Movie script writing

[Ringu]

hi, is there anyone here with an interest in movie script writing? or someone who has experience already?

 

[jesusfreak10537]

I have considered becoming a script writer. There are so many great plots out there that no one has ever done before!

 

[visionary]

I have been working on a outline of action and adventure, one that involves natural disasters.

 

[Ringu]

Interesting. I had some ideas like that too. Also started, but quited after like 5 pages. Did you study scriptwriting anywhere?

I have been working on a outline of action and adventure, one that involves natural disasters.

 

[visionary]

No, I have been doing background research and hae over 150 pages of material to work from....I know I have just begun.

 

[Elohir]

I've written scripts for skits and miniature plays before, for my church, drama group, and even when I was back in Boy Scouts. They seemed to be taken really well. Script writing really isn't that complicated. It's just like writing a story, but one line at a time.

 

[Ringu]

Do you have any materials about script writing?

No, I have been doing background research and hae over 150 pages of material to work from....I know I have just begun.

 

[Ringu]

Why I am asking all this is that I really want to work more in this area, and I have ideas, but as soon as I start writing them down, I end up with 5-10 pages of text and can't move further. Especially it's hard for me to write realistic dialogues.

What can you suggest?

Also, I think, maybe someone would be interested in starting a project where we work on a story and make it a script. Of a movie, christian or not, but with good morals etc. What do you all think? We'd just come up with a theme and then work on it together as a work group. Input our thoughts and mold it into a good script.

 

[Elohir]

I like that idea. It sounds like a lot of fun.

 

[Ringu]

What does visionary think?

 

[Ringu]

By the way.
What do you think about christians making horror movies? Not like horror in sence of showing horrible scenes, you know, like body parts (i.e. in Ghost Ship etc.), but horror in sence of intence scenes, like "6th sence" or similar.

 

[FireRock]

Hey, I went to school for television production, and I've written scripts for movies, sketches, plays, commercials, televsion shows, etc. although few have ever gone further than just a script. I love script-writing and I also know some books you can get that can help you out, Ringu. I don't remember the titles right off hand, but when I get them I will let you know!

For the realistic dialogue part, try writing something and then saying it out loud with you or you and a friend to see how it sounds. Or, tape record conversations to get a feel for realistic dialogue. For some reason, it seems to come natural to me, or at least that's what most people say. I just love writing, and I find myself observing people a lot, just to see how they react and how they think and they way they talk and just everything.

I think movies like "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable" (which I think people would more call suspense than horror) are absolutely amazing! I don't like horror movies in general, although I'm sure there are a couple out there that are okay.
There's a christian film festival, and they have a horror film category. I think it's called Flickerings, if I remember right. I haven't looked on their website in quite some time, so I don't know what they have going on right now.

As for the team scriptwriting effort, I think it'd be fun. I have some creative energy that I'm trying to burn off right now, and working on just one script isn't enough. I have two movie scripts that I'm playing with and I just started a stage play script (although I haven't gone anywhere with it at all yet).
It'd be so much fun working on a script with other people! I'd be willing to join!

 

[rapturefish]

Why I am asking all this is that I really want to work more in this area, and I have ideas, but as soon as I start writing them down, I end up with 5-10 pages of text and can't move further. Especially it's hard for me to write realistic dialogues.

What can you suggest?

Also, I think, maybe someone would be interested in starting a project where we work on a story and make it a script. Of a movie, christian or not, but with good morals etc. What do you all think? We'd just come up with a theme and then work on it together as a work group. Input our thoughts and mold it into a good script.

There is more than one way to do this. I've done less on script-writing but since I've had to do some recently for short skits I've found in one sense it's more immediate and easy to write than say a story. I suppose it's similar to writing a story. You still have characters, you still have a setting and a problem or tension that needs to be resolved.

If I remember, writers tend to fall into two camps. There are those that plan the whole story out and structure it from start to end, then start writing. Then there's the other camp who prefer to make up a bunch of characters, put them all into a bag and watch them resolve their relationships and reach a conclusion of some sort. The first option may bring about a neater story, but unless you do it well enough some of the situations and character behaviour may become too contrived just to satisfy the way of the plot. The second method may give you more realistic characters, but the plot may come out more accidental in nature if not worked on enough. A good balance needs to be made between a credible enough plot and good, believable characters.

If you want to work on something, you can try either method. It's probably important to have a theme in mind right at the beginning of this process, then think of different characters who might in different ways have a problem to solve in light of this problem, e.g. If the script was about finding fulfilment and purpose, you could have: an executive who has reached the top but quits when he is dissatisfied with life at the top; a church worker who has suffered burnout; a woman whose marriage has grown cold and distant and wishing for something more; a teenage girl who contemplates suicide. Involve them somehow in one story, see how they relate. You may need to add some people who will have some wisdom to share to these characters; a boy whose simple life's fulfilment is playing with Dad; a dog who is content just to be an animal and has no need to find fulfilment; a missionary worker on the streets facing danger every day but couldn't eb happier. Imagine if the first group of people came across people from the second group. How would they interact? How would they react to what the other has to say? These "what ifs" could become the basis for different scenes and develop into a plot.

You could add events that happen that throw a spanner in the works for these characters. The problems the first group encounter could be linked somehow, e.g. the teenage girl is a case that the christian worker couldn't handle, she runs away and it leads to his burnout and the girl's suicide thoughts. The girl is about to jump off a bridge when she encounters a dog drowning in the river and she goes to save it. This alters her perception of life as a result. Meanwhile the christian worker hits rock bottom, backslides and gets drunk when he comes across the street missionary and they have a dialogue in the bar.

Think of an endpoint you hope to see the first group reach. You wish to see the burnt-out christian worker have a time of refreshing spiritually and come back to his ministry a new man. You want to see the teenage girl love life again and maybe help the street missionary. You want to see the dog live and be happy with its master.

You need a bigger picture for the storyline, or you need to be aware of how different characters interact and change as a result of these encounters. Either way, things may start to form once you see things in one or both ways.

cheers,

RF <><

 

[Ringu]

Hi rapturefish, FireRock

Thanks a lot for great advises!
I also think that making realistic dialogues is easier to do in a group of real people trying to act like the characters.

So well. I mean, if anyone's interested in a script writing project, we can start somewhere. I will come home and think and start a new thread for it. I hope we can come up with something cool and fun and release our creative energy

 

[FireRock]

Sounds like a great idea! I look forward to what our creative energies come up with!

 

[wgjones3]

For scriptwriting, I have a demo version of Sophocles. ( http://www.sophocles.net ) that I wrote a Christian horror movie on. Well, 90+ pages of one in less than a week. I never really got to the horror part and I just kinda lost interest after Halloween.

I'm too wordy for scripts. I like novels better. But I find I still have to hack and edit my mss to keep the word count somewhat readable.

 

[Ringu]

hi everyone.
Sorry I didn't keep up with posting. Got really busy at work and was tired and had my birthday. I am also still thinking which of my ideas I want to pitch. If you have ideas, start thinking about them too.
Well I will post a link to a new thread here soon.
Ringu

 

[Ringu]

ok check this http://www.christianforums.com/showthread.php?p=10482057#post10482057

 

[FireRock]

Well, I don't really have any ideas off the top of my head that I could pitch, so I'm all up for whatever anybody and everybody else comes up with!

By the way, I just read your script idea and it sounds great. I posted a response there, but I wanted to encourage everyone who posts or reads here to check it out. It's a really neat idea!

 

[JBSU2]

Hello every body.


This project ideal looks really cool. I'm really interested with script-writing.. I'm sorry for my english, but if I can help you by the way, in giving you some ideas.

There is a really interesting book about the script writing, it's titled: Story. I don't remember the name of the writers. It is a really good book, if you want to know more about script writing, it is good to read it. Good luck!