DVinfo interested in subforum about scriptwriting?

Chris Leong · May 25th, 2007, 04:10 PM

Brendan
No link, sorry. I get a 404 error.

Brendan Marnell · May 25th, 2007, 04:26 PM

Trying again, Chris. This should be the smaller version.

http://www.uwolchallenge.com/challen...wilderness.mov

Sorry for being clumsy about this but it may be worth the bother. The original links can be found by going out to DVInfo Network, finding the forum headed UWOL #3 Challenge and opening the entry entitled "Wilderness" by Per Johan Naesje.

Per Johan Naesje · May 28th, 2007, 03:17 AM

Brendan, I think you missed the link again!

Anyway here is a working link to my entry for the uwol-3:
http://www.video-film.no/snutter/UWO...derness_lg.mov (67.2MB) Recommended!

Enjoy!

Bill Davis · June 2nd, 2007, 10:51 PM

So anyone want a nice scriptwiriting EXERCISE?

Take Per Johan's script and REVERSE engineer it.

Write a script that you envision would result in THIS video.

I'd be fascinated at the approaches taken by different scriptwriters.

Mathieu Kassovitz · June 8th, 2007, 03:03 AM

Mathieu,

It seems odd but it's a good idea, anyway.

MK

Barry Gribble · June 8th, 2007, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lohman

Great stuff. I seem to have quite a lot of scenes, flashes or perhaps shots in my head (or written down by now). But I never really have gotten a feeling for a story (encompassing multiple scenes / shots etc.).

I'm wondering if this might be that I'm more "suited" for directing or editing? Or do I "just" need to find "my" stories in the elements that present themselves?

Rob,

Actually it sounds to me like music videos could be your perfect fit. It has really developed as an art form and there is actually a lot of money it in. Just compelling shot after compelling shot, with some sense of story, but not a dominating one.

Could also be that DP is a fine place to rest. Making every shot look fabulous...

Rob Lohman · June 9th, 2007, 04:39 AM

Hey Barry, thanks for your thoughts on that!

David Knaggs · June 9th, 2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Lohman

Great stuff. I seem to have quite a lot of scenes, flashes or perhaps shots in my head (or written down by now). But I never really have gotten a feeling for a story (encompassing multiple scenes / shots etc.).

I'm wondering if this might be that I'm more "suited" for directing or editing? Or do I "just" need to find "my" stories in the elements that present themselves?

I am not sure if I can figure this out or how to proceed at the moment....

Personally I could care less about structure etc., at least for now ;)

Hi Rob.

I know of a book which, in my experience, has gotten a number of people writing completed scripts straight after reading it. It's very good with the basics.

It's "Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger.

It's a lot like driving a car. You might be great at "turning the steering wheel" and at "pressing down on the accelerator" but have no idea how to stop the car. Or even how to start the car. So you might be tempted to say, "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a driver. Perhaps I should sell cars or polish cars instead."

This book will show you how to use the brakes and how to insert the key and turn on the ignition.

For example, a director/DP friend of mine was always able to come up with great ideas for individual scenes but could never write a script. He got about 2/3rds of the way through this book, put it down and rattled off a completed feature film script. And it was an excellent script too.

The only other thing I would recommend is to get yourself Final Draft, which is a scriptwriting program. It will automatically put everything in the right script format, so that nothing distracts your creativity while you are writing. But, of course, it's not essential to get the software. The book is the main thing.

I have personally found (and seen with other writers) that there is a lot of "advice" (and some books) which tend to paralyze them as writers. Like, "Forget the brakes and the accelerator. Just concentrate on the windscreen wipers. That's all you need to know." Scriptwriting can be like a minefield in this way.

But the Seger book gives the correct, simple basics of the subject (in my opinion and experience). And the Australian Writers' Guild, for example, only recommends two books on scriptwriting (last time I checked). One of them is this Seger book, "Making a Good Script Great".

Chris Leong · June 9th, 2007, 12:29 PM

David
Love Seger's book too, BTW.
And the other book would be?
My vote would be McKee's "Story"...

Brendan Marnell · June 9th, 2007, 12:32 PM

"Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger costs $10.36 on Amazon.

Must read that, David. Thanks for the prompt.

Rob Lohman · June 10th, 2007, 04:21 AM

Thanks David! Of course it's $20 here in Holland, but I can live with that ;)

It's good to hear someone in similar position as me actually benefited from a book. I've read a couple of others in the past without much look (yet).

Barry Gribble · June 10th, 2007, 05:19 AM

Yeah, I will ditto that on the book. It's fabulous. She has a couple follow-ons that really help to.

Richard Alvarez · June 10th, 2007, 07:47 AM

I've mentioned this before in other threads. I've got SHELVES full of books on Screenwriting, and if I had to recommend two - it would be Viki King's "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days" and Chris Voglers "The Writers Journey".

The first, is a practical guide to the DISCIPLINE of Screenwriting. Look, you can download format instructions from all over the web. You can buy screenwriting programs that format for you, or download templates for WORD or WORDPERFECT that turn them into screenwriting programs. Viki King's book, gives you a practical guide for how to manage your BTUs - Butt Time Units - to get the job done. One of the hardest things for newcomers to do.

Chris Voglers book, was one of the first to apply the writings of Joseph Campbel and his philosophies on mythic structure - SPECIFICALLY to Screenwriting. Still one of the most concise applications of that approach.

In terms of my process - I usually write 'organically'. That is, I write the story as it comes out. I hammer through it. When I am done, and in the process of REWRITING - I will sometimes refer to the books I have as references for places I think need improving. "AH, the second act seems slow here... what am I lacking?" Reach for some of my books, see what the 'experts' have to say about second acts - and then go back in.

I DON'T reach for the books while I am writing. I read them BETWEEN scripts, not during.

But every writer has their own pace and workflow, so that's just mine.

Chris Leong · June 10th, 2007, 10:43 AM

Yeah, me too. I'm such a vacuum cleaner for outside ideas that I don't watch TV, go to movies, read books during the period I've set aside for my own original screenwriting.

Me old writing coach used to tell me - you ingest ideas, digest them, mix them up with stuff you've had inside you from before, then ruminate awhile, procrastinate a lot,
then finally, when it's all ready, ... well you have the rest.

Just outputting without digestion and rumination isn't creation, it's re-creation.

I have to stop myself from "adapting" other people's ideas too easily because I do that at work all day long.
But that's on reality TV so it doesn't count :)

Jesse Redman · June 11th, 2007, 01:59 PM

If you don't currently have an editor for screen writing take a look at Celtx. It's free and is a comprehensive tool!

It has many features such as the ability to collaborate with others who have an Internet connection.

http://www.celtx.com/

May 28th, 2007, 03:17 AM	#63
Per Johan Naesje Trustee Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Akershus, Norway Posts: 1,413	Brendan, I think you missed the link again! Anyway here is a working link to my entry for the uwol-3: http://www.video-film.no/snutter/UWO...derness_lg.mov (67.2MB) Recommended! Enjoy! __________________ - Per Johan

June 9th, 2007, 04:39 AM	#67
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Hey Barry, thanks for your thoughts on that! __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

June 10th, 2007, 04:21 AM	#71
Rob Lohman RED Code Chef Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Holland Posts: 12,514	Thanks David! Of course it's $20 here in Holland, but I can live with that ;) It's good to hear someone in similar position as me actually benefited from a book. I've read a couple of others in the past without much look (yet). __________________ Rob Lohman, visuar@iname.com DV Info Wrangler & RED Code Chef Join the DV Challenge \| Lady X Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| Buy from the best: DVinfo.net sponsors

June 10th, 2007, 05:19 AM	#72
Barry Gribble Major Player Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 817	Yeah, I will ditto that on the book. It's fabulous. She has a couple follow-ons that really help to. __________________ Barry Gribble Integral Arts, IMDB

June 11th, 2007, 01:59 PM	#75
Jesse Redman Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cedar Park, Texas Posts: 182	Free screen writing tool If you don't currently have an editor for screen writing take a look at Celtx. It's free and is a comprehensive tool! It has many features such as the ability to collaborate with others who have an Internet connection. http://www.celtx.com/ __________________ - Jesse XL2 - Vegas - DVDA - Sound Forge - Acid Pro - Cubase SX 3

May 25th, 2007, 04:10 PM	#61
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Brendan No link, sorry. I get a 404 error.

May 25th, 2007, 04:26 PM	#62
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	Trying again, Chris. This should be the smaller version. http://www.uwolchallenge.com/challen...wilderness.mov Sorry for being clumsy about this but it may be worth the bother. The original links can be found by going out to DVInfo Network, finding the forum headed UWOL #3 Challenge and opening the entry entitled "Wilderness" by Per Johan Naesje.

June 2nd, 2007, 10:51 PM	#64
Bill Davis Trustee Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Posts: 1,538	So anyone want a nice scriptwiriting EXERCISE? Take Per Johan's script and REVERSE engineer it. Write a script that you envision would result in THIS video. I'd be fascinated at the approaches taken by different scriptwriters.

June 8th, 2007, 03:03 AM	#65
Mathieu Kassovitz Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: paris Posts: 289	Mathieu, It seems odd but it's a good idea, anyway. MK

June 9th, 2007, 12:29 PM	#69
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	David Love Seger's book too, BTW. And the other book would be? My vote would be McKee's "Story"...

June 9th, 2007, 12:32 PM	#70
Brendan Marnell Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 938	"Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger costs $10.36 on Amazon. Must read that, David. Thanks for the prompt.

June 10th, 2007, 07:47 AM	#73
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	I've mentioned this before in other threads. I've got SHELVES full of books on Screenwriting, and if I had to recommend two - it would be Viki King's "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days" and Chris Voglers "The Writers Journey". The first, is a practical guide to the DISCIPLINE of Screenwriting. Look, you can download format instructions from all over the web. You can buy screenwriting programs that format for you, or download templates for WORD or WORDPERFECT that turn them into screenwriting programs. Viki King's book, gives you a practical guide for how to manage your BTUs - Butt Time Units - to get the job done. One of the hardest things for newcomers to do. Chris Voglers book, was one of the first to apply the writings of Joseph Campbel and his philosophies on mythic structure - SPECIFICALLY to Screenwriting. Still one of the most concise applications of that approach. In terms of my process - I usually write 'organically'. That is, I write the story as it comes out. I hammer through it. When I am done, and in the process of REWRITING - I will sometimes refer to the books I have as references for places I think need improving. "AH, the second act seems slow here... what am I lacking?" Reach for some of my books, see what the 'experts' have to say about second acts - and then go back in. I DON'T reach for the books while I am writing. I read them BETWEEN scripts, not during. But every writer has their own pace and workflow, so that's just mine.

June 10th, 2007, 10:43 AM	#74
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Yeah, me too. I'm such a vacuum cleaner for outside ideas that I don't watch TV, go to movies, read books during the period I've set aside for my own original screenwriting. Me old writing coach used to tell me - you ingest ideas, digest them, mix them up with stuff you've had inside you from before, then ruminate awhile, procrastinate a lot, then finally, when it's all ready, ... well you have the rest. Just outputting without digestion and rumination isn't creation, it's re-creation. I have to stop myself from "adapting" other people's ideas too easily because I do that at work all day long. But that's on reality TV so it doesn't count :)