#29 WRITING YOUR SCREENPLAY

Week12 Class

ASSIGNMENT - What to prepare 

1. production folder
- exec summary, logline, synopsis, 3act, storyline, script, etc

2. presentation board
- selling your story with one promo poster...
- content: relevant visual + title + logline + credits
(credits = creator/screenwriter, sponsors etc)

3. storyboard (of your screenplay's trailer)
- using 6-8 key visuals to tell your story
- not as detailed as a storyboard prepared for animators/team

WEEK13 TO SUBMIT:
1. print of above (b&w is ok)
2. softcopy blackboard (backup in blog)

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CLASS LESSON:

1. using 3Act 
Act1 - est key char + motive
Act2 - key char struggles with motive
Act3 - key char resolves motive (achieve or not)

2. storyline 
= telling your story eg tell me the story of the last spongebob episode in narrative form
- planting important info
- using beats

case study: coyote vs bugs

act1 coyote uses a door to introduce himself & his motive (establishes key character - impt info)
- uses a namecard with word "genius" (impt info)

act2 coyote struggles with catching & eating bugs

plan1 (beat1)
- coyote opens plan1, laughs (beat 1.1)
- coyote puts machine over rabbit hole (beat 1.2)
- bugs appears & sees coyote (beat 1.3)
- ......
plan2 (beat2)
plan3 (beat3)
plan4 (beat4) - CLIMAX (biggest struggle)

act3 coyote does NOT achieve motive 
(story is still resolved/ completed/ there is a closure)

3. script edits
- confirm storyline
- do draft1 script according to storyline
- rewrite rewrite rewrite!

tips:

1. important info 
- must be planted in visual or audio

2. what makes info important?
- TEST: will your story still work if you remove that info?
- TEST: remove dialogue and see if story works
- is it worth watching a movie if you've missed the first half of it? why???

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CASE STUDY: Honest trailers
notice how the logline is still the same, but the way they tell the story is NOT.

1. Lord of the Rings
http://youtu.be/AOIi9SjJvgU

2. Twilight
http://youtu.be/0gugBiEkLwU

#28 DEVELOP YOUR STORY IDEA

WEEK11: ASSIGNMENT
this week is consultation. please have your logline ready. i will talk to those i did not talk to last week. please be patient. i want you to use class time to do your work. thanks!

SUMMARY OF 3ACT STRUCTURE
ACT1: Establish key character + motive
ACT2: key character struggles with motive
ACT3: key character resolves motive (achieves/doesn't achieve)

ref: THE SCRIPTWRITER'S LINGO

http://storyscript2012.blogspot.sg/2012/10/no16-scriptwriters-lingo.html

DEVELOP YOUR STORY IDEA
now you have your story idea, work on your story design:
(yes, you can go for lunch but be back by 12.45pm)

1. logline
- you'll need a character and clear motive (confirm this by now)
- logline = key character + motive + situation

2. 3 act - act1 
- must have info... how do you plant them into your script???
- use the strengths of screenplays - AUDIO + VISUAL

SCRIPT = ACTION/VISUALS + AUDIO/DIALOGUE/SILENCE

3. 3 act - how do you work on your act2?

ACT2 = KEY CHAR STRUGGLES WITH MOTIVE
- use coyote & bugs bunny case study as a guide (plan 1,2,3,4,etc) - see notes below in this blog
tip: create interesting situations/events to show struggles

4. write in DRAMA into your script:
eg instead of having your characters quarrel, write in a "dramatic" cat fight scene (learn from the cat fight case study)

5. dialogue & behavior for key character to make him/her UNIQUE ON SCREEN

tip: special "voice" for your key character, e.g. signature laugh or a phrase they always use (e.g. think of austin powers, bugs bunny, etc)

tip: special "behavior" e.g. no other screen character behaves or walks/runs like jack sparrow

6. STORYLINE - 450 to 500 words
- storyline = write in a narrative form, 3rd person, present tense, simple sentences
- write the story as if you are watching it on the screen...

7. remember the main thing about writing your screenplay is...
TELLING YOUR STORY FOR YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE

eg. story of "beauty and the beast"
- DISNEY will tell this story differently from LOONEY TUNES & DREAMWORKS

eg. "the little mermaid" is a romance story for children. you'll tell it differently if you were to adapt & rewrite this screenplay for teenagers or 20-somethings.

:)

ok, see you all in class this week!

CASE STUDIES:

1. Looney Tunes - bugs & coyote - "operation rabbit"
link: http://www.wimp.com/funtoon/ 

Quick 3ACT Structure:
act1 - est key char + motive
act2 - key char struggles with motive 
- struggle1 - plan1 (fail)
- struggle2 - plan2 (fail)
- struggle3 - plan3 (fail)
- struggle4 - plan4 (fail)
act3 - key char resolves motive (achieved/not achieved)


2. Mind Your Language - s1, ep2
Link: http://youtu.be/5Yn4N9k_nLI

PLEASE DO THIS IN YOUR BLOGS:
1. Logline for episode - what is this episode about?
2. Identify main plot & sub plot(s)
3. do a quick 3 Act Structure for this episode
4. in point form, outline struggles for each plot/motive in Act2

#27 DM2D - ASSIGNMENT

DM 2D - AN
LOGLINES FOR ASSIGNMENT 2013

Week10 Draft1 Assignment

as at 14 march 2013

DM2D
note: 
- key character should be non-human
- target audience: FAMILY or 20-SOMETHING

Hero - ALEX, BIMBO
Heroine - SAM, EMO (SAD)
Villain - UNO / EVA
Comic Relief - (male/female - optional) SHAMPOO

1.
Nithin - Ab

2.
Nell
Sam, depressed doll, must drive bro/sis away to reclaim her quiet corner.

3.
Beatrice
A golden retriever, Alex, wants to find a suitable gift for a little girl, Sam, to cheer her up.

4.
Chia Bi (AB)
Detective Alex turns into a cheetah when he is drunk. He has to solve a case of mysterious disappearance in order to keep his job as a detective when Sam disappeared after being stalked by Uno for 2 months.

5.
Qiu Min

A crab name UNO and a couple Tortoise name SAM and Alex  fighting for a  Shampoo

(FAMILY) SAM the Tortoise (always sad) must retrieve the shampoo bottle that UNO the crab stole from her.

6.
Blanche
Two mutant siblings try to stay alive when they accidentally encounter a monster while looking for power cells in an abandoned factory.

7.
Eldon
Alex, a tiger, must charge into Uno’s mansion to save Shampoo who had been kidnapped by Uno.

8.
Hui Cheng
(story idea as discussed in class...) Sam/Alex has to stop new neighbour Uno from zapping people into (?)

9.
Ronnie
Two mutant siblings try to stay alive when they accidentally encounter a monster while looking for power cells in an abandoned factory.

10.
Weng
(need a motive for bimbo key character)

11.
Azim
(please confirm story asap) - draft1 not submitted in blackboard

12.
Nadia
TBC (you need to work on simplifying your story, thanks)

13.
Hui Ling/Kelly
Alex must prevent Uno from ruining his winning-prize carrot in order to win the annual carrot contest.

14.
Pro
Alex, a peacock, wants to impress Sam, a peahen, but Eva the leopard is in the way.

15.
Yiyu

Sam是一个记者，她无意中看到凶杀案而且她的右眼被感染，但在她去医院的路上发生了意外，地铁驶进了一个异世界，Sam和其他乘客进入了异世界，而且一路上不断有人被异世界的怪物杀害，到后来Sam才知道原因： 这个异世界的主谋Uno想要得到Sam被感染的右眼上的力量，这个力量是死去的ghost Alex的力量，只有把Sam吞噬掉Uno才能得到Alex的力量，于是Sam用这个力量与Uno展开了战斗，而Alex的灵魂寄生在Sam的右眼上，所以Alex一直在暗中帮助Sam。最后Sam和其他2个乘客活着离开了那个世界， Uno在战斗中受伤，但是没有死。

Sam is a reporter (motive to be more specific), she saw a murder case and her right eye is infected, but she had an accident in her way to the hospital, the subway pulled into a different world, Sam and the other passengers into the different world, and on the way many people are killed by the different world of monsters, but after that Sam knows the reason that why the subway pulled into the other world: the mastermind of this different world Uno wants to get the power on Sam's right eye, this power is from the dead ghost Alex, only after Uno swallows Sam up then Uno can get Alex's strength, so Sam fights with Uno by this strength, and Alex's soul parasitic on Sam's right eye, so Alex has been secretly help Sam. Final, Sam and the other two passengers alive to leave that world, Uno is wounded in the fighting, but he still alive.


16.
Raymond
Alex and Sam must get back home in time for their favourite tv show, but the only thing standing in their way? Zombies 

17.
Rizky
(you need a confirmed story for your assignment!)

18.
Jia Ling
(your key character needs a clear motive)
A bimbo mutated lizard fish name alex want to live a normal life as a lizard because he doesn’t belong to neither the fish nor the lizard and was being bullied, to not wanting to be outcast he want to be a normal lizard. so he went to find the old witch of the name eva, by doing her request the potion.

19.
Lay Zin (AB)
Eva is a scientist as well as doctor who wants to control the whole world and to be evil. Soon Alex and Sam who is his students find out, going stop his way!

20.
Yosua
An emo tigress, Sam, must cure her twin psycho brother a bimbo tiger, Alex, by getting a potion owned by an evil witch.

#26 DM2C - ASSIGNMENT

DM 2C - AN
LOGLINES FOR ASSIGNMENT 2013
Week10 Draft1 Assignment
as at 14 march 2013


DM2C

note: 

- key character should be non-human

- target audience: FAMILY or 20-SOMETHING

Hero - GEORGE, CLUMSY
Heroine - CINDY, BOSSY
Villain - JASON
Comic Relief - (male/female - optional) LUCAS & MAYA


1.
Barnabas
(drama/comedy) George tries to get free meal from a restaurant but his plan backfires.

2.
Christantio
Cindy must catch her escaped pet rat, jason, in the aeroplane.

3.
Jason
George the clumsy pig wants to rescue a kidnapped princess (cindy) from the evil cat (jason) but does not succeed when Cindy decides to marry Jason.

4.
Karrina
idea1 - Cindy the snake charmer must save George the snake (how?) from Jason, the snake killer. 
idea2 - George the white maltese wants to win the heart of Cindy (brown dog).

Hungry George struggles to catch and eat a bird, only to be caught by Jason and needs to escape with the help of the bird he caught.

think of coyote + bugs bunny case study.
act1 - est key char + motive
act2 - key char struggles with motive 
- struggle1 - plan1 (fail)
- struggle2 - plan2 (fail)
- struggle3 - plan3 (fail)
act3 - key char resolves motive (achieved/not achieved)

5.
Khai
A clumsy trainee grim reaper George must perform better than fellow grim reaper, Jason, to win "best grim reaper award".

6.
Laura
A diary, Cindy, turns into a human to talk (why?) to her owner (george?).

7.
Danielle
George & Cindy, who are constantly fighting, must work together to (achieve motive)

8.
Martin
George must (do something specific) to change hell into an enjoyable eternal resort.

9.
Alvin
George struggles to prevent jason from mutating (details of mutation to hint in act1/setup) further.

10.
PingTing
Cindy (alien), the bossy bully, must change her bad ways to win back her friendship with Lukas, the jelly man.

11.
Samuel
cindy key char
Paper ring = motive

12.
Zul
A dead rabbit, George, comes back from the dead to ... (motive)?


George returns to the day before his gf's fatal accident, and must decide if he wants to save his gf or sacrifice his life for his gf to live.

motive: to decide
act2 struggle - struggle with the decision
act3 final struggle --> resolve

13.
Cynthia
George, an eagle, must kill jason before jason kills him (to revenge the death of his family)

14.
Nikita
A clumpsy banana must finish a race, with the help of friends.

15.
Hasanah
A toy rabbit, George, must get Cindy to own him before he loses his soul (in this story if toys are not owned, they become soul-less)

16.
Quinn
George & Cindy are viruses who want to make Maya (a child) sick (so they won't be extinct) but have to deal with Jason, the white blood cell.

17.
WenTing
George must must get a golden whip to defeat the evil spirit & break a famine spell that is cast over his village.

18.
Vania
George the clumsy dog struggles for his owner's (Cindy) attention when she starts to play more with her toy robot dog.

George the cat wants to become a part of the chinese zodiac (how?) but was tricked by jason the rat.

19.
Kelvin (AB - week11)
>> KELVIN, please use key characters (see above notes) & note target audience. your draft1 submitted to blackboard need to be according to brief.

your logline: (PLEASE CHANGE ACCORDING TO BRIEF, THX!)
2 people Tom Lin and Rin Lee are stranded in a War Zone and are working together to get to safety.

20.
Yoshua
A novice Skysnatchers name George with his friends, are going to rescue Jason (rescue-exactly how?), their leader, who got caught by a human.

21.
Soeun
George & Cindy accidentally change bodies and must (do something specific) to break the spell.

#25 WRITING THE DIALOGUE

Reminder:  
Assignment Draft 1 
due in blackboard week 10
i) updated blogs
ii) logline
iii) executive summary (see my template)
iv) 3 Act (short summary, see below)
act1: identify/establish key character & motive
act2: (how) key character struggles with motive
act3: (how) key character resolves motive

*consultation from next week, 
please prepare draft1 for consult.

assignment brief in Blackboard (look at draft1 week10 submission)
& more details in: http://storyscript2012.blogspot.sg/2013/02/22-assignment.html

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WEEK 9 
1. Online test
2. LESSON: WRITING THE DIALOGUE 
Link: http://masterwriterz.blogspot.sg/2011/09/no13-dialogue.html 

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CLASS EXERCISE: DIALOGUE
- GROUPS / INDIVIDUAL?
- do it in your blogs

1. Watch the catfight
2. Come up with a story that goes with the footage
3. Write the dialogue 
4. Identify the key character & motive 
5. give your script a suitable title & come up with a logline for your script, based on the following video:

class exercise, cat fight scene: http://youtu.be/HqlLMBxgvRc



observe:
- how do men and women behave/react/speak in a situation like that?
- the action/visual of a cat fight is a lot more exciting, more dramatic than people quarreling and arguing on screen
- do you notice how people get angry over a very small matter that is the "last straw that breaks the camel's back"... that small matter is never the real issue of argument or fight, it is an accumulation of things that make people blow up in anger... (do you know what i mean? ask me or your classmates if you don't!)
- observe how the playful music in this tense scene has played down the seriousness of the issue that is used for the fight?? (one of the ladies is accusing the other of saying bad things about her husband... which in real life is a very serious/unfriendly accusation...)
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WRITING THE DIALOGUE

DIALOGUES help tell your story. know your story & character(s) before writing the dialogue!

tip1: write dialogue that is suitable for the character/personality. 

tip2: write only necessary info to tell your story. every sentence provide info needed for your story. KEEP IT SIMPLE > SHORT SENTENCES. 

tip3: learn from the experts... listen to the dialogues on good tv shows & listen to how people talk in real life.

 

CASE STUDY (HITLER CLIPS)

TELLING STORIES WITH ONE FOCUSED KEY MESSAGE: same scenes, different story!!

1. Hitler's water bottle is stolen and thrown at Justin Bieber

2. Hitler is informed that he is Lee Kuan Yew

3. Hitler is informed Santa Claus doesn't exist

4. Hitler defies gravity

ok, use the same hitler scene and come up with your own scripts! 

plz do NOT use swear language.

thanks & have fun!!