When it comes to the beginning of your screenplay and you know that your character dies in the end, it makes sense to use that profound piece of knowledge to structure a suitable journey to that tragic end. To think of writing a story as a discovery to the unknown is for the novelist, a quality that sets the novel apart as a different form of artistic achievement, but when it comes to screenplay structure, the screenwriter has little business sitting at that table of the unknown. The reality is that the screenwriter faces a lot of limitations. Only has so much time. Only so many pages. Can only write what we can see. And the audience expects a lot – and at very specific plot points whether they realize it or not. And it’s true that knowing your ending is a key component to deciding on how to start your screenplay, but the first few pages of your script carry more weight than most people can possibly imagine.
At the beginning of a screenplay, you only have about 10 pages to accomplish these five major rules:
- Establish the tone or genre for the reader to know if it is a comedy, fantasy, spoof, etc.
- Introduce your main character: interesting, flawed, and if not likeable, at least empathetic… somebody we can hope and fear for.
- Clarify the world of the story and the status.
- Indicate the theme or message (Good vs. Evil, Man vs. Nature, etc.)
- Set up the dramatic situation – that is, what the story is going to be about.
Screenplays evolve essentially in two ways: plot driven (often called High Concept), when a writer plugs original characters into a tailor-made plot, or Character Driven, in which the plot is born organically from the characters, usually an unforgettable main protagonist.
Character Driven Screenplays
In this kind of screenplay, if you take away the character, there will be no story, because it is the character (not the idea) that is the cornerstone of the screenplay. The character is the lifeline: the heart, the mind, and the soul of the entire script.
Story Driven Screenplays
In this kind of screenplay often the title alone is enough to understand the entire story, but in each scenario, the characters are secondary to the story idea.
There is no right or wrong way to come up with your screenplay. If the story idea strikes, create characters that fit in the mold. But if it's the character that emerges, allow yourself to explore him or her. Put that character in different situations, different worlds, use character exercises to explore your character further, and most importantly, trust your character. A great character will lead you to a great story.
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