Week 12

Week 12 :

INTERACTIVE LOCATION WHAT IS A LOCATION?

– Physical place/address OR A World created by writer (A World the characters live and interact in)

– The place in your story where events occur and characters interact – Siberia, Adilah’s Mom’s House, Void deck where Jordus had his first kiss etc.

– Examples of movie locations:

1. Planet of the Apes (Location: A planet ruled by Apes/Humans are slaves)

2. Witness (Location: Amish Society)

3. Billy Elliot (Location: UK)

4. Jurassic Park (Location: Jurassic Park is a zoo/amusement park located on an island off the coast of Central America (Interactive Location: The island is completed isolated, and anyone on in will be trapped until assistance from the mainland arrives)

– When you think of a location, we must consider the:

1. Rules (Spoken/Unspoken)

2. Address (Must be specific)

3. *Other elements that reside within the location

– An Interactive Location is a setting and surrounding that interacts with the characters of the film by adding importance (the characters that is planted in the locations trigger a reaction/response from the people/environment) to their actions

– It is also an environment which impacts the action and heightens the stakes (Harper’s island, Day After Tomorrow etc.)

Week 11 Notes

Review exercise 3: Dialogue

Sometimes on paper it sounds genuine but not when recorded.

>We write best what we know well.

Dynamic Action

– Action encompasses any kind of movement, activity and interaction between the characters and also between the characters and their surroundings.

-Talking about how one feels is not as powerful as illustrating why one feels he way they do through action.

<< FILM IS BEHAVIOUR>>

-Action is the manifestation of behaviour.

-The complexity of the human psyche and interaction is better understood when it is possible to watch the actions, nuances and reactions of the characters.

MOVING PICTURES

The power of any story lies in the narrator’s ability to project a mental picture for the audience.

Watched Steve Pavolsky’s “INJA”  (Australia 2001)

Assignment

2nd Draft of Story due 15 July 2009

Printed copy in class

Format: Courier 12, 1 spacing

Week 8 Notes

Week 8 Notes: Elements of dialogue

•    Dialogue reveals character
-A character will talk about himself and other people will talk about him.

•    Dialogue establishes relationships between characters.
-Once you have established your main character’s POV, you can use dialogue with other characters to show that they have other attitudes, creating opposite/alternative POVs

-This helps to create and sustain the element of CONFLICT between characters.

•    GOOD EFFECTIVE DIALOGUE WILL MOVE THE STORY FORWARD.

•    DIALOGUE COMMUNICATES FACES AND INFORMATION TO THE AUDIENCE
-It conveys essential exposition.
-Characters will talk about what happened, establishing the storyline.

•    DIALOGUE COMMENTS ON THE ACTIONS

•    DIALOGUE TIES THE SCRIPT TOGETHER
-It is one of the devices that YOU as a writer can use to expand and enlarge your characters.

If you can see it or heart it, don’t write it.

•    DIALOGUE SHOULD BE USED SPARINGLY
-Can replace dialogue with action.
•    NEVER TELL THE AUDIENCE WHAT THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES

DIALOGUE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR ACTION

In Hollywood when they look at a page and it’s got too much back, too much ink on the paper, they say:

SHIT! IT’S FREEZE THE CAMERA TIME!!

•    COMMON MISTAKE
-Students sometimes never achieve a level of competence, as they tend to reproduce conventional spoken language, long statements of “REAL TALKING”, and defend their decision by telling us that

“Its how the character speaks”

•    GOOD DIALOGUE is not somebody’s ability to write authentic speech as heard in real life.

-if that was all there is to it, you can just push a button on the tape recorder and then go collect you Oscar

•    GOOD DIALOGUE is the illusion of reality
-You’ve got to know how to edit what people say without losing any of the spirit

•    COMMON MISTAKE
-Students tend to create radio shows with images

FILM IS A VISUAL MEDIUM!

A SCREENPLAY IS A STORY TOLD IN PICTURES!

EXERCISE:
WRITING DIALOGUE
The Scenario:
•    Middle-aged man returns home from work.
•    He had stopped for a few drinks with his friends and forgot to phone his wife to tell her he’ll be late.
•    The dinner is ruined.

Exercise:
-Write a short scene composed of dialogue between husband and wife.

ROLE PLAY:
-2 students to play the roles from their stories

THE REAL EXERCISE
-Repeat THE EXPERIMENT but
-Husband and WIFE are your parents.
-Get two people to read the dialogue
-Record the reading
-Post it to your blog.

Week 7 Notes

Review Exercise: T or F Stories

>>Purpose of the exercise

-A true story is not necessarily a good story

Good stories have to be worked and re-worked

-True life stories do not offer neat and relevant endings

-Life is unpredictable

-In a story, we can and must control the events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being life like.

CHARACTERIZATION: DEFINING THE CHARACTER

every story starts with a character

the character is the heart,soul and nervous system.

It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions

<Without a character, there is no action>

<Without action, you have no conflict>

<Without conflict, you have no story>

DEVELOPING CHARACTERS

-When developing a character, ask yourself

>Who is your character?

>What does he want?

>What is his quest?

>What drives him to the resolution of the story?

1. Establish your main character.

Characters should have a 3 Dimensional Structure

a)Physiology

b)Sociology

c)Psychology

PHYSIOLOGY

-Sex

-Age

-Height, weight

-Colour of hair, eyes, skin

-Posture

-Appearance

-Defects, abnormalities, deformities, birth marks, diseases

-Heredity

SOCIOLOGY

-Class (lower,middle,upper)

-Occupation: type of work, hours of work, income,

condition of work, attitude towards organization, suitability for work

-Education: amount, kind of schools, marks,

favourite subjects, poorest subjects, aptitudes

-Home life: parents living, earning power, orphan,

parents separated/divorced, parents’ habits, parents’ mental development,

parents’ vices, marital status.

>Religion

>Race, Nationality

>Place in the community, leader among friends, clubs, sports

>Political Affiliation

>Amusements: hobbies, books, newspapers, magazines he/she reads

PSYCHOLOGY

-Sex life, Moral Standards

-Personal Premise, Ambition

-Frustrations, Chief Disappointments

-Temperament: choleric, easy-going, pessimistic, optimistic

-Attitude towards life: resigned, militant, defeatist

-Complexes: obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobias

-Personality: extrovert, introvert

-Abilities: language, talents

-Qualities: Imagination, judgement, taste, poise

-I.Q , E.Q

-What is the deep and personal secret this

character has which he is desperate to protect/hide?

1.Seperate the components of his life into 2 basic categories

-Interior

-Exterior

Interior> The interior life takes place from birth until the

moment your story begins

It is a process that forms character ( when you start formulating your character from birth,

you see your character build in body and form)

-how old is he when the story begins?

-where does he live?

-does he have siblings?

-what kind of childhood did he have

-what was his relationship with his parents?

-what kind of child was he like?

-Is he married?

Exterior>> The exterior life takes place the moment your

story begins to it’s conclusion

>process where character is revealed.

-who are they and what do they do?

-are they sad or happy with their life?

-do they wish their life was different? another job, another wife?

>>YOU MUST CREATE YOUR CHARACTERS IN

RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PEOPLE OR THINGS

All dramatic characters interact in 3 ways

1) they experience conflict in achieving their dramtic need.

2) they interact with other characters

3) they interact with themselves

>how do you invent characters?

-try turning them upside down

A monk who is devoted to his religion but is a football fanatic

A common street rat… who loves to eat and cook only fine food

storytelling techniques quiz #1

Week 6 Notes

>>> Purpose of the Exercise <<<

– The letter is a practical, personal example of how a character – YOU – undergo an inevitable process of change

– This process of change is an essential ingredient of any story

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Storytelling Tool 2: Experience:

– A storyteller should be concerned with the potential of every experience.

– Everything about you – where you were born, what food you eat, the bump on your forehead – your experiences are unique and irreplaceable.

– Many of your experiences are universal and translatable and can be used in any location.

– Tip: If you don’t know what to do with a character, make him yourself for a while.

– See how he relates to the world he has been thrown into>>>>Plunder your own personal background!

The things that happen to you as you grow up and the things that are currently happening to you make terrific story sources.

– All people have fragments of stories

– These potential ideas prompt your desire to know more.

– Respond emotionally and intellectually to what you heard

– Good stories are born in the heart, not the head.

– Remember the role of an audience

– After all, you ARE the audience.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Universal Themes

– Friendship

– Hope

– Family

– Death

– Love

– Betrayal

– Loneliness

– Hardship

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Translatable (Jack Neo’s Film ‘Home Run’, an adaption from another movie/ Slumdog Millionaire – could be set in the olden days of Singapore, but not in the present time)

– Setting

– Characters

– Language

– Culture

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Storytelling Tool 3: Memory:

– Your memory is a wonderful cabinet of past incidents which you have experienced or been told.

– TIP: Write what you do not know because you will find some part of you that does know.

– These memories are points of reference to your own past existence

_________________________________________________________________________________________

An Experience is TRUE

A Memory can be manufactured (can be false/true)

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Assignment (True Or False)

Write 2 short stories

– One true, One false

Only the author know which is which!

– Post by 3rd of june.

– After posting your story, visit 3 classmates below you on the blogroll and vote for which  story you think is true and which is false.

Week 5 notes

Storytelling tool 2: Experience

>A storyteller should be concernerd with the potential of every experience. (subsequent events that might happen)

>Everything about you- where you were born, what food you eat, the bump in your forehead – your experiences are unique and irreplaceable.

>Many of your experiences are universal and translatable and can be used in any location

TIP: If you dont know what to do with a character, make him yourself for awhile. See how he relates to the world he has been thrown into.

>>>>Plunder your own personal background!

The things that happen to you as you grow up and the things that are currently happening to you make terrific story sources.

-All people have fragments of stories

-These potential ideas prompt your desire to know more.

-Respond emotionally and intellectually to what you heard

-Good stories are born in the heart, not the head.

-Remember the role of an audience

-After all, you ARE the audience.

Storytelling tool #3: MEMORY

-Your memory is a wonderful cabinet of past incidents which you have experienced or been told.

-These memories are points of reference to your own past existence

-Write what you do not know becuase you will find some part of you that does know.

ASSIGNMENT

Write 2 short stories

-One true, One false

Only the author know which is which!

Post by 3rd of june.

After posting your story, visit 3 classmates below you on the blogroll and vote for which  story you think is true and which is false.

Week 4 Notes

Principles of tragedy

Incorporate principles of tragedy into your writing!

WHAT IS TRAGEDY?!

Tragedy doesn’t mean that something bad happens and the story ends.
>something bad happens as a result of a flaw in character, and you show how this tragic fall forces your character to learn something about herself or himself.

Week 3 Notes

Week 3 Notes
Do constraints help you to be a better writer?
What constraints do professional writers face?
-Deadlines
-Plagiarism
-Casting problems
-Problem with director’s

Observation
-Observe in a conscious way (observe with awareness)
-Train yourself to see and record
>movements
>physical characteristics
>settings

THINGS TO OBSERVE
>Dressing
>Way they carry themselves
>Speech
>Expressions & Gestures

-Adopt a keen eye
-Develop a natural sense of CURIOSITY (curious but not INTRUSIVE)
-An observed event, when subject to simple questions, can set up a sequence of possibilities that will develop into a story worth telling.
For e.g when you observe a couple having a meal yet totally not talking… What questions come to mind?

Storytelling tool 1
>whom am I writing about?
>who is my character?
>what is he/she/it like?
>what does he/she/it do?
>what happens to him/her/ it in the story?

EXERCISE: AWARENESS LEVEL
>People rarely observe familiar people or things closely
>Most people pass though the day with 20%-30% awareness
Mindless observation vs true observation

-OBSERVE in a conscious way
-DEVELOP the ability to SEE and RECORD people
>their movments
>physical characteristics
>settings/places

1.    Walk into the canteen/library, etc and watch people pass by
2.    Eventually, one will catch your attention.
3.    Write down as many details through observation.
4.    Repeat it for second character.
>different gender, preferable different age, different settings, what happened.

Transcribe all these details into the “People-watch” page that you will create on your blog. + do reflection.

Week 2 Storytelling Notes

Conflict
-definition
-opposition of persons or forces
-can result internally or externally
-it is the interactio of opposing ideas, interests, or wills that creates the plot

Types of conflict
-dramatic conflict is the protagonists struggle against something or someone
-man vs man
-man vs enviroment
-man vs system
-man vs against self

Causes & Effects of Conflict
-Conflict arises when there is CHANGE
-Changes may be major or minor
-While change is universe and common, it is not always acceptable.
-Examples of changes (Seasons, lives , relationships , feelings , bodies , locations , technologies)
-Conflict arises when people resist changes
-The intensity of conflict depends how people react to the change
-People must learn to cope with change if they want to survive
-The action in drama depends on conflict

Importance of conflict
-Plot cannot be constructed without conflict.
-Central feature of the screenplay
-As your characters attempt to reach their goals, they come into conflict with each other.
-The end of the story nears when the protagonist and antagonist approach their goals and the conflict rises to generate maximize suspense and excitement.

The Call Home
The Secret Heaven

Writing for an audience
-Screenwriter=storyteller
>the cinematic experience is not just made up of text on paper, but the audiences’ emotional reaction to that information.

It is PEOPLE to PEOPLE.

What is the writer’s purpose?
To connect the audiences:
>Themselves
>Their unique vision
>The Material/Issue
>The Drama
>Others

Audiences want to be transported by a screenplay.

Where do you look for a story?
Within yourself (experiences , memories , emotions )

Practice observing, “listening” and reading body language of people.

Figure how to connect your viewers to your story through emotions, characters, etc.

Week 1:Openers Notes

PROPER WRITING FORMAT

Written assignments must use

• PRESENT TENSE
• 3rd person perspective
• Visual voice (e.g Sylvia runs down the road and gets hit by a car)

3rd Person/Present Tense

-Character is “narrating” the story as it is happening.

E.g. Mark picks up the gun and holds it in his hand. It begins to tremble, as if alive.

known as Voice Over Narration

• Commonly used in

-Screenplays (the story unfolds as we read it) (fosters a more urgent and immediate feel to the story)

-Thriller & Suspense Genres

Passive vs Active voice

Passive voice

-uses weak verbs

-tells whats happening in the characters head

-creates a distance between the reader and the story

Active voiceshow

-uses strong action verbs

-shows the action

-uses an immediate sentence structure

-conveys the story in a lively manner

USE ACTIONS TO CONVEY EMOTIONS!

Create your character.

TIPS for Writing.

-DONT PROCRASTINATE

-Biggest problem is GETTING STARTED.

-Once begun, ideas will start to flow..

-Begin with a short description of your story

-Take a break, find inspiration then continue until u derive solution

-Writers sleep better when they solve the problem in their stories. Sleeping on the job is a NO NO.

-Dont be too hard on yourself, what you write on your first draft is seldom good.

Excercise 1A Openers:ASK YOURSELF

-Whose story am i telling

-What is the point of the story

-How can I engage the attention of the audience? (keep them watching, keep them reading)

Story Comments

• its credibility
• passages drawn from reality or experience
• passages created artificially to keep the narrative flowing (making it up)

Excercise 1B: OPENERS.

-Write 12 Opening Phrases in your blogs under the Openers Page

Examples:

-Sally keeps glancing at her watch

-Joe opens the bottle and takes a whiff

-May closes her eyes and jumps off

-James paces around the empty hallway