Wednesday 2 October 2013
At first I was going
to go with my original idea that I had created and pitched (link to original idea), however, after having
a lecture on screenwriting on the 1st October, being introduced to the classic three-act
structure, and shown a good example of this in a film called Witness, it made me have a more of
realistic overview towards the goals that I have to achieve for this project.
“ Come up with a fictional piece focusing on
the meeting of two main characters what should be set in one main location. You
must have your fictional piece properly formatted into a 10-page screenplay,
also, using your script as the blueprint, you have a choice of two moving image
forms to produce, either a two min trailer that “sells” the entire story, or,
the opening two minutes of my screenplay”
To summarize this into
my understanding, I have to create a 10-minute/ 10 paged screenplay FOCUSING on the MEETING
of TWO MAIN CHARACTERS in ONE MAIN SET LOCATION, there must be a set up, confrontation, and a resolution
to that confrontation in order for my story to be complete and make sense, if
I’m following the 3-act structure.
The first idea (click link) that I pitched,
subconsciously without knowing, I had included a set up, confrontation and also
and also a resolution, this was only because most shows and films that I’ve
watched use this format; but at the time of me creating this idea I had not
known, neither discovered the reason behind this format being used.
Upon being taught the
3-act structure and reviewing my first idea, I realised it was too far fetched
for the task that I had been set for me to do it within the time limit given. On
a trailer yea it would look good with the vfx and the mystery surrounding the
characters, but before I could do the trailer I had to write a 10 paged screenplay
that explains the story around the characters which should include a set up, confrontation and a resolution to
this confrontation. When I tried to brain
map out an idea I literally got writers block, I couldn't think of a way in
which I could do all of this within the given time limit that I’d been set for
this project.
Conclusion
Where screenplay
writing is totally new to me, I think that originally I approached my project
with the right intentions, but, the wrong knowledge on how to go about doing it. Now
knowing and understanding the three-act and two-act structure , its made me have a total
different view towards how I should come up with a story and write/pace a screenplay to this story within my given project limitations.
So because of this i've scrapped my idea and decided to go back to the drawing board to try and come up with a new idea/story.
