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Overview
Have you got a great idea for a screenplay, but don't know how to write it visually? Then this book is for you. It will give you the vital information you need to know before you write your script; the vital techniques you need to learn when you're writing your script. But, more importantly, it will show you how to market your script after it's written. These three vitally important stages will make your script STAND OUT from the crowd. Your will learn about:- - Preparing outlines and synopses and treatments. - The Three Act Structure - Writing powerful opening scenes, and compelling scenes to follow - Techniques to make your script stand out - Writing effective dialogue - Writing a logline to use as a powerful marketing tool to interest an agent or producer. - Professional script formatting - Organisations that help screenwriters - How to copyright your work - How to market your script - The Twenty important things to check before you send out your script
REVIEWS:
'A very practical and businesslike take on scriptwriting...effectively delivers the most essential information in all areas of concern in the craft of scriptwriting. This is an introduction to the concepts of screenwriting that will take your scriptwriting from the basics to a good and near professional level. For that, it has to get five stars. The appendices are also fantastic.' www.bookbag.co.uk
AUTHOR BIOG:
Linda M James is a writer of novels, non-fiction books and screenplays. She has written two historical novels and also had many short stories and poems published. Her screenplay "Young Ivanhoe" is in production and further screenplays are in pre-production. Linda also runs writing workshops in Tunbridge Wells where she now lives after living abroad for ten years.
CONTENTS:
1. The importance of preparation
2. Outlines, synopses and treatments
3. The three-act structure
4. The inciting incident
5. Writing powerful opening scenes
6. Writing compelling scenes
7. Techniques to make your script stand out
8. Writing effective dialogue
9. Loglines
10. Film genres
11. Professional script formatting
12. Organizations that help screenwriters
13. Copyright your work
14. Marketing your script
Appendices
- 1. Script websites
2. Screenwriting Software
3. Options and assignments
4. A sample option agreement(UK)
5. A sample option agreement (USA)
Glossary of common screen terms
Famous last lines
Index.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781845283070 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | How To Books |
| Publication date: | 08/15/2009 |
| Pages: | 190 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Prologue xiii
1 The importance of preparation 1
Ten powerful questions 1
Identifying with the hero 4
Creating interesting characters 5
2 Outlines, synopses and treatments 8
Outlines 8
Step outlines 9
Writing a step outline 9
Introducing a subplot 11
What is a synopsis? 11
Sample synopsis 13
What is a treatment? 16
3 The three-act structure 18
Structuring your screenplay 18
Act I - the set up 19
Act II - complicating the conflict 21
Act III - intensifying the action 23
4 The inciting incident 26
What is an inciting incident? 26
Hooking the audience 27
5 Writing powerful opening scenes 29
A sci-fi opening 29
A fantasy opening 31
An historical drama opening 33
A romantic comedy opening 36
A war opening 40
Photographs 42
6 Writing compelling scenes 44
'Starting late, leaving early' 44
Transitions 45
Choices 46
Screen action 47
Group scenes 49
Details 50
Studying examples 51
Compelling scenes 51
Variation 52
7 Techniques to make your script stand out 54
Avoid camera directions 54
Foreshadowing 57
Using subtext 58
Adverbs 60
The overuse of 'we' 61
To be or not to be 62
The correct layout 63
Dialogue split by action 63
Creating suspense 64
Manipulating point of view 66
Creating fast pacing 68
8 Writing effective dialogue 72
Making dialogue real 72
Making dialogue effective 72
Avoiding 'on the nose' dialogue 77
Avoiding feeder lines 79
Unusual dialogue formats 80
Dialogue and body language 81
9 Loglines 83
What is a logline? 83
What does a logline do? 83
How loglines work 84
Writing an effective logline 85
Using the logline as your sales pitch 86
Tipswhen writing a logline 87
10 Film genres 88
Action 88
Adventure 88
Animation 89
Comedy 89
Crime/gangster 90
Drama 90
Epic 90
Fantasy 91
Film noir 91
Horror 92
Musical 93
Science fiction 93
Thriller 94
War 94
Western 95
Minor sub-genres 95
Combining genres 95
11 Professional script formatting 97
Basic principles 97
12 Organizations that help screenwriters 109
The American Scriptwriting Association 109
The British Film Institute 109
Euroscript 110
The First Film Foundation 110
InkTip 111
Media UK 111
The New Producer's Alliance 111
Raindance 112
The Rocliffe Forum 112
Screen Daily 113
The Script Factory 114
The Scriptwriter's Network 114
Shooting People 115
Skillset 115
The Spec Script Library 116
The Studio System 116
TAPS 117
The UK Film Council 117
Women in Film and TV 119
Women in Film 119
The Writers' Guild of America (West) 120
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain 120
13 Copyrighting your work 122
Copyright and registration 122
Protecting your script 123
14 Marketing your script 126
Learning how to market your script 126
Learn to pitch 127
Research 130
Approaching directors 132
Approaching actors 133
Join Shooting People 133
Send query e-mails/letters 134
Use an editorial service 134
Euroscript 135
Find a unique way to hook them 135
Learn patience 135
Show appreciation 135
Cultivate contacts 136
Use online script services 137
Use script brokerage companies 138
Entering screenwriting competitions 141
Attend film festivals 145
Getting an agent 148
Postscript: 20 important things to check before you send out your script 151
Appendices 153
1 Script websites 153
2 Screenwriting software 157
3 Options and assignments 161
4 A sample option agreement (UK) 167
5 A sample option agreement (USA) 173
Glossary of common screen terms 177
Famous last lines 185
Index 187