In film reviews and coffee shops people always talk about
gratuitous
violence or gratuitous cursing or gratuitous special effects or gratuitous nudity or gratuitous everything. They take something exciting that has
nothing at all to
do with the story and paste it onto the film... you could remove that scene and no one
would notice. It is
extraneous stuff that isn't really part of the story (though characters from the movie are
the ones getting
naked or blowing stuff up). But people seldom talk about gratuitous characterization...
even though I
see it in movies all the time. Some scene that has absolutely nothing to do with the
story that has been
pasted into the film to give an actor a chance to do something really dramatic (but
ultimately pointless).
If you can remove the scene and it doesn't change the story at all, what is the scene
doing there in the
first place? It's really no different than that pointless car chase - just some artist doing
good work in a
scene that isn't really part of the story. In one case the artist is an actor, in the other the
artists are a
bunch of stunt men. This is different than a scene where the action or nudity or drama
is required to tell
the story. Since we're storytellers, we want all of those car chases and nude scenes
and big dramatic
moments to be integral to the story.
But story grows from character. Without characters and characterization and drama
we wouldn't
have any stories to tell. There may come a time in your script where you want to show
us your
character with a brief action or line that shows the very essence of the character or
gives us a quick
peek inside their mind... but may not seem directly related to the story. There's a funny
character
moment in ROAD WARRIOR where the Feral Kid sees the gyrocopter for the first time
and is
fascinated by the blades of the propeller... which are similar to the blade of his
boomerang. It's a quick
moment, but it always gets a laugh. It's both character (for the Kid) *and* story (it establishes the relationship between the two, which impacts the whole story).
THE VISITOR was one of my favorite little movies from a few years ago, and a great example of using small moments to show us character... and all of those moments are not just character related, they are *story* related. It's a nice little art house film, that takes a stuffy upper-middle class college professor and immerses him into a world of immigrants trying to make it in America.
Character actor Richard Jenkins plays a very uptight college professor who is practically forced to give a presentation in New York by his college. He seems to be suffering from inertia, and would rather just stay in his suburban home and take piano lessons. But, since he has an old apartment in New York that he hasn't been to in years, he's elected to give the lecture.
When he arrives at his unused NYC apartment... there are fresh flowers on the table. Someone's belongings in the living room. Someone is squatting in his empty apartment. Then he hears a noise from the bathroom... there's someone in the tub! A woman taking a bath! She screams and wants to call the police. Ends up a young immigrant couple have been living there - and they think *he's* the intruder. They have been playing rent to a "landlord" who seems to be a past super for the building with access to the keys. Jenkins even acts like he doesn't belong there - he almost allows himself to be run off. Once he proves it's his apartment, the couple agrees to leave... but when he sees them on the street and realizes they'll be homeless (and not by their fault - they did pay rent) he decides to let them stay temporarily. Until they can find a place to stay.
The woman (Zainab) is from Senegal, the man (Tarek) from Syria. She makes jewelry, he plays the bongos in several night clubs and in the park for donations. Completely different than Jenkins' stuffy college prof. Talk about an odd couple - these people are from completely different worlds.
The movie opens with Jenkins taking piano lessons, and not doing well. So we know he has some interest in music. He also has many CDs of a female pianist playing classical music that he listens to often... is it the music or the performance of the music that is important to him? When Jenkins comes back from his event to find Tarek playing his bongos in the living room, he's interested in the music. They may be reluctant roommates, but they have music in common. Tarek offers to teach Jenkins how to play the bongos, and it's funny to watch the stuffy guy playing a wild instrument. This is a great *visual* way to show an introverted and closed off character slowly opening up.
McCarthy's previous film, THE STATION AGENT, was about accidental relationships, and so is this film. Though Jenkins has nothing in common with Tarek, they bond over the drums... and a scene where Tarek takes Jenkins to play in the park with a few dozen other bongo players is a high point of the film. But just when you think the story will be about a closed off man learning to loosen up and the healing power of music, the story takes a major twist... and nothing is the same. I've decided not to reveal the twist, because you probably haven't seen the movie - and it's worth a rent.
One of the great things in THE VISITOR are those the small character moments - Jenkins delivers a letter from Zainab (wife) to Tarek (husband) at one point, and turns away as he reads it to give him privacy. This is not only a story scene (the letter) it is also a great character moment that tells us about Jenkins' character. In another scene, Tarek's mother prepares dinner, and measures salt into her hand. The way she has a million times before. Little bits of reality and character. There's even a nice little reveal about why Jenkins is taking piano lessons - it's the big character moment of the film and takes your breath away. Won't spoil that moment for you. Though the story may seem like McCarthy is making it up as he goes along, that life is just playing out; in reality this is a carefully constructed script where some minor thing early in the film plays off later. Little moments like the piano lesson are actually set ups that pay off in story later in the film. All of seemingly random bits are actually *not* random - they are part of the story all along. You can almost look at THE VISITOR as a "character mystery" - we don't realize that all of these moments are *clues* that will result in the audience being able to solve the mystery by the end. And clues have to be carefully planted so that the audience doesn't spot them as clues... and that takes skill and planning. This is a carefully planned story that seems like real life unfolding. That's great writing.
There's a great character moment in Richard Curtis' NOTTING HILL where Hugh
Grant spies his
best friend Max carrying his paraplegic wife Bella up the stairs. It's a tender moment
that exposes how
much these two love each other. A moment of insight into their relationship. Though
that moment
doesn't seem to be moving the story forward, it's what gives the Hugh Grant character
the motivation
to continue pursuing Julia Roberts. You can't really remove that moment from the
story.
In THE FUGITIVE Harrison Ford has just lived through a massive prison bus/train
wreck and is
now on the run from the law. He sneaks into a hospital to treat his injuries... but there's
a moment
where he stops to tell an Emergency Room Doctor about the injuries to a patient
brought in on an
ambulance... one of the guards on the prison bus who was injured in the accident. Ford
plays a doctor
who can't stop helping people... even though it may result in his capture. That's a great
character
moment! Later in the film he is in disguise as a maintenance man in the hospital he
used to work in,
trying to find clues to the one armed man who murdered his wife. He overhears a doctor
(Julianne
Moore) telling another doctor to check a boy's ex-rays... but the doctor isn't listening.
Ford blows his
cover by checking the kid's ex-rays and changing the diagnosis on the kid's medical
charts based on
the ex-ray information. Then he tells the boy that he's going to be alright. This is a very
brief scene that
shows us that Ford is a good man, someone who would put his own freedom in
jeopardy in order to
help someone. Of course, he gets caught for his efforts - Julianne Moore grabs his ID
badge and calls
security. So the character moment ends up being critical to the story. By showing his
true nature... Ford
is captured! This scene shows us the key to creating a character moment that is
integral to the story:
The character contrasts with the story so that when character is revealed, conflict is
created.
In ROGER DODGER Campbell Scott plays a womanizer who is teaching his 16
year-old nephew
how to be popular with the ladies. But Scott has become the war between the sexes
version of those
movie cliche crazed Viet Nam vets who can't stop killing once the war is over. He sees
women as an
enemy that must be conquered or destroyed. All we really see of Scott's character are
his defense
mechanisms... until one great character moment in a house of prostitution when we're
allowed to see
the essence of his character. A moment of self-realization. A couple of seconds that
expose the man beneath the defense
mechanisms.
Think about ways to give the audience a concentrated look into your
character - a
moment of character that helps us to really know who they are. And if you can find a character moment that is
secretly part of the story - you have struck gold.
COMING SOON!!!
Want to look like an expert?
RESEARCH & WORLD BUILDING Blue Book!
Does this gun fire 6 shots or only 5? In all of the excitement of writing your action scene, you might not have done the research... and your hero could be out of ammo! Whether you are writing a novel or screenplay, you can save your hero, and your story, by doing a little research first! This book looks at Why you should research, Whether you should research First or Later, PLUS the importance of World Building in Science Fiction, Fantasy... and the worlds you explore in every other genre. Movies like JOHN WICK and THE GODFATHER take place in their own unique worlds... and writers must create them! YOU are the technical advisor on your Screenplay or Novel.
Using movie examples like TOP GUN, HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, BLUE CRUSH, ADVENTURE LAND, several of my produced films, JOHN WICK, the novels of Donald E. Westlake and Thomas B. Dewey, SPY KIDS, the LORD OF THE RINGS movies, SOYLENT GREEN (which takes place in the far off future of 2022), and many others we will look at researching stories and creating worlds. The 8 Types Of Research, the 10 Types Of Information To Look For, 12 Important Elements Of World Building. Plus chapters on How To Rob A Bank and Commit Murder And Get Away With It for those of you interested in crime fiction, and Researching The Future for those writing science fiction, and Levels Of Reality if you are writing about a version of the real world.
No matter what you are writing, this book will help you find the facts... or make them up in a convincing way! MID APRIL.
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OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC Blue Book.
ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER?
AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?
Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.
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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book!
DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.
IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?
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*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY *** - For Kindle!
William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!
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****
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FIGURE OUT YOUR STORY!
OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC Blue Book.
ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER?
AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?
Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.
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GOT STRUCTURE?!
*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY *** - For Kindle!
William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!
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*** STORY: WELL TOLD *** - For Kindle!
This book takes you step-by-step through the construction of a story... and how to tell a story well, why Story always starts with character... but ISN'T character, Breaking Your Story, Irony, Planting Information, Evolving Story, Leaving No Dramatic Stone Unturned, The Three Greek Unities, The Importance Of Stakes, The Thematic Method, and how to create personal stories with blockbuster potential. Ready to tell a story?
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START STRONG!
*** HOOK 'EM IN TEN *** - For Kindle!
Your story doesn't get a second chance to make a great first impression, and this book shows you a
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Elements, Setting Up The Rest Of The Story (with GODFATHER), and much more! With hundreds of examples
ranging from Oscar winners to classic films like CASABLANCA to some of my produced films (because
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MOVIES ARE CHARACTERS!
*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Kindle!
*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Nook!
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!
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Show Don't Tell - but *how* do you do that? Here are techniques to tell stories visually! Using Oscar Winning Films and Oscar Nominated Films as our primary examples: from the first Best Picture Winner "Sunrise" (1927) to the Oscar Nominated "The Artist" (which takes place in 1927) with stops along the way Pixar's "Up" and Best Original Screenplay Winner "Breaking Away" (a small indie style drama - told visually) as well as "Witness" and other Oscar Winners as examples... plus RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 200 pages!
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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book!
DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.
IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?
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PRO DIALOGUE TECHNIQUES!
*** DIALOGUE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!
***
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting dialogue! How to remove bad dialogue (and what *is* bad dialogue), First Hand Dialogue, Awful Exposition, Realism, 50 Professional Dialogue Techniques you can use *today*, Subtext, Subtitles, Humor, Sizzling Banter, *Anti-Dialogue*, Speeches, and more. Tools you can use to make your dialogue sizzle! Special sections that use dialogue examples from movies as diverse as "Bringing Up Baby", "Psycho", "Double Indemnity", "Notorious", the Oscar nominated "You Can Count On Me", "His Girl Friday", and many more! Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is over 175 pages!
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WHAT IS A SCENE?
*** SCENE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!
***
What is a scene and how many you will need? The difference between scenes and sluglines. Put your scenes on trial for their lives! Using "Jaws" we'll look at beats within a scene. Scene DNA. Creating set pieces and high concept scenes. A famous director talks about creating memorable scenes. 12 ways to create new scenes. Creating unexpected scenes. Use dramatic tension to supercharge your scenes. Plants and payoffs in scenes. Plus transitions and buttons and the all important "flow"... and more! Over 65,000 words! Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 210 pages!
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SUBPLOTS?
*** SUPPORTING CHARACTER SECRETS *** - For Kindle! (Exclusive)
Expanded version with more techniques to flesh out your Supporting Characters and make them individuals. Using the hit movie BRIDESMAIDS as well as other comedies like THE HANGOVER and TED and HIGH FIDELITY and
40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN and many other examples we look at ways to make your Supporting Characters come alive on the page.
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!
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ACT TWO SOLUTIONS!
*** ACT TWO SECRETS *** - For Kindle!
Expanded version with more techniques to help you through the desert of Act Two! Subjects Include: What Is Act Two? Inside Moves, The 2 Ps: Purpose & Pacing, The 4Ds: Dilemma, Denial, Drama and Decision, Momentum, the Two Act Twos, Subplot Prisms, Deadlines, Drive, Levels Of Conflict, Escalation, When Act Two Begins and When Act Two Ends, Scene Order, Bite Sized Pieces, Common Act Two Issues, Plot Devices For Act Two, and dozens of others. Over 67,000 words (that’s well over 200 pages) of tools and techniques to get you through the desert of Act Two alive!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is well over 200 pages!
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All About Endings!
GRAND FINALES Blue Book!
The Perfect Ending For Your Story!
The First Ten Pages Of Your Screenplay Are Critical,
But What About The Last 10 Pages?
Creating the perfect ending to your story! This 100,000 word book shows you how to end your story with a bang, rather than a whimper. Everything from Resolution Order to Act Three Tools to Happy or Sad Endings? to How The Beginning Of Your Story Has Clues To The Ending (in case you were having trouble figuring out how the story should end) to Falling Action to How To Avoid Bad Endings to Writing The Perfect Twist Ending to Setting Up Sequels & Series to Emotional Resolutions to How To Write Post Credit Sequences to Avoiding Deus Ex Machinas, to 20 Different Types Of Ends (and how to write them) and much more! Everything about endings for your screenplay or novel!
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All About LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING!
LOGLINES, TREATMENTS, and PITCHING! Blue Book!
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Loglines, Treatments, Pitching, Look Books, Pitch Decks, One Pagers, Rip-O-Matics?
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READY TO BREAK IN?
THE BUISINESS SIDE
*** BREAKING IN BLUE BOOK *** - For Kindle!
Should really be called the BUSINESS BLUE BOOK because it covers almost everything you will need to
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are working under contract, to contracts and options and lawyers and... when to run from a deal!
Information you can use *now* to move your career forward! It's all here in the Biggest Blue Book yet!
Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 400 pages!
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Making Your Own Movie?
WRITE IT: FILM IT BOOK!
Making Your Own Movie?
Writing An Indie Film?
Writing A Low Budget Genre Script To Sell?
Writing A Made For TV Holiday Movie?
You will be writing for BUDGET. On a standard spec screenplay, you don’t have to think about budget, but these types of screenplays writing with budget in mind is critical!
If you are making your own movie, budget, is even more important - and you need to think about budget *before* you write your screenplay... or you will end up with a script that you can’t afford to make (or is a struggle to make). Everyone is making their own films these days, and even if you have done it before there are lots of great techniques in this book to get more money on screen - for less money! You can make a film that looks like it cost millions for pocket change.
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THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!
*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Kindle!
*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Nook!
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