Screenwriting Theory

Research from“The Script” by Marilyn Milgrom

Why am I making this film?• Why are some directors driven to write their own scripts?Some directors are driven to writing their own scripts because it gives them the power to achieve their goals without relying on others.

• You shouldn’t make an intense character study if you are scared of what?

If you are scared of actors don’t make an intense character study because the project needs to be achievable.

• What should you be careful of if you only have 5k to make your film?You need to be careful that the plot is appropriate for the budget you have access to. This means that a film with low to no budget shouldn’t have stunts, special effects or other high expenses even in the development process.

What is a short film?• If a feature film might be described as a novella, how might a short be

described? Haiku -A short can only really explore one idea in the time given therefore that should be its focus.

• What are the length boundaries different film festivals stipulate in their short sections?

Generally accept anything under 30mins. However the ideal is around the 10minute mark in the UK as that is where most of the funding is aimed.

• If the function of your short is to make the audience laugh, how long should it be?

If it is going to function like a joke, keep it short (2-3mins) and try and make the punch line a secret until the end.

Finding the story

• What are the three basic elements any kind of dramatic story requires?

A world, a character, and a problem.• What do most successful short films focus on?One moment or event in the life of one main character.• What do a lot of the most successful short

films have in common?They take place over a short period of time, usually focusing on one ‘journey’.

The World

• Why can it be useful to set your film around a familiar event/ritual?

It can be useful because of the need to establish and develop other elements, using a familiar event can save time and help the audience understand what is happening.• Why can a literal journey be a good setting for a

short film?It gives the film a finite time frame as the journey must have a beginning and an end.

The Character and The Problem• What are the 5 most important questions to ask when you

begin to develop your story?Who is the main character? What is their problem? How will the audience recognise their problem? Are the stakes high enough? Am I telling the story from the best point of view?

• One of three things must drive your character through the story, what are they?

A want, a need, or an obligation.

• What crucially must accompany this element?Something that makes the want/need/obligation hard to pursue.

• Why are a lot of short films about children and teenagers?Provides a wide range of recognisable problems as they have less experience of the world.

Making problems manifest to the Audience

• What is one of the most important ways that you can demonstrate your skill as a film maker rather than a storyteller?

The audience needs to SEE a character DOING something visually on the screen that show us what they are thinking and feeling.• Are the stakes high enough? – What does ensuring that

something is at stake in the story mean the audience can do?The audience can understand what the character stands to lose.• The Best Point of View – How can a different POV change the

story?The meaning of any story is attached to the character it is told from.• Why do many short film scripts fall down?Because many scripts follow a character whose journey does not chime with what it is the writer is trying to say.

What does my story mean?• Why does an awareness of the meaning inherent in your story

matter?Once you have an idea of how the story will begin and end, you will have an idea of what the meaning of your story is which can help you to make decisions when you are developing the script.• What is tone intimately connected to and what are the implications

of this?It is connected to genre and what kind of film you are making. If the story portrays a bleak view of life, don’t make it comical etc. The tone supports the underlying meaning of the film.

Developing your story• What is a common flaw of most short film scripts submitted for

funding?Far too little development work done to the script before it is even sent out.• What is the ten point plan to test the spine of your story?Title, genre/tone, setting, protagonist, want/need/obligation, opposition, catalyst for change, climax, resolution, and the audience feels of the theme.

Unity• What point does Marilyn Milgrom make about unity?Every scene must be revealing something that increases our understanding of the character and their problem.

Causality

• How can we make sure that what happens at the end couldn’t have happened any earlier?

Every scene must move the story on so that the end couldn’t happen until after the previous scenes.

The Step Outline• What is the step-outline and what does it make sure of?A way of testing whether or not a scene is slacking in some way. It asks; a summary of what happens in one sentence, what is revealed that is significant to the plot and the audiences understanding? Is there an indication of a significant theme?• Every scene of significant action should deliver something on at

least 2 out of 3 possible fronts. What are they?Plot, character or theme.• What is signified by the order of events?Whether a story is told in a forward, continuous, way or backwards with flashbacks.• What do audiences instinctively know?When something is pretentious or dishonest.• As a writer what is a crucial thing you are looking to ensure?A way of telling the story that adds interest and meaning.

Remember it’s a film• How do we establish the world and the character?Maximum speed and minimum dialogue. This allows the audience to take in information that is encoded through cinematography, editing, sound and the mise-en-scene.• What advice is given for making the film cinematic once you have a

good storyTo use visuals and sound, establish a consistent tone. Ensure the character is active all the time. Show change through props/action not dialogue. Use editing techniques such as parallel editing.

The Final Words• What final advice is given for ensuring that a short is more cinematic,

less like cinema?Make dialogue the last thing you add to tell the story so that it is the visuals that give the audience the best understanding.

The Audience for the Script• Who is the audience for your film?The reader of the script needs to see the film you are intending to make and not get irritated. This can be done by allowing the reader to follow the screen writing conversations. Avoid writing things the audience wont be able to see (technical directions).• Why is simple a useful descriptor for your short?A small story can make a big impact if it is told with cinematic flair that captures all the depth of the idea.