Where to begin a script
When you start writing, or right before you start writing, what do you know? What do you know about the story and characters before you start putting words on paper?
–Dustin Tash
Although I don’t do it on every project, I’m a big fan of writing off-the-page, which means creating character bios, alternate scenes and sequence chronologies to help me figure out the story and the characters. For example, I’ll write out the whole story from the villain’s point of view, both to track that the logic works, and also to gain insight on why they’re doing what they’re doing.
You don’t have to stop doing this once you begin writing the screenplay, either. If I’m getting frustrated with the script, sometimes it’s much more helpful to write up related pieces than to bang out another scene I don’t think is working.
Just make sure this prep-work doesn’t keep you from actually starting your script. You don’t have to know everything about your story and characters before you begin. Discovery is the best part of the writing process.
(Originally posted September 10, 2003.)
Articles
July 1st, 2007 at 7:58 am
So Matt, how does it feel to run the place? Do you get to choose the re-runs or has John left with you a list of his “Greatest Hits”? Either way, this is a good one to start with. I’m hoping for daily re-runs about the writing process, because I’ve never really explored the archives (I know that if I did, I’d lose a whole day of work). Keep ‘em coming!
ps- You should pretend to be John while he’s away (ala Deuce Bigalow)… write a draft of Shazam and send it to the producers… submit q&a answers to IMDB… post your own versions of the Parade magazine spoofs… etc. Sure you’ll get fired, but it’ll be fun while it lasts, right?
pps- Yes, I just referred to Deuce Bigalow on a screenwriting site. Deal with it.
July 1st, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Well, “Deuce Bigalow” had to be written by someone. Rumour has it that Tom Stoppard was largely responsible, but was screwed over in arbitration and didn’t get the credit. Poor guy.
July 2nd, 2007 at 11:14 pm
Good choice for a rerun article, thanks for that. Please keep the updates coming, it´s the perfect way to “browse the archives” when you´re lazy.
Also: thanks for your effort, Matt. We appreciate it.
July 4th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I think it’s always a good idea to do some amount of “pre-writing”, if nothing more than a short summary of your script. While it’s certainly fun to discover things along the way, you need to know the major structure and events before you start out, or you’ll end up at a dead end.
July 6th, 2007 at 7:31 am
I usually start with an outline
Then get bored of outlining and start the first draft
Then get stuck in the first draft and return to the outline
Finish the outline, fleshing out places I’d skimped on before and realizing how much vital stuff (motivation? foreshadowing? character arcs? bah!) I’d stupidly left out the first time
Start the first draft over again
Rinse, repeat
July 22nd, 2007 at 7:59 pm
As someone already said, could you make a field based on your experience in Malawi.