts, TV Scripts, Radio Scripts, Anime Scripts, Treatments, Plays, Musical, Non English Scripts. And if you’re interested in TV, as noted in a post the other day, you can go to other fantastic web resources like ComplicationsEnsue.com. For screenwriting? Just scroll through my blogroll — literally dozens of great sites.
Plays? I’m not the guy. If anybody has some recommendations on that front, please post in comments.
Elle, should you learn all these formats?
I’m not so sure.
I think I’d rather ask you this:
What really turns you on creatively?
Is it stage plays?
Television?
Movies?
Sit with yourself.
And ponder that.
Which of those three ‘speaks’ to you the most?
Or put it this way…
If you had the opportunity to spend a day with a writer.
A playwright…
A TV writer…
Or a screenwriter…
Which would you choose?
If you’re smart, you’d say, “David Mamet.”
Then you get all three in one person!
The reason I ask this is very simple.
I assume you want to break into the entertainment business as a writer.
Whichever area you choose — plays, TV, movies — is extremely competitive.
Crazily so.
Massive numbers of people trying to do exactly what you want to do.
What will you need to rise above the crowd…
And distinguish yourself?
Talent?
Certainly.
Luck?
By all means.
Understanding of the craft?
As you’ve indicated in your question, absolutely.
But there’s one thing you — and only you — can offer that nobody else can.
Voice.
That unique point-of-view you have…
Based on your experience…
Your life…
Your creativity.
It’s the thing that can cause your script…
To rise up out of that vesuvian pile of manuscripts…
In the cramped Hollywood apartment…
Or New York walk-up…
Of that overworked script reader…
And catch that reader’s attention.
Your voice is the way you approach a story…
How you tell it…
How you handle it…
Your unique take on storytelling.
And you’re going to have to really understand the form of whatever you’re writing…
In order to let your voice sing.
You don’t want to be spending all your time fretting over format or structure…
You want to be cutting loose and allowing your Creative Spirit to kick out the jams.
[Sorry for the Old School reference].
What’s my point?
Pick one form.
Play. TV. Movie.
Preferably one you abso-freaking-lutely love…
And learn that.
Because once you learn it…
Then when you crack your next story…
You can let your voice sing.
So that’s my advice.
Pick one.
Master it.
Then let your voice sing.
And speaking of letting your voice sing…
My wish for you, elle…
And for all other GITS readers…
Is that when you write…
Your voice sings out like this glorious voice…
Eva Cassidy.
Here’s a video of Eva singing live at Blues Alley.
Her rendition of possibly the greatest song ever written for a movie…
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Eva was an incredible talent.
She died of cancer way too young.
In 1996 at the age of 33.
We can hope and pray that Eva is still letting her voice sing…
Somewhere over the rainbow.
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