Week 1
Introduction
- how storytelling fits into e ‘big pic’ of FMS
Proper writing format
assignment in class will use:
- present tense
- 3rd person
- visual voice
3rd person/present tense
- a char is ‘narratin’ e story as it is happening
e.g: mark picks up a gun and holds it in his hand, it begins to tremble, as if alive.
- it presents a more immediate and urgent feel to e material
- commonly used in screenplays
- story/film is unfolding as we read it
- fosters a more urgent n immediate feel to e story
- thriller & suspense genres
Passive VS Active voice
Passive
- uses weak verb
- tells wads happening in e char head
- distances e reader frm e story
Active
- uses strong action verb
- shows action
- uses an immediate sentence structure
- conveys e story in a lively manner
e.g.: the sky was blue with a lot of fluffy white clouds — passive
fluffy white clouds drift like cotton in e ocean blue sky— active
Tips for writing:
- everyone will nt hav problems coming up with a list of excuses for procastination
- biggest prob is getting started
- if u hav a work in progress, nvr stop for e night if u r stuck
- always solve a prob n keep going until u are in safer water. A good night’s sleep is impt. sleeping on problems is a myth.
- if u cant get started, start writing anyway. To do this, u need to have some words to type
- it doesnt matter wad u write, u’ll soon begin to think n move in ur own rhythm/ pace
exercise 1A: OPENERS
- Write with this opener:
Li walks into Bukit Timah police post wearing nothing but a hula skirt on his head. The policeman at the admin counter jump off from his seat and shouts at Li. In a couple of second more policemen rushed to the main lobby to see what is going on. As more people arrive at the scene, the more quiet it gets. The atmosphere is tense, and it feels as though the air-conditioner that always seems to be malfunctioning in the afternoon is finally working properly. No one knows what to say. If it is other people who comes in in this sort of manner, it would have been a much more easy situation to solve. But no, this is different. Finally, the policeman currently on desk duty finally speaks after the long pause from his shout.
‘What the hell is going on?’
Li just stands there, expressionless and speechless.
Note down questions u were asking yourself as u wrote it:
- whose story am i telling?
- what is the point of this story?
- how can i engage e attention of e audience?
-conflict is the central feature of the screenplay
- man against man
- man against environment
- man against self
-it’s variations of sex, age, religion n culture which provide variety to the Conflict
Conflict = Change
- change is common to everyone
- change us universal
- bodies, seasons lives relationships feelings locations technologies change
- as universal as change may be, people often resist it for fear of the unknown
- people must learn to cope with change if they want to survive
- the action in drama depends on conflict
Conflict
Definition-
- (opposition of persons or forces)
- it is the interaction of opposing ideas interests, or wills, and creates the plot
- plot cannot be constructed without conflict
- 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 maximum suspense and excitement
Writing for an Audience
screenwriter= storyteller
- the cinematic experience is not just made up of words you might put on paper, but the audiences’ emotional reaction to that information
director to people/ writer to people/ camera to people??? its people to people…
What is the Writer’s Purpose?
to connect:
- themselves
- their unique vision
- the material
- the drama
- others
audiences want to be transported by a screenplay
Where do you look for a story?
- inside yourself
- everything to learn about other people is already in you
- now you need to figure out how to connect to it
• Observe in a conscious way
• Develop the ability to see and record movements, physical characteristics and settings
• Adopt a KEEN EYES
• Develop a natural sense of curiosity
An observed event, when subject to simple questions, can set up a sequence of possibilities that will develop into a story worth telling.
Ask yourself:
• 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?
Most people pass through the day with 20%-30% awareness
Exercise: people-watch
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 as possible through observation
4. Repeat steps 1-3 for a second character
5. Transcribe all these details into ‘PEOPLE-WATCH’ page that you will create on your blog
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After ORD for a few months, Mortar is on his way to Loyang primary school for their usual weekend soccer games with his ex army friends. After alighting the MRT at pasir ris, he felt a bit thirsty and decide to get his favourite strawberry milk shake at Mcdonalds.
Mortar steps into Mc and see that it is filled with recruits and Mortar joins a queue and right in front of him, is a recruit carrying a large field pack on his bag. The recruit then suddenly swing his body to the right, causing the field pack to bump into Mortar.
“Hello! Watch where you swinging can a not, non-ORD ‘Chao’ recruit?” shouts Mortar.
‘I… I… I’ before that recruit can finish his sentence, mortar roared at him again.
‘’I’ what ‘I’? What’s your name? I report to your camp then you know ah!” then at the corner of his eyes, mortar see a green colour card on the floor. Thinking that this was the reason why that recruit swings, Mortar bend down and picks up the card. It is an 11B (IC during NS) and the name on it writes ‘Ong Seng Ann’.
Panick, Seng Ann stretched out his arms to snatch back his 11B but Mortar pulls back, causing seng ann to miss. Knowing the importance of this card, Seng Ann decide to use the BCCT (basic close combat training) skills to get his 11B back. With just a jump kick and a ultimate lock, Mortar is brought to the ground and the whole Mc’s recruits cheers for him.
The defeated Mortar, lying on the ground, mumbles to himself ‘I should not have ‘cao keng’ during my army days, see? I lose to such a puny pathetic whimsy little guy…’
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Week 4
Definition of tragedy
It is an imitation of an action (mimesis) that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament; in the form of action not narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its kartharsis of such emotions…
6 parts of tragedy:
- Plot- Arrangement of story, action plan
- Characters
- Thought
- Diction – acting
- Melody – music, sound effect
- Spectacle – props, lighting, visual effects
According to Aristotle, tragedy…
- Creates a cause-and-effect chain that clearly reveals what may happen
- Arouses not only pity but also fear, because members of the audience can imagine themselves within the cause-and-effect chain.
What is plot?
- Arrangement of incidents
- Not the story itself, but the way incidents are presented to the audience
- Structure of the play
Beginning
- The incitive moment
- Must start cause and effect chain
Middle
- Climax
- It must be caused by earlier incidents and itself cause the incidents that follow it
End
- Resolution
- Must be caused by preceding events but not lead to other incidents
- The end should resolve the problem created during the incitive moment
Episodic plots
- According to Aristotle, the worse kinds of plots
- Acts (episodes) succeed one another without probability or necessity
- The only thing tying together the events in such plot is the fact that they happen to the same person
Simple VS Complex
Simple
• Simple has only a ‘change of fortune’
Complex
• Complex has a reversal of intention ‘perepeteia’ and recognition ‘anagnorisis’ connected with the catastrophe
Character
- Supports plot
- Personal motivations are connected to the cause and effect chain
- The protagonist in a tragedy should be renowned and prosperous, so his change can be from
- In the ideal tragedy, the protagonist will mistakenly bring about his own downfall – not because he is sinful or weak – but because he does not know enough
- This lack of self-knowledge is called ‘hamartia’
Important vocabulary
- Katharsis – cleansing
- Mimesis – mimic of live
- Anagnorisis – from ignorance to knowledge
- Perepeteia – change of fortune
- Harmatia – lack of self knowledge
3 act structure
1st act: set up
• Story begins with a goal-oriented character introduced at a point of crisis
• The character meets roadblocks produced by the plot and antagonist
2nd act: confrontation
• action intensifies
• an event happens which forces the character to make his or her choice
3rd act: resolution
• level of effort rises to new heights
• both plot and character is resolved
• but the main character either achieves or does not achieve his goal
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Week 6
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 do not 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 the audience
- After all, you ARE the audience
Storytelling 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
Tip:
- Write what you do not know because you will find some part of you that does know
- There is always room for personal discovery!
- What is the difference between memory and experience?
- Experience is fact, memory is coloured.
- How do we use memory to build creative content?
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Week 7
Purpose of exercise: true or false story
- a true story is not necessarily a good story
- true life stories do not offer neat and relevant endings
- life is unpredictable
- in a story, we can and must control the events ad sequences so that it gives the appearance of being like life
Characterization: Defining the character
- Every story starts with a character
- The character is the heart, the soul and nervous system f your story
- It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions
- It is through your characters that they are touched
<without action, you have no conflict>
<no conflict, no story>
<no story, no screenplay>
When developing a character, ask yourself:
- Who is the character?
- What does he want?
- What is his quest?
- What drives him to the resolution of the story?
Characters should have a 3 Dimensional structure
a) Physiology – physical makeup
b) Sociology – social makeup i.e. background
- 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, income, condition of work
- Education: amount, kind of schools, aptitudes, poorest subject, marks, favourite subjects
- Home life: parents living, earning power, orphan, parents separated/divorced, parents’ habits, parents’ mental development, neglect, character’s marital status
- Religion
- Race, nationality
- Place in community: leader among friend, clubs, sports
- Political affiliations
- 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, judgment, taste, poise
- I.Q.
- What is the deep and personal secret this character has which he is desperate to protect/hide
- age
- gender
- race
- educational qualifications
GOOD DIALOGUE is not somebody’s ability to write down authentic speech as heard in real life
-If that was all there is to it, you can just push a button on your tape recorder and then go collect your Oscars
GOOD DIALOGUE is the illusion of reality.
- You’ve got to know how to edit what people say without losing any of the spirit and essence.
Common Mistake
- students tend to create radio shows with image
<<Film is a Visual Medium>>
Purpose:
We write best what we know well
Dynamic Action
<<Story is 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 the 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.
<<Dynamic Action>>
• Has the potential to enrich the experience of the audience by heightening the stakes and increasing the tension.
Moving pictures
The power of any story lies in the narrator’s ability to project a mental picture for the audience
Purpose of exercise: addresses the problem many newbies have to screenwriting:
- Write a 1st draft of an original 1-2page story
- 3rd person narrative, present tense
- Use 12-pt courier/ single spaced
- No less than 1 page and no more than 2 pages
- Besides writing your name, student id n tutorial group, label as ‘1st DRAFT’
- Due week 10(next week) at tutorial
- *Remember film is a visual/aural medium
- *SHOW vs TELLING
What is a location?
A physical place
The place in your story where events occur and characters interact
Interactive Location
A setting and surrounding that interacts with the characters of the film by adding importance to their actions
An environment which impacts the action and heightens the stakes
Interactive Location: The island is completely isolated, and anyone on it will be trapped until assistance from the mainland arrives.
Written and directed by Chris Jones
Australia, 8:00
Interactive location in Heisenberg
Desert – isolation – give the feeling of being trapped
Godfather
Scene: in café
VC – vito is calm and silent, F is arrogant
IL – café (separates from the festa)
DA – the slap/pinch, the offer. F is ‘above’, vito is ‘below’
Scene: festa
VC – F is blatant, Vito is cautious
IL – rooftop – separation, stalk
DA – the hiding of gun (not shown)
IL – Dark, gunshot blend with fireworks
VC – Vito more powerful than before
IL – rooftop chimney area, crowded street
DA – getting rid of disassembled gun, meeting up with family, blending in the crowd
