So three acts.
My last post seems basic enough, but I want to touch on something even more basic.
Learning the art of screenwriting.
Screenplays are documents unlike any other documents. They are not meant to solely be read. They are not written to express an author’s grand ideals or intentions, or to display a masterful command of the English language.
Screenplays are efficient.
Fewer words. Short sentences. Smothered in subtext but also clear intentions.
We are familiar with the unconventional rules of novels or poetry, namely that the author makes the rules for their writing. But screenplays are some form of alien creation. There are rules imposed upon them and they are expected to be quick and concise. Unlike novels, screenplays are intended to be translated from the written form to a visual form. That in itself is just odd. It is similar to reading sheet music: unique rules, essentially a different language, strange formatting, and the written form is merely a preview of the finished product, which will capture a different sensory function altogether.
Many screenwriting gurus have published books on learning to write a screenplay. Perhaps the most famous (and useful) is Syd Field’s Screenplay. This tome covers basic ideas regarding story structure and function, creating characters, and the rules of screenplays.
I say useful because most other books on the subject are, well, not as useful. Sure, chances are that you’ve heard of Save the Cat! By Blake Snyder. You could have also heard of literally a thousand clones of said book by said author. But these books should, unfortunate as this is to say, be viewed with suspicion. How many screenplays have those authors written?
How many of those screenplays have been produced?
It’s a little bit like having a soccer coach whose only experience was a summer soccer league she played in when she was 7.
I don’t want to sound dismissive or cynical. It is entirely possible that you can pull some useful information or truth from these books.
But I believe there is a huge source of knowledge on screenplays that we tend to overlook.
Screenplays!
Yes, if you want to learn how to write screenplays, you should read screenplays.
I know, this advice seems incredibly basic, but I think that’s why so many people wouldn’t think of doing it. But really, reading screenplays, especially produced screenplays, is like taking a master class without having to pay for it. Even better is if you can read a screenplay while watching the produced film version. It’s almost an exhilarating rush to see just what was translated so faithfully and what has changed from page to screen.
Many screenplays can be found online for free. The Internet Movie Script Database (IMSDb) is one such example. Or just do a Google Search. Other screenplays are published in conjunction with the producing studios and are available for purchase, often including other behind-the-scenes content like storyboards or written screenwriter commentary.
(Film commentaries are also useful, especially if they include input from the film’s screenwriters.)
There are other screenplay library sources out there, including an app called Weeknd Read, that offer several screenplays, both classic and modern, for your reading pleasure.
Learn from the masters. If you are interested in learning how to write screenplays, then take a few minutes and do some internet research, and start reading screenplays. See how other filmmakers write their stories, see what rules they love to follow and what rules they love to break and play with.
Film Talkies 