Notes
240409
Introduction: How storytelling fits into the “Big picture” of FMS
Proper Writing Format:
Writing Assignments-
> Present tense
> 3rd Person
> Visual voice – writing it so vivid till one can imagine the scene e.g. Features; emotions -> Visually captivating for the audience.
The “third person/present tense” – A character is “ narrating” the story as it is happening. (Voice over narration)
Example: Marks picks up the gun and holds it in his hand. Its begin to tremble, as if alive.”
Why do we need such style of writing? Engaging.
Commonly used in: Screenplays/Thriller & Suspense Genre – the story/film unfolds as we read it/it fosters a more urgent and immediate fell to the story.
Passive V.S. Active Voice
Passive voice uses weak verbs
-tells what’s happening in the character’s head e.g. speaking to oneself.
-creates a distance between the reader from the story.
Active Voice
-uses strong action verbs -> intensity of words used.
-shows the action
-uses an immediate sentence structure
-conveys the story in a lively manner
TIPS: do not procrastinate/begin it simple/complete what we started
080509
Who exactly is the author? The one who wrote the opener or the one who wrote the final piece?
-the person who controls the story
-it may not be the original author
-the opener is for like, inspiration sake
ELEMENTS OF DIALOGUE
Dialogue reveals character (ie; reveals where he is from)
-a character will talk about himself & other people will talk about him
Dialogue establishes relationships between characters
-Once you’ve established your main character’s POV, you can use dialogue with other characters to show that they have other attitudes, creating opposite/alt. POVs (point of view)
-Someone may say same thing to different people with different tone may mean different meanings.
This helps to create and sustain the element of CONFLICT.
-Conflict makes a show interesting
Good Effective dialogue will move the story forward
Dialogue communicates faces & information to the audience
1. Conveys essential exposition (ie, my name is bond. James Bond.)
-Exposes what the audience needs to know
-Exposes information
-Flashback is can be a form of exposition
-Pros & Cons
2. Characters will talk about what happened, establishing the storyline.
Dialogue ties the script together
-It is one of the devices that YOU as a writer can use to expand & enlarge your characters.
-Dialogues can be used for wrapping up.
Common mistake
1. Students tend to create radio shows with images (meaning a lot of talking with actions, a lot of exposition)
FILM IS VISUAL – A SCREENPLAY IS A STORY TOLD IN PICTURES
Storytelling tool 1: OBSERVATION
-Adopt a KEEN EYE
-Develop a natural SENSE OF CURIOUSITY
(An observed event, when subject to simple questions, can set up a s sequence of possibilities that will develop into a story worth telling.
Ask ourselves a set of questions.
1. Whom am I writing about?
2. Who is my character
3. What is he/she/it like?
4. What does he/she/it do?
5. What happens to him/her/it in the story?
Awareness Level
-People rarely observe familiar people or things closely
-Most people pass through the day with 20-30% awareness.
MINDLESS OBSERVATION vs TRUE OBSERVATION
-OBSERVE in a conscious way
150509
People-Watch Story
Tan Soo Meng walks towards Block 704, which is only a few blocks away from home, for his usual drinking sessions with his bunch of “Ah Beng, Ah Seng” friends. His friends saw him and waved to him. “Oi! Here lah!” shouted his friend. He quicken his pace and upon reaching the table, he went “Walao eh, rushing to hell ah? Relax lah. (injects Hokkien into conversation) He sunk his ass on the chair, raised his arm and hollered, “Beer! (injects Hokkien) Pearlyn Yap Lee Wye who is commonly known as “xiao mei” in the kopitiam shakes her booty and move towards their table. Her ass sways from left to right and it is so damn obvious. And obviously “Ah Meng”
Reason for People-Watch
The world is full of potential stories!
-character is made out of also by his/her name, where he lives etc.
CHARACTERIZATION: Defining The Character
Why do we need Characters?
-they make things happen
-every story starts with a character
*a character can be non-human
The character is the heart, soul, and nervous system of your story.
It is through your characters that the viewers experience emotions.
-you can have the most fantastic character in the world; but one has to go back to emotional side of life.
It is through your characters that they are touched.
<Without a CHARACTER, there is no ACTION>
<Without ACTION, you have no CONFLICT>
<Without CONFLICT, you have no STORY>
<Without STORY, you have no SCREENPLAY>
Developing Characters
When developing a character, ask yourself:
-Who is your character?
-What does he want?
-What is his quest?
-What drives him to the resolution of the story?
1. Establish your main character
*Characters should have s 3D structure.
a) Physiology-appearance
b) Sociology-interaction/relation with society
c) Psychology-mind/mental
->Why? It’s more interesting then a flat structure.
1.1 Separate the components of his life in 2 basic categories
a) INTERIOR
>> The interior life takes place from birth until the moment your story begins.
>> It is a process that forms character. [when you start formulating your character from birth, you see your character build in body & form]
>> It can sometimes filmed as a movie itself.
b) EXTERIOR
>> The exterior life takes place the moment your story begins to it’s end.
>> It is a process that reveals character.
-Who are they and what they do?
-Are they sad or happy with their life?
-Do they wish their life were different? Another job? Another wife?
220509
Purpose of the Exercise: 50 word stories
-breaks down the myth of handling only 1 idea at a time
-encourages precise and concise writing
-teaches basic script editing skills, to focus and reveal the essential elements
(Basically don’t bore your audience)
DYNAMIC ACTION
>Story is action
-Action encompasses any kind of movement, activity and interaction between the characters and also between the characters and their surroundings.
-Talking about how one feels is not as powerful as illustrating why one feels the way they do through action.
*You will rather see some “greater” action
>Film is behavior
-Action is the manifestation of behavior.(action carries meaning across)
-The complexity of the human psyche (how people thinks) and interaction is better understood hen it is possible to watch the actions, nuances and reactions of the characters.
*Action does not always mean, “doing something”, sometimes not doing anything is action too.
<<DYNAMIC ACTION>>
-Has the potential to enrich the experience of the audience by heightening the stakes and increasing the tension.
*Beware of raising it too high that it breaks at its “roof”.
MOVING PICTURES
The power of any story lies in the narrator’s ability to project a mental picture for the audience.
INTERACTIVE LOCATION
>>Location is: Physical location/A place in which events occur and characters interact.
>>Interactive Location is: A physical setting and surrounding that INTERACTS with the characters of the film by positively heightening their action./It can enhance the impact of the action an heighten stakes./E.g. a high rise building invokes more suspense than a low rise building if a character is afraid of heights and has to leap between two buildings.
STORYTELLING TOOL 2: MEMORY
>>>Your memory is a wonderful cabinet of past incidents which you have experienced or been told.
>>>These memories are points of reference to your own past existence
TIP: WRITE what you do not know because you will find some part of you that does know. (THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR PERSONAL DISCOVERY!)
290509
Review Exercise 4: Letter to the past
Purpose of Exercise
> The letter is a practical, personal example of how a character – YOU – undergo an inevitable process of change.
> This process of change is an essential ingredient of any effective story.
> In dramatic writing, the very essence is character change.
STORYTELLING TOOL 3: EXPERIENCE
> A storyteller should be concerned with the potential of every experience.
> Everything about you – where you were born, what food you eat, the bump on your forehead – your experiences are unique and irreplaceable.
> Many of your experiences are universal and translatable and can be used in any location.
*TIP: If you don’t know what to do with a character, make him yourself for a while. / See how he relates to the world he has been thrown into. /
Plunder your own personal background! – The things that happen to you as you grow up and the things that are currently happening to you make terrific story sources.
Exercise 5: TRUE & FALSE Stories
My ex girlfriend is a bitch. I cannot believe my eyes when I saw them holding hands and kissing during Valentines Day. She is dating my student conductor, my best friend. Well the fact that it was my student conductor, who urged me to break up with her because he said that she is not worthy and now he is with her, totally boiled my blood. I could feel the blood pumping by my temple, helpless, desolated. All those friendship that I thought that they meant a lot, they are just a plain act.
As I walk the alleys of Geylang with my “mate”, he was telling me animatedly on how his “uncle” being all cool and stuff. He blabbered on and on; the information that he gives doesn’t seem to have an end. Soon enough, we are about to approach a group of men who cornered a frail looking old man. Melvin started lowering his volume and whispered to me “Look closely to those group of people and don’t utter a sound”. What I could see was a man with a neat hairdo with ultra huge biceps, passing the cup of coffee to the old man. After which they seem to have conversed and something shocking happened. The man grabs the cup of coffee from old man, splashes it on his face, pulls his shirt over his face and smashes his head with a hammer. All those action happened simultaneously merely in seconds.
What are the details that convinced us that it is true?
PURPOSE OF THE EXERCISE
> A true story is not necessarily a good story
Good stories have to be worked and reworked.
> Life is unpredictable
> In a story, we can and must control events and sequences so that it gives the appearance of being life like.
