Brendan
No link, sorry. I get a 404 error.

Trying again, Chris. This should be the smaller version.

http://www.uwolchallenge.com/challen...wilderness.mov

Sorry for being clumsy about this but it may be worth the bother. The original links can be found by going out to DVInfo Network, finding the forum headed UWOL #3 Challenge and opening the entry entitled "Wilderness" by Per Johan Naesje.

Brendan, I think you missed the link again!

Anyway here is a working link to my entry for the uwol-3:
http://www.video-film.no/snutter/UWO...derness_lg.mov (67.2MB) Recommended!


Enjoy!

So anyone want a nice scriptwiriting EXERCISE?

Take Per Johan's script and REVERSE engineer it.

Write a script that you envision would result in THIS video.

I'd be fascinated at the approaches taken by different scriptwriters.

Mathieu,

It seems odd but it's a good idea, anyway.

MK

Rob,

Actually it sounds to me like music videos could be your perfect fit. It has really developed as an art form and there is actually a lot of money it in. Just compelling shot after compelling shot, with some sense of story, but not a dominating one.

Could also be that DP is a fine place to rest. Making every shot look fabulous...

Hey Barry, thanks for your thoughts on that!

Hi Rob.

I know of a book which, in my experience, has gotten a number of people writing completed scripts straight after reading it. It's very good with the basics.

It's "Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger.

It's a lot like driving a car. You might be great at "turning the steering wheel" and at "pressing down on the accelerator" but have no idea how to stop the car. Or even how to start the car. So you might be tempted to say, "Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a driver. Perhaps I should sell cars or polish cars instead."

This book will show you how to use the brakes and how to insert the key and turn on the ignition.

For example, a director/DP friend of mine was always able to come up with great ideas for individual scenes but could never write a script. He got about 2/3rds of the way through this book, put it down and rattled off a completed feature film script. And it was an excellent script too.

The only other thing I would recommend is to get yourself Final Draft, which is a scriptwriting program. It will automatically put everything in the right script format, so that nothing distracts your creativity while you are writing. But, of course, it's not essential to get the software. The book is the main thing.

I have personally found (and seen with other writers) that there is a lot of "advice" (and some books) which tend to paralyze them as writers. Like, "Forget the brakes and the accelerator. Just concentrate on the windscreen wipers. That's all you need to know." Scriptwriting can be like a minefield in this way.

But the Seger book gives the correct, simple basics of the subject (in my opinion and experience). And the Australian Writers' Guild, for example, only recommends two books on scriptwriting (last time I checked). One of them is this Seger book, "Making a Good Script Great".

David
Love Seger's book too, BTW.
And the other book would be?
My vote would be McKee's "Story"...

"Making a Good Script Great" by Linda Seger costs $10.36 on Amazon.

Must read that, David. Thanks for the prompt.

Thanks David! Of course it's $20 here in Holland, but I can live with that ;)

It's good to hear someone in similar position as me actually benefited from a book. I've read a couple of others in the past without much look (yet).

Yeah, I will ditto that on the book. It's fabulous. She has a couple follow-ons that really help to.

I've mentioned this before in other threads. I've got SHELVES full of books on Screenwriting, and if I had to recommend two - it would be Viki King's "How to Write a Movie in 21 Days" and Chris Voglers "The Writers Journey".

The first, is a practical guide to the DISCIPLINE of Screenwriting. Look, you can download format instructions from all over the web. You can buy screenwriting programs that format for you, or download templates for WORD or WORDPERFECT that turn them into screenwriting programs. Viki King's book, gives you a practical guide for how to manage your BTUs - Butt Time Units - to get the job done. One of the hardest things for newcomers to do.

Chris Voglers book, was one of the first to apply the writings of Joseph Campbel and his philosophies on mythic structure - SPECIFICALLY to Screenwriting. Still one of the most concise applications of that approach.


In terms of my process - I usually write 'organically'. That is, I write the story as it comes out. I hammer through it. When I am done, and in the process of REWRITING - I will sometimes refer to the books I have as references for places I think need improving. "AH, the second act seems slow here... what am I lacking?" Reach for some of my books, see what the 'experts' have to say about second acts - and then go back in.

I DON'T reach for the books while I am writing. I read them BETWEEN scripts, not during.

But every writer has their own pace and workflow, so that's just mine.

Yeah, me too. I'm such a vacuum cleaner for outside ideas that I don't watch TV, go to movies, read books during the period I've set aside for my own original screenwriting.

Me old writing coach used to tell me - you ingest ideas, digest them, mix them up with stuff you've had inside you from before, then ruminate awhile, procrastinate a lot,
then finally, when it's all ready, ... well you have the rest.

Just outputting without digestion and rumination isn't creation, it's re-creation.

I have to stop myself from "adapting" other people's ideas too easily because I do that at work all day long.
But that's on reality TV so it doesn't count :)

Free screen writing tool
 

If you don't currently have an editor for screen writing take a look at Celtx. It's free and is a comprehensive tool!

It has many features such as the ability to collaborate with others who have an Internet connection.

http://www.celtx.com/