screenplay seminar
DESCRIPTION
Powerpoint presentation for an introduction to screenwriting given at the Community Writing Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 12, 2011TRANSCRIPT
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How important is the screenplay?
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“If you have a great script, you can almost shoot the damn thing on gaffer tape, it doesn't matter.”
- Gale Tattersall, Director of Photography, House M.D.
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Your screenplay should:
• Tell a great story
• Be a “page turner”
• Excite others about your project
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Screenplay Do’s
• Keep it interesting (rule #1)
• Describe things that can be seen
• Use active voice
• Proper screenplay format
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Screenplay No-No’s
• Camera angles
• “We see”
• Passive voice
• Large blocks of description
• Trivial action
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“I think part of being a good screenwriter is being concise as
possible.”
-Eric Roth, Forrest Gump screenwriter
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Screenplay Format
• 12-point Courier font• Slug line (INT/EXT., location, time of day)
• Action (what is happening)
• Dialogue (what is being said)
• Parenthetical (special dialogue note)
• Mini slug (location – keeps action flowing)
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Describe in 3
• Describe a new location or character in no more than three sentences.
• Be creative and clever
• Get all pertinent information across quickly (what do you want the reader to know?)
• Dialogue also describes character
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Let’s practice!
In three sentences or less, fully describe your instructor.
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Let’s practice!
In three sentences or less, describe the room you are sitting
in.
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Three Act Structure
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The Matrix (1999)
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“The Hook”
• Grab reader at beginning of story
• Doesn’t have to be action
• 5-10 pages to succeed
• Less time on shorter scripts (1 page?)
• Probably 5-10 seconds on YouTube
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“The Taser”
• Put barbs into reader at beginning
• Make sure barbs stay put
• Zap them for entire screenplay
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Homework!
• Write 5-page hook (start of any script)
• Print out copies for all characters (including screen direction)
• Bring to class, assign parts
• Read out loud
• Share opinions
• If using profanity, check with reader first
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Free Screenwriting Software
Celtxwww.celtx.com
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Screenplay Archives
• Simply Scripts (simplyscripts.com)
• Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDB.com)
• Horror Screenplay Archive (horrorscreenplay.blogspot.com)
• Public/University library
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Books on Screenwriting
• Syd Field’s Screenplay
• Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat!
• Robert Mckee’s Story
• David Trottier’s The Screenwriter’s Bible (here at the CWC)