STORY CONSTRUCTION
The original screenplay is what appeals most to young film
makers. Young film makers, or older desperadoes, prefer creating
something from scratch--go for a grand slam.
The original screenplay is usually based on a concept that
is somewhat unique. However, "old time" writers will tell you that
there are no new concepts, as if all human experiences have a recurrent
commonality. Maybe they do, but I don't care to argue the point, since
everybody in their heart wants to believe that their idea is unique!
And that's good in this business. We need a lot of confidence to go out
there and blow someone's entire life savings on a movie idea! Believe
me it happens more often than you can ever imagine.
Whether you write the screenplay yourself or have someone
else do it, the screenplay has to be properly written. The writer
should've hopefully had some instruction or read a book on the subject
or at least have heard of Henrik Ibsen. or Shakespeare.
Henrik Ibsen is the Norwegian playwright who revolutionized
the dramatic form. This is not a book on writing; therefore, I'll only
outline the format. If you intend to write your own screenplays, start
studying Ibsen plays or pick up a book on play analysis based on Ibsen
plays. Some of the best books on creative writing are written by Lajos
Egri.
A screenplay should have a premise. The premise is the
foundation of what the movie is about. Hopefully, this is a good,
interesting, or, maybe even, compelling entertainment. The characters
you pick should be well orchestrated (key concept). The characters have
to drive the premise home. You got the protagonist (the hero), the
antagonist (the villain) and the pivotal character (the catalyst). Your
hero should be committed to reaching his goal (proving the premise).
Your villain should fight to "death" to stop him. The pivotal character
should be subtle and effective in fomenting the conflict or drama.
Built into the premise is a sense of crisis. Your movie is
about something that is generally urgent in nature. Otherwise, why
would you spend twenty-five million dollars telling this story? Okay,
so you're an independent, low-budget film maker, you can do anything;
but, your time is valuable. You might spend a whole year of your life
on this film!
Therefore, you start with the crisis (the beginning, in
bonehead film parlance). Your lead character(s), preferably, should be
embroiled in it.
Next, the crisis matures into the conflict (the middle). As a result of
interaction between your hero(es) and your villain(s), the crisis
develops into serious conflict and ultimately reaches a climax! The
pivotal character(s), knowingly or unknowingly effect the development
that finally explodes into the main action of the movie.
Finally, your resolution (the end) manages to sift through
the rubble of shattered nerves, emotions and hopefully some bones, to
show how these people would end up, happily or unhappily, if anyone is
still left alive after the climax.
One of my early experiences as a director of photography and
editor in action movies was with a young director who liked a lot of
killings in a movie. In the last hours of production, he turned to me
and asked, "Hey, Vic, did we kill everyone?" We looked around. Except
for our hero, all actors were dead (some of them we'd killed two or
three times -- with different makeup or costume, of course). So I told
him, "Let's kill the crew!" The movie was KILLZONE. One reviewer
labeled it a "Poor man's RAMBO." It was shot for less than a million.
Adaptations are theoretically easier. The dramatic structure
is in place. Some other writer has already worked the bugs out. With a
staged play, you even know of the success of the concept.
Of course, the biggest Broadway hits are snatched away by someone or a
studio very fast; but, sometimes you might find a gem hidden somewhere.
You could get lucky. Most likely, though, you should do some intense
searching around for good material.
An adaptation should encompass the same dramatic elements I've just
mentioned under original screenplays. If something is missing in the
original material, that doesn't mean the story material is poor;
however, you should develop it into the final screenplay, regardless of
the source of the original work. Different works have different
requirements and styles of presentation. Needless to say, not every
form of writing revolves around the same principles of dramatic
structure as you find in dramas. Novels and poetry have a wider range
of acceptable format and style. Movies, by the very nature of the
general audiences' trained expectations, need a popular and emotionally
rewarding format. That's why adaptations require care.