You’re Not Just Creating A Story, But A History
October 5th, 2005
Chris Wehner is a published author, journalist, critic and professional screenwriter. He has worked in the field for over 10 years. He was recently Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Screenwriter's Monthly and VP of Development for MoviePartners. Currently his screenplay, EL CAMINO, is in development with Golden Light Films in Los Angeles and is scheduled to go into production early next year. He recently (09/2005) optioned his latest script, THREESOME, to producer Ted Melfi and is scheduled to go into pre-production this year. His book, Screenwriting on the Internet: Researching, Writing & Selling Your Script on the Web was a Top Seller at The Writer's Store and his latest book "Who Wrote That Movie?" has received praise as well.
Screenwriting 101 - Top rated class by Chris Wehner
I was a history student in graduate school in the early 1990s when I began tinkering with screenwriting. At first the two genres (fiction and non-fiction) could not have seemed any more different to me at the time.
I learned that a historian must ask himself questions about his topic before setting out to do the research. Some of these questions would also be good to ask yourself as a screenwriter: “Will this topic hold my interest and passion for a long period of time?”; “Will I be able to do the necessary research?”; “Is the scope of the premise too broad – too confined?”; and finally, “Will the topic represent questions that can be answered?”
When a historian sets out to write history his asking of questions does not stop once he has selected his topic. The historian would then start asking questions specific to his topic. What if …? Why…? Who…? When…? Where…? How…? These questions should jump out at you if you’re a fiction writer.
As I plunged deeper into my historical studies it became apparent to me that historians, like storytellers, are seeking a narrative and exploring themes. A historian will usually follow a set group of characters from the past—perhaps a group of diplomats, politicians, military commanders or whoever. The historian will essentially build character sketches and attempted to find the narrative of the story. At least two (or more) dominant characters from the past will emerge. These characters will usually represent at least two opposing forces within the historical topic being discussed. These forces for a screenwriter are, of course, the protagonist and antagonist. The historian will explore motivations, situations, and try to discover certain truths. You the screenwriter will do so as well.
Themes will also arise. Some historians believe theme to be essential to good history. For a historian theme represents the ideas, thoughts, interactions (social and political movements), and conflicts (military and political confrontations) of the time period. A good historian will tap into the pulse of the time period. Theme is essential to good storytelling as well. You must tap into the issues you are exploring in your story. You do this with your research. You develop character sketches, perhaps do research on issues or topics that will be prevalent in your story and address issues that motivate your characters. Your characters have ideas, thoughts, political and social beliefs, and most importantly, there will be conflict. There will be physical and/or emotional confrontations. It will be a test of wills, which often times is what the study of history reveals.
The arrangement of facts, dates and characters are essential if the historian is to weave an exciting and entertaining historical narrative. Yes, history can be enjoyable to read and yet historically accurate. The historian must ask the right questions and then begin to tell us what is going on and what happened. As a screenwriter you “setup” your story and then must “pay it off” in the end. Perhaps you too will raise a question in your reader’s mind, something that you will answer in the end. But also, you must be accurate as a storyteller, just like a historian. You cannot tell lies. You must be true to your characters. If the reader cannot accept the premise of your story, if it does not feel right, or if your characters do not act true to their characterization, your story will collapse.
So create a history, not just a story. You already know, or at least have a very good idea, for how your story will go. You know its history. You know who the characters are and now you must do your job as a writer and arrange the facts and situations in such a way as to tell a highly dramatic and effective story. If it helps you to outline your history before you write, do so. When historians sit down to write they have their research complete, some use note cards, and they know how the story will go. But yet though some historians think they know the story as they write it something happens during the process and they end up at a different conclusion than what they had first believed. You the storyteller may also, during the creative process, discover something new about your story (or characters) as you explore and write.
Perhaps most importantly a good historian leaves all prejudice and subjectivity out of his research and writing. You the storyteller would be wise to do the same.
Finally, what is history at its core? It’s the study of human behavior. You the storyteller are also dealing with human behavior. You are exploring themes and emotions, actions and reactions, and you are doing so within the fabric of humanity.
—CW
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