The Screenwriting Blog

Screenplay Contests - Are they worth it?

2021-10-29T12:25:00.005+02:00

I've mentioned before that I organize different writing groups, where screenwriters can get feedback for their projects and exchange ideas. I love these meetings because other than that, they also make me reflect on topics that screenwriters constantly struggle with.

Last week, in one of those meetings, someone asked me if writers should enter screenplay competitions, so I thought about writing about it and maybe shed some light on this constant dilemma.

What are screenplay competitions?

Essentially, any event or space where writers can submit a screenplay for judges to review and receive prizes. These prizes vary a lot from competition to competition, they can be cash, products, or other industry-related things such as getting the script produced or receiving professional feedback, they can also be trophies or decorations such as the Oscars.

Competitions come in many shapes, there are film festivals that have a separate section for their competitions, but there are also individual companies and associations that hold contests, the options are endless and exist in almost every country.

What does participating in a competition entitle?

It obviously depends on the contest, but generally speaking, you'll need to submit your screenplay accompanied by your details and, in some cases, an entry fee. Usually, you keep the writing and exclusivity rights (meaning that you're still the owner of your script and can keep entering other competitions/production companies), so it's important to have it copyrighted by the relevant institution.

Okay, but are they actually worth it?

Like most of the decisions you make through filmmaking, whether you should enter a contest or not, depends on many factors, first and most importantly, your goal towards your screenplay. If you're planning on self-production, investing in competitions might not be the best fit, unless there's a specific award that you think could help your production.

Having an award from Sundance or Cannes will very likely help you get investors interested in your project, but recognition from a small, local festival might not.

On the other hand, if you plan to sell the script and move on to another project, some screenplay competitions might be a good fit. They can be a great way to network with potential buyers and you can make use of prizes such as feedback and mentoring.

The Page International Awards, for example, provide great feedback that can be very helpful in the rewriting process.

You also need to consider the kind of budget you want to invest in this. As a said, some competitions have entry fees, which vary from as little as 5USD to even hundreds, so it's important to consider this when you're creating the project's budget.

Note also that not all competitions will be right for your project, so be thoughtful before applying and paying fees. Research the competition, take note of previous winners and keep your project's strategy in mind.

How do you stand out in the competition?

So you've decided to participate in a competition and you're ready to submit your script, but before doing so, make sure you've got this covered:

1. Format

I know I've said that format isn't the most important thing when you're first writing your script, but it is when it comes to submitting it.

Competition judges receive tons of scripts every year and sometimes they don't have the bandwidth to read them all. The format is the first thing they will notice if your script doesn't comply with industry standards, it might not even be read in the first judging round.

Use professional screenwriting software and make sure to follow the basic rules.

2. Story Structure

Unlike production companies and networks, most competitions aren't exactly looking for the next best story, but rather the next best writer. They will judge the story, of course, but they will also be looking to see if you know how to write, and story structure is the best way to show it. Make sure your three acts are clearly defined and have the key elements they should, remember that before breaking the rules you need to fully understand them.

3. Theme

A clear theme can go a long way during script competitions. The theme allows the reader to connect to the story and understand it no matter their background, this is important because judges might be from different places and have different cultures, so crafting a story with universal values can help them bond with your project and select it.

Remember you're not alone.

Preparing for a contest is just as important as preparing to pitch to a network, so getting professional feedback before you submit it can help you increase your chances of being selected. Script consultants, like myself, often offer services designed for competitive submissions, where we work with you to improve your project based on the specific contest's requirements.

Happy writing and good luck!

Writing is rewriting

2021-08-23T13:58:00.005+02:00

You've heard this many times and no, I'm not about to tell you that this isn't true. Rewriting is an inherent part of writing, and it can be a very long process, endless even. Just like writing, rewriting should be planned carefully to ensure that the hours invested fructify. Work smart, instead of hard, with these rewriting tips.

1. Rewriting vs. editing.

These are two related, but separate processes, and knowing the difference is key to making rewriting more efficient.

Rewriting entitles changing the core of the story, working on character and story development, structure, and dialogues, while editing is more of a correction process.

Editing consists of fixing formatting errors, grammar and spelling mistakes, and amending scene headers, location, and character names.

Separating these processes and working on them one at a time will allow you to avoid distractions and get more of your rewrite done. As you rewrite, you can still correct minor errors and typos, as long as it doesn't take more than a minute or two.

Win the rewriting battle by planning ahead.

2. Focus on one thing at a time.

As you go through your script, again and again, you will find different things that need fixing and you'll be tempted to fix everything as you go along, however, tunnel vision might be quite more effective than looking at the whole thing all the time.

As you plan your rewriting, select one specific topic (character development, structure, dialogue, etc.) and the time you want to spend on it. Work on both rewriting and editing that topic until you're happy with it (or your defined time is up), before moving on to the next topic.

Remember, rewriting can take a very long time, so you need to decide how long you want this process to be.

3. Take a break

After working for a long time on your script, you might get overwhelmed and lose perspective, making your rewriting job harder. To prevent this, every time you finish a new draft, take a break. I suggest at least a couple of weeks to leave your script alone and move on to other projects or activities.

If you want to keep working on your project, you can use this time to watch similar movies or read screenplays, but it's also a good idea to just set it aside.

4. Get help

Feedback during the rewriting phase is very important because it will allow you to see things from a different perspective and explore areas of opportunity that you might have missed.

This feedback doesn't always have to be professional, you can share your work with friends and family even if they don't know the industry and still get good insight, however, at a certain stage of rewriting, professional help might make the difference towards a completed, polished script.

A great way to get this feedback is through screenwriter groups, these put together people with working screenwriting projects who share their feedback and help brainstorm new ideas. These groups are meant to be a safe space to juggle creative thoughts and push you to keep writing even if you don't have a specific deadline.

I organize a couple of these groups, where people from all over the world meet online to discuss their projects. Feel free to contact me for info on them.

Another way of getting professional insight is through a Script Consultant, check out this other article to learn more about them and what they do.

Rewriting shouldn't be a burden, creating a plan and following a schedule will make it easier and definitely more enjoyable.

Happy (re)writing!

Regine

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Screenwriting format

2021-08-13T12:44:00.009+02:00

Substance over form. Many people (especially accountants) will agree with this statement and generally, I would too, however, when it comes to screenwriting, there is a very specific format that we need to use, a format used in the film industry that allows all production departments to understand and use the script for what it is: a tool for making a movie. The screenwriting standard format is not hard to understand or follow and different software options do it all for you

1. Font and Sizes

The standard format calls for the font Courier in 12 points. A page of writing in the proper format will equal about a minute of screen time, so for a 90-minute film, your script should be around 90 pages long.

2. Scene heading

Where and when are we. Comes at the beginning of every scene, also marking the end of the previous one, it indicates if it’s an interior or exterior scene (INT. / EXT.), the place it’s set in, and whether it’s day or night, and it looks like this:

It is very important that every time you name a place or set, you always use the same name to let everyone know that it is, in fact, the same location. In this example, the location is “Paul’s house”, if I was to write “Paul’s summer house” later on in the script, it will look as if these were two separate locations, so be careful!

It’s also worth mentioning that the same applies to the time of day, make sure that day is always day and night is always night instead of using words like “morning” or “evening” which might be confusing. The heading is also where we number the scenes, you can put the scene number at the end of the heading or the beginning. (INT. PAUL’S HOUSE - DAY 1)

3. Action

The action is what happens in the scene and it’s written in the present tense, in continued text. Be descriptive and call things by their name, use adjectives and avoid long paragraphs. Should look like this:

Avoid details such as soundtrack and camera angles, you will be tempted but this is the director’s job, not yours.

4. Characters

The life and soul of your script. Characters need to be written in capital letters the first time they appear in an action paragraph, with a brief description between parenthesis. In this description, we need to summarize the most important details of the character, both physically and personality-wise along with their age.

Outside of action paragraphs and before dialogue, characters are written in the center of the page, in uppercase letters, and with no other description.

As with locations, make sure to always write the character’s name in the same way, don’t call him “Paul” once and then “Paul Edwards”, it’s up to you if you put their full name or nickname or who they are (ie Paul’s Mother), but stick to one and use it every time the character appears.

5. Dialogue

Dialogue is written right below the name of the character that says it, also centered on the page.

When writing dialogue, think about your characters as different people with their own personalities and way of speaking, not everyone speaks the same way or uses the same words. There are people who are less direct and some that are straight forward and their dialogue needs to reflect it. Also, prefer subtext and reading between the lines, instead of descriptive and obvious dialogue. In this article, I give you some tips on writing dialogue and developing characters.

6. Transitions

Like camera angles and music, transitions are usually part of the director’s input rather than the writer, however, some are allowed and sometimes necessary when we have a particular vision.

Transitions are aligned to the right, written in capital letters.

Now that we’ve seen all parts of the script separately, let’s take a look at what the whole thing should look like.

As you can see, the format itself is not hard and even without specific software you can recreate it in almost any word processor, such as Microsoft Word or Apple Pages and if you’re even a bit tech-savvy, you can create macros or templates to automate the process. If you want to make your life even easier, here are some recommendations on screenwriting software.

Happy writing!

Regine

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Best screenwriting software (free & paid)

2021-08-12T21:06:00.004+02:00

As I mentioned before, writing a script requires a very specific format, in order for it to comply with industry standards and for the different production departments to understand it. This format can be created in almost any word processor, however, there are certain specific software options that do the formatting for you, allowing you to focus on the writing and giving you one less thing to worry about. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Different software options cater to different needs, think of what your project needs when choosing the best for you.

Celtx

My personal favorite. Celtx is a web-based application with a free and a pro, paid version. While the free version is great for writing, the paid version offers a number of features for project management, such as budgeting, scheduling, and storyboard creation. Prices vary from 7 to 22 USD a month, depending on features and the number of projects you can create, they also offer special prices for companies and schools.

Celtx is a great tool to start with little to no investment and work with other team members through their cloud-based collaboration feature. They also have mobile apps and a free 14 day trial. Take a look at it here.

Final Draft

The industry favorite. About 95% of well-known production companies use it and love it. Naturally, Final Draft offers many more professional features for both screenwriting and project management, allowing you to add images, scene descriptions, and also has a collaboration option. It is software that you need to license and install and although they offer a 60 day trial period, there is no free option after this.

The pricing is where Final Draft gets a little bit tricky, with a regular price of 259 USD (they usually run offers and you can get it for around $149) for two activations (two devices). They also offer iPad and iPhone apps, not included in the PC license.

I personally used Final Draft for a while, until my Macbook outgrew it and I had to buy the upgrade, this is when I discovered Celtx and decided not to invest any longer, but like everything, it’s up to you. They do offer special discounts for current users who are upgrading, students, military and first responders, and companies. You can get it off of the US Amazon store here*

Movie Magic Screenwriter

Another industry favorite. Movie Magic is very well known for their options on budgeting and scheduling, however, they also have screenwriting software that has their own fans. It's also an installable piece of software, easy to learn and use, and the go-to of the American Writer’s Guild.

Aside from the price, which is also rather on the expensive side - ranging from 100 - 249,95 USD, a downside to Movie Magic is the lack of compatibility with newer iOS versions, since the latest version of Movie Magic is only compatible with Mojave 10.14 They do include a free upgrade to Big Sur when the time comes, but it’s not available as of yet.

If you are located in the UK, you can get it off of Amazon here.*

If you’re in the US, you can get it here. *

StudioBinder

Similar to Celtx, it offers a wide range of writing and producing tools for free. It’s easy to use and allows collaboration. There’s no need to download or install software and you can edit and export existing scripts in any format.

Check it out here.

Fade In Software

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone/iPad, and Android, Fade In offers a much more affordable alternative to Final Draft and Movie Magic. Allows collaboration, image support, and additional formatting options, and offers cloud storage.

At 79.95 USD and with free updates, Fade In is certainly worth checking out. You can do so here.

There are obviously many other options out there, so, between these and those, there's probably no such thing as the best screenwriting software. Think about your project and your writing routine and I'm sure you'll find the best for you.

Happy writing!

*This article contains affiliate links to products, which allow me to receive a small commission for purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you.

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Creating real characters

2021-08-10T14:39:00.008+02:00

Stories are about characters. Whether it is animals that represent morals, like in the good old fables or multi-dimensional, colorful, fascinating people, characters make stories come true. So when we write for film and TV, we need to be careful and respectful of them in order to create real, engaging characters that our audience can relate to.

Achieving good character development takes time and practice, but here are some things to get you started.

1. Creating solid backgrounds

We all have a background, like it or not. There are things from our past, our families, culture, and personalities that define us and the way we act and react to situations, and fictional characters should do too. The difference is, it is you as the writer who gets to create them. Deciding what features of the character to create or focus on depends on every writer. Some prefer to simply outline the character’s background and their most important personality traits. These are some things that I consider a must:

Inner life: Name, gender, race, social class, family background.

Experience and learning: Level of education, skills, and abilities, sexuality, acquired family (spouse, kids, in-laws).

The character today: Age, job, friends and enemies, looks, hobbies, likes and dislikes

The way they see the world: Belief system, personality, sense of humor, hopes and dreams

2. Dialogues

The way we express ourselves, tells a lot about us. A person that is respectful and courteous will have very different life experiences from someone who is rude and constantly cursing. The people around them will see them differently, include them in different social activities, and generate a different perspective, in general. One will probably be more successful in a corporate environment, while the other might struggle to build interpersonal relationships. The dialogues we write need to cater to the people we are creating. They should help reinforce the background we established for them. The way we talk differs based on our education, cultural background, knowledge of things, even our profession.

If you want to create real, believable dialogue, you need to LISTEN. This is my best advice when creating dialogue, listen to the people around you, listen (really listen) to the characters from the movies and shows you enjoy and, if you can, listen to people who are similar to your character. I once had a client shadow her dentist for a week, she was thrilled with the results. Knowing almost nothing about the human mouth or how to take care of it, she managed to create a character that truly spoke like a dentist, without unnecessary medical slang or assumptions that weren’t accurate.

3. Change

Change is interesting and the ability to change even more so. Your characters need to have that ability, even if they decide to change or not. If you think of fascinating characters in film, you’ll notice that change is one big thing they have in common. Think about Shrek, a moody ogre that wants nothing to do with anyone else but ends up fighting for the princess he fell in love with. What makes him interesting is that falling in love with the princess and fighting for her is the last thing we would expect him to do (granted, it’s a fairy tale so we do expect it, but you get my point).

Shrek cared for nothing and no one until he fell in love, changing everything he once knew. (Shrek, 2001)

Change can be induced by many factors. Growing up, learning new information, or simply realizing that you were wrong, whatever it is, it must be related to the background we created for the character. A well-educated character is more prone to change his ways after learning something new. On the other hand, a more emotionally driven character will be more likely to change after going through something hurtful. Note that not all characters change. Some characters simply fight against change constantly and this works too because they are still affected by change. The bottom line is that static characters are not interesting characters, so the more dynamic they are, the better.

Character development is an art, and nailing it requires time and practice. Whatever stage your writing career is at, applying these techniques will eventually get you there.

Happy writing!

Regine

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A (VERY) basic guide to start on screenwriting

2021-06-18T10:03:00.002+02:00

I attend bi-weekly meetings with a local writer's group, we chat and share ideas and it's actually pretty refreshing. Last week the conversation was about screenwriting and I have to say, they asked me questions I hadn't really thought about, and one of them was how do you begin to write a script, say you have an idea and you believe it would be a good movie, how do you start. I was quiet for a moment, how (the hell) do you start?!

Well, I finally came up with something and I thought I'd share it if you too have a story to tell and don't know how to start. Hence the (very, very) basic step-by-step guide to starting a script.

1. Write your story in whatever format you prefer, be it narrative, bullets, drawings if you're good at it, a short story, whatever. Just put it on a piece of paper so that it doesn't die in your mind.

2. Outline the plot. This is where you take the story as a whole and divide it into the "moments" or parts of the story (beginning, middle, ending). If you can divide it by acts at this point, even better. (Take a look at this article for an easy explanation on Acts)

3. Define your conflict and premise. What is the story actually about? What is the main obstacle for your main character and how is he going to ultimately solve it? As for the premise, ask yourself, "How are you going to tell the story?" Will it be a perspective of love? Revenge? Perseverance? These questions, although broad, should give you a very good idea of where you want to go with your story and what to expect when you sit down and write.

Bonus: Once you've defined the three main parts of the story, try to think about the most important moments or beats (more on those here), if you can define this by now, you're ready to start pre-writing.

As I said, this is a VERY basic guide, and obviously screenwriting is much more than this and represents a much longer process, but starting with something is better than just waiting to know it all, isn't it? So get cracking on these easy steps and the rest shall be (hi)story!

Happy writing!
Regine

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What is a Script Consultant and why do you need one?

2021-05-04T16:27:00.013+02:00

Screenwriting is no game,

it takes time, effort, and, genuinely, courage. But what happens when all the work has been done and you've managed to type "THE END", those magical words that appear to be the finishing line, but are indeed nothing close to it?

Yeap, turns out that finishing the script is only the start of a long and sometimes bumpy journey; however, screenwriters are not alone. In the world of creative writing, a figure exists that is meant to make this process easier for anyone willing to take help: The Script Consultant.

A Script Consultant is a writer or editor that instead (or aside) of writing, works with other writers and pieces to improve them, be it structure, plot, character development, or plain storytelling, a Script Consultant provides a very particular insight that helps the writer refine and polish the work done.

But what exactly do they do?

Well, it's a combination of several things - proofreading, analyzing, suggesting, and bouncing ideas... (in summary). Normally the process will begin with the Consultant reading your script and getting familiar with the project, then they will do some work on it, they will analyze the strengths and areas of opportunity and come up with notes and solutions on how to improve, in the areas mentioned above.

Once the Consultant has worked on the script on his own, they will now share the notes and work with you to exchange thoughts and come up with new ideas to enhance the writing, providing guidance on the re-writing process.

Consultants provide a new set of eyes, allowing you to see possibilities that you might have missed.

Script Consultants have a great understanding of the industry, genres, and structure and have tons of references to older and newer movies, they know what works and what doesn't, and the current trends in storytelling.

So, again, why do you need them?

Easy. You're the writer and you should focus on writing. Script Consultants are here to take care of the rest, provide references, create new scenes, ensure plot points exist and fix those mistakes that you might miss while you are caught in the excitement of writing. Script Consultants are a friend to rely on when things go well and a shoulder to cry on when things don't.

Also, there is no right or wrong in terms of when to get a Script Consultant, it can be when you finish your first draft, when you have an idea circling around your head, or when you're in the middle of a writing block, the right time to get help is well, the moment you feel like you need help.

Happy writing!

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How to sell your script to Netflix

2021-04-23T12:06:00.002+02:00

Writing a complete screenplay is no easy task. It takes time, effort, tons of creativity, and its share of sweat and blood, but when you finally manage to type the last period, you know that it was all worth it. Unless nobody reads your script ever, in which case, the whole process might be quite disappointing. BUT I’m here to cheer you up! And show you that there is a light at the end of the always-pitched-but-never-produced-screenplays tunnel.

When we think about writing a movie or TV show we automatically think about Netflix (whew! there was a time when we would think of the big screen or even television, but let’s face it, that is sooo two thousand and late) and it’s no mystery why, Netflix has completely revolutionized the way we watch entertainment media, creating a change of paradigm that at this point, really seems to be here to stay. This combined with the new accessibility to produce independent films along with things as, let’s say, a global pandemic has everyone who ever worked (or wants to work) in media wanting nothing more than to be on this famous streaming service recommendation list. But how (if even possible) can you get there?

Well, in order to answer this question I first must explain how Netflix works exactly. And no, I’m not talking about signing up and getting your first 30 days for free, I’m talking about Netflix being a production company, and here’s the thing: It’s not. Yeap, you read that right. Let me explain.

Netflix is essentially a distribution company, which means they take content from other production companies (Warner Brothers, Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Videocine, etc) and make them available to the audience through their platform. This means that the way this content comes to you has more to do with rights management and broadcasting deals than with any other production stage. Now, in the last couple of years, Netflix has started “creating” original content, but (here is where all the blabber comes to be) they aren’t really creating anything themselves.

The way this works is that Netflix delegates the production of their “originals” to other actual production companies across the world. In most cases, Netflix doesn’t even pay for production, but rather offers a pre-sale deal (again, distribution and broadcasting contracts), in some other cases, they might bring money upfront to the production, but that is not common. At the end of the day, it all depends on the specific deal they have with that specific production company where also federal laws and other regulations come into play.

So again, how (if even possible) can you get there? Well, now that you know how it works, you’re probably getting an idea. The only way to get Netflix to produce (or more properly distribute) your content is to bring it to those production companies that will then bring it to them. And the great news is that these companies are not so hard to find.

For instance, working with Netflix is something production companies tend to brag about so it’s easy to spot them on their websites or Linkedin/Facebook profiles.

You can also find out by literally watching a bunch of Netflix (which let’s be honest, you’re already doing) and pay attention to the opening and ending credits, right then and there, you’ll find which company or companies produced that specific content and yes, these are also companies working for Netflix.

And like everything else in life, you can also take your search to Google. There are multiple research reports, articles, and lists of companies that are known to work with Netflix, in fact, depending on your country, there might even be official reports from Film Commissions about this.

And once you’ve identified these companies, you’re on the other side. Of course, you still need to reach out to them and pitch your project, but once you get to this part, you can take a look at some of our resources on how to pitch your project and get ready to kick ass.

Happy writing!

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Getting your movie to streaming

2021-03-30T17:49:00.003+02:00

You’ve done the research, read a couple of articles (hopefully this one too 😊 ), asked some experts and decided to self distribute your movie, at this point you’ve probably found that there are a lot of options, from a small premiere with family and friends to seeing your movie in the top 10 of your preferred streaming service, so to help you out a bit, here are some ideas on how to get your movie to the world of online video on demand.

Prime Video Direct

A division of Amazon Prime, allows you to upload your own content and decide how you want to get paid for it, with a variety of Licensing options. You maintain your rights, keep creative control, and have at your disposal many marketing tools straight from the giant of online retail. Prime Video Direct also provides you with metrics and information about your viewers that will help you understand your audience and market your content properly. This is no doubt a great way to get to distribution with no middle man.

Youtube/Vimeo/Own website

Another interesting option for self-distribution are online video platforms, such as Youtube and Vimeo, but also your own website, Facebook, or even Instagram. These platforms allow for your content to be seen, reach a wider audience and get feedback, but will not really help you monetize. This is not necessarily bad, but going this way or not will depend completely on your goals and plans for your project as well as its features.

If this is a super commercial, easy-to-understand romantic comedy, this will be (in my opinion) an absolute no-no, because, c’mon! This is the kind of movie that you can make money from, so going on a free platform will just be hurting your work. However, if we’re talking about a more insightful short film, that touches certain topics or shows a more independent/artsy vision then, by all means, go for it. This will allow you to show your style, talk to a much closer and familiar audience and help you gain momentum that can eventually help you to reach other distribution alternatives and give your career traction to reach those companies we talked about before.

Aggregators and getting to (basically) every other streaming platform

Say none of these options work for you (and your project, mostly, your project) and you still want to have your movie on iTunes, Hulu, Google Play, and whatnot, you will need an aggregator. Aggregators are basically sales agents for VoD, they are companies that for a percentage of your revenue or fixed fee, will get your movie to streaming platforms. Just like exhibitors and movie theaters, these platforms don’t deal with individuals directly so you can’t really pitch your finished project and get a contract, but aggregators can.

We’re not getting into detail as of what aggregators are best or what kind of deal you can expect, but - in theory - they can be easier to find than sales agents or traditional distributors, also aggregators do the work of encoding and preparing your film for streaming, while a sales agent/distributor will require you to provide that, so there’s that too.

Hope this gives you some insight on where to go with your project, in any case, always make sure to consider distribution from the start and include it in your budget even if you go for free or low-cost alternatives.

Happy writing!

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The Index Card Writing Method

2021-03-30T17:41:00.004+02:00

This very easy (and effective) method works great for experienced and amateur writers alike since it allows you to see your structure and make modifications without spending time in writing and rewriting, it also helps to make sure that every scene contributes to the story and remove unnecessary scenes without getting rid of them completely.

How does it work:

Write each scene on an index card (post-its work too). You can either write (or print) the whole scene, or just headline and description. What matters is that you’re able to identify the scene by looking at the card alone.

Organize the cards as they currently appear in your script. You can put them on a wall or board if you have them available but if you don’t, a table or floor will do the trick.

Do some staring. Seriously, look at your cards and understand where you’re at and where you want to get. Are you getting there with the way the scenes are now? What do you need to change in order to get there? Is every scene contributing to your story? And then you go from there.

My own index card board for the short film Sabine

Now you have individual scenes at hand to move and switch them around your timeline. Having the cards on a wall allows you to look at them constantly and maybe make changes even when you’re not purposely rewriting, but it can also be distracting from other things, so maybe keep this in mind. To put them away when not in use, simply use a binder clip and make sure you save the current order you’re working with.

Let me know if this works for you and happy writing!

Regine

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Beats and beat sheets (Free downloadable beat sheet included)

2021-03-25T14:25:00.003+01:00

Even the best chefs in the world started by following a recipe, in fact, the best of them still use them every once in a while, it allows them to ensure consistency and gives them a structure to follow so that they can create and let their imagination fly.

The same thing happens with screenwriters. There is no magic formula to create a script, but there are recipes that provide guidance and direction to kickstart the passion and get you to type “the end”. Famous fellas like Blake Snyder, Robert McKee, and Syd Field, have tried hard to create and simplify these recipes with great success, taking the whole of the story and breaking it down to pieces or story beats.

But what is a beat anyway? Beats are moments that move the story forward and set the course and tone to what’s going to happen next. They are simple narrative elements that bring the audience back to the story and challenge the characters that conform it. Beats are the smallest part of the story structure and exist within the acts.

So now that you know what a beat is, let’s take a look at a beat sheet, which is like the script’s blueprint or map. This will guide you through the individual beats and help you determine what those moments will be, in your script, for each beat.

Opening image: This is the first thing we see and your opportunity to show the world your characters live in. Be bold and get your audience hooked ;) (Page 1)*

Where are we? What is this movie about?: Where are we in time and space? Is it nowadays? The past? The future? What's your promise to your audience? Will they have fun? Learn a lesson? Cry? Laugh? This is also the moment where we state our theme (family, friendship, love, success, power, etc.) (Page 4)

Who are they? Who's your protagonist?: Introduce your main character and those who surround him**. Who is he**? What is he** like? What's his** job? What's happening in his** life? Who does he** coexist with? What are they like? (Pages 1-8)

The kick: The moment where your protagonist's life changes. Although he** still needs to decide upon it, his life can't be the same after this. This is the until moment (Page 10)

The question: Your protagonist's debate. What is she** gonna do about the kick? Is she** going to act upon it or try to run from it? Here, she** will ponder her** options and their consequences. (Page 10-20)

The answer: What is the result of her** debate? This is what kicks off the rest of the plot, the decision of your protagonist to go get what they want. It's where the journey begins, they're packed up and out the door. (Page 20)

B plot: A secondary story that accompanies the main plot and the protagonist. This is usually a romantic relationship but it doesn't have to be. The B plot has its own development and is intertwined with the main narrative. (Page 20-25)

Kicks and giggles: This is why your audience is watching this movie. The trailer moments, the adventure, and the journey. Here is where you make us laugh in a comedy and make us suffer in a drama or thriller. (Page 25-45)

Winning or losing: Commonly known as Midpoint, this is the moment where your protagonist seems to be figuring it all out (or not). If it's a happy movie, this is the moment where nothing can go wrong; if it's a drama, this is where it seems that nothing can go right. This is also where we raise the stakes and add urgency. (Page 45)

Bad guys close in: The conflict is here and we need to face it. The bad guys are on our protagonist's tail and it's starting to look like there is no way out. (Page 45-61)

No hope left: At this point, it seems that our protagonist hit a dead end. The stakes are higher than ever and it seems there is very little left to do to accomplish the objective and solve the conflict. (Page 61)

Darkest hour: This is the lowest point. Nothing our protagonist does seems to be enough to resolve the situation. He's** losing hope and drive to continue. This isn't a single moment, but a series of situations that keep getting worse. (Page 61-70)

False defeat (or success): Something HORRIBLE (or GREAT) happens. The death of a loved one, the finding out of the well-kept secret, discovering the treasure... This triggers the final decision that our protagonist has to make to accomplish her** goals. (Page 70)

Reborn: See it to the end. Our protagonist makes a final decision of whether he** is trying one more time or moving on. This is where the team regroups and strategizes and decides on a new course of action. Our characters have hit rock bottom, so there's no way but up. (Page 70-90)

This is it: The last thing your audience will see. This is the message you want to sink into your audience's memory. Summarizes the theme and teaches the moral. Make it last! (Page 90)

Beats are one of the many ways to organize your story's structure, they're detailed and allow you to see the story as a whole. Your beat sheet will be the map to follow and get to a happy ending, but there are a couple of other steps to work on before getting cracking on the actual script. Read more about the process of pre-writing

Happy writing!

Download our free beat sheet here.

*Page count for a 90 pages script, click here for templates on other script durations.

** I use he/she pronouns indefinitely.

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The art of pre-writing

2021-03-25T13:14:00.004+01:00

People always say that you need to walk before you run and run before you fly.

It makes, the more prepared you are to do anything, the easier and smoother the actual doing will be, and screenwriting (or any writing for that matter) is not the exception, which is why screenwriters across the industry, rely on pre-writing to succeed in the bumpy process of screenwriting.

The Whats, Whos and Hows.

The first thing you need to think of when preparing to write a script is, naturally, what the story is going to be about (plot), who it is about (characters) and how the story will be told (genre). Once we’ve defined these key elements, we can start outlining the smaller parts that will, combined, make our script.

The Logline

Loglines are important. They are a widely used tool in terms of production because they summarize the script, allowing busy people, like producers and executives, to know upfront if the script is something they might be interested in, before spending the time in reading all 100 pages. But aside from producers, the logline is very important and useful for you as a writer, because it allows you to clarify and always keep in mind what it is that you want your script to be.

A logline is a one-sentence summary of the whole story and therefore can be intimidating, however, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have and, believe me, you will need it.

The aging patriarch of an organized crime dynasty transfers control of his clandestine empire to his reluctant son.

The Godfather (1972)

Set in unoccupied Africa during the early days of World War II: An American expatriate meets a former lover with unforeseen complications.

Casablanca (1999-2007)

The capo of a New Jersey syndicate goes to a psychiatrist to deal with the changing nature of his business, a wife who no longer trusts him, kids who are growing up, and his murderous extended family.

The Sopranos (1942)

* A logline should tell us who the main character is, what does he want and why can’t he get it.

The Synopsis

You’ve heard about this one before, probably many times. A synopsis is a summary of your story and varies in length and content according to its objective. A long synopsis is commonly used by executives, directors, and film festival judges, basically, people that will be interested in knowing the story completely, including the ending. This kind of synopsis is usually about a page long.

A short synopsis, on the other hand, will be used for pitching and telling the story when unsolicited. These are usually half a page and may or may not include the ending, again, depending on who you’re showing it to.

Finally, there is the sales/pitching synopsis which is short and concise, doesn’t include the ending, and leaves some sort of cliffhanger, as the name suggests, these are meant to sell your story, it’s the one that you’ll see on the back of the DVD box and VoD platforms.

During the pre-writing process, it’s best to work on the long synopsis so that you have a clear path of where your story is going and how it ends.

The outline or beat sheet

This will be the map to the hidden treasure, or else, the path your script will follow from beginning to end. This is a list of scenes, moments, or beats, in chronological order, that take the story from point A to B to C (and so on). At this point, you don’t need to be very detailed, but it has to be clear to you why things are happening in this order and how they move the story forward.

There are many ways to create an outline, from bullet points, to complete scene descriptions to actions, it’s solely up to you how you do it. I for instance am very visual, so it’s easy for me to be detailed when describing setups and actions, but it doesn’t have to be.

You might be familiar with the Save the Cat outline - or beat sheet, this is one of the most famous forms of outlines and you can learn more about it here.

The treatment

As we get closer to writing our script, our pre-writing will become more detailed and so it’s the treatment. The treatment is a longer document where the beats will be described in detailed prose, this is still a summary though, so you shouldn’t take more than a page for each scene, it includes descriptions of actions and can have some sparse dialogue. This document should be understood by basically anyone, with or without screenwriting knowledge, so think of it as a guideline for the whole story.

Like the logline, treatments are important to present your project to potential producers, agents, and executives, so that they have a complete idea of your story without having to read the complete script.

Depending on your style and your story’s specific features, the length and information of your treatment will vary. You might focus on character description or the world your script takes place in, this also, is up to you and you will find your own voice as you write and rewrite it.

Now, there’s really no wrong or right to how long you should spend in pre-writing, what matters is that you feel prepared and comfortable to move into the actual writing of the script, in the right format, and with the proper software. You can always go back to these documents even when you have started the script and make changes from there, without compromising the progress of your screenplay. Also, not all projects require necessarily all of the documents, try them out and stick to whatever works for you.

Happy (PRE) Writing!

Regine

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The 3 Act Structure Simplified

2021-03-24T17:04:00.017+01:00

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

This is what Aristotle thought and taught and boy, did he teach it well, because this seems to be embedded in every storyteller’s brain, even unconsciously.

When applied to screenwriting, this basic structure seems to mutate into much more detailed forms, dividing the whole story into pieces as small as beats, however, seeing the bigger picture first comes way easier when we’re stepping into the world of screenwriting. So before you can dig into these more exhaustive approaches, let’s take a look at the basic, oldie but goodie, 3 Act Structure.

Act 1 (Pages 1-30)**

This is where everything begins (bet you didn’t see that coming!). We introduce our characters and the world they live in and we present the object of desire, that thing (physical or not) that our main character wants and will do whatever it takes to get. This is key not only for Act 1, but for our whole story because it is what sets everything in motion, the reason our protagonist will do everything throughout the story. As we introduce this object, we need to show why it is so important for our protagonist and how his* life will be different if he gets it. We also get to know the people, places, and things they coexist with.

In The Wizard of Oz, we start off by meeting Dorothy and everyone on the farm. We see that there are no parents but Auntie Em and Uncle Henry. We learn that Dorothy helps out, that Toto is adorable and that their neighbor is a horrible person. We also see that Dorothy is kind and dreams of a magical land where trouble melts like lemon drops.

Dorothy and Toto, The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Once we’ve presented our people and places and the audience has stepped into this world, it’s time to shake our protagonist up by giving him* something that will change his life forever. Even though they still need to decide on whether they let this affect them or not, their life cannot possibly be the same after this something happens. Imagine winning the lottery. Your life will never be the same again even if you (are absolutely bonkers and) decide not to collect the prize. You will either be rich and turn your life around or be the person who threw the chance away and has to live with it. Either way, there is no going back to what you used to be.

The tornado hits. Literally. There’s wind and whirls and a flying house. Dorothy loses consciousness and is headed to Munchkinland. Even if the twister stops and Dorothy lands back safe, her life wouldn’t be the same again, I mean, she’s seen her neighbor as a green cackling witch, this has to take a toll on people!

And so, we fly into Act 2 (pun intended).

Act 2 (Pages 30-90)**

You’ve put your protagonist on the road to something and Act 2 is that road. What is he* going to do to get that object of desire, to make his dream come true, to defeat the bad guys? This is all Act 2.

Act 2 is where you show off and get creative, this is where you put your characters to the test. Think about anything you’ve ever tried to accomplish, there were steps to follow, complications, obstacles, and smaller victories, you went through thick and thin and in the end, got what you wanted (or not) - that’s what your protagonist needs to go through.

Raise the stakes! - Don’t be afraid of making it too hard on your characters, that’s what you want. They need to lose, recover and get that object once and again, through different obstacles and sub-conflicts.

In Act 2, we also find the famous sub-plots. These are additional, smaller stories that live around the main narrative and are intertwined with it. The love story, another goal, another conflict, etc.

Dorothy is not in Kansas anymore. She meets new characters and sees new places (hell, there’s even a different color!), and she finds new conflicts, getting through the scary forest, losing the yellow brick road, falling asleep in the field of poppies, and signing a song or two on the way. This is a very clear example because it’s literally about following a road. This is what your second act should look like, a road full of obstacles and challenges that get more and more complicated as they go along.

Dorothy and the crew need to overcome obstacles and challenges in order to get to see The Wizard (The Wizard of Oz (1939))

Act 2 closes with the lowest (or highest) point of our story when there seems to be nothing left to do to reach our goals…Only there is, it is ACT 3

Act 3 (Pages 90-110)**

With almost no hope left, your characters take one last stand, as the last, biggest conflict comes to them. This is the moment where our protagonist decides whether he* tries one more time or moves on. If he tries, he will come up with a new plan and act on it, to win. If he decides not to, then we will see how his life will be after the defeat. In Act 3 we will find the climax, the most exciting moment, and the one that will determine the ending for once.

While Dorothy is trapped in the witch’s castle, her friends set out to save her. They fight the flying monkeys as Dorothy kills the witch with a bucket of water. They’ve succeeded and it’s time to go back to the Emerald City and claim their reward.

Your protagonist gets what she* wanted all along and everything falls into place. She has changed and her journey is complete.

Dorothy and Toto go back to the farm and now have a new understanding of life, Dorothy apologizes to her aunt and uncle and knows that adventure and dreams are right there, with her family. After all, there is no place like home.

Back to the sepia vibe, the guys made it and are back home. (The Wizard of Oz (1939))

Keep in mind that your protagonist doesn’t always have to get what she* wanted, she might also come to realize that what she thought she wanted isn’t what she really needed or discover that what she got instead is in fact, her true desire. Either way, this has to give closure to her journey and the story.

Act 3 is also the time to close every other character’s narrative, so make sure not to leave any loose ends.

Now, as I pointed out initially, this is a very simple explanation of the basic 3 Acts Structure, however, you can learn more about how this structure breaks into beats in this other article and remember, the best way to learn and understand structure is by watching movies so go on and take a look at your favorite picks.

Happy writing!

*I use he/she pronouns indefinitely

** Based on a 110 page script

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