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HOW TO BREAK IN
AND SUCCEED AS A SCREENWRITER
by Brian Konradt
Screenwriting is a competitive trade. To
distinguish yourself as a prize-winning writer you need to master
organizational skills, take creative risks, and learn how best to present your
final product. For the aspiring screenwriter, Tom Lazarus' book, "Secrets of
Film Writing" is one of the best. An exceptional screenwriter with five
produced screenplays, Lazarus developed this book for beginning writers
enrolled in his classes at UCLA.
This article examines a few of the
many techniques outlined in "Secrets of Film Writing" and provides examples of
screenwriters who succeeded with Tom Lazarus' guidelines.
ORGANIZATION IS KEY
Master organization and you're closer to
producing a stellar screenplay, not a mediocre one. Ask yourself these
questions:
1. Does the screenplay have a clear beginning, middle and
end?
2. Does the story drift aimlessly or does it make its
point successfully?
These may seem like basic questions, yet many
screenwriters grapple with organizational problems.
Lazarus addresses
this issue in his book; he recommends writers use one of four organizational
methods to ensure their screenplays flow smoothly: outlines, treatments, index
cards, and scene lists. All four of these tools are equally effective. Writers
need to be discreet to decide which organizational crutch best suits their
needs.
In writing the screenplay for the Hollywood feature film
"Stigmata," Lazarus chose to use a scene list for organizational support since
he already had specific ideas about the chronology and action details of his
story. To writers who have difficult organizing and prefer a different method,
Lazarus says, "Go for it, because no one is going to see it. It's a process.
There is no wrong way."
MAKE IT INTERESTING
Writing is a
process. Great screenwriters take creative risks. Without an interesting story,
even the most organized screenplay will be unmarketable. The goal should never
be to copy another writer's style; instead exercise your own imagination and
experiment with different ways to spark your story.
When Warner
Brothers hired Tim McCanlies to adapt Ted Hughes' famous English novel "The
Iron Man" for the screen, he struggled with whether he should remain true to
Hughes' vision or develop a new story based loosely on the original book's
events. McCanlies chose to do something risky and wildly creative; he
Americanized "The Iron Man" by setting the story in the 1950s during the Cold
War terror and renamed it "The Iron Giant." His calculated risk proved
worthwhile. American audiences related to the film and appreciated its
examination of an unusual time in their nation's history. Also, English
audiences embraced "The Iron Giant" despite its variation from the original
English text and awarded it the 2000 BAFTA Award for best feature film.
McCanlies' success lends a valuable lesson: when you risk nothing, you gain
nothing. McCanlies, Lazarus, and other successful screenwriters embroil
themselves in chances, write creatively, experiment with different ideas, and
raise their characters' stakes.
SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT LIKE A PRO
Once you have written an interesting, well-organized screenplay you need to
submit your script neatly and according to studio standards. Lazarus warns his
UCLA students about several technical errors in script presentation that annoy
studio readers. Follow these guidelines:
1.A feature length screenplay should be longer than 95
pages and shorter than 125 pages when you submit it for studio consideration.
2. Don't include a synopsis or character biographies
with your script as it gives studio readers an excuse not to review the whole
screenplay.
3. Don't put scene numbers on your script until it is
sold. This is a rule of the game; readers find scene numbers distracting and
use them as an excuse to dub a screenplay "amateur" and unworthy of further
consideration.
4. Studio readers prefer to receive scripts bound with
circular metal brads. Using folders and binders hog office space and interns
may discard scripts unintentionally during spring cleaning.
5. Finally, use one of the many screenwriting programs
to help format your script, such as Movie Magic Screenwriter, Final Draft or
Script Wizard. You can find discounted deals at MasterFreelancer.com (http://www.MasterFreelancer.com), StoryScribe.com (http://www.StoryScribe.com),
and Wizards4Word.com (http://www.wizards4word.com).
Make sure you proofread
your script several times before submitting a script for Hollywood review. Busy
studio readers will not peruse screenplays riddled with basic errors like
confusing "it's" with "its" and using "are" when you mean "our." Use a program
like Style Writer (found at
http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com) to remedy such embarrassing
grammar mistakes. When you're ready to submit your script, grab a Hollywood
Creative Directory (found at
http://www.storyscribe.com/mgbooks.html) to find markets for
your script.
THINK SUCCESS AND BE A SUCCESS
Remember to
take risks with plot and character development, and follow studio standards for
script submissions. Studying resources like "Secrets of Film Writing" by Tom
Lazarus, "How Not to Write a Screenplay" by Denny Martin Flinn, "Crafty
Screenwriting" by Alex Epstein, and "Alternative Scriptwriting" by Ken Dancyger
and Jeff Rush can be helpful for aspiring writers. Developing strong writing
skills takes time, a willingness to learn, and perseverance. Writers who
constantly improve their skills and experiment with new ideas will succeed.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brian Konradt is a freelance writer and
founder of FreelanceWriting.com (http://www.freelancewriting.com), a free web site to help
writers master the business and creative sides of freelance writing; he also is
founder of BookCatcher.com (http://www.bookcatcher.com), a free website to help authors
promote their books.
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StoryScribe.com (URL:
www.StoryScribe.com)