A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Guillotine
October 28th, 2006
Hollywood Script Consultants
By Craig Kellem
Recently we wrote an article entitled "Revisiting, 'It's the Singular Image that Haunts us that Becomes Art'" in which we put forth what we thought was a nifty and powerful way to start the development of a screenplay.
It worked so well for us that we started touting it to some of our consultation clients with smashing results.
But first some backstory.
We initiated this technique and used it ourselves when we were given a full project to write from a producer/idea guy who provided a seven page pitch with instructions for us (Judy writes, I consult) to write the script.
We liked the concept a lot but it obviously did not come off our own radar screen, and it was a formidable prospect knowing that we only had twelve weeks or so, to produce a terrific piece of professional work.
So we came up with a novel exercise to get things going fast and furious, which was to give each other the prerequisite task of "playing in the sandbox" for two of our precious weeks -- namely to think of cool ideas for scenes or parts of scenes in order to get things rolling, without worrying about story structure or much of anything else.
This was alien to the way these things usually start which is via initiating story arcs, act breaks, character inventories --the whole nine yards.
So instead of eking material out in the usual ways, we decided to go for something different and come up with five ideas a day, each. The only rule: NO STRESS. At this stage of the game it was enough to just come up with some really good glimmers of material.
What a freeing notion this was, kind of like painting by splashing paint on the wall and seeing how it all comes out.
So the "games" began.
Each day had a mini deadline, namely facing each other (which naturally fondled our respective sense of pride and yes a dash of competition). It should be noted that neither of us were allowed to complain - nor would we have since somehow filling this prescription became a matter of pride!
Day followed day, which followed day. What a delight it was to just be creative without having to put anything together. Under these bohemian conditions it sometimes took me 10 or 15 minutes to do my daily task and then I got to happily walk away from further responsibility.
How that appealed to the rebel in me.
Like a free play period in kindergarten we could be wonderfully extemporaneous and delay, in a way, the inevitable work that we knew we had to face down the line.
The pile began to accumulate.
Almost all of the scene ideas and creative threads came from that bedrock resource: our lives and times. Indeed this never ending asset emanates from things that we have both felt, noticed and experienced, all defined under Julia Cameron's wonderful umbrella, "It's the singular image that haunts us that becomes art." (ie: insights, moments of truth, fascinations and unique experiences which had previously lacked a "file.")
My associate Judy (Kellem) says this--"there is a marked, qualitative disparity between stories and images born from real life experience and those made from pure intellectual invention. Life is rife with evocative moments, large and small, which create powerful feelings. Insights. Unique situations."
We brainstormed and played, keeping in mind our own words of previous advice to folks:
" Write it down. Put it on index cards randomly, no need to be organized...yet. Let your mind wander. Get it all down on paper without restrictions. Thinking about characters? Jot down the hot licks about them remembering that the main ingredient is YOUR emotional connection with them. Forget the mundane--stick with your creative electricity. Only collect the stuff that's near ten on the Richter scale of your heart. Which idea creates a hot beat in your belly? As you bubble and percolate, AVOID the temptation to write at all costs! Instead, let the DESIRE to write build up as you dabble. Let your energy be expressed in the proliferation of creative nuggets randomly thrown on a page or on index cards."
A funny thing happened on the way to the guillotine: 2 weeks went by and we had over...100 scenes. It so delightfully snuck up on us, as did a real sense of POWER. For we were now well into this puppy, totally sucked in via the confidence that is achieved when there's something "on the wall" to admire and to provide inspiration and synergy.
As if ON THEIR OWN our scenes also had begun to create plot trends and character postures and we now started to connect the dots.
We were soon beginning to get a sense of the trajectory of the film? A rough sense of how the idea set up, then developed. Even got a sense of how the story resolves, indeed the rough parameters of Acts 1, 2 and 3 (i.e.: Act 1, the set up; Act 2, tell the story; Act 3, resolve it).
On the wings of smelling possibility, it wasn't long before we cut to the chase and had a full, very extensive story outline.
Just like in a Hollywood movie, we're happy to report that the script's been delivered, they love it and now we go to the next step --we'll let you know what happens next.
This approach has already helped other writers, as we've used it in dealing with Works in Progress clients who often are in need of more "meat" and story weight in their quivers. The results have been extremely impressive.
It works particularly well with writers who are in a hurry to get it done and tend to under develop their stuff (and there are many). By "forcing" them to take a short couple of weeks or so laying down this track (sometimes we help with idea contribution and thus moral support as well), these previously " once too easily satisfied quick prep players" find themselves swimming in mountains of scenes which we've found gives them a new strength and perspective on doing things. It pushes them into being more multifaceted in their approach, since having more of the needed goods under their noses gives impetus to new ambition and willingness.
One client, a comedy type, was always in a rush to make you laugh via his fat inventory of stuff. He can now supplement "the funny" and anchor his jokes with character currency and even a little drama and poignancy. These elements contribute greatly to his scripts, since comedy always works better in an atmosphere of reality.
Another client - who's more of a drama aficionado - was always in a hurry to get to the "spiritual" moment in his story. He now has a wealth of OTHER creative assets to choose from, which support those "big moments" story and plot wise. All were born from this simple system.
The idea here is instead of scratching it out, indulging the tendency to become impatient and rush one's beloved writing phase, to use that nascent first energy to create a little mountain of creative goods. Those goods will not only help with the psychology of the thing, but with staying well ahead of the "posse" faced by all writers.
http://www.hollywoodscript.com
Copyright Hollyscript.com, LLC 2006 All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Only logged-in members can comment. You can log in or join today for free!
Advertisement
