Tag: screenwriting

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Screenwriting

Do You Know What You Mean?

Recently, I uploaded my latest screenplay to a screenwriting website for Hollywood producers and studios to view. I was excited to finally have a completed script on this popular screenwriting website.

What I failed to realize was the specifics of the process of getting a script uploaded. Not only were there numerous categories and subcategories and tags to choose to describe my latest WIP, but there are also some specific questions in regards to my script’s purpose.

  • Genre
  • Setting/locations
  • Theme

At first glance, one might think the first and last questions are the same, but they aren’t. Genre is more of a style of storytelling with its unique aspects. Theme is the ultimate message/beliefs/morals of the story expressed through specific genres.

The site has become popular for helping outsiders break into Hollywood circles, not just for getting completed works before the right people, but helping establish the screenwriter’s platform and area of focus in storytelling.

To some degree writers keep similar themes in all of their stories, because stories are simply a means for us writers to express our beliefs and ideologies in the form of the narrative’s theme—what we mean to say!

What You Mean?

The message of your screenplay is what you hope it means to your audience, so you need to understand your purpose for telling this particular story. Once you understand that, its theme will become clear to the audience.

A literary theme is the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a literary work. The plot of the story is how this theme is expressed. A writer’s theme often reveals the narrative, gives the characters a purpose and helps the audience stay tuned.

Keep in mind the theme has to be clear to more than just you. Make your theme evident to give your story more meaning. Most of us writers want to do more than simply entertain a theater of strangers. We want to use this art form to make an impact on society, to enlighten others. And even simply sway them to our ideology. The following list is reflective of common themes writers express in their narratives:

  1. Beauty of simplicity
  2. Change of power – necessity
  3. Change versus tradition
  4. Chaos and order
  5. Character – destruction, building up
  6. Circle of life
  7. Coming of age
  8. Communication – verbal and nonverbal
  9. Darkness and light
  10. Disillusionment and dreams1

My personal goal as a writer is to inspire change in my audience. I enjoy seeing the spark in the eyes or the excitement when my readers catch on to my story’s theme. (My current screenplay’s theme is humility versus power.)

Each time I start the writing process, I try to determine what I want to say to my audience —what change I’m hoping to cause.

Say What!

Not that I am the best, but the best writers know what they want to say before they began writing. The plot usually develops later in the process, even for outliners like me. Sometimes even the characters reveal themselves by what they really want to say.

Thus, knowing your them or message/message beforehand can help you write a better story in the writing process. One of the beauties of screenwriting is we get to utilize multiple senses, so we have more ways to express our store’s theme. We can say what we want without having to spell it out for our audiences. Below are a few of my favorite movies with clear themes we can see.

What message burns inside of your heart and drives you to write? Our job as storytellers is more than just entertaining. We have an opportunity to make an impact on countless lives when we know what we mean.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1 https://lah.elearningontario.ca/CMS/public/exported_courses/EWC4U/exported/EWC4UU2/EWC4UU2A1/_teacher/A%20Huge%20List%20of%20Common%20Themes%20-%20Literary%20Devices.pdf

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Screenwriting

Emotional Storytelling

Last year I let a screenwriting and producer friend with 30 years of experience read the first draft of my latest screenplay. I was both excited and nervous to let him see this passion project. After a week I received his feedback on my latest narrative.

His main comment was to put more emphasis on my protagonist’s disability. My initial concern was I didn’t want to overdramatize or belittle persons that belong to this particular community. I had to walk a tight rope of respecting the disabled community and the audience.

But I understood my friend’s concerns and wanted to respect his time and energy he put in to give me an honest evaluation. So I decided to look back over my experiences with persons in this particular disability group. My ultimate goal is to write a better story that can convey the ideas, imagery, and message I wanted to present in this particular story.

It didn’t take long for me to remember little quirks or traits that are common to persons with unique personalities like my protagonist. Fortunately, these commonalities also allow for me to show more than tell.

One of the best pieces of screenwriting advice I received was, “Let the actors act, don’t make them tell through dialogue.” Keep in mind movies are a visual medium and allow us to engage our audiences’ senses. This has its benefits.

  • Increased storytelling capabilities.
  • More ways to communicate our message.
  • Less room for misunderstandings.
  • More opportunity for subtext.

Another rule most screenwriters know is that we need to hook our audience within the first 10 pages or 10 minutes of the movie. The first 10 pages of any story are prime real estate, this is your chance to get the audience to invest in your movie for the long haul.

Storytellers must use every tool and their toolboxes to hook their readers/audiences as soon as possible. With the character arc in this particular story, I was able to utilize the innate power of human emotions.

 I wanted to create in my audience sympathy for my protagonist. One of the surest ways to get an audience to connect with your story is to tug on their heartstrings. To help them feel for your characters by stirring their emotions through your fictional world. This emotional storytelling.

Emotional Storytelling?

Emotional storytelling is a technique to draw our audience/readers into the world of our story via appealing to their emotions: feelings of love, fear, sadness, or happiness.

Emotional storytelling taps into the heart of life. Robert McKee notes, “To be entertained is to be immersed in the ceremony of story to an intellectually and emotionally satisfying end.”1

Due to the nature of my controlling idea of disabled persons as my protagonist, this approach to storytelling has become an earmark of my screenplays. As I have learned, this technique has benefits:

1. It helps my audience connect with my protagonist quicker.

2. Helps to build conflict.

3. Creates a need in my protagonist.

As we know conflict is king in storytelling and nothing builds conflict better than emotional unrest. Sometimes conflict is external (i.e. man versus nature or man versus society).

But most stories deal with internal conflict (fighting temptations, pride versus humility, or justice/revenge). Most people can relate more to the latter conflict and in the end our stories are more relatable, causing the audience to connect to the story quicker.

Screenwriting teacher and producer David Trotter points out, “Movies thrive on action and emotion. Thus, screenplays usually tell two main stories. Think of them as fraternal twins, dual plotlines, or the two key story tracks. The emotional story derives from a relationship and/or the character’s emotional life and is generally driven by the internal need… It’s the emotional story.”2

As writers, we each have something we want to say, the emotional story is often the best way to say what we want to.

What I Want!

We each go to the movies expecting one thing or another: entertainment, escape, or enlightenment. Emotional storytelling gives us more bang for the buck! Below are a few of my favorite movies that check off all three of the aforementioned incentives for me.

Forest Gump is a particular favorite of mine because it was filmed in Georgia while I was in college and inspired me to become a storyteller, not because it was entertaining, but because it’s premise is emotional storytelling.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1   Mckee, R.. (1997). Story, Harper-Collins e-books, Pg. 12.

2  Trotter, D. (2019). Screenwriter’s Bible, Silman-James Press. Pg. 39.

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Screenwriting

Controlling Idea!

As the pandemic unfolded last year, a story concept I toyed with for years kept coming to mind, mainly because the conflict in the story dealt with the end of the world. And I wanted the hero of my story to be a protagonist with a disability or mental issue. So I had my controlling idea clearly planned out.

A story’s controlling idea should be obvious by the time we get to the narrative’s resolution. First, we need to understand what the controlling idea is not.

  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Message

However, these aspects of story can and should emerge from the story, particularly in the subtext of it. The bottom line is you should have a grasp of your controlling idea before you start writing the story.

Controlling Idea!

A controlling idea of the story should simply be a one sentence statement about the story’s meaning and how it is expressed through action, events and characters all the way through the story’s climax.

Think of it as an X marks the spot on a treasure map. It’s what we want in the end of the journey. Thus, the importance of the concept is undeniable. It will shape the message via guiding the plot and revealing our theme.

This helps writers to know why they are writing the story before the initial fade in. There are two parts of the controlling idea: the how and the why. Below are a few examples of how a controlling idea can produce a story’s theme.

  1. True strength isn’t always in might – humility.
  2. Love overcomes hate – the power of love.
  3. Good triumphs over evil – justice.
  4. Revenge doesn’t pay – forgiveness.
  5. Shallowness doesn’t last – find the meaning/purpose.
  6. Overcoming impossible odds – hope prevails.

David Trotter explains, “Give your movie some meaning. According to Patrick Sheane Duncan, ‘A movie is generally about one thing, one theme or idea, and every scene and every character is formed from that fountainhead’. … Each scene, and the conclusion in particular, points to the idea.”1

If we know and understand our story’s message, we should understand how the controlling idea will produce it. More importantly our audience should understand both concepts: what our theme is and why we feel that way. Your job as a writer is to make these clear.

One of the first writing “rules” I learned is to always think about the reader or audience first. Our stories or art aren’t just for us—they are a communication to others. Do your job well and make sure others will get it!

Get It?

We all go to movies for different reasons, but the fact is we expect to get something in return for the money we pay: entertainment, information, or to escape from reality.

The controlling idea needs to be obvious to the audience if we’re going to help them receive what they’re expecting. The controlling idea is the framework to sell our message effectively.

Robert McKee notes, “A controlling idea may be expressed in a single sentence describing how and why life undergoes change for one condition of existence at the beginning to another at the end.”2 Below are a few examples of movies for strong controlling ideas with emotional undertones.

Knowing your story’s message is important. As we start a new year, do you know your controlling idea?

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  Trotter, D. (2019). Screenwriter’s Bible , Silman-James Press. Pg. 94.

2  Mckee, R.. (1997). Story , Harper-Collins e-books, Pg. 115.

Categories
Screenwriting

December Denouement

Thanksgiving is over and we’re eagerly awaiting Christmas and the new year! It’s a safe bet 2020 hasn’t gone the way many of us had planned our hope. It’s a sad fact in life that while all things come to an end, they don’t necessarily end like we want.

As I write this nearly 1 ½ million people have died from Covid-19, it’s a safe bet that their fate was unexpected. While 2020 nears an end, our hopes for what 2021 will bring depend on the resolution of this year.

  • A vaccine.
  • Better health.
  • Financial gains.
  • A return to normal life.

In storytelling, the resolution is the end game of the story, it is what everything has been leading to: goals, hopes, and freedom. In a five-act structure, resolution is known as a denouement.

Denouement?

A Denouement is meant to tie up loose ends our climax didn’t settle and may even have caused. McKee notes, “The resolution, the fifth of the five-part structure, is any material left after climax.”1

If we break down the word Denouement we can better understand its purpose. M-W.com says: from Latin nodus knot, node; akin to Middle Irish naidm bond Middle English, from Latin nodus knot, node; akin to Middle Irish naidm bond.”

While the denouement is the final act of the story, it isn’t necessarily the end of our characters’ life journey. (Hence the rise of movie sequels.) This is why there are so many different kinds of story endings.

1. Book endings (The Bodyguard): this resolution uses similar imagery and characters to the setup of the film. It brings a story to a full circle while answering some questions along the way. I use this type of ending in my current WIP.

2. Narrator Ending (A Very Long Engagement): this concludes with narration by one of the characters over a still or moving image from the story.

3. Twist ending (Seven): these endings are inevitable, but not predictable. They are typical of mystery and horror movies.

4. Expected ending ( Pretty Woman): These endings conform to genre conventions. If they aren’t included in your screenplay the audience will notice something is lacking. An example is a romantic comedy. We all know the fated couple will eventually end up together. We enjoy these films because the characters have overcome multiple obstacles and have earned their relationship.

5. Moral endings (Shawshank Redemption): These are morality tales and the audience must sense that justice has been served. The main characters have learned a valuable lesson about life and have grown as individuals. The characters may either verbalize their journey or simply apply their character evolution to their new world.

6. DUBIOUS MORAL ENDING (Return Of The Jedi) : The main characters have achieved their goal, but they are feeling morally conflicted. Was the journey worth it? Did they achieve their goal? If so, at what cost? These are often bittersweet endings where the characters question their choices despite having achieved personal growth.

7. Emotional ending (Life Is Beautiful): These types of endings require the audience to have either an intense positive or negative response. The audience might be in tears (of happiness or tragedy) or warm and fuzzy inside.

8. Anticipation ending (Avengers Infinity War): This type of ending incites the audience to want more; either by a cliffhanger where the audience is excited to know what happens next or via a teaser scene which gives them a glimpse into how the story continues.

9. Gag ending (Beverly Hills Cop): This is a light-hearted farewell to the story. It could end with a joke, punchline, or sight gag to leave your audience laughing.

10. Confusing ending (Looper): This is the domain of screenwriting auteurs. It doesn’t give a clear indication of the story conclusion and is designed to initiate debate since the vital story details haven’t been given.

While the denouement ties up loose ends, it also hints at what’s next after the credits roll. Because the story continues after this adventure, only the characters know what happens after we leave the theaters.

What’s Next?

Keep in mind, the denouement serves more than one purpose. While it does provide a resolution of the story adventure, it may not be the end of your characters’ story. This gives the audience’s imagination a chance to write more into the story and it gives writers a chance to build a franchise or simply provide a sequel.

The end goal of every story is to convey a particular message or as Robert McKee shares a “Controlling idea may be expressed in a single sentence describing how and why life undergoes change for one condition of existence at the beginning to another at the end.”2 Below are a few examples of controlling ideas:

  • Justice
  • Unconditional Love
  • Greed
  • Revenge

By the time the credits roll in your film, the audience should have a clear picture of what the controlling idea of the story is. As the year comes to an end, we will each walk away with specific memories and thoughts about 2020. That is a December Denouement!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1   McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 312.

2 McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 114-115.

Categories
Screenwriting

Almost There!

By the time you read this, Halloween will be over; which means the year is almost over—more specifically 2020 is almost over! Most of us are ready for the new year but we’re not quite out of the woods yet.

Creatively and literally speaking we are in the falling action stage of 2020. We reached our climax, but we’re still working towards the resolution. Just like with 2020, our stories must continue before we can reach a satisfying resolution.

Our characters and hopefully audiences are still on an adventure towards the goals established at the beginning of the narrative. But, we can’t let the story flatline. We must keep breathing life into it through falling action.

This is why some screenwriters like to follow a five-act structure versus a three-act structure, this approach gives a story more momentum and some would say a more satisfying conclusion. Below are the structure points for a five-act approach.

  • Exposition(the set up)
  • Rising action
  • Crisis/Climax
  • Falling action
  • Denouement(resolution)

Those who prefer five acts over three acts believe the extra plot points give a story more direction and clarity. Cinematically speaking the falling action helps raise the stakes and the need for a satisfying resolution. For that reason, I want to discuss the structure point of falling action this month.

Falling Action!

Storytelling is made up of a series of events which flow effortlessly in a specific direction. There is a cause and effect principle at work here, what happens at one point directly affects what happens next or later on. There is an ebb and flow to the storytelling.

Screenwriter and script analyst Scott Myers explains, “I’m also able to amortize some of the cost of my college education as I remember having studied this part of ‘Poetics’ wherein we learned the concepts of rising action and falling action, the former related to Complication, the latter to Denouement.”1

Logically, the bigger the event, the bigger the effect or ebb will be. Imagine dropping a small stone into the water versus a big rock into the same water, one causes bigger ripples and affects everything else more.

Or think of landing an airplane. You don’t go straight down, but come in at an angle to arrive safely at your destination. The falling action brings the story to a safe conclusion since we don’t want to lose our audience along the way.

So, after the climax, there will be bigger ripples in our adventure. Since climax brings change, falling action shows us what that change is as we head towards our story’s resolution.

Falling action has important functions in storytelling.

  1. It keeps the momentum going forward.
  2. It helps tie up loose ends, especially in subplots the climax didn’t address.
  3. It helps the audience appreciate the climax more.
  4. It builds anticipation for a satisfying conclusion to the journey.

Remember, after the climax, there needs to be a change in the story’s charge, i.e. changes in our characters and their worlds. Falling action gives us a sense of change. It shows the audience that things can get better if we just keep going, keep pushing and make it to the end. Myers notes, “Falling action occurred after a reversal, thus the narrative flow turned against the Antagonist.”2

In the End!

The purpose of stories is getting from point A to point B. If point B is the final piece in our picture puzzle, falling action helps us anticipate what it will look like in the end. Myers concludes, “After the climax of the story, you wanna give the audience a glimpse of what it all means to the hero.”3

The elements of the falling action are the final hurdles our characters must endure before reaching the finish line. This is your chance to raise the stakes and increase the drama to create a better payoff for the audience and characters alike; it’s the bridge to where everyone wants to be.

Below are a few examples of stories with five-act structures:

Regardless of which structure used, let your characters fall time and again before they reach their destination. Our audiences and characters want an adventure en route to their goals and falling action means they’re almost there!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/studying-aristotles-poetics-part-18-a-complication-and-denouement-3367f15a33e9

2  https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/studying-aristotles-poetics-part-18-a-complication-and-denouement-3367f15a33e9

3  https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/studying-aristotles-poetics-part-18-a-complication-and-denouement-3367f15a33e9

Categories
Screenwriting

New Heights (The Climax)

At this point in 2020, we are over halfway through the year and it seems like a new setback or disturbance occurs every day. It’s been an interesting year, to say the least, and we’re still three months away from the end!

It reminds me of the classic writers’ adage, “Conflict is king.” It seems conflict has driven every aspect of life this year, and I dare to say it makes us yearn for a new year already. To continue with the theme of writers’ terms, we wish to get beyond the climax to the resolution, where there will be a change in the narrative—at least we hope so!

As creative writers, we can almost plot out 2020 with the plot points of a movie.

  • Exposition/set up
  • Rising action
  • Climax
  • Falling action
  • Resolution

As these plot points indicate, the climax isn’t what our story is all about and it definitely isn’t the end of the story, just the highest point of tension, this is why we call it the climax.

Climax!

When I think of my script’s climax, I think of a mountain, everything I’ve been writing before this point has been leading to it and nothing will be the same after it.

Eventually, the narrative will have to come down from the mountaintop, but things are always different after you experience a peak. This is why a climax is different from the resolution of a narrative.

Whether it’s simply a scene’s climax or the climax of an entire story, we must be able to see the changes that occur after the climax. The climax brings change.

Robert McKee explains, “A story is a series of acts that build to a last act climax or story climax which brings about absolute and irreversible change.”1 A satisfying climax always brings a change in the direction of our story.

The best climaxes happen before the end of our story because it gives the audience a chance to see the aftereffects of the climax. Many stories use the climax as a resolution to the conflict in a story, but they fail to include the falling action or change in the story’s charge.

Falling action and the resolution don’t have to be far from the climax, but are more effective as separate structure points, as I mentioned in the beginning of this post. Below are a few suggestions for making sure your climax is the peak of your story,

1. The run-up to the climactic moment (last-minute maneuvering to put the pieces in their final positions).

2. The main character’s moment of truth (the inner journey point toward which the whole story has been moving).

3. The climactic moment itself (in which the hero directly affects the outcome).

4. The immediate results of the climactic moment (the villain might be vanquished, but the roof is still collapsing).2

Keep in mind we are taking our audience on an adventure. There will be highs and lows along the way, but the climax is the highest point and there is only one way to go from there.

Get There!

Stories are all about getting from point A to point B and it’s a writer’s job to make the journey interesting and worthwhile. Not necessarily easy, though. What makes a story great are the detours and obstacles the characters must face in route to their goal.

Keep in mind, no one’s goal is to face maximum opposition which is the goal of a climax, not the resolution. The climax is the biggest hurdle in route to our narrative’s resolution. Following are a few examples of movies where the climax led to a satisfying resolution:

The great thing about these examples is that there is still a story left to tell after the climax because then the story has been taken to new heights!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  1 McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 42.

2  https://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/4-ways-to-improve-plotclimax-in-your-writing

Categories
Screenwriting

On the Rise

Six months ago when the pandemic first came to America, scientists and medical professionals thought that once the temperatures warmed up it would kill the virus and everything would go back to normal.

But, as we know, in a crazy plot twist the heat actually made the virus spread like wildfire and everything got worse.

  • Businesses began closing back down.
  • Schools that tried to open have now switched to virtual learning.
  • Large gatherings are still frowned upon, meaning even movie theaters have yet to fully reopen.

The old adage came true, “what could go wrong, did!” It seems like every time something went wrong, fear and negativity went up. This is a clear example of how conflict encourages action and how actions fuel life.

The same principle applies to storytelling, especially movies. As the stakes are raised, the story is propelled forward when actions are on the rise!

On the Rise!

As we progress forward from our story’s inciting incident, rising action is the vehicle that moves our narrative from scene to scene; eventually to the conclusion of our journey.

Although it seems formulaic, it is more a framework to guide us as we go on the journey with the characters. Famed 19th-century German writer Gustav Freytag divided a story’s plot into five distinct stages:

1. Exposition (sometimes including the inciting incident.)

2. Rising action.

3. Climax.

4. Falling action.

5. Dénouement.

As we move from scene to scene, action is kinetic. Before the climax it is called rising action, because there is rise in tension, conflict and risk that creates a need for a resolution. It is important to understand that rising action isn’t the climax of our story, but the preparation for and road to it.

 Robert McKee points out, “In the ideal last act we want to give the audience a sense of acceleration, a swiftly rising action to climax.”1

The action that follows the climax is called falling action as we let the changes in the narrative lead to a satisfying conclusion. The rising action makes us anticipate a climax where the conflict will peak; falling action is the result of the climax.

 Understanding how action works in a story, helps us see which direction it should go.

Which Way?

Rising action in our narrative has a steady charge until the climax, which by nature changes the direction of the story: positive to better, positive to negative, or even negative to worse.

Think of your story’s character arc, where they’ve been and where they’re heading. Rising action is what takes them there. Below are some examples where the rising action changes the course of the story between beginning and end.

The Hobbit: The rising action occurs as Bilbo agrees to act as a burglar during this adventure.

Grease: All the hurdles and obstacles Danny has to overcome to win the heart of Sandy.

Legends of the Fall: As each brother vies for the heart of the same woman in their own way.

Again, rising action isn’t the climax, but the motivation to get there: what should I do? , what shouldn’t I do? moments for example. The answers are when our story peaks at the climax, but up until then it’s simply the action on the rise!

1 McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg Page 218.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

Plot Twist?

Before I began writing my current W.I.P I knew exactly who my protagonist and antagonist were. I knew how they were connected and when and how I would introduce them. The setup for my story was obviously act one.

But, the preparation and this information left me with a bigger problem: how to keep my audience interested all the way until the end of act three. That’s 70 pages or about an hour and 10 minutes of screen time.

Since my audience would have already met the bad guy in act one, I feared that I gave away too much information too soon. So I had to figure out how to trick my audience to keep them interested in my narrative. Then I remembered the key aspects of keeping an audience engaged

  • Conflict.
  • Relevance.
  • Theme.

In this case, its not about getting to the end of the story/destination; it’s more about how we get there and why we need to. Plotting a story should be interesting and challenging for both us and our characters.

As summer sets in a lot of people are planning on taking road trips. Many simply want to go from home to the destination, while others like myself like the little detours or pit-stops along the trip. They make the journey more interesting.

Easy paths in a narrative are boring, that’s why they need drama to keep us engaged. Life is full of drama, our stories should be as well.

Plot Twists?

Bad storytelling is like having a heartbeat that flatlines, there’s no life in it. Each ripple or obstacle in a storyline gives our characters purpose to continue on the journey. If things get too easy there’s no need to continue on in the plot.

Don’t let your story flatline. Screenwriting legend and teacher Scott Myers explains, “We WANT to see our story’s Protagonist struggle to overcome obstacles along the way. It makes for a more interesting read, the plot filled with twists and turns.”1

Robert McKee notes, “The final cause for the decline of story runs very deep. Values, the positive/negative charges of life, are all at the soul of our art. The writer shapes story around a perception of what’s worth living for, what’s worth dying for.”2

The charge of these values should change from beginning to end, ideally from scene to scene. Each change of charge represents a change in character or a change in our story, and these lead to character growth.

Each change of charge is a turning point in our story. Turning points are necessary to keep our stories from flatlining. Screenwriters have several ways to accomplish turning points.

  1. Roadblocks.
  2. Complications.
  3. Reversals.
  4. Plot twists.

  Turning points are a great way to keep the momentum in our stories going forward, they keep our audience on their toes and interested in our narrative. Without turning points and obstacles, stories just coast along from point A to point B in a straight line, which is pretty boring if you ask me.

Obstacles?

In storytelling, we know the journey should take us on an adventure. Whether the journey is one of self-discovery, self-sacrifice, or fulfillment, the obstacles we encounter along the way make the destination worth it.

When a story is told correctly, the audience connects with it. We are challenged along with the characters. Ideally, we will grow, grieve, and love right along with our favorite characters as they overcome whatever obstacle blocks their way. Below are a few of my favorite movies with plot twists.

Don’t make the journey to easy, it’ll bore everyone involved. Sometimes the biggest obstacle for a screenwriter faces in getting their scripts produced is the writer themselves—and that’s a plot twist.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/complications-reversals-and-roadblocks-1515facefba

2  Mckee, R 1997 (Story) HarpercollinsBooks, page 17.

Categories
Screenwriting

What’s the Plot?

Recently, I finished the first draft of my latest screenplay. The crazy part is I didn’t think I had the training to write it. I wanted to use television techniques to bring this action film to the big screen.

However, due to the pandemic and my freed-up schedule, I had the time to do the research and prewriting prep work needed to write this narrative, including:

  • Set locations.
  • Character sketches.
  • Action script notes.
  • Gaming research.
  • Military command research.
  • I.T. research.

With these pieces of the puzzle, I was eager to put them together to reveal the big picture I wanted my audience to see. I had written a storyboard outline on my screenwriting software and was ready to connect the dots in a visual story.

With my story’s theme, I was cautiously ready to dive in. Then I remembered screenwriting teacher and legend Scott Myers’ advice for screenwriting, “It doesn’t have to be perfect in the first draft, just get the story out!”

With my outline as a blueprint, I began to plot the course of the narrative. But, I soon realized that my characters wanted to tell their own story and it wasn’t long before the plot changed.

By the time I got to the words “fade out,” the plot, genre, and subplots had changed. I still had the take-away I intended, just through an improvised plot.

Plot?

Most of the time when I ask people about movies they’ve seen, I ask them about the plot, but the response is always about the message or take-away. The average person doesn’t understand that a story’s plot isn’t what a movie is about—it’s how the writer gets the characters through the story.

Simply put the plot is how we get from point A (the beginning) to point B (the end.) Master storyteller and screenwriting genius Robert McKee explains, “Plot is an accurate term that names the internally consistent, interrelated pattern of events that move through time to shape and design a story.1”

Our jobs as screenwriters is to plot the events leading from point A to point B and hopefully craft an entertaining story along the way; these events are more than just information, like dominoes they have a cause and effect on each other to move our narrative forward. Take for example the plots of movies like The Sixth Sense or Split.

The plot is the road map for your story. In my limited experience in writing fiction, I’ve had to learn to listen to my characters as they share the parts of their stories that influence my narratives’ plot. Keep in mind the following seven elements of the plot as you write:

  1. Inciting action – this is the first domino that gets the story moving.
  2. Rising action – A sequence of events that causes the protagonist to struggle with some sort of conflict.
  3. Climax – the highest point of conflict when change occurs for the protagonist.
  4. Falling action – the bridge between the climax and the denouement.
  5. Denouement – Where the loose ends of your story are wrapped up.
  6. Resolution – this wraps up the story.

The more time I spend with my characters and in their world, the more I understand their journey; how each of the previous elements will fit together in my narrative puzzle.

In sticking with Scott Myers’ teaching on first drafts, it’s okay to have loose ends and unclear motives in the first draft, because at this point we’re just setting up the dominoes where they’ll connect with the others as the momentum moves the story forward.

  Don’t expect to hit a home run with your first draft. The average screenplay goes through at least 30 rewrites before it’s sold or optioned. You’ll have plenty of time to tie up those loose ends, tighten the dialogue, and clarify the scene descriptions along the way. Stories tend to change with each rewrite and that’s okay.

Change It up!

In case you haven’t heard, editing is writing. Editing is about more than just catching typos, misspelled words, and bad punctuation. Editing is an opportunity to tell a better story.

The most successful screenwriters know they can’t love their script to the point that they won’t allow any changes, because with each change the story is improved. Studios, directors, and producers only make changes that will make a stronger story, so be prepared to let go of your favorite scene or welcome a few other common changes, such as:

  • Character names and personalities.
  • Scene locations may need to be moved for budget purposes.
  • Subplots can be built up or cut out completely, especially if they take away from the main plot.

The production team wants to be sure that all the pieces fit together perfectly so that the audience knows what’s the plot!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  McKee R. (1997). Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 43.

Categories
Screenwriting

Hooked?

I’m excited to say that I am almost finished with the first draft of my new screenplay. Getting the story down, developing the characters, planning plot twists, doing the research has all been relatively easy because I developed my hook before starting.

If you’ve been in the writing profession for a time, you know the importance of a good hook. A hook isn’t exclusive to screenwriting, but its critical to getting your screenplay greenlighted for production. Be sure to keep a few things in mind as you work on your hook.

  • Be sure to get your audiences’ attention.
  • Be sure it will keep them invested in your story for the duration of the film.
  • Be sure it happens as soon as possible to set up the premise of your story.

It is safe to say that we don’t hook our audience as soon as possible, we can’t sell them on our story. What’s the point of writing or telling our story if it isn’t interesting—what’s the hook?

Hooked!

In literature the hook is a literary technique used in the opening of a piece that “hooks” the audiences’ attention. It’s been said that the hook is the most important part of any writing.

The hook has to be strong enough to not just interest the audience, but to convince them them to invest time and money into our stories. Below are a few types of hooks used in literature.

  1. Story or example hooks (antecedents).
  2. Facts/statistics.
  3. Strong statements/declarations.
  4. Metaphors/similes.
  5. Description hooks (visual writing).
  6. Famous quotes hooks.
  7. Interesting question hooks.

In screenwriting there is an additional approach to pitching a screenplay called the “what if” technique. This technique presents an interesting question by using familiar films to give someone a familiar idea to get a studio or producer interested.

Interest?

The age-old adage is true: always make a great first impression. Just like in dating, the first impression is what gets us interested. This is even more so in screenwriting. How many times have you begun watching a movie but failed to get interested in the first few minutes? Did you want to go on the journey with the characters or give up?

Screenwriting legend David Trotter explains it this way:

“the first thing your script should be concerned with is engaging the reader and setting forth the rules or parameters of your story.”1

David Trotter

When I first started writing screenplays almost 20 years ago, the emphasis was placed on the first 10 pages or 10 minutes of screen time to hook an audience.

Nowadays, screenwriters don’t have that luxury. Technology has affected the audiences’ attention span. It is more realistic to plan your hook around 5 to 7 pages in, the sooner the better, but keep in mind the sooner it is, the more interesting it needs to be to keep your audience hooked for the remainder of the script.

 Still unsure? Check out these movies below and see how the hook is interesting enough to keep you following along with your characters through the story’s plot.

  • Independence Day What if aliens invaded the earth and civilization fought for their freedom?
  • Jurassic Park What if scientists used the DNA of dinosaurs to bring them back and then placed them in a park?
  • Back to the Future What if a young teen used a time machine to go back to the past and then got stuck there?

Movies with great hooks take us on an adventure and make us want to follow the heroes’ journey from beginning to end. While working on my latest WIP, I’ve had to do a good bit of research, and the more I’ve researched, the more I wanted to write this inspiring story of adventure. For me, the writing process has gotten me hooked!

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

1  Trotter, D, The Screenwriter’s Bible. Silman-James Press, Los Angeles. (2019) , p11.

Categories
Screenwriting

Elevator Pitch

If you think the Coronapocalypse has the US economy down, imagine the effect it is having on Hollywood. Most of the major literary agencies have had major layoffs or reductions in salaries for the agents.  Studios have shut down production on some movies and delayed the release of others. For example:

The last time Hollywood shutdown for non-strike related reasons was 100 years ago due to the Great Depression. Since then Hollywood has operated at warp speed with everyone and their uncle trying to get their pitch to the right people.

The Coronavirus has seriously impeded the process of getting new scripts pitched to studios. And yet, recently I was messaging back and forth with one of my screenwriting mentors and briefly shared with him the concept of my WIP. He requested a copy of the completed draft, all because I quickly pitched my story concept and theme briefly.

The Elevator Pitch?

Although elevator pitch isn’t exclusively used in Hollywood, its function is imperative to the film-making process. If you’re not familiar with the term, an elevator pitch is a short informative sales pitch for whatever product, service, or idea trying to be sold or produced. The key factor is getting the basics in the quickest amount of time.

In show business, it provides a screenwriter with an explosive burst of creative information about the story which can be understood in a short amount of time, idealistically in a brief elevator ride with a studio executive or producer.

You never know when the stars may align and allow you to share your story. For screenwriters is a great time to include your log line for your script. There are many urban legends about how the term elevator pitch came about.

The most accepted one is from the golden days of Hollywood, where dreams came true. Every writer, both good and bad flocked to Hollywood to share their stories with directors and producers to make their writing dreams come true. If you were screenwriter in Hollywood and saw a producer or director getting into an elevator, you could follow them and try to explain your story before arriving at the next floor.

              Obviously, the pitch had to be spot on, entertaining and informative, concise. How else would a producer remember it from countless other ideas he had heard already? But, if you do it right, you’re one step closer to your dreams coming true. The concept of the elevator pitch is so popular that it has shown up in several movies and TV shows, below are just a few:

  1. Iron Man
  2. The Pursuit of Happiness
  3. The Dilemma
  4. Mad Men

Screenwriters need to know their stories well enough to pitch them like a pro at a moment’s notice. This could be a chance to make your dreams come true. Be sure to keep it brief but interesting. Script Magazine has a few more suggestions:

  1. Never tell your whole story.
  2. Focus on revealing the essential elements of your story.
  3. Begin by revealing how you came up with the idea.
  4. Leave the buyer in suspense.
  5. Finished your description with the title and your log line.
  6. Follow the log line with a question.
  7. Answer the buyer’s questions succinctly.[i]

Remember the main goal is to always keep whoever you’re pitching to and your audience interested in your story.

Interested?

Everything in the entertainment industry hinges around interest: is the story interesting enough to be written? Is there enough interest to invest millions of dollars into telling it? Is it interesting enough to make people want to spend their hard-earned money to go see it at the theaters?

There is no quick or simple equation to check off each answer. But there are a few high points we should aspire to infuse into our stories; I call it the R.A.R.E formula:

  • Relevant: What makes the story need to be told now and why?
  • Anticipation: Is there a desire to go on a journey with the character or characters?
  • Relatable: Will an audience relate to their characters or their journey?
  • Excitement: is there enough excitement to keep the eventual audience interested for 90 minutes to two hours?

If you check these high points off, you’ll be able to hook the right people with your elevator pitch.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i] https://scriptmag.com/career/7-keys-to-a-great-pitch

Categories
Screenwriting

Log lines

In the business of screenwriting, everyone dreams of getting a big sale with their passion project, projects they worked on for years. Unfortunately, most aspiring screenwriters spend time writing their screenplays without taking the other necessary steps to get the deal done.

The screenwriting business isn’t as simple as a great story idea. If it were anybody and their uncle could do it. Most people believe they have come up with the best story idea Hollywood has ever seen.

But show business doesn’t just hinge on great stories. While concept may be king there, there are other players in the king’s court and I’m not just talking about story structure. I am referring to the other industry specific tools screenwriters must master.

  • Options
  •  Treatments
  • Log lines

Since I’ve already discussed the first two, this month I want to look at the log line and how it works together with the other tools in the screenwriter’s tool belt.

Log Lines?

Log lines are often overlooked and overdone. Basically, log lines are a 1 to 2 sentence description of what your screenplay is about. The hard part about writing log lines is not giving too much information, but teasing the high points of your narrative.

Your log line should introduce the world of the story, the conflict and the hook, all without wasting any words. Trim the fat—just the meat of the story.

Once you develop your log line, not only will you use it as a guide for writing your screenplay, you also want to use it as your opening line of your treatment that you send out to potential agents, studios or producers.

This will be everyone’s first look at the story you’re trying to pitch. Screenwriting coach and legend Scott Myers advises, “Concise, concise, concise. One sentence that generally describes the script. General is the key word. Don’t worry about every detail of the story in the log line.”

If it is so simple, why do so many screenwriters skip this step in the screenwriting process? Killer log lines often help get movies green-lighted. Below are a few.

  1. Matrix A computer hacker learns from mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and his role in the war against its controllers.
  2. Silence of the Lambs A young F.B.I. cadet must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims.
  3. Star Wars An orphan farm boy on planet in the galaxy far far away must unite with robots and rebels to fight against an evil controlling empire to save the galaxy.
  4. The Hangover A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him.
  5. A Very Long Engagement A French woman sets out to find the truth about her missing fiancé after he is sent off to serve in World War I.
  6. Good Will Hunting A young janitor at M.I.T. has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Log lines should tease your story not tell it, as shown in examples above. Give the hook, concept and introduce a few characters, then get out of the way. Ideally, that should be enough to give anyone the premise of your story.

Creatives may feel their work deserves a more thorough explanation in order to entice the right people, but the hard truth of the business is that studio execs, producers and even literary agents don’t have the time to read all of the countless scripts, treatments or queries they receive.

Hence, the power of the almighty log line. It’s great for explaining the concept of your story in the shortest amount of time, with the most impact. And in Hollywood, timing is everything!

Don’t Waste Time!

It can take years and possibly decades to get a movie made after a screenplay is written. The production process is time-consuming and scripts often become dated quickly.

Hollywood is not some get quick rich business, by the time screenwriters “make it,” they have paid their dues by writing dozens of screenplays either on assignment or spec. It takes time to learn the craft of screenwriting, just as with any other profession.

Once a script is completed there are still quite a few stages it goes through before a movie arrives in theaters.

  • Being optioned or sold.
  • Pre-production.
  • Production.
  • Post-production.
  • Marketing.

None of which will happen without an interesting and concise log line that will tease and sell your story. It’s important to remember log lines don’t need to be complex or long, just clear and to the point.

As a rule of thumb, it should be one to two sentences. The goal is for people to understand your story from your log line.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

High Concept

Recently, I was motivated to start work on a new screenplay, one that has been a passion project of mine for some time. It involved taking a cult classic from my childhood and updating the storyline for the present day.

Before I could begin plotting out the story events, I wanted to do some brainstorming to see what modern-day twists I could add to a dated story. My first step was to go back to the writing basics:

  • Who
  • What
  • Where
  • When
  • Why

We’ve already discussed the what (takeaway,) but this month I want to look at the “why.” Why does this story need to be told?  Why is it relevant now? Why will people want to invest time and money into watching it?

In the screenwriting business, this is called a concept and if the stakes are high enough, it becomes a high concept. I cannot emphasize the importance of screenplays being high concept. Producers, studios, and investors want projects that are high concept.

High Concept?

Let’s face it; Hollywood is a business town as much as New York City is. It doesn’t matter what kind of story you’re telling or what your takeaway is, if it isn’t going to make money, studios won’t produce it—high concept typically means a high return on the investment.

In my opinion, this is why the Christian film industry sells itself short; they want to change or save the world, but they only target Christian audiences. Even though their messages about salvation, hope and love should be a very high concept.

If you’re still not sure how to tell if your screenplay is high concept, I found a few pointers in Script magazine:

  1. High level of entertainment value
  2. High degree of originality
  3. High level of uniqueness (different than original)
  4. Highly visual
  5. Possesses a clear emotional focus (root emotion)
  6. Targets a broad, general audience, or a large niche market
  7. Sparks a “what if” question[i]

A way to test if your screenplay is high concept is to ask, what if this or that doesn’t happen? The answer to your what-if should be high risk. This doesn’t necessarily mean complicated. Just that the possibilities are high.

Overly complicated narratives can lose the entertainment factor by overwhelming the audience. A high concept film should be easy to understand: light versus dark, good versus evil, pride versus humility. Keep the stakes high, but keep the story easy enough to follow.

Keep It Simple?

Screenwriting coach and legend Scott Myers suggests “the six-word rule.” “So, if you’ve got a story which has you confused, do this: Try your hand at a logline or short summary. Then zero in on the six words in your description which do the best job communicating the essence of your story.”[ii] I don’t think the descriptions need to be that brief, but no more than two sentences. Below are a few of my favorite high concept movies.

  • Home Alone What if a young boy is left home alone while the family is on vacation and burglars tried to break in?
  • Jurassic Park What if scientists cloned dinosaurs and put them in a park for people to visit?
  • Transformers  What if alien robots invaded earth and hid in plain sight?
  • Groundhog Day What if I a weatherman relived Groundhog Day over and over?

High concept movies have box office appeal, but not necessarily blockbuster budgets. Stories don’t need to be showy or flashy to appeal to a broad audience. Sometimes it’s as simple as touching the heart of an audience or a universal curiosity that makes a movie high concept.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i] https://scriptmag.com/features/story-talk-high-concept-yes-it-actually-means-something

[ii] https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/dumb-little-writing-tricks-that-work-the-six-word-test-f1bc38a8122d

Categories
Screenwriting

Inciting Incident?

Now that a new year is here, I want to start going in another direction. This year’s focus for this column will look at different components of screenplays—how there are alike and different from fictional novel writing.

It can be hard to get going at the beginning of the year. Traditional folklore states that what we spend the first day of the year doing will set the pace for the rest of the year. Thus, when I was growing up my mother always warned me to be careful about what I did on the first day of the year. Here are some of the things she warned me about:

  • Don’t clean – Cleaning on the first day means your house will be dirty all year.
  • Don’t sleep all day – You’ll have an unproductive year.
  • Don’t borrow money – You will be in debt all year.
  • Don’t argue or fight – you won’t have any peace that year.

Like the first day of the year we want to start our screenplays off right, this is why it’s important to have a clear inciting incident.

Inciting incidents?

The inciting incident is the event in any story. Whether it’s a novel or a screenplay, the inciting incident is the first domino that falls and sets off the chain of events that leads to our protagonist’s goal or destiny.

It doesn’t have to be the opening scene or in first beat of action, but in screenwriting, the sooner the better. It’s understood that the first ten pages of the screenplay are valuable real estate, because it must grab the audiences’ attention. This is why a lot of writers plant the inciting incident around page 5 or 7.

It gives a writer time to introduce the main characters and set up the need for change or conflict. Inciting incident ignites the fuse to get our story going forward. Often it gives our protagonist the motivation to pursue something or someone greater than themselves.

Since the nature of film is visual it is easier to present the inciting incident in a visible manner instead of using lines of dialogue full of exposition—we can see the inciting incident in action. (Show vs. tell.) Below are a few good examples from past movies:

  1. Rambo: Last Blood – John Rambo’s friend’s daughter runs off to Mexico to find her father and doesn’t return.
  2. Gran Turino – The attempted theft of a Gran Turino.
  3. Friday Night Lights – Jason gets paralyzed playing a sport he loves.
  4. Saving Private Ryan – The Death of three Ryan brothers leads General Marshall to find the last missing Ryan boy.
  5. Die Hard – The arrival of  Hans Gruber at the party.

Each of the above scenes sets a chain of events in motion that takes our characters on a journey from point A (pre-incident) to point B (the final action resulting from the inciting incident.)

While these scenes aren’t the opening scenes of the movie, they are the tipping points that get the ball rolling toward the eventual climax.

Just The Beginning?

Robert McKee explains it like this, “The inciting incident, the first major event of the telling, is the primary cause for all that follows, putting into motion the other four elements—progressive complications, crisis, climax, resolution.”[i]

As McKee notes above, movies are made up of numerous components. Although the inciting incident doesn’t necessarily happen at the beginning of the movie, it is the real beginning of the story you want to tell. Each of the components below has a direct relation to another (cause and effect.)

  • Characters: The participants in your story.
  • Actions: What your participants do in your narrative.
  • Conflict: Obstacles your characters face in your story.
  • Plot or Plotline: The sequence of events, where each event affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect (think about our domino analogy.)

While the timing and placement in a screenplay will vary from script to script, each should be a direct result of your story’s inciting incident!

[i] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg. 181.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

This is a Test

Recently I received a notification on social media about this year’s film awards.  Traditionally, November through February is awards season in Hollywood. Not just for the blockbuster movies released this year, like Roma  or The Irishman or the big awards shows that are aired nationally:

  • Oscars
  • Golden globes
  • People’s Choice Awards

It’s also award season for screenwriting competitions. For many aspiring screenwriters, the lure and hope of winning a competition is a ray of hope and gift of breaking into the industry. Everyone wants an easy path to their writing dreams. The contest business is a booming industry for screenwriters.

Contests?

When I first started writing screenplays over a decade ago, I thought all I had to do was win a screenwriting contest and agents and the money would follow me everywhere. Back then, I was ignorant of how the industry works and what the real benefits of contests are.

First, I want to be clear about what contests aren’t:

  1. A guarantee of getting a movie sold or produced.
  2. A shortcut to screenwriting success.
  3. Like buying a lottery ticket and hoping you win the jackpot.

These are just a few of the myths I bought when I started screenwriting. But, over the years I’ve learned the real benefits of entering the screenwriting contests. They may not pack as much bang for the buck as I’d hoped, but there’s still a lot to be gained from competitions.

  1. Contests are a way of making connections in the industry, and networking is the name of the game in Hollywood.
  2. If you’re just starting, contests are a great way of getting some feedback about your writing skills. Just be sure to enter contests that offer entrants feedback or as we call it, coverage.
  3. If you are a skilled storyteller, contests are way of marketing your script to the powers that be in the industry. Be sure to check on who the judges are in the contest before entering.

All in all, a contest can still be a starting point for your career by landing you future writing jobs or they may simply build your reputation within the industry.

Starting Points?

At best, a contest or gets you meetings with managers, agents, and studio heads. If you play your cards correctly, you may walk away with an option or two if there’s enough interest in your writing chops.

Eight years ago I won a regional screenwriting competition in Georgia and I remain in contact with the creatives I met through the contest. Although I didn’t get a big sale from the contest, I did learn about screenwriting and walked away with a wealth of knowledge.

In closing, I want to encourage you to do your homework before entering a contest.  Check and see if it is worth the investment of the entry fee. Not all contests are created equal. Some may offer a cash prize, but no coverage of your script or credible contacts into the biz. Below are a couple of the main contests that can help launch a career.

  • Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship – This is the most respectable competition and is run by the Academy of motion pictures (Oscars). Past winners include Erin Brockovich.
  •  The Austin Film Festival – past winners include Juno.
  • Final Draft’s Big Break competition – most winners land management or writing gigs.

Remember if you’re still trying to break into the screenwriting industry, a contest is simply a starting point, not the end of your journey. Ultimately, the truth is about screenwriting contests; it’s a test.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

Options

Recently, I received a message on social media from a literary manager in Hollywood. Although she isn’t taking on new screenwriters, she has already been a tremendous asset to me. This is why all writers need a presence on social media, it is a great way to network with others in the industry.

I’ve spent most of the last couple of years trying to nail down an agent for all of my writing projects from screenplays to books. I kind of wanted a one-size-fits-all agent.  I didn’t want to have to chase down a half-dozen different people to discuss my writing.

And this is where the literary manager helped me the most; she informed me that most agents don’t represent both screenwriters and nonfiction writers, thus validating my biggest fear—I needed more help than I thought to get my writing sold and published.

The idea that a writing career is a solitary journey is a romanticized myth. In the screenwriting field, there are four necessary players to getting a writer’s work onto the screen.

  • The writer: the creative force behind an idea forges it into a story.
  • A manager: managers are accessible and knowledgeable coaches who mentor and guide writers in their craft.
  • A literary agent: agents work as insiders with the connections to potentially interested parties.
  • A literary attorney: a lawyer whom handles the legalities of literary sales.

Each of the above work together as a team to get a story sold and produced. More often than not a screenplay gets optioned rather than sold. Options are negotiated routinely in Hollywood.

The Option?

An option (not to be confused with an option clause for a multi-book contract), is another term almost exclusively related to the film industry.

Most aspiring screenwriters (including myself) dream of breaking into the film industry with a blockbuster sell for their awesome writing. The sad truth is most screenwriters are offered an option.

An option is a purchase and option agreement where the buyer simply doesn’t want to put a lot of money into the script immediately, so they option the rights for a short period of time (six months to a year) for a “down payment.” During that time the buyer will use the script to attract talent or raise money to make the film.

At the end of the option period, the buyer will either pay the purchase price or pass. If passed, the writer keeps any money already paid and the rights of the script revert to the writer.

Since an option is not a final purchase, scripts tend to change hands frequently before ever being produced. Numerous factors influence a scripts purchase, in addition to the market’s fickleness, studios contract crew and available talent.

With these hurdles, it’s a wonder any films ever make it to the screen. Over the years many movies have narrowly made it through developmental hell even after being optioned. For example:

  1. Apocalypse Now
  2. Blade Runner
  3. Gremlins
  4. The Abyss
  5. World War Z

A movie’s production is rarely the result of a talented lone wolf writer. But paired with a producer, studio and creative team; that’s hopefully when our characters come to life on the screen—all options are fulfilled through teamwork.

Teamwork?

Before you know your options, it is wise for writers to put their teams together because writers need all the support they can get. So how do you put a team together? I’m glad you asked.

Getting an agent or manager can be difficult but is not impossible. In today’s tech-savvy society there are quite a few ways to market your writing to the right people or find them. Below are a few ways most screenwriters market their projects and search for literary representatives.

  • Entertainment magazines (Hollywood Reporter, Variety Magazine, Script Magazine).
  • Online screenwriting sites (Film Freeway, Studio Binder and The Blacklist).
  • Film festivals (Atlanta film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival).
  • Screenwriting contests (Nicole fellowships competition, Final Draft competition, Screencraft competition).

I’ve always been taught as a writer the best way to get your work out is to be the best writer you can be, let your writing speak for itself and studios will fight to hire you and you will have plenty of options.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

What Scares Me

Recently my best friend contacted me about having a guys’ night out. He said he wanted to go see the new horror film It: Chapter 2. I agreed to go, even though I’m not into scary movies.

Occasionally, I’ll watch one just to see what all the hype is about. As I write this post It is the number one movie in America. Horror movies rank sixth in popularity over the last twenty-nine years raking in $11,596,900,357. Horror films are divided into three subcategories according to Robert McKee:

  • “The uncanny: the source for horror is astounding but subject to ‘rational’ explanation (i.e. beings from outer space.)
  • Supernatural: the source of horror is ‘irrational’ phenomenon like something from the spirit realm.
  • The super-uncanny: where the audience is guessing between the other two possibilities.”[i]

Knowing this, I decided to ask some of my other friends if they had seen it and what they thought. Almost all of them said the same thing; they hadn’t seen it yet because it didn’t look that scary to them. I guess we all have different types of fears.

Horror?

To be honest, I hadn’t planned on writing about this genre, but my friends’ comments got me thinking about my own fears. While movies are visual by nature and often use bloody or shocking scenes to scare us, I am more scared by what I don’t see.

It’s what I don’t know that scares me the most: what’s underneath the bed breathing hard? What’s that scratching sound in the closet late at night? What will happen if I don’t lock the doors at night? I’m sure each of us can think of our own “what if” scenario that strikes fear into our heart. I did a little research and below are a couple of common fears.

  1. Coulrophobia: an irrational fear of clowns.
  2. Agoraphobia: fear of open spaces.
  3. Claustrophobia: fear of closed spaces.
  4. Acrophobia: fear of heights.
  5. Aerophobia: fear of flying.

Regardless of your fears, Hollywood has been playing on them for over a century. In this ever-changing world, there’s always something new for people to be afraid of. It seems like an ever-growing list of options.

Options?

My father was notorious for being a practical joker. He was always coming up with new ways to scare or just embarrass me. Ironically, we can find humor in scaring people. Maybe that’s why it is so popular and everyone is looking for the best costume option.

But, to me is not what’s on the outside that scares me; it’s not knowing who or what is on the inside. Those are the kind of movies from my childhood that scared me the most. Below are some of my favorite classics while growing up

I have plans one day to write an inspirational horror film called The Monsters Within. Because I believe it’s what we don’t know that is the scariest. We never know what the future holds and that’s what scares me.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

[i] [i] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pgs 19-80.

Categories
Screenwriting

Against the Odds

March is a memorable month for me; it marks my greatest fight and biggest victory to date. It is the month I had an accident that nearly killed me while in college.

The doctors told my family and friends I would never walk again. I had to fight to relearn the basics of life. Those victories affect every aspect of my life. I don’t label myself as an overcomer, but a survivor.

Because I’ve learned that there are many battles we face in life. No matter what part of the country you live in, you’ve probably been facing a turbulent weather pattern.

More than likely it will intensify during the month of March; March is a month of change as we transition from one season to another. But, if we hold on, spring is just around the corner and all of this crazy winter weather will be behind us.

Historically March covers two significant changes in history, the Ides of March, the death of Julius Caesar and a turn in the Roman Empire—and St. Patrick’s Day, in memory of the Catholic missionary credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland.

With the opposition we face in life it’s no wonder we’re drawn to stories about overcoming the odds and love conquering all. We believe there’s hope in the face of adversity. Perhaps, this is why we’re drawn to movies about struggle, maybe there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Hollywood has cashed in on stories of struggle since the golden age of film. War stories and its sub-genre of the love story encourage us to fight for love against all the odds.

Against the Odds?

Hence the rise of war films. This genre examines the dynamics of warfare. Intense battles and combat scenes are the core of these dramas. Originally these visual life-like historical depictions became popular in the heydays of film.

Over time Hollywood has turned out realistic accounts of history to either glorify the acts of war or to be a voice against it. Whether factual or propaganda, audiences are drawn to stories of strife, especially when they overcome the odds.

The irony of war films is they can emphasize the inhumanity of war or romanticize the tragedy of it. This has given birth to many sub-genres. As Robert McGee points out, “Although wars are often the setting for another genre, such as the love story.[i]”

War Film Sub-Genres

  1. Love story (my favorite). A Very Long Engagement
  2. Historical. Patton
  3. Escape. Black Hawk Down
  4. Action Combat. Platoon
  5. Military Comedy. Good Morning Vietnam

In most cases, this genre’s theme runs deeper than combat and blood and guts. The setting works for themes ranging from love versus hate to good versus evil and miraculous stories of survival.

Deep inside we are all battling something, we are all hoping for a breakthrough. Everyone wants to be a winner, although no one is really a winner in a war; because everyone loses something. That’s just how life works. In the real world, the odds are against us.

The Real World?

One of the things I learned a few years ago at a writer’s conference was to make our stories messy because life is messy. The boy doesn’t always get the girl, the disease isn’t always cured, and no one always hits the jackpot. We’ve all seen movies that were so unrealistic that they’re laughable. How do studios expect us to believe a 68-ton tank can launch itself over a car or an obstacle?

Remember, it is important to keep our fictional worlds believable, especially when set in the history of the world. Here are a few of the biggest red flags I see when reading a script.

  • Too convenient: everything is conveniently laid out in our story at just the perfect time.
  • Defies the laws of physics or nature: even in films, these laws should stay intact unless you’re writing a science fiction movie, even then keep it somewhat believable.
  • The one answer fits all solution: what works in one situation doesn’t necessarily work for every problem.
  • Remember conflict drives a story and develops our characters.

Our ultimate goal is to bring our audience into our stories. Show them the hurt and the struggle, and then show them the answer. In war films, the answer isn’t always winning the war, but the fight.

Set the stakes high, but make them believable, this is drama—storytelling. Robert McKee points out, “We must also create emotional authenticity. Authorial research must pay off in believable character behavior.”[ii]

When we see our character’s actions and reactions, we can imagine how we act or react in the story. One of the main problems I see in a lot of Christian films is the world is too neat and positive. There isn’t a need to fight and when conflict does come; God intervenes miraculously and saves the day against the odds.

What’s the solution? You tell me.

[i][i] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 80.

[ii] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 188.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

What Matters Most

If you’ve been reading my column for any amount of time, you know it’s no secret that I am a hopeless romantic and enjoy reading and writing romantic plots. This genre of writing (romance), whether in books or films, can be rather difficult for writers.

Because everyone has a different definition of romance, this makes it particularly difficult for me as a guy. Whilst most guys view themselves as romantic, we can often reveal our selfish shallow desires.

I share this because I often hear my guy friends talking about their dreams of love—I mean lust—at first sight. For the women reading this, it’s true most men view love and romance from a physical viewpoint. I certainly did while in college. However, in my 20s I read a book that broadened my view and understanding of love. Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages helped me to see other ways love is expressed:

  1. Words of affirmation
  2. Acts of service
  3. Quality time
  4. Gifts
  5. Physical touch

When I was younger, I only understood the expression of physical touch as love. Back then my favorite genre for a movie was action/adventure. But, as I grew up and started dating, I became more of a hopeless romantic.  Who can’t relate to wanting unconditional love and acceptance?

Perhaps that’s why a good romance movie connects with us deeply and longer than the quick fix thrill of an action movie. If a writer can pluck the emotional strings of the audiences’ heart, they can fulfill an essential need for life—love.

ROMANCE?

Webster’s defines romance as “a love story especially in the form of a novel, or a class of such literature.” Personally, I take the subject of love seriously. I don’t find it as something to make fun of or take lightly.

I’m not trying to romanticize the idea of being loved or giving love, I just believe that many of us overuse the term, applying it to movies that are not truly romances. In Story, Robert McKee shares, “By cleverly delaying the lovers’ meeting to climax, these films avoid the prickly issues of modern love by replacing the difficulty of love with the difficulty of meeting. These aren’t love stories but stories of longing, as talk about and desire for love fills the scenes, leaving genuine acts of love and their often troubling consequences to happen in an off-screen future.”

Again, we all have different beliefs about love; my faith shapes most of my thoughts on the subject. It also influences the type of movies I spend my money to view. Some of my favorite romances are below.

With all the junk Hollywood puts out about love, I believe these four movies actually hold a lot of truth. They each show that love may not be easy, but it’s always worth fighting for.

Fight for it!

Last year during the process of rewriting a screenplay, I wrote a scene where my protagonist asks for relationship advice from his mentor. His answer even made my heart skip a beat. “Sometimes you have to fight for love and sometimes love is a fight. Either way, it’s worth it.”

If it’s true that life imitates art, there is always a moment when you know you’re in love—the same thought applies to romantic movies, they have a moment when we see the love between two characters and our hearts melt.

As you write out your romantic stories, keep in mind how you define love and work that concept into the structure of your story. It can manifest in many different ways:

  1. Tender words.
  2. The ultimate sacrifice.
  3. A long pursuit or service.
  4. A well-chosen gift
  5. An intimate touch.

Think of your favorite movies and how they express romance or love. I believe the best romances are more than just funny friend hook up stories, no, they embody a noble cause—love—because that is what matters most.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Traumatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

Genre

When I first started pursuing a career as a writer of the screenplays and began learning the craft, I learned that the first rule is to know your audience. And this isn’t just for screenwriting; it’s across the board for all writers, because, ultimately that is who we are writing for.

Knowing our audience helps us determine what we want to say and how we’re going to say it. We may not know the details of the narrative or how it will play out, but we can determine what we want to say.

Your theme or takeaway will be your message to your target audience. To help decide who you want to write to, look around at the world and pay attention to what is going on. There are so many possibilities with the new year; people are looking for fresh starts and new adventures.

People are looking for different things; our job as writers is to provide new adventures and new messages. In film different messages and narratives are divided into many genres. For the sake of this post, I will briefly discuss the top seven of 2018.

  • Action- $3,936,789,020 via 55 movies
  • Adventure- $2,776,858,544 via 38 movies
  • Drama- $1,571,656,896 via 261 movies
  • Horror- $875,245,579 via 33 movies
  • Comedy- $771,190,520 via 71 movies
  • Thriller/Suspense- $617,768,392 via 55 movies
  • Musical- $309,165,560 via 8 movies
  • Romantic Comedy- $240,993,609 via 15 movies[i]

The general rule in screenwriting is for the writer to establish the genre of the film of the screenplay in the first 10 pages. That way the reader, studio, execs or whoever the first audience is will understand the kind of film or genre it is.

GENRES?

The word genre comes from a 19th-century French word that means, “a kind.” It’s also where we get our word gender from. The idea here is rather simple. Genres are different kinds of films that contain similar structures, themes, and characteristics.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to genres, subgenres, and hybrid genres. Robert McKee wisely notes, “You must not only respect but master your genre and its conventions. Never assume that because you’ve seen the films in your genre you know it. “[ii]

McKee notes six primary genres not necessarily in this order. [iii]

  1. Maturation Plot Big
  2. Westerns Butch Cassidy
  3. Modern Epic Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
  4. Horror Nightmare On Elm Street
  5. War Story Saving Private Ryan
  6. Love Story A Very Long Engagement 

There are always multiple combinations or subgenres of each of these and it’s common for them to overlap. For instance, the last movie listed above is a romantic story set in war times. But the romantic theme of love never gives up is the ultimate theme of the film.

By the end of the film, it is clear that undying love is the heart of director and screenwriter Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s message. It is a love story from the first scene until the end.

The Heart of it All!

Throughout this year we’ll explore a few of these different genres from time to time. But we must never forget that regardless of the genre, what we want to say to our audience through the basics I discussed last year:

  • Action
  • Character
  • Setting
  • Plot

That is the heart of our narrative and will determine our genre.

[i] https://www.the-numbers.com/market/2018/genres

[ii] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 89.

[iii] McKee R. (1997).  Story: Substance, Structure, Style, And The Principle of Screenwriting (Kindle edition) pg 80-81.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

The End?

Recently a fellow aspiring screenwriter reached out to me on social media. She was having problems with figuring out the details of her story and asked for advice on how to develop her story ending.

Like me she is far removed from the security of Hollywood’s screenwriting community, in fact, she doesn’t even live in the United States. Our common bond inspired me to share an unusual plotting technique I learned myself from other screenwriters earlier this year.

Reverse Plotting

Reverse plotting may seem counterintuitive, but once you’ve tried it the benefits reap dividends. Even with my current revision of an older screenplay, it helped me.

  • Create new plot turns.
  • Create new characters.
  • Flush out existing characters.
  • Develop clear subplots.
  • Improving the flow of my narrative.
  • Enhance my take away.

If you’re struggling with any of these in your screenwriting, read this post carefully to give your story a more satisfying resolution in the end. I don’t understand how some movies ever got the green light with endings so bad. Here is a couple to give you an idea of bad resolutions.

  1. Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull- 
  2. Savages-

Resolution?

In the writing process, the resolution is the final element in storytelling. Its primary function is to tie together the previous elements into a proper conclusion.

  1. Exposition- Setting, characters and timing.
  2. Rising action- crisis or conflict
  3. Climax- The height of her story that results in a change of character or protagonists biggest test.
  4. Falling action- Tying up loose ends or subplots
  5. Resolution-where the initial conflict is resolved and the protagonist achieves their ultimate goal.

In reverse plotting, we start with resolution and work backward. It’s a lot like drawing a B and leaving a blank space before A, now the writer must fill in the blanks with the proper steps to show where our protagonist has come from and their struggle to get where they want to be. Somewhere along the way clarify our protagonist’s purpose.

Obviously, a story’s resolution is important. Robert McKee explains, “All films need a resolution as a courtesy to the audience.”[i] As 2018 comes to an end many people already working on coming up with a New Year’s resolution for 2019. They will start the year knowing where they want to be at the end of the year and then spend the next 12 months trying to get there. They’re using a type of reverse plotting; starting next month they will decide what steps need to be taken to get them to where they want to be. Their resolution is more than just an answer it’s their next goal.

Next?

Movies with satisfying endings answer the questions we first develop at the beginning of the story. They also let us know if this is the end of our protagonist’s journey and possibly clues us into what’s next.

However, there are times when storytellers in films don’t want to let us know if there’s more to the story in a film’s resolution. These cliffhanger endings are common in sci-fi movies, superhero films, and other genres as well. A couple of good examples of this are.

  1. The Star Wars saga
  2. The Avengers Infinity War  

In these types of films, stories are so complex the conflict continues through a series of films before the final resolution comes to the end.

[i] Mckee, Story:Style, Structure, Substance. HarperCollins, 1997. E-book.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

The Plot

A few months ago, I was asked by an agency to do a rewrite of an older screenplay I wrote. Idealistically, this sounds rather simple. However, the process of reworking the narrative while maintaining the plot is proving to be both time-consuming and difficult, to say the least.

Imagine taking a completed puzzle apart adding a few new pieces and then putting it all together in a different order and ending up with the same picture as before. Yes, the process is just as confusing as the analogy sounds.

Since I’ve taken over this column earlier this year, I’ve purposely been going through the main pieces of the puzzle we call screenwriting.

  1. Action (Moving Along, Sound Off)
  2. Characters (Keep It Real)
  3. Genre (Messy)
  4. Conflict (Friction)
  5. Setting

Robert McKee noted, “A beautifully told story is a symphonic unity in which structure, setting, genre and idea meld seamlessly.” Together these elements make up the plot of our story. And that is what I want to focus on in this post before we finish the year up next month.

Plot?

When I talk about plot, I’m referencing the noun form of the word and not the verb form which is an action. A movie’s plot is not the same as its theme; however, it can be the vehicle to express your underlying theme or message.

It is simply the main events of the screenplay that someone creates and arranges in a specific order to tell a story. A strong and clear plot is essential to great screenwriting…and great storytelling.

Great movies are ones where the writer has balanced each of the elements to a degree where they enhance one another. Weak writing places more emphasis on one element over another.

  • There may be lots of action visually, but no depth to any of the characters.
  • Characters may be explicitly described physically but have no depth or personality.
  • The conflict may be so intense, yet the story seems chaotic, without any direction.
  • Perhaps the setting is so defined; there is no room for the story or our imaginations to grow.

How many times have many of us walked out of the theater after forking out our hard-earned money for good entertainment to only be let down by an overrated light show or misleading and hyped up advertising that never satisfies our longing for a narrative?

So far this year the biggest flop has been the much-anticipated screen adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time, it has been reported that Disney has lost $100 million from its production.

Last year the film The Promise lost $80 million.

The solution for tipping the scales in the right direction of the balance act we call plot is taking the time to plot–meaning the verb sense of the word, where writers take the time to painstakingly brainstorm and lay out each of the puzzle pieces (characters, events, scenes, turning points, subplots) they plan to use to tell their story.

The end result will be a clearer and more fulfilling plot and our audience will leave the theater having understood not just our story, but its theme, which brings everything together neatly through our plot.

Together?

Once we have our plot, we will see what genre our story fits in. In simple terms, genre in films or literary works categorized by similar subjects, styles, and format. I will discuss this more next year. But for now, the five basic genres screenwriting are

  1. Tragedy – drama that tackles serious or sorrowful events in life.

  1. Comedy – stories that incite humorous narratives about life.

  1. Romances– drama which focuses on a plot about love, between two people or at the least an attempt to find love.

  1. Horror – Plots that offer incite negative responses by our audience, playing off primal fear.

  1. Fantasy/sci-fi – stories that often involve magic or supernatural causes, lots of action sequences as a primary story element or theme.

One of the ironies of screenwriting is the importance of drama. Most of us do not like or tolerate drama in our lives and we go to whatever means we have to avoid it.

However, drama in film helps us to relate to the story, whether it’s a tragedy, comedy or romance. How often do we visualize ourselves into the world of the story?

Each type of drama has its purpose and place: tragedies give us hope in suffering, comedies make us laugh at life, and romances inspire us to love.

Whatever your purpose, it will be a direct result of the plot.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

The Setting

One of the most overlooked components of a story, especially in screenwriting, is the story’s setting. Perhaps, it’s because some writers find the concept confusing and don’t know what to do with it.

Unfortunately, many aspiring writers mishandle an important aspect of the story. Setting is much more than simply what is happening in the background of the characters’ lives, in most cases it is key to shaping their lives.

  • Physically
  • Mentally
  • Socially
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Continue reading “The Setting”
Categories
Screenwriting

Messy

Let’s face it, sometimes life just stinks. Friends betray us, family walks away and sometimes the boy doesn’t get the girl like Danny Zuko did in the movie Grease.

It’s why some Christian movies feel so unrealistic, life is too perfect—what’s the need for redemption or hope?

Last year I had the opportunity to attend my first Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference. While there I was able to learn the craft from 30 year Hollywood veteran Brian Bird.

I’ll never forget his honest observations,

  • Keep your story messy, because life is messy and there is not always a happy ending.
  • Characters grow through messy situations.
  • Write your characters into a corner

Trials and plot twists cause our characters to grow, just like hardships in our lives can make us or break us. Fairytale endings are rare in real-life. Even Christian marriages rarely end up a happily ever after story; even when it does there are still struggles.

The audience can relate to stories that are messy, because their lives are messy too.

Even in my childhood favorite Star Wars was filled with messy real life struggles. The whole father-son angle hits home for a lot of men, me included. Sometimes fiction can be as real as reality.

Reality?

People can relate more to other messed up people. And when they do, they are pulled into the story. The rise of reality TV over the last decade and a half is proof of this.

According to Statistica.com. viewers like reality TV because.

  1. They like the drama.
  2. It’s a mindless.
  3. It helps them forget the real issues in their lives/the world.

It’s obvious difficult and tough situations on the small screen resonate with audiences. Shouldn’t we keep the narrative in theaters more realistic and possibly more life-changing?

Legendary novelist Ernest Hemingway once noted, “When writing a novel a writer should create living people; people are not characters. A character is a caricature.”

Have you ever found yourself in an unpredictable situation? Welcome to being human, sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. Am I right?

Fight for it!

Audiences are drawn to stories that defy the odds. Okay, I admit I’m a hopeless romantic and often daydream about love stories that don’t make sense, love that endures the hardships to survive. The best romances are messy.  Let’s go back to a movie I mentioned earlier, what man didn’t root for Han Solo getting the girl?

A rough-around-the-collar and rugged rebel who becomes smitten with the gorgeous young princess, not exactly a match made in heaven. But it works, because it’s messy.

I’m sure many of you reading this can think of dozens of movies with unlikely love stories that captured your heart.

In college my favorite was the movie Jerry McGuire. Who can forget when Renée Zellweger’s character says, “You had me at hello.”? Jerry didn’t realize how much he loved his wife until he lost her, now that’s messy.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.

Categories
Screenwriting

Moving On

We’ve all seen bad movies before. Films we couldn’t wait to see after watching a brief two or three minutes trailer on TV only to be disappointed and fooled by the hodgepodge, jumbled collections of vaguely related scenes that look like they were put together by an editor with a severe case of ADD or hiccups.

Action-adventure movies are notorious for this poor visual seizure. Like what was meant to be an epic battle scene in Zach Ryder’s Wonder Woman, the Amazonians are defending the island and Ares, the attacker rambles on about the past while the battle rages from one action beat to another.

These stories that have no sense of direction or purpose and just move from one scene to the next; we often find ourselves leaving the theater feeling ripped-off, like victims of some get rich quick Ponzi scheme that promises big payoffs, but never delivers.

We wonder if somehow we missed something, perhaps during a quick bathroom or snack run. Just maybe the problem wasn’t a weak storyline, but poor transitions or lack of them all together—just a smorgasbord of powerful scenes thrown together in an effort to sell a story (1 Cor. 14:33.)

The real problem is poor transitions or lack of them altogether.

Transitions are important tools to help weave scenes and storylines together in a film.

Effective transitions help your writing (story) flow. They help give your audience a sense of direction and purpose. First the writer (creator) must determine the direction their story is going and then they can plant cues or catalysts to guide the audience along.

We can take notes from King Solomon on how God does this (Proverbs 16:9, 19:21). Once we establish the path of our story, then we need to pick what kind of transitions we are going to use to get from point A to point B.  Film uses different types of transitions.

  • Action, movement of one person or object mirrored to movement of another person or object.
  • Specific views or shots which are similar.
  •  Dialogue.

Dialogue is my favorite form of transition. It allows me to mention something in one scene and have it come to pass later in my story. Foreshadowing saves time, whitespace and allows me to build momentum as my story progresses.

Think of it like a mountain stream that flows from a lake or pond at a higher elevation. Throughout the flow of water, the stream picks up sediments and carries it from one place to another, often unseen by the naked eye. But the end result is obvious where the water’s path ends. It’s where the current stops moving.

Moving on?

In the late 1800s the French Lumière brothers became filmmaking pioneers and patented the cinematograph, a motion picture camera. They used it to make their first film, Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory.

It was basically just a series of pictures of workers leaving a factory, no words, just the common action of workers flowing out of a factory at the end of the day.

It wasn’t until the 1920s that audiences were able to hear sound in movies and that took storytelling in film to a whole other level. It gave filmmakers more dimension to their storytelling (Genesis 1:3.) The whole purpose was always to move an audience from one place to another.

Transitions aren’t limited to just film.  Dialogue transition can also be used in fictional books. Christian YA author Tessa Emily Hall uses this technique in her book Unwritten Melody at the end of chapter 4 when Cassie is talking to herself about sharing her lyrics with a guy she is crushing on when she meets with him again, and then Tessa begins the next chapter with Cassie sharing her lyrics with James.

Transitional writing is key in nonfiction writing as well, even in blogging. If you have ever read a post of mine, you’ve noticed there is a hint or preview of my next blog post hidden in the final subtopic of each post. This way I can keep my train of thought smoothly moving on.

Martin Johnson survived a severe car accident with a (T.B.I.) Truamatic brain injury which left him legally blind and partially paralyzed on the left side. He is an award-winning Christian screenwriter who has recently finished his first Christian nonfiction book. Martin has spent the last nine years volunteering as an ambassador and promoter for Promise Keepers ministries. While speaking to local men’s ministries he shares his testimony. He explains The Jesus Paradigm and how following Jesus changes what matters most in our lives. Martin lives in a Georgia and connects with readers at Spiritual Perspectives of Da Single Guy and on Twitter at mtjohnson51.