SceneWriting: The Missing Manual for Screenwriters

Description

You’ve got an idea for the next great screenplay. Maybe you’re just getting started or perhaps you’ve spent time with other screenwriting books, and you have your hero’s journey, plot twists, reversals, and cat-saving moments all planned out. Either way, what stands between you and an amazing finished script are the blank pages that you must fill with engaging and unforgettable scenes. So how the heck do you do that? SceneWriting will show you. SceneWriting is dedicated to teaching screenwriters the craft of writing great scenes. It stands on its own as an instructional guide and pairs well with any screenwriting text focused on larger structure. Every section of every chapter concludes with an exercise designed to help scenewriters develop and improve a scene in-progress. SceneWriting’s three-part approach includes Planning, Drafting, and Perfecting. Planning (Part I) is where scenewriters create the foundations for their scene by identifying character goals, motivations, obstacles, and approaches to navigating those obstacles. Planning is also where scenewriters identify the setting and begin to explore theme. Drafting (Part II) is where scenewriters learn the fundamentals of scene description and dialogue, multiple techniques for engaging the reader, and write the first full and properly-formatted drafts of their scenes. In Perfecting (Part III) scenewriters revise their scenes considering the ideal page length, hiding obvious exposition, creating convincing and naturalistic dialogue, and making the final reading experience as evocative and effortless as possible. They also learn how to solicit and effectively incorporate reader feedback into revisions. The process detailed in SceneWriting can be used over and over again by novice and experienced screenwriters alike. Cover Halftitle page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Why a Book about Scenes? Planning, Drafting, Perfecting What is a Great Scene, Anyway? PART I Planning 1 What Do They Want and Why? What’s It All about? EXERCISE: Overarching Goal One Does Not Simply Walk Into Mordor Kinds of Scene Goals Objects Words from Others Getting Somewhere Completing a Task Qualities of Scene Goals Relatability Specificity Achievability EXERCISE: And . . . Scene. 2 Why Can’t They Have It? The Universe Is out to Get You You Can’t Share a Parking Space But I Thought We Were Friends Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My! Things in Absentia It’s Not You, It’s Me EXERCISE: Exploring the Possibilities The Just Right Obstacle Resonance with World and Tone Resonance with Theme EXERCISE: What Story Does This Obstacle Tell? Time Isn’t on Your Side EXERCISE: Limit the Resources, and Pick 3 What Are They Gonna Do about It? Don’t Just Stand There, Do Something! You Talkin’ to Me? (Characters versus Others) You Can’t Argue with a River (Characters versus Things) I’m My Own Worst Enemy (Character versus Self) Getting By with a Little Help from My Friends EXERCISE: Exploring Approaches It’s Only a Mistake if You Don’t Learn From It Themes Like a Good Idea EXERCISE: So THAT Didn’t Work . . . Where’re You Going with This? EXERCISE: So How Does Your Scene End? Not All Actions Are Created Equal Cooking Up Stakes Matching World and Tone EXERCISE: One Full Approach 4 Where And When Is It Gonna Happen? It’s about Freakin’ Time EXERCISE: Identify Your Moment in Time Location, Location, Location! EXERCISE: Zooming in on the Precise Location Research and Destroy EXERCISE: Research and Character Preoccupations PART II Drafting 5 The Fundamental Tools of Scenewriting Show ’Em What You Got Pacing EXERCISE: Basic Practice with Scene Description Use Your Words EXERCISE: Basic Practice with Dialogue 6 The Art of Reader Engagement Make ’Em Work for It EXERCISE: Mapping out a Treasure Hunt Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition! Shock EXERCISE: Leverage the Unusual in Your Scene Make ’Em Wait EXERCISE: Setting Up Anticipation Feast Your Eyes on This! EXERCISE: Add a Little Wonder 7 The Unformatted Draft Let’s Get This Party Started When and Where Knock Knock . . . Better Late Than Boring EXERCISE: Writing the Beginning Scenis Morghulis: All Scenes Must End Reveals The Natural Ending The Cyclical Ending The Reversal Ending The Unexplained Mystery Ending Inviting the Reader into the Next Scene We’re Closing Early EXERCISE: Writing the End In the Middle with You One Thing Leads to Another (But and Therefore) What’s at Stake EXERCISE: Filling out the Middle 8 Formatting for Fun and Profit Courier? I Don’t Even Know Her! A Minute Per Page EXERCISE: Pick Your Software and Import Your Unformatted Draft A Slugline Says What? EXERCISE: Writing Sluglines You Lookin’ at Me? Callouts Transition Callouts EXERCISE: Format That Scene Description You Got Something to Say? Wrylies Pauses and Interruptions MORE and CONT’D Trailing Off, Interrupting, and Talking Over Other Ways Characters Can Talk: O.S. and V.O. EXERCISE: Format Your Dialogue PART III Perfecting 9 Check Your Length The Bare Necessities EXERCISE: Throwin’ Strikeouts Whoa, I Think I Missed Something EXERCISE: Did You Throw out the Baby with the Bathwater? 10 Managing Scene Information in Dialogue As You Know, I’m Your Son I’m So Conflicted Do You Know Why I Pulled You Over? Thank You, Captain Obvious EXERCISE: Un-obviousing Your Exposition Yeah, You Already Said That Here We Are in Prison That’s My Name, Don’t Wear It Out EXERCISE: Removing Redundant Exposition 11 Bringing Authenticity into Your Dialogue Keepin’ It Real I’m Listening Speaking of Questions . . . EXERCISE: Going Off -Topic and Ignoring Read Between the Lines Using Subtext to Avoid Hurt Feelings Off-Topic Subtext Using Subtext to Communicate Emotions EXERCISE: What I Mean Is . . . You Sound Just Like My Mom EXERCISE: Finding Your Voice The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You EXERCISE: Music in Dialogue 12 Final Polish Once More with Feeling Scene POV Spotlight It Writer’s Commentary Poetic Impression EXERCISE: Write in the Feels Smooth It Out Eschew Impenetrability Avoid Ambiguity SProoffrreading Are Important EXERCISE: Line by Line, for Clarity Last Looks White Space for the Win Compressing EXERCISE: Expand and Compress Okay, Now What? Bonus Chapter: Expanding Your Development Circle Not All Readers Are Created Equal EXERCISE: Build Your Reading Roster Readings Are Fundamental First-Time Readers Slings and Arrows Prepping Questions Receiving Critique EXERCISE: Preparing for a Reading Found in Translation Collecting Waiting Translating Revising EXERCISE: Lather, Rinse, Repeat Appendix A: References Appendix B: Course Adoption Guide A Scenewriting-Only Course Custom Modular Adoption Example Adoption into a Pilot- or Feature-Writing Course Example Adoption into a Short Film Writing Course Acknowledgments Index