WEDNESDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:
ACTIONS NOT EXPRESSIONS
Telling an actor what facial expression to
use crosses into directing-on-paper territory. Better to find an
ACTION that tells the story. In VERTIGO there's a 14 minute segment with
no dialogue that shows Kim Novak slowly being possessed by a dead
woman and finally attempting suicide. This isn't some EXORCIST
style possession, this woman goes about her daily life acting
perfectly normal. But she buys a flower corsage that a dead woman
wears in a painting. She has her hair styled like the dead
woman's. She visits the dead woman's grave. She rents a room in
the dead woman's house (now broken into apartments). She performs
ACTIONS that show us what's going on inside her mind.
This 14 minute segment also shows us the relationship between
Jimmy Stewart and Novak... How he comes to care about her - just
through WHAT HE DOES.
Here's a Billy Wilder story: A studio had a script with a ten
page dialogue scene between a husband and wife - how he didn't
love her anymore. It was great dialogue, but the studio needed to
cut some pages out of the script for running time and gave it to
Wilder for a rewrite.
Wilder threw away the whole dialogue scene. Here's what he
replaced it with:
Husband and wife step onto an elevator - each stands on
opposite sides, ignoring each other. The elevator stops on a
floor and a pretty girl gets on. The husband removes his hat and
smiles at the girl. The wife looks away.
Okay - we get the same information - just without the
dialogue.
The problem with writing "Joe smiles" to show that Joe is
happy is - what if the cast Clint Eastwood? Clint's not much of a
smiler, so how will we know when he's happy? You're better off
forgetting about the actor's expressions - figure out ACTIONS
that show what they are feeling. With actions, it doesn't matter
who the cast.
If you can create an action that shows what a character is feeling, that's better than telling an actor what expression should be on their face. Similing, frowning, etc are all great until they hire Charles Bronson to play the role,
Remember that opening scene in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN when the mother gets the telegram that her son has been killed in the war? She collapses as if her legs were pulled out from under her. Not an expression - an action. And we know exactly what that feels like - when information hits you so hard you actually go down. That's more dramatic than having her "look sad".
Early in the first PIRATES Elizabeth sees Will and reaches for the medallion around her neck - touching it as she walks down the stairs. We get more from that action than a thousand "smiles, happy to see him"s would have done.
An action that shows us character is the gold we're looking for.
HOLIDAY BLOCK - older tips that haven't run for a while because site traffic is slow... look for a bunch of NEW tips at the beginning of the year!
MY BLOG!
SCRIPT SECRETS STORE
Top 10 Films About Underpants T Shirt: SALE $9.99
Did you think UP IN THE AIR wasn't nearly as good as UP, but had similar subject matter?
Think Sandy should get the Oscar for BLIND SIDE?
Was NEW MOON just too exciting for you?
Be heard:
Movie Discussion!
NEW CLASS!
STRUCTURAL FREAKS! - 80 minute CD packed with information! Ready for the freak show?
William Goldman says "Structure is everything". Do you understand structure? Is your script running out of steam halfway through? Exploring different methods of structuring your screenplay - alternatives to the three act structure like the Navajo Story Circle, Tag Teams, Strange Chronologies, and more. Using examples like INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, RUN, LOLA, RUN and PULP FICTION and THE HANGOVER and MARTYRS and TIMECRIMES and CRASH and SLACKERS and other odd storytelling methods. The Structural Freaks Class sells for $15 (plus $5 S&H)
RECESSION SALE! $5 OFF!
IDEAS AND CREATIVITY - 80 minute CD packed with information. Tools to find ideas that are both personal *and* commercial. Hollywood wants scripts with High Concept stories... but not stupid scripts. Developing *intelligent* high concept ideas. How to turn your personal story into a blockbuster - or find your personal story in a high concept idea. Brainstorming and being creative. Ideas and Creativity is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING INDIES - Writing an Indie film? This class covers everything you need to know - from Central Locations to Confined Cameos. Using examples from SWINGERS, THE COOLER, STATION AGENT and others, this 80 minute CD is packed with information. How Indoe films challenge the audience (while mainstream films reassure the audience). Structures, using BOYS DON'T CRY, RUN LOLA RUN, HILARY & JACKIE, and others as example. Writing for a budget, writing for non-actors, getting the most production value out of your budget. Writing Indies is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING HORROR - The essentials of a horror screenplay - what do ROSEMARY'S BABY, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE EXORCIST, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE OTHERS and OPEN WATER have in common? This class will tell you! All of the critical elements necessary to write a script that scares the pants off the audience. Writing Horror is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H).
Click here for more information on CLASS CDs!
Edit your movie! Skip the producers and do it yourself - film your script and use this software for Apple computers to edit, color correct, filter, and use pluig ins for special effects. Create sophisticated animated titles and out put to a variety of different formats, including High Definition. Like a studio in a box!
* * * Buy It!
