screenwriters secrets of storytelling
Post on 22-Feb-2016
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Screenwriters Secrets of
StorytellingBased on the book Screenwriters Tricks for
Novels by Alexandra Sokoloff
http://www.screenwritingtricks.com/
Master the Craft!
Learn your craft.
break the rules with intention
List 5 Favorite Movies, Shows, book
Think of your WIP – list at lest 25 words that
set the mood.
So, what’s your premise?
So what’s your book about?Logline, one line, elevator pitch or TV Guide pitch…All
mean the same thing
A young, female FBI trainee must barter personal information with an imprisoned psychopathic genius in order to catch a serial killer who is skinning young women.
The Opening – Big Set Piece
• limitless budget!• So make it big
Act One – Sequence 1
• Set-up, Opening image, Meet the hero• What they want (could be
false)• Scar/Ghost/ lie they believe• Hope/Fears (the stakes)• Inner and outer conflicts
(desire/problem)• Ordinary world (introduce
Disturbance)• Sequence 1 climax- can be the
call to adventure – Inciting Incident
Act 1 sequence 2 They have a plan
• State the theme• Introduce all the characters• Mentor/ love
interest/allies/antagonist• Plants/payoffs (set ups and
payoffs)• The glimpse of the essence• Plan –central story question• Crossing the Threshold
Act I Climax Crossing the Threshold – No going back– New
information – New twist
Quick Note on Antagonist• They need to believe it is
their story – Strong, smart, motivation needs to be real – not just because they are evil.
Act Two – They can’t get what they want
Act Two A• Crossing the threshold/ Into the
special world (may occur in Act One)
• Threshold Guardian/Guardian (maybe)
• Hero & Antagonist’ plan – remember the plan!
• Genre beats –Training sequence• Series of test• Assembling the team
• Attacks by the Antagonist END of Act Two Part A – MIDPOINT
• First Plan is falling apart! Look in the Mirror Moment – Y in the road - Disappointments
Act Two – The plan has fallen apart
Act Two B –more disappointment!• Recalibrating – after the shock or
defeat of the game-changer in the mid-point, the hero/ine must Revamp THE PLAN and try a new Mode of Attack.
• Escalating Actions / Obsessive Drive
• Hard choices and crossing the Line (immoral action by the main character to get what s/he wants)
• Loss of Key Allies (could be because of the hero’s obsessive action or through death or injury by the antagonist).
• A ticking clock (can happen anywhere in the story)
• Reversals and Revelations/new twist
• The long dark night of the soul and or Visit to Death also known as ALL IS LOST…THE Black moment. HELP!
Act Three - They get what they need
• Final Battle & Resolution • final showdown
between protagonist and antagonist• HELP! (Storming the
Castle)
Act Three - They get what they need
• The final battle itself• Thematic Location often a visual and literal
representation of the hero - Greatest Nightmare
• The protagonist character change (overhaul)• Gaining of desire• Possibly a huge final reversal or reveal
(twist) or even a whole series of payoffs (Back to the future and It’s a Wonderful Life)
• (twist) or even a whole series of payoffs (Back to the future and It’s a Wonderful Life)
Huge final reversal or reveal
New Way of Life
• Resolution: A glimpse into the New Way of LIFE –the hero will be living after this whole ordeal and all they learned from it.• Closing image
Now that I understand the element, where do I start?
Get to know your character.What motivates them?• What is their greatest
fear?I’ll do anything
for you but, don’t ask me to…….
Let them drive your story• Ghost from the past/scar• What is the lie he believes• Greatest Dream?• Purpose?• What is he good at?
People and Books that influenced meChristopher VoglerMichael HaugeThe Late Blake SnyderJoseph Cambell – Hero’s JourneySusan May Warren- My Book TherapyDeb Dixion - GMC (Goals, Motivation & Conflict)Stephen King – On WritingGroups – SARA – San Antonio Romance Writers
http://www.screenwritingtricks.com
http://jolenenavarrowriter.com
jnavarro32@gvtc.com
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