Do Your Characters Have Something to Say to Each Other?

I'm writing a stage play for two characters, each with equal and opposite goals. Neither can stand the other. So I put them in a room together. And I'm trying to determine what keeps them each in that room. I have two possible answers; either will work. But my real question is:

Do they have something to say to each other?

My follow-up question:

Is it enough to sustain the storyline and keep the audience intrigued for ten or so minutes?

And finally:

Is it compelling and dramatic?

I'm writing specifically for a production next spring. It's a subject I've flown to Maryland to investigate. After an intriguing interview with a fellow who has worked in Baffin Bay along the Arctic Circle (as well as numerous other cool places around the globe) this is the story that most sticks with me. It's probably not the story he'd first tell you if you asked him about his adventures in Nunavut. But I find it intriguing. And disturbing. And even quite dramatic. Well, it's dramatic when I twist the basic story into a fictionalized "based loosely on real life" tale.

Still, if I choose this as my story for a short play that will be stage read at the Audi in Concord, NH, and later produced in Boston (part of my Granite Playwrights, Ink writing group's workshop-to-production series this spring and summer) then I have to care about my characters enough to spend several months with them. And enough to make you, the audience, care about them.

So while I strive to answer my own questions, I invite you to explore your characters. It's not enough to find their individual voices, you've got to compel us to want to stay and listen to them. Good luck!

How important is writing everyday?

Very.

And that's what I've been up to. Which is why my blog posts have fallen off considerably. A tip a week. What's so difficult about that? Apparently everything.

And so I'm back. After meeting an important deadline yesterday. And with no time to dive into the rewrite of my one-act play "Hills Like White Baby Shoes" (title still subject to change), I decided it's high time to return to the tips.

But you didn't surf here to read about my difficulties in keeping up my blog. You have your own procrastination issues to resolve. After all, here you are: reading me, when you should probably be writing.

Am I right? You know I am.

How do you face the blank page each day? Or the next chapter, the next act, the next scene? When the page is blank--when I'm beginning a new project or starting over an old one from scratch--I like to begin with a warm-up write. Sometimes it's a 60-second or two-minute free write exercise: a vomit of words from brain to fingers to page. From the insignificant stuff like, "I don't know what to write...what can I possibly write about next?...which story do I really want to write next?" to the occasionally brilliant. (Notice how I have no examples of this illusive occasionally brilliant prose.)

When it's the next scene or act, it's "easy." I re-read what I wrote the day before, or even from the beginning of the screenplay or stage play, and I continue from there: writing as fast as I can to keep up with my characters' voices when I'm lucky enough to hear them, or placing them in situations that further the plot, seeing what their reactions are, and writing that, kind of like following rats around a maze and recording their actions and words. If rats could speak, that is.

So there it is: this week's tip. Write everyday. So what are you waiting for? Write on!

How important is story?

Very.

Once you've lured us into a darkened theatre, it's your job to entertain us. Unless you specifically advertise that, "No Storytelling Shall Take Place, Only Pretty Images and Disconnected Themes," you're wasting our time. Or at least mine.

I've attended a number of film festivals, screened several independent filmmakers' films as potential movies to use in my classes and workshops, and watched countless hours of films in theaters and in my living room. And if there's one thing that drives me crazy, it's trying to determine the story when the filmmakers clearly had no clue what their narrative was.

Which means that we have a job to do as scriptwriters. We need to tell a compelling story about our character. Returning to an earlier post, we're examining what our character wants and what she'll do to get it. And we're not just tossing random obstacles in her way, but weaving in an equal and opposite-minded antagonist whose own goal will make it difficult or potentially even impossible for our protagonist to achieve her mission.

We also need to know what's at stake; what is the character willing to give up in order to chase her dream? There better be huge risks, or you may bore us. Please don't bore us.

So, how important is story? You tell me. But please make it interesting.

Show, Don't Tell

What does this really mean?

Consider that we're writing for a visual medium, and answer this: would you rather have one character tell another character about an accident that just happened, or would you like to see that accident unfold on the screen? You can substitute accident for another event, and you still have the same idea. Do you want to be told how two lovers met, or do you want to see it happen?

In my Introductory Scriptwriting course at the University of New Hampshire at Manchester, each student is required to pen a dialogueless short screenplay of one to three pages. There's no better exercise than to write an all-visual script. It's also a strenuous task.

For playwrights, the challenge tends to be how to describe what's happening in the scene. For novelists and even short story writers, the difficult task is often how to reduce the amount of description while writing on the page what will occur on the screen once the script is filmed.

If you want to try this, you might attempt to write a scene between two people who each want the same thing, but only one person can have it. Want more specifics? Fine: Two seven year olds. Twins. One brand new bike. What will each do to get the bike?

Here's another exercise: try to take a scene from a favorite story and write it without dialogue. I'm picturing the fence-painting scene in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. How can Tom get the other kids to paint the fence for him without using any dialogue?

Finally, stop and notice next time there's a scene in a film where no dialogue is exchanged, yet the story is clearly advanced. Or did the lack of dialogue not work? If not, why do you suppose that is?

Until next time, write on!

What does your antagonist want?

Opposites may attract, but in good storytelling they repel.

However, a well-rounded antagonist does not simply seek to quash every forward movement of your protagonist. In fact, from your antagonist's point of view, if she is written well, she will consider herself the hero of the story. That's because to her, she is the hero of her particular tale.

As I sit and watch the New England Patriots take on the Miami Dolphins in Monday Night Football, I'm reminded of the best example of equal and opposite forces, trying like heck to get what they want: to win the game. From the Pat's point of view, they deserve to win; yet Miami feels they deserve to win. But there can only be one winner. And do we viewers care? Judging from the cheers and jeers from the fans, I'd say we're vested in the outcome of this particular tale.

So not only must you make sure your audience empathizes with your protagonist, but you must give your antagonist more than just a two-dimensional personality, so that even if for only a moment, we can see from the antagonist's point of view. We may not agree with your antagonist, but perhaps we can comprehend his actions and his do-or-die goal.

Storytelling is about keeping us absorbed in your tale. Developing good, well-rounded characters is a sure bet that we'll care...and we might even stay with your story till the final FADE OUT.

What does your character want out of life?

A character's wants and needs drive the plot.

Before you argue that plot precedes character development, let's focus on how a character's wants and needs can drive a plot forward.

Today I watched WALL STREET again. I know this probably makes me a sucker since I am also planning on watching the sequel to see where Gordon Gekko picks up once he's a free man. And though I hate explanation as a story element, since I don't see Bud Fox in the character list for the 2010 film, I hope they'll tell us what became of him.

So let's focus on Bud Fox for a moment. What did he want? He wanted to be a powerful player on Wall Street, and he did everything he could to become that player. First he cold called Gekko's office 59 days in a row, trying to score just five minutes with the legend. Then, on May 6th -- Gekko's birthday -- he personally delivered a box of Cuban cigars to him. For his effort, Fox was invited to wait (for three hours!) to finally gain his five minutes with Gekko.

At first Fox acted like I might have given the same opportunity - he was tongue tied and nervous. After all, this was WHO Fox wanted to be. Or at least who he wanted to mentor him. But by the end of the five minutes, Fox makes a decision: he divulges insider trading information for the chance to work with Gekko, while at the same time selling a piece of his soul.

And it works.

Fox continues to drive the plot forward by chasing his wants and dreams, even though more pieces of him are dying off in the process. But it isn't until his actions nearly cause massive destruction to his father and his father's friends and co-workers, that Fox realizes he's chasing the wrong dreams. And so the third act becomes about him seeking his redemption.

Do we care? I think we do. We might not agree with all the choices Fox makes, but we empathize with his reasons, and understand that for him, this really is a do-or-die goal. But I'll also admit I am happy redemption seeps in at the end--that Fox ultimately turns out to be his father's son and not a Gekko II. Whether or not you enjoyed the 1987 movie, or liked the characters, you can see how the character's single-minded wants drive the story forward.  It's an unstoppable train that carries the viewer on a ride.

Next time we'll look at the equal and opposite viewpoint of the antagonist who works against the protagonist to cause conflict, raise tension, and keep our attention.

Writing Your Story

An interesting article on writing the story inside you by Screenwriter and Playwright Catherine Ann Jones; check it out at ScriptShark.

Backstory: Knowing it is important; knowing when to share it is key

How well do you know your characters?

Chances are you've done your homework and you know what they ate for lunch, where they ate it, and with whom. You also know if their parents are alive, what their parents' occupations are or were, and whether they lived happily as a married or divorced couple.  But just because you know that your character prefers Prada to Levi's, or vice versa, doesn't mean you have to share every scrap of backstory with the script reader.

Author James Scott Bell (The Art of War for Writers) talks about actively adding backstory to your writing (page 145). While Bell is writing to novelists, the same logic applies to screenwriters: tell us what we need to know to actively keep the story moving forward. In his example, from The House of Sand and Fog by novelist Andre Dubus, Bell notes how Dubus cleverly inserts backstory into dialogue. It's not a character running off her mouth, listing her characteristics: "I'm twenty-seven years old, a pisces, was born in Bermuda during a hurricane, had my tonsils removed," etc., but rather pertinent information that helps define who the character is and what his dreams are. It helps the reader (or film viewer) begin to understand the character's goals.

Another great bit of wisdom to keep in mind when uncertain about how much backstory to present is delivered by Director Sydney Lumet. In his book Making Movies, Lumet describes the early years of filmmaking when, about two-thirds of the way through a movie, someone describes the psychological truth that made the character who he was. He writes that he and Writer Paddy Chayefsky named this, "the 'rubber-ducky' school of drama: 'Someone once took his rubber ducky away from him, and that's why he's a deranged killer'" (page 37). 

So while it's important that you know your characters inside and out, backwards and forwards, it's also important to know how to judiciously share relevant, character-building details that drive the story forward, not derail it completely.

Next blog post, we'll discuss how the character's wants and needs drive the plot forward. 

Writing Dialogue: It's about listening.

Yesterday as I sat and talked script notes with a director friend of mine, I scribbled down every suggestion he had for me. It didn't mean that this morning as I edited I used his notes verbatim, but it meant I had the essence of his vision, which is so close to mine that sometimes he and I can't even recall whose idea a favorite line of dialogue originally was.

But he said something else to me during one of our breaks. He told me about two people he chatted with who didn't listen to him. The experience, he said, has made him a better listener since he has a new appreciation for just how important the skill is.

The scriptwriter must be an acute listener, for not only must she hear what a director or producer is saying in a notes session, but she must hear her characters speaking to each other.  If a character asks a question of one character or makes an observation, then the next line from the other character needs to be in response to that (unless the character is known for his easily distracted tendencies).

As I revise some of my scenes today, I am also conscious of how each character speaks. The three buddies in my story each have a unique voice, and a distinct manner in which they interact with one another. You know you've nailed the dialogue when you can cover the name of the character and still discern who is speaking. If you can't hear the unique voices of your characters, it's time to go back and make sure you know who they are, and how each fits in with the others.

Listening in on everyday conversations is another skill the adept writer needs to embrace. I tell my students and workshop participants to listen in on their own conversations as well as dialogue around them. I have a slight hearing problem, so when I can overhear a conversation in line at the movie theatre, then I consider it a public conversation, inviting people like me to listen in and learn how different people speak with each other.  It's become a hobby of mine that helps my writing, especially when I discover a new speech pattern or a unique dialect.

So...you wanna be a scriptwriter? First rule (repeated from an earlier post) -- listen.

So You Want to Write a Screenplay? (Take Two.)

You’re not alone.

This semester 15 students enrolled in my Intro Scriptwriting course at the University of New Hampshire. It’s a three-hour class that meets once a week. During that time we read scripts, talk films, screen movies, and discuss story-telling techniques and screenplay rules.

As a reader of screenplays submitted to various competitions over the years, I’ve grown to appreciate the scripts penned by writers who have obviously studied their craft. The tales that jump to the front of my queue are the ones that have compelling characters with clear and defined do-or-die goals.  Where they are up against believable odds, and find logical solutions to their problems.  The best screenplays also share one major trait: they adhere to proper screenplay format.

If you’re going to write a screenplay, it’s important to study screenwriting. Just as an architect must study for years before being able to create comprehensible plans for contractors, a screenwriter must learn the intricacies of the art form in order to pen a solid screenplay that can serve as a blueprint for a director and her crew.

There are many great books* and programs available to students of any age. I first studied in the Online Professional Programs at UCLA and later earned my MFA in Creative Writing with a focus in Screenwriting via the low-residency program at Goddard College. In addition to classes at UNH and at New England College, I’ve taught workshops ranging from two hours to two days for the NH Film Festival, the RI International Film Festival, and the NH Writers’ Project. So you see, there are countless programs to choose from.

So…you want to be a screenwriter? Second rule: study your craft.

*One excellent reference book is Paul Argentini’s Elements of Style for Screenwriters: The Essential Manual for Writers of Screenplays. Read that and as many screenplays as you can.

So You Want to Write A Screenplay

Who doesn't these days?

A friend of mine, a screenwriter who landed the post of a WGA writing intern at a popular TV series, told me the story of his cab ride from LAX to the studio -- in which the cabbie pitched him a script! It's an often retold story, so I rarely tell anyone on a flight to LA or nearby Long Beach that I'm a screenwriter.

But then it happened to me yesterday on the phone. I called a printer in another major metropolis where studios reside to get a quote on photocopying the Top Three Screenplays in the New Hampshire Film Festival Screenplay Competition and delivering them to our judge's office. When the guy on the other end of the phone pitched me his script, I scratched his company off my list. I was not about to give him the job...so he could pitch to our judge upon delivery too.  I didn't care how good his prices were. (Actually he was going to charge me more than the service I eventually hired.)

Knowing when and where to pitch to someone is as important as knowing how to pitch. I'll give the guy credit: he had his pitch down cold. But when he asked, "Is this something your company would be interested in?" I could only repeat what I had told him at the beginning of our conversation -- that I am the Director of the NHFF Screenplay Competition, and that he is welcome to submit his script in next year's competition via Withoutabox, but I'm not a company. Rather, I'm just a screenwriter who, like him, would also be interested in finding a studio interested in acquiring my script.

Like great dialogue writing, pitching needs to be about listening first. If he had listened to me when he initially asked, he would have heard that I was not a person he should be pitching to. Or even if I was, I was not interested in hearing his pitch at that moment. I felt like I had dialed into a telemarketer. Resisting the urge to tell him, "Take me off your list!" and hanging up, instead I removed him from my list when I hung up.

So...you want to be a screenwriter?  First rule: listen.

Short Film

How do we attract the super short (and the tall) filmmakers as we attempt to launch the New Hampshire 7DayPSA Competition?

The deadline’s tomorrow. Yet as of today we only have—gulp—one team registered. Yes. You read that correctly. One team. And seven fabulous New Hampshire non-profits are interested, three of which are prepping materials for this year’s competition.

What to do?

Get the word out like never before. And start advertising the one-week late, extended deadline now.

Okay, so here it is:

The New Hampshire 7DayPSA Competition deadline is tomorrow—Sept. 2, 2010. Teams can register for $120 (or $100 for Student Teams).

Or Teams can Register up to one week after the deadline—by Sept. 9, 2010—for the Late Registration Fee of  $135 per Team (or $110 per Student Team).

Note: NH 48-Hour Filmakers may deduct 10% off of their Registration Fee.

Information is available at the NH 7DayPSA blog; registration forms are available courtesy of our host organization, Red River Theatres.

Questions? Contact Dana.

Thanks!

Calling All Screenwriters!

NOTE: The 2010 Submission Period for the NH Film Festival has NOW CLOSED. Judging is currently underway for the October Festival. Thank you to all who submitted! Submissions will re-open next spring for the 2011 Festival. Thanks.




2010 NH Film Festival Screenplay Competition Entries Accepted Via Withoutabox

10th Annual Film Fest is Oct. 14-17, Portsmouth, NH

The New Hampshire Film Festival (NHFF) is currently accepting screenplay submissions for the 10th Annual NHFF Screenplay Competition, Oct. 14 - 17 in downtown Portsmouth. Online entries close Aug 5, 2010, with a special extended deadline for Withoutabox registrants of Aug. 15, 2010.

Drawing nearly 9,000 attendees in 2009, NHFF has garnered national press coverage including from Moviemaker Magazine, which called NHFF "the film center of New England." In 2009, NHFF received more than 700 films and 200 screenplays for consideration. Screenwriters should submit scripts through Withoutabox upload service.  

NHFF is also proud to welcome Dana Biscotti Myskowski as the new NHFF Screenplay Competition Director. An adjunct professor at the University of New Hampshire, Biscotti Myskowski is a professional screenwriter and producer and holds an MFA in creative writing: screenwriting from Goddard College. She is also a member of the NH Film Commission Board of Directors.

"Dana's expertise and passion for screenwriting will be a wonderful addition to the NHFF Screenplay Competition," said NHFF Executive Director Nicole Gregg. "We are very fortunate to have her on-board."

PRIZES

The top three finalists in the NHFF Screenplay Competition will have their scripts ranked by accomplished industry professionals. Thanks to a partnership with ScriptShark, each of the top three finishers will receive ScriptShark Regular Coverage (valued at $175 each). The top prizewinner will receive additional review; if the script is determined to be strong enough by ScriptShark executives, it will be shopped to agents, managers, and producers in the hopes of stimulating some interest for the screenwriter. 

Further information is available at the NHFF website; questions may be e-mailed to Screenplay Competition Director Dana Biscotti Myskowski.

ABOUT NHFF

The New Hampshire Film Festival is a four-day cultural experience set in the fall foliage of picturesque Portsmouth, NH. One of the largest film fests in New England, NHFF draws celebrities, Academy-Award winners, film industry veterans and local film lovers. NHFF offers workshops and discussions for young and new filmmakers to interact with industry pros and to learn the art and business of film. Held the weekend after Columbus Day, NHFF drew an estimated 9,000 attendees and 80 films in 2009. Further information available online at http://www.nhfilmfestival.com. Advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available by calling 603.647.6439.

Media Contacts: Nicole Gregg 603.647.6439 

Brian DeKoning 603.766.1902