The art of script writing

I think film (especially low budget film) is only as good as the script. however this gets over looked a lot. Young, head strong film makers that for all their talents rush the scripting part inorder to get to the shooting and editing because they want to see the finished film.
The tragedy of this is that their finished product doesn't reach its full potential. 2D characters, baddly written diologue, pointless set pieces and poor naratives plague the internet and though the films look good and are shot well most of the time, these underlying problems stop the films from really being great.
I used to be like that until I began meeting people in the industry who were giving me great advice which after removing the stuff that I didn't like and mixing the stuff I did like and adding them to my own personal views and feelings towards writing I began to develop my method of writing that has served me well for a long time and I would like to share it with you.
Every script despite the genre have to begin with just 2 things. Strong characters and a strong story. To often film makers begin with an idea of a shot or a set piece and try and mold the characters and story around it. This means that everything ends up looking superficial and the potential brilliance of the film and set piece that started it off is lost.
For example some one may go onto www.videocopilot.net and see a tutorial and think wow, i have to make a film that has to have that sequence in it. Guys and girls please realise that this is not film making. There is often no story other then, Lets think of a reason the earth explodes or wouldn't it be cool if someones head came off. You need to create conpelling characters and stories even if the film is intended as just popcorn cinema.
So how do you get this level of depth needed to fully engage an audience. Heres a break down.

Characters
When i write a character there is one thing i have in mind to begin with. I want the character to be so real that if an audience member was to meet them in the street they would feel like they really knew them. Because they had been through this journey with the character they feel like they share something special. A sort of bond.
"Oh do you remember that time you defeated the dark lord? I seriously knew you'd do it, your just not the kind of person to give up, i found that inspirational."
"Why thank you, its having the support of people like you watching that really gave me the strength."
It sounds wierd I know but the audience needs to relate in some way with the characters and believe the person could exist outside of the screen no matter how outragous the events in the film are.
Not just name, age, etc that doesnt make a character. Instead look at your rough plot and decide on what your character is at the beginning, what they become by the end and how that evolves through the film. What do they like, dislike, how do they react to difficult situations, where does their comfort zone end, what do they believe about them selves, what do others believe about them. Really flesh them out, and don't worry if you get so far and then can't think of anything else because as the story unfolds you'll learn more about them and the evolution will feel natural.
I start with the name, because when we as people are named we are also a blank canvas and as we grow our character develops , we don't get to age 18 and get given a name that suits us so why would we do it to a character in a film?
From there you really get to know them as a writer as though you are seeing their journey as it unfolds. The characters, their motives and traits then begin to dictate the shape of the story.

Story
Write a rough plot or synopsis as to what your film is not only about, but the feel, tone and emotional content of the film too. How do you want the audience to feel at each important beat of the film. What will the characters (and so the audience) learn as they move through the story.
Heres the thing. You may get to a point where you realise that the story can't unfold in the way you originally planned because the characters just wouldn't go down that route. When this happens don't be afraid to change the story to suit the character or vice versa, just make sure you look over the whole story to make sure it still feels natural. Dont start down one route and then all of a sudden chage everything, you'll confuse the audience and they will hate the film. Be sure to make sure everything flows and feels in place.
Its so rare that your finished film will be anything like the first concept, because it will evolve for the better, growing in emotion and creative credability as you write.
So your initial plot is written and you write a first draft. You're characters begin to grow and your story is shaped, each set piece compliments to the story and helps drive it forward both emotionally and physically. Feel that flow.
Your dialogue needs to be realistic and sparse. If your character has nothing to say that adds to characterisation, story or emotion then they should just shut up. Think about the kind of language your character uses, because we need to see and understand their perspective of things as we go.
Your second and third drafts are used to flesh everything out even more (dont skip this part, second drafts are always so much better).

So thats a short intro to the art of script writing. be creative, understand your characters and story and love them. Have a go at making the best film possible and make it as compelling as you can. any questions feel free to leave a comment and I'll try and get back to you by replying or emailing you.

Yours sincerely

James Twyman

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