Thinking about writing a screenplay?

I came across this interesting article, Hollywood's Best Kept Secret: The Expanded Scene Breakdown on Writerstore.Com 

It gives some really good pointers on the process of writing a screenplay. 

Starting with a five (5) step process:

Step One - Come up with an Idea
Step Two -  Write a Mini-treatment
Step Three - Develop and write a Scene Breakdown
Step Four -  Further develop and write in more detail an Expanded Scene Breakdown, and then finally,
Step Five -  Sit down and write the Script

It's Christopher's belief that if you 'follow this process (then) your script will be exponentially better than if you went straight to the script'. I happen to agree with him! At my internship, I read Treatments and Scene Breakdowns  before the screenwriter has even written a word of the script.
 

So, what else does Christopher suggest?

1. Write the story idea in a page or two.

2. Structure the mini-treatment in four pages, in three acts, using prose. Focus on the big events, as if you’re speaking to a five-year with a short attention span.

3. Break the entire story down into one-line scene headings, showing where it happens and the main action of the scene with the reason for the scene’s being always feeding the context of the story. For each scene ask two questions: Who’s in the scene and what’s the central action?

Example: Joan tells Revi that her husband knows about their affair.

That’s it. One line per scene. Use the same four-page breakdown you used for the mini-treatment: Act I on Page 1; Act II on Pages 2 and 3; Act III on page 4. By doing this step you’ll see a lot of logic holes that need to be filled, scenes you need, scenes you don’t need. You’re starting to move in on the story, from a most exacting point of view.

4. Once you get this down, you begin the Expanded Scene Breakdown. Start with the Scene Breakdown from the beginning of Act I. Begin with the first scene heading and expand it, in prose, building in details, character, dialogue, atmosphere, and location, whatever you feel the scene needs. Load it up. When you get to the actual writing of the scene in the script you’ll have a lot to choose from.

Taking one scene after another, work your way through the entire script. 

Christopher believes that following these steps, and not just sitting infront of Celtx or your  pad of paper and writing the screen play, is vital. Why? Because Christopher argues that:

If you jump too quickly into the actual writing of the screenplay, the work on the page becomes more permanent. The writer is less inclined to change something already written in screenplay stone. 

The idea is that you 'test' out your idea. I think this is a great idea. I am a real believer in this. In all phases, I ask people advice on what they think, do they like it? Most importantly, would they watch it? 

If not, I might think my premise is a good idea. But, just like a tree falling in a faraway forest is not heard by many, your screenplay may after months or years or toil and swea, it would be horrible if my screenplay was read or seen by even less. 

But that's not to say give up, it just means that I need to try again. Back to step 1, come up with an idea....  


If you would like to know more, I suggest reading Christopher's full article:
Hollywood's Best Kept Secret: The Expanded Scene Breakdown on Writerstore.Com

Selecting Character Names

Oh dear, I think i have reached that stage in developing my feature narrative screenplay, The Acid House (working title), that I have begun to wonder if it is really okay to continue calling my characters, The Australian Girl, The Female Doctor or The Doctor's Brother. But, for the moment, I have no idea what to call them?


Whilst the story has developed very organically within my imagination; that is to say that I have always known what will happen in Act I or Act IIb. The one thing I have struggled with is the character's names. Where does one find inspiration for character names? Should I search through baby books or research mythological characters? Should I try to find a name that 'represents' their personality? or should I name it after 'real' people who might be inspiring to the character arc or development?


In the end, I decided to google it, Screenplay Character Name Generator. The 113,000 results reassured me that there are many others out there also struggling to their protagonist and crew.


I found Baby Name websites. Etymology websites. I even downloaded a Random Name Generator from CNet.


But, as my screenplay, The Acid House, is set mostly in Bangladesh. I knew I needed names that were authentically Bengali names. Through my google search I came across a website, Babynology that had a good list of names. I like the female names: Amrita, Brinda, Chandra, Chira, Dali, Gopa, Indra, Ira, Joyeeta, Keka, Lili, Mala, Mita, Nondita, Omrita, Priya, Rani, Shoma, Tara, Usha, and Vijaya. And the male names: Abhik (means 'Fearless'), Baru, Chandan, Deepak, Gopal, Hem, Ishwar, Jay, Kahrim, Lokesh, Madan, Nabin, Olok, Prabir, Raj, Sabir, Tarak, Ukunda, and Vishnu.


In the end, I settled with Lili as my protagonist's name. Now you might wonder that Lili doesn't sound Bengali, I know I did. Surprisingly, Babynology lists Lili's origin to be Bengali. And whilst, I may not be sure that Lili comes from Bangledesh, I am happy with my choice.

About Closest_eves Films

Michele Esteves is the co-founder and creative producer of Closest_eves Films, an independent film production company that she started in collaboration with her chef and surfer husband, Lucas Esteves in 2010.

Michele has a life long interest in Arts and Humanity, and is a long term supporter of organisations such as Oxfam, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group. Michele spent 8 years studying International Relations, Arts and Commerce at the University of Wollongong.

In 2005, whilst undertaking her thesis on the Colombian civil war, Michele moved abroad to Latin America, her no.2 passion in life. Spending 7 months living in and exploring: Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras Mexico and Peru. In 2006, Michele returned to Latin America for another 2 months, this time visiting Chile and returning to Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru.

But in 2008, following a 3 month internship at Oxfam Community Aid Abroad in Sydney, Australia. Michele was drawn away from pursuing a lifelong career in international development and foreign affairs by the pull of her no.1 passion, films. After a sudden realisation that she could reach more people through entertainment then through research papers.

In 2008, Michele commenced work at Australia's premiere theatrical talent agency, Shanahan Management. As assistant to the Finance Manager, Business Affairs Manager and to the Literary and Director's Agent, the adorable, Nellie Flannery. Surrounded by some of Australia's best filmmakers, Michele learnt firsthand the inner workings and dealings of talent agencies. But her real passion lay in Producing.

In 2009, Michele was able to translate her talent agency experience into production crew work. Michele's first credit was the coming of age short film, The Red Dot (Prod: Tracey Savage; Dir: Pauline Findlay). Michele worked as Production Secretary and assisted with the casting and contracting of talent and extras.

By 2010, Michele was able to transition into feature film production. With her première credit as Travel and Assistant Production Co-ordinator on the Australian feature film, A Heartbeat Away (Exec Prod: Chris Brown; Prod: Chris Fitchett; Dir: Gale Edwards).

Michele has since commenced freelance work on a long-form documentary with Vidiola Productions and an internship with Kristina Ceyton of Causeway Films (The Ground Beneath, Small Boxes).

Michele will soon return with her husband, Lucas to his native country, Brazil. Michele and Lucas will explore Chile, Brazil and Argentina with their still camera, her notepad and his surfboard in hand searching for human stories.

This blog will follow the stories Michele and Lucas will discover as she searches for film projects for her independent film production company, Closest_eves Films.