Story-Telling Unit: Screenwriting

INTRODUCTION AND STRUCTURE

(Monday 26th September)

Golden Rules of Screenwriting with Steve Coombes

Today’s workshops consisted mainly of the structure of a good script, and how to utilise screenwriting to make our film effective. Memorable yet useful pointers to remember when writing my own work include the Golden Rules of Screenwriting:

1.   Need to know basis

2.   Show, not say

3.   Set-up, Distraction, Punch-Line

4.   Know your ending

5.   Memorable moments

As well as the philosopher Ludwig Wittengenstein (1889 - 1951), who stated:

“What can be shown cannot be said.” 

Highlighting the importance of action over description within an effective screenplay.

During the analysis of screenplays American Beauty (1999) by Alan Ball, and Soft (2007) by Simon Ellis, I realised that I could add my own plot twist, or punch-line, to my own concept of "The Meeting". I feel as though this may make my short film more effective and gripping for an audience (as clearly demonstrated in the two works), as well as enhancing its storyline.

Contextual Research

In Conversation with Mike Bartlett

Mike Bartlett, writer of the BBC's Doctor Foster (2015), and ITV's The Town (2012) discusses his experiences and tips for successful screenwriting in this podcast. Within the interview, Bartlett discusses several things he personally focuses on when writing, including:

• When writing, plan your narrative over and over and over again. Write things down and draw things that come to you in order to link and adapt things in different ways - eventually reaching a perfect story.
• Keep things fluid (even in production), allow things to flow and don't be afraid of change.
• Sometimes in order to write effectively you need to remove yourself from familiar surroundings within your own world to step inside the world of your narrative.
• Inspiration often comes from one of three places - imagination, personal experiences, and the work outside. When stuck with writing, remember these points of inspiration.