Watch Movies Learn Screenwriting by Joan Erskine

Joan Erskine. Watch Movies Lean Screenwriting. New York: Everybody’s Write, LLC., 2012.

Screenplays should tell good stories. A good story often comes from within the writer’s passion

A screenplay must engage an audience into desiring to watch a film. The screenplay present the film’s sound and describes the sights.

Most screenplays have a three act structure about a major character. facing challenges throughout a story presented within a theme. Plot points move the story towards dnew directions.

The first plot point often has the main character doing something different from what the character usually does. This new behavior creates the story. The second plot point creates conflict of some kind. The story turns towards a new direction just before Act II is over, This new directions usually leads to the end.

There are many themes, from love, fear, etc. The theme creates emotions through the story. The theme and story are intertwined. By making this interesting, an audience is entertained.

The main character should have a goal established in the first act.

A story’s true meaning is demonstrated through its genre. This creates a film that is of a genre such as biography, black comedy, buddy film, comedy crime drama, drama, documentary, fantasy, film noir, farce, historical, horror, musical, romantic comedy, satire, thriller, true crime, western supernatural, science fiction, etc. or some combination of these.

Character development is shown through providing the character with empathy and for the audience to development empathy for the character. The character may do something that makes the character sympathetic he protagonist should go through a character arc that changes the protagonist.

Character arcs can be seen as psychological changes where th character learns to cope or overcome a fear.

A character arc may change a character’s needs goals point of view, and/or attitude It is important there be high stakes for the protagonist to undergo this process.

An antagonist exists in a story to try and prevent the protagonist from reaching the protagonist’s goals.

Supporting characters provide the protagonist with a means of reflection and creating a voice, Often they question the views of the protagonist.

Characters require contrasting voices. These voices may still agree with others,

Showing something through action is often far better than presenting it in dialogue.

“Direct dialogue” is that which is obvious or “on the nose” dialogue. “Subtext” conveys through messages with underlying, different meanings.

Exposition is often used to show emotions and personality during conflicts. Actions though are often better to use than exposition.

Dialogue should consider characters’ personalities and emotions.

When writing a screenplay, find a theme find an idea; create a story; create characters; give characters arcs, goals, and needs;  create views, attitudes, values, feelings positive qualifies flaws, fears and beliefs for characters; know the life events that impact the characters; and write dialogue.

Scene development often is improved with interesting locations. The screenwriting should consider the important of timing. The mood or tone need to be shown. The protagonist is present along with showing the protagonists’s current state. Important other characters are introduced. There often is a bookend presentation of the first scene. The plot point sets events in an exciting new direction. There usually is reflection. In the second acts, events often take a “minor detour”. The protagonist finds some success, gains confidence. and takes the lead. The second plot point makes a final decision definitive. The Third Act presents final hurdles the protagonist must overcome. These are resolved.