THE ART OF EFFECTIVE AND "SALEABLE" SCREENWRITING

Writing for the film medium has become the modern version of the ancient art of storytelling. Unlike the novelist, the screenwriter cannot rely exclusively upon the written word, for the written word must be the screen's spoken words in association with visual images that communicate, support, enhance and punctuate the story being told. In this way, the screenwriter has taken the place of the ancient storytellers. Men and women sitting in a darkened movie theater and sharing an emotional experience with a group of strangers is roughly the equivalent of the tribe hunkered down around the campfire, listening to the stories told by the "experienced ones"-- the warrior, the hunter, the traveler and the shaman.

New screenwriters tend to forget the two most critical questions that they must ask themselves when practicing their craft. First, "Do I want to write?" or "Do I want to write and sell?" Second, "If I write it, will they come?" Assuming the screenwriter chooses to "write and sell," all too often their first efforts are based upon their own experiences and they forget that they are writing for a broader, mass-market audience that does not necessarily share their experience, opinions, etc. This requires a choice and attitude...that of being "objective" rather than "subjective" and, most difficult of all, setting aside one's ego!

Screenwriters must also understand the nature and complexity of their stories. Is it extraordinarily expensive to produce in relation to the "genre" of the film? Does it require multiple and expensive locations; or filming in unique weather conditions, e.g., snowstorms, night shoots; or does it require unique, special or inaccessible terrain? Does it require complicated and expensive visual and/or computer-generated effects?

Very often, scripts are rejected without being given a "fair read" when the screenwriter is perceived as attempting to write a more expensive film than the story warrants; the weaknesses in the story or characters are initially evident; or the format and structure make the screenplay a "chore" to read.

THE SCREENWRITERS TOOLS

STORY STRUCTURE
I recommend Joseph Campbell's "Hero With A Thousand Faces," Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey" and Maureen Murdock's "The Heroine's Journey." They explain the common structure shared by all mythology, legend, religion, etc. Storytelling is as old as civilization itself. Our ancestors, regardless of the society, sat around their campfire and told stories that imparted knowledge; taught lessons about the society and how to act within that society; and often taught personal lessons, (e.g., the individual's journey as it relates to their own life and society). However, all of these stories also entertained; for without that critical element, their "audience" would not absorb what was being imparted. Film, our contemporary way of telling stories around the campfire, can be mythical like Star Wars...or a personal journey such as an individual finding the person of his/her dreams. No matter what the message, it must entertain and hold the audience's attention, otherwise...who cares.

EXAMPLE - TERMINATOR 2.
At its most intellectual level, this film is about people loving each other; avoiding wars and other conflicts; and not allowing technology to subvert our humanity -- a concept that is also present in Star Wars. From a "journey" point of view, it is the "search for the father" motif as described in Campbell. However, its enormous success was based upon a combination of factors. A huge audience found it entertaining, as is often the case with such action/adventure films, and enjoyed it as pure "escapism." But the underlying and subconscious messages appeal to a "universal, collective consciousness" via the mythological basis upon which it was structured. This "shared experience" gave the film a foundation that could be understood by all people regardless of their background, nationality, language, etc. This translated into "box office/money" for the individuals and organizations involved in the production.

Look at films that emphasize a "heavy, intellectual message" -- brilliant though they may be -- and you will find their "audience/box office appeal" to be very low. When a producer looks at a screenplay, he is not (hopefully) just looking for a solid story, credible characters and something unique and/or different. He is also thinking: "Who is my audience?" "What is the estimated production budget, P&A costs and other expenses before we can make money?" "If I get this through the 'studio system' and make this movie, will I be a hero and keep my job...or get to make more movies?" OR "Will I have to worry about getting fired...or get turned down on my other projects, because I brought them a bomb!" This is the reality of the industry and the system by which it operates. And this is what the industry...and your role as a screenwriter is all about!

This does not mean that every film must be a "blockbuster" with big production values, big names, big advertising, etc. Each film must seek its own level, based upon its "genre," target audience and marketing. Low-budget films, the largest category of produced films, allow for experimentation, offbeat concepts, lesser-name casting and more latitude in terms of the concepts presented to the audience. But the screenwriter must still keep in mind that concepts can go too far.

EXAMPLE - BOXING HELENA.
"Boxing Helena" proved to be a disaster, for it attempted to stretch the "open-mindedness" of its "genre" audience. It was written, produced and got on the screen, but..."they did not come." The screenwriter may sit back and say, "I wrote it, was paid and it got on the screen." However, the Producer got burned, the Production Company got burned and the Distributor got burned. There is a "ripple effect" at work, for the next time, the industry's "perception" of the Producer AND the Screenwriter may not be so open and/or forgiving!

Writing a good story is only the first step in creating a marketable screenplay. Much of what we see are "compendia" of common writing mistakes, filled with cliched situations and solutions; unmotivated, unrecognizable or unreal characters whose actions are reflections of their written weaknesses; and numerous mistakes in continuity -- not finishing what is started in situations by the characters and/or their actions! One of the basic principles that a screenwriter must live by is: "IF IT DOESN'T MOVE THE STORY ALONG, THEN IT DOESN'T BELONG IN THE STORY!" Makes no difference how interesting, educational, intellectual, or funny it is. If it serves no purpose to the movement of the story...get rid of it!

2. WRITING IN THREE ACTS
Early films took much of their form from the theatre: the look of the scenes, the choreography for the actors and the acting techniques of the performers. As the film medium evolved, it developed a style of its own. One of the problems, which we often run into with novice screenwriters, is a slow, dragging and undeveloped "middle" in the screenplay. Even when the screenwriter's technique and creativity are fairly strong, the "beginning" and the "end" contain most of the story. Over the past few years or so, we were surprised to discover that most of the screenwriters with whom we have contact still speak of 3-acts and plot points or the turning points of each act.

Some of our editors have a background in theatre and saw no similarity between the defined 3-acts of the stage and the continually flowing story and action of film. And, while we could examine any film and break it down into what we thought were the 3-acts, it seemed that writing for the screen with that limitation would present some serious problems. After all, imposed 3-acts on a film are "after the fact." It means nothing. But if screenwriters are creating in a 3-act structure, it might be contributing to that slow and unimportant 2nd act.

Recently, we came upon an article written by John Truby (THE 3-ACT STRUCTURE: The Myth That Will Kill Your Writing.) addressing the 3-act structure and it's consequences. If you are interested, contact Truby's Writer's Studio @ 1-800-33TRUBY and they will assist you in obtaining the article. It certainly makes sense to me.

One common mistake prevalent among new screenwriters is the tendency to "editorialize." What a character is 'thinking' may seem important, but this is a audio/visual medium. If it is to reach an audience, "they" can't get into a character's thoughts unless those thoughts can be seen or heard -- so if it isn't in dialogue or action, IT DOESN'T BELONG ON THE PAGE!'

For story writing and structure, there are numerous software and audio programs available. Some follow the basic parameters of Campbell's classic motifs and will take the screenwriter through the various stages of story development and, in addition, will allow the screenwriter to compare their work to existing works. We prefer and recommend John Truby's Blockbuster. However, they are not replacements for talent, experience, research, patience and "good, old-fashioned, common sense and logic."

3. FORMAT
Use a script-writing, formatting software program. It not only allows the screenwriter to present professional looking screenplays, but frees the screenwriter from the restraints of having to be constantly concerned with format, allowing for greater creative freedom and experimentation. Remember, perception is a critical factor in gaining the attention of the people to whom you submit your work. Presenting a screenplay properly formatted, structured and reproduced, is an indication of your professionalism as well as your understanding of what the industry requires. All too often, we see scripts that are filled with improper grammar and punctuation; are poorly copied and of poor quality to make them unreadable; with pages missing; or with a format apparently created by the screenwriter. These are distractions and will often result in a script being tossed aside with the impression that "the screenwriter does not care about his/her work."

There are numerous script format programs available and the majority of them provide the necessary elements for the screenwriter to create professional and accepted screenplays. We prefer and recommend the software program, "ScriptThing." It's comprehensive, functional, operates in either DOS or Windows -- a Mac version is now available -- inexpensive and in use and accepted by many of the major studios.

If you are interested in ScriptThing, contact: www. ScriptThing.com For Truby's Blockbuster, contact: www.Truby.com

4. RESEARCH
Perhaps the most ignored aspect of the screenwriter's learning process is research. This applies to both the obvious element of "researching" a specific subject for a story, and to "researching" the business that the screenwriter intends as his/her profession.

Often, in asking screenwriters what kind of films do they watch on a regular basis, the response is: "I don't have the time" -- or "Most of the films out there are commercial pap" -- or "The mass-market stuff doesn't appeal to me." As a screenwriter, it's your job -- and your responsibility -- to know what the "market and audience" want if you intend to sell your work! Screenwriters very often forget (or take an "elitist" attitude) that they are not writing for themselves. This is a business driven by box-office dollars. Studios, distributors, producers, agents, etc., are interested in material that will sell! They will not risk their dollars (or anyone else's) to produce something that does not have a place to go -- a target market, a target audience and with an estimated budget that makes it viable for both those considerations.

As a brief example of the level of competition that a screenwriter faces, one should note that in 1996, the WGA -- both East and West -- registered approximately 50,000 scripts. Add to that the scripts that were copyrighted (a number that probably is as large) and those that were not protected by those means and simply reverse mailed. You will find that you have a number probably reaching close to 100,000. Of those, the number of films actually produced, optioned, etc., was about 400, taking into account theatrical releases, MOW's, direct to video releases, cable, syndication, foreign releases of domestic films, etc. All the more reason for the screenwriter to make sure that he/she is writing for a market and audience that exists.

5. MARKETING
For the "new" writer, one of the most difficult and frustrating tasks is getting his/her material to individuals and/or organizations for consideration. Most studios, producers, production companies, directors, etc. will not consider "unsolicited" material. The response is often "Get an agent!" "So how do I get an agent when even the agents will not read unsolicited material?"

There are no easy shortcuts; and the screenwriter should not be deceived into believing that the rare situation of a first-time or unproduced screenwriter who receives a big paycheck for their first effort is the norm. These situations are the exception rather than the rule.

Your queries should be in the form of "brief" synopses or treatments; and should be presented with the same "professionalism" as your script. Keep in mind that your "targets" -- studio executives, producers, directors, actors, agents or readers are deluged with material; and their time is valuable. "Brevity and professionalism" will make a better impression and give you a better chance of having your script requested. And finally, patience and perseverance!

A good beginning would be "Writer's Guide To Hollywood Producers, Directors & Screenwriter's Agents, 1999-2000" by Skip Press; available from Prima Publishing at www.primapublishing.com **************************************************************************

The information provided herein is based upon my own experience and that of other individuals within our company. We have no monetary or commission interest in any materials purchased from ScriptThing, Truby's Writer's Studio, Prima Publishing; or any of the books mentioned in this article.

If you have any questions, we would be happy to discuss them, given the restraints of time and the necessity for confidentiality for the writers' work.

Joseph K. Landsman is the Chairman/CEO of The Woofenill Works, Inc. and may be reached at:

The Woofenill Works, Inc. 516 E. 81st St., Suite #3, New York, N.Y. 10028-2530
Email: woofenill@earthlink.net
Website: http://home.earthlink.net/~woofenill/