/screenwriting/ - Screenwriting General

How is your screenplay coming along?

>Useful Resources: Screenwriting
imsdb.com/
screenwriting.info/
mysterymanonfilm.blogspot.com.au/
johnaugust.com/qanda/words-on-the-page
litreactor.com/columns/writing-powerful-descriptions
cdn.writershelpingwriters.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Active-Verbs-List.pdf

>Free Screenwriting Software
story.adobe.com/
storywriter.amazon.com/
trelby.org/
writerduet.com/
celtx.com/

>Fountain - a simple screenplay markup format, compatible with many screenplay apps and text editors alike
fountain.io/

Post your work, talk about your progress, discuss screenplays and the writing process Any film related work is welcome in this thread.

Do you want to get feedback on your work without the thread? Come join the Skype group.

We're beginning a small writing challenge in order to help each other and to see how one another works off the same idea. We're always looking for more writers to join the group so that we don't write in a vacuum. A writer needs an audience for their work.

Please come join us!

join.skype.com/y5eQhLCqBenf

Other urls found in this thread:

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4119978/Kamiyah-Mobley-cries-says-goodbye-kidnapper-court.html
drive.google.com/file/d/0B2qQVlM-BO8UYl9GRVppeFQ4WWM/view?usp=drivesdk
twitter.com/AnonBabble

I'm juggling a few things. One of them is a Dogme 95 style farce that I would like to film.

Should be very easy to produce, I just need a good script first.

I got a few hours to kill. Anyone got some first drafts they want feedback on?

Working on a script for a short film. pretty edgy. i trash muslims and liberal women

here's a brilliant movie idea


dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4119978/Kamiyah-Mobley-cries-says-goodbye-kidnapper-court.html

this is actually very interesting. Pretty sure someone is already on this. Since its sensation news.

Limb is that you?

>screenwriting

is there any lower form of art?

woops! times on my side i'm every1s favorite how'd that happen lmao

drench?

Fucking around with my vampire romance story for 7 months now.

Guys I have some ideas for short films. Have no clue as to how to elaborately write it without immediately hitting backspace after every sentence.

Got any tips?

Map them out in Synopsis first. Synopsis is written in prose form. Which makes it easier for you to flow. Keep things small, not worry about details.

The screenplay format is very formal and usually blocks my creativity. But limit yourself. Say you'll write no more than 3 pages of synopsis. That will help you map, see all the beats, twists and turns. That might help when you go back to screenplay format.

If you want some feedback then post it on the Skype. Ill read it.

What's your Skype? I'll send it to you in a few hours. Thanks a lot!

directing and taking all the credit?

ha ya

b.t.w. why does everyone praise editing so much when all they do is assemple the footage? it's the RITER that maps the story and dictates the arrangement of events, has more vision & power in deciding the cuts of a movie than the stupint editer does... but mayb i just don't know the process

Im on the group thats posted in the OP

Ive seen a lot of difference being made by the editor. Recently I edited this short film. The director was not happy with how it turned out. And I fucked up the linear narrative and it made it much more interested. But very different from the original script.

And I've seen big changes being made by editors who worked on shorts I've directed myself.

Everything up until editing is raw footage the creators can't see objectively, and the editor's job is to hack it into something a general audience could digest.

>Everything up until editing is raw footage the creators can't see objectively, and the editor's job is to hack it into something a general audience could digest.

Yea this dude put it into good words. The sad fact is that no matter how perfect a screenplay is, there still will be elements that just don't work as well when filmed, due to millions of different factors.

Then there is the effect where all the people who worked on the set and especially the director are to close to the project. They can't see objectively anymore. They know the reality of everything. Whereas the editor comes in with a set of fresh eyes needed to help the director reconstruct the story.

Bump

man i have so many ideas but i'm not knowledgable on stuff like surgery or the military and junk, and the stuff i do know is not cinematic at all.
what do?

Keep things simple. I don't need military or surgery or rocket science or quantum space travel. Write about the simple things. Very day stuff. Loneliness, apathy, love. Depression, happiness, growing up. having a midlife crisis. Having kids, making mistakes, having affairs, losing friends.

Throwing a tank or jet fighter in your story won't automatically make it more interresting. Try to find a new original angle to approaches these everyday subjects and themes.

dumbass

...

I had a really cool script, about 15 pages. Best thing I ever wrote
But I can't make it because the subject matter is too controversial (lesbians and domestic violence) for my cast and I don't have access to better actors

So instead I've written two shorter scripts (~5 pages each) which I'm gonna make at the end of the month

>sent script in to contest
>reader gives it a 138/150
>still lose in the second round

fucking cunt

Here's my money. Take it. Just take it and go away!

the film is only "made" in the edit
honestly, i feel like editors don't get enough credit but I wonder how much they do themselves vs the director telling them what to do

tell me im a good writer!

MY EYYYYEEESS

Sorry friend but you're wrong.

Every page has to be dense with that sort of stuff so that in the finished film every single frame has so many things going on.

Just be sure not to go too far in some places.

Besides, tanks and planes and, I dunno, laser swords for example are great for making money on the merch side.

drop it in the Skype group. I wanna give it a read

desu i haven't even touched a script in over a year and a half
my dream is over
its time to die now

Does anyone else actually direct/produce the scripts that they write?
I'm ambitiously making an 18th century period drama in the next month, with basically no budget
I'm super excited!

Ive done about 5 or 6 shorts.

Oh yeah, decent budgets? Any success with any of them?

The first 4 were learning projects. Things that helped me grow but will never see the light of day again.

The last one was with 6000 budget. Half a year writing and half a year production.

Post some shit niggas

racust

what

"no"

drive.google.com/file/d/0B2qQVlM-BO8UYl9GRVppeFQ4WWM/view?usp=drivesdk

First draft of something I wanna make soon. Got critique before, only got praise because I think people just wanna be nice, even professors. Imo, I think it's too fast paced. Just know that it's similar to It's Such a Beautiful Day except live action, and more documentary style. I'm not sure if I got the format to write something like that right though. You tell me.

cool, not

1819
London City, Ext, Dusk
Fade in.
A horse and carriage rides out of the city center towards the river

Carriage, Int
3 men in chains and hoods, THE PRISONERS, sit on one side, on the other sit a very calm man, Musk, and a nervous Physician, Dr Paulson.

Docks, Ext
A large man, Bill, waits in front of a sail-boat, surrounded by 3 soldiers. The horse and carriage arrives.
The 5 men exit. Bill and Musk give each other nods as Bill hands a cache to him. Dr Paulson is escorted to the ship. Bill looks at the prisoners.

Bill
>Excuse me lads, ya must've made a mistake 'ere. Companions are not allowed aboard my vessel

Musk
>Calm your tits mate. I'm giving these ones to you for free. Consider it a gift

Musk leans in close to Bill

Musk
>They're enemies of the state. They made a deal with the Frenchman

Bill
>Napoleon?

Bill considers his choices before signalling to allow the prisoners to board the ship

Bill
>A'ight. They can come on board. I'll signal the harbour-master

The Atlantic Ocean, night, ext
A storm rages across the seas as the lone vessel sails onwards

Bill's boat, Int
The three prisoners kneel on deck, still gagged with their hoods, surrounded by armed guards as the rain pours.
Bill looks at them, swaying with the boat before signalling one of the guards. The plank is raised at the side of the boat.

Bill
>I only have the provisons to take one of you scally-wags with me. Whichever of you scurvy sea-dogs communicates is granted safe passage. For the rest of ya, it's the plank

The first prisoner is dragged to the plank. Bill unsheathes his cutlass, it makes an audible noise
Bill kneels down beside him and brings the cutlass to his throat

Bill
>Who funded the trappings of physician Dr Paulson?

The prisoner stays silent. Bill hacks his sword into the wooden banister nearby and then throws a canon-ball into the sea

Bill
>He didn't swim very proficiently. Who wants to walk next?

Bill gestures for the next prisoner as the previous one is dragged to one side

Cont.

The next prisoner is dragged onto the plank

Bill
>Tell me about Napoleon! Where are his troops located?

Silence, other than the thunderous rain

Bill
>Pretty loyal for a sword-for-hire!

PRISONER #3
>Or maybe he's querying why it is that you need to cut someone before throwing them to the sea?

Bill
>Ah, so you can speak?

Bill approaches the third prisoner slowly, as the guards watch nervously

PRISONER #3
>No one cared who I was until I conquered Europe

As Bill removes the mask, we see it is covering none other than General Napoleon himself, wearing his signature hat

Bill
>If you were to lose that hat o' yours, would you get wet? Haha

Bill laughs heartidly and his soldiers soon join in

Napoleon
>It would hurt a lot...

Bill
>You're a commander ain't ya?

Napoleon
>For thee

Bill is stunned by the bravity of this kidnapped general

Bill
>Was getting imprisoned part of your strategy

Napoleon
>Aye. I had to know what Dr Paulson had let slip

Dr Paulson suddenly speaks out of turn

Dr Paulson
>Not a thing! I'd never talk to these Brits!

Napoleon looks unamused

Bill
>Well good goin' ya french-frog. You're caught. What's the next part of your strategy?

Napoleon
>Sinking this ship. With no survivors

TO BE CONTINUED
I'm struggling to think of a title though. Any help?

stopped reading at tits

queer

oh...

I agree, that tits line threw me off as well. Try to avoid modern lingo or injecting internet humor. I've seen it far too many times in screenwriting classes and it always feels out of place.

bretty gud