Writing Screenplays

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Paul Peditto. Writing Screenplays

WRITING SCREENPLAYS

Introduction

1. Finding Your Story

1. Story Ideas to Get Your Started

1.1 School days

1.2 Children

1.3 Animals

1.4 Family traditions, religious experiences, and vacation

1.5 Siblings

1.6 Love and heartbreak

1.7 Employment

1.8 Parents

1.9 Dirty secrets

1.10 Health and wellness

1.11 Undying aspirations

1.12 Accomplishments and overcoming obstacles

1.13 Marriage and divorce

1.14 Life’s crossroads

2. Choosing the Right Moment for Your Story

2.1 Logline

Worksheet 1: Your Story: Approach 1

Worksheet 2: Your Story: Approach 2

2. Creating Memorable Characters

1. Creating Intriguing Characters

2. Character Indentification

3. Character Biographies

Worksheet 3: Mini Character Sketch

Worksheet 4: Detailed Character Biography

3. Planning Your Story

1. The Three-Act Structure

2. Bullet-Point Scene Descriptions

3. Using the Index Card Method

4. Flesh out the Story

4. Writing Your Screenplay

Sample 1: Differences between a Script and a Book

1. Establsih a Writing Schedule

2. Tips for Writing Scenes

2.1 Story setup

2.2 Get in late, get out early

2.3 Scene setup and payoff

2.4 Use present tense action verbs

2.5 Creative descriptions

3. Elements Necessary for Constructing a Scene

3.1 Slugline (scene heading)

3.2 Action

3.3 Character description

3.4 Dialogue

3.5 Parenthetical

3.6 Transition

4. Title of Your Screenplay

5. Titlepage

Sample 2: Title Page

6. Type of Scripts

7. The Importance of the Screenplay Formal

8. Resources for Screenwriting Progams and Publshed Screenplays

8.1 Screenwriting software

8.2 Published screenplays

5. Revising Your Screenplay

1. The Revision Process

6. Script Draft Review and Feedback

7. Selling Your Story

1. Copyright

2. The Difference between Optioning and Selling Your Script

3. How to Sell Your Story

3.1 Strategy 1: Connect with the people you know in the industry

3.2 Strategy 2: Write a query letter

Sample 3: Query Letter

3.2a Research the market

3.2b List of agents, managers, and production companies

3.3 Strategy 3: Enter screenplay competitions

3.4 Strategy 4: Work for, intern, or volunteer for an industry professional

3.5 Strategy 5: Hire an agent

3.6 Strategy 6: Hire an entertainment attorney

3.7 Strategy 7: Attend a class

3.8 Strategy 8: Attend pitch seminars

3.9 Stratery 9: Self-publish your screenplay

4. Summarize Your Screenplay

4.1 Logline and synopsis

Sample 4: Logline and Synopsis: Skin Deep

Sample 5: Logline and Synopsis: The 16th Minute

4.2 Screenplay treatment

Sample 6: Screenplay Treatment

Sample Download

Resources

Essential Resources

Must-Read Screenwriting Books

Screenwriting Magazines

Screenwriting Forums

Well-Known Screenwriting Schools (in Canada and the United States)

Screenwriting Blogs

Fun Links: Movies That Are Based on True Stories

Dedication & Acknowledgments

About the Author

Notice to Readers

Self-Counsel Press thanks you for purchasing this ebook

Contents

Отрывок из книги

Everyone has a story to tell. Never before have personal narratives gushed so profusely in North America as they do this present day. It seems everyone wants to tell his or her life story. Is it because we believe our lives are all unique, or is it that we think people can learn from our drama? Is it a combination of both? Regardless of the reasons writers have for wanting to tell their life stories, as long as people exist, there will never be a shortage of people wanting to put forth their life woes or adventures.

Do you think your life would make a good movie? Most people do, and the reason is simple: There is a story to tell in all of us.

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Health and wellness stories can cover a variety of topics such as mental illness or a physical disability and coping with the effects of the illness. Running with Scissors is a harrowing story of a son’s difficult relationship with his mother and her questionable mental health.

• Did you have a health scare that made you see life in a totally new light?

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