The Pre-Screenwriting Process of Film

6/14/2019 The Pre-Screenwriting Process of Film
The Pre-Screenwriting Process of Film

38 responses
What is your relationship with lm as a profession?

38 responses
Professional Filmmaker
Ametuer Filmmaker
28.9% Neither
47.4%
23.7%
How often do you watch lm?

38 responses
Never
Yearly
18.4% Once every couple of months
36.8%
Monthly
A couple of times a month
Weekly
A couple of times a week
18.4%
Daily
21.1%
More than once a day
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YITHZFavbLIZh-wMZ0hWDEjBxvQkBbBXs3GbCSIKsQw/viewanalytics 1/14
What steps do you believe are important to the pre-screenwriting process?

36 responses
Outlining
Research, Finding a Hook
Vision, Con dence, and Belief
Having a LONG enough item you can make into a screenplay
Establishing character motivations, basic plot outline, and an idea for an ending.
Outline and Create a Simple Pro le for your Characters
Have a idea for everything, and share it.
Making sure you have a fully payed out idea/plan in your head, not just parts of one.
Have a beginning, an end, and a couple stuff for the in-between
Planning a beginning and ending
Probably having a clear story?
Beat sheets, and knowing where you want to go.
Research
Research and character development
Planning out the plot and important story beats. Establishing themes and motifs. Creating compelling, but not
necessarily complex, characters.
Thinking about the idea, a skeleton plan
The most important step in pre screenwriting is the overall premise of your story
Finding your point of view and voice.
judgement free brainstorming
Going out / making routines.
Establishing the turn, the primary setting/mood/tone, and de ning a compelling con ict.
Finding inspiration for a story, and doing research on the topic of the lm. Seeing how the story has been told
before and how it can be made new and exciting.
Allowing time for it to assemble itself in your subconscious.
brainstorm, and perhaps write out a "map" of how you pan to tell your story.
(I don't make large budget lms; I've made a bunch of 20 minute shorts, but generally I work in PR as a Video
Producer...take whatever you can from this).
I'm dyslexic and have adhd...so maybe my methods wouldn't be best for you, but I do a combo of writing
things on post-its on a big wall, planning out story ow in one color and camera shot in another color. I then try
to plan for a handful of *key scenes* (think what you'd see in a trailer) use the software "shotpro" to develop
them further until I get too frustrated with the software that I hire a $50/hr actress to go to a park with me and
lm a few of the scenes on a low-budget camera. I then edit that footage into quick 15 second clips, use
Adobe Spark to then create a "story ow" (not a real thing most people do, just something I developed), I type
a sudo script and use screen shots/clips from the cheap footage I shot to create this story ow document.
The idea is that people can come away with a rough draft of the lm before anyone even begins actually
lming it. I'm odd and it helps me...probably gives everyone else a headache.
Outlines. Outlines. Outlines. Character development.
Building the intertwining structure of story and character arc
Story Board, Shot list, location scouting, reliable actors, available lighting
outlining
Brainstorming, eshing out characters
I Snowplow. Meaning I write a stream of consciousness document, spitting every tiny image or idea I have for
the lm onto paper. I include characters, locations, any random scenes and even questions to myself in the
document.
I soon end up with a very long, very mad and disorganised document and a much clearer idea of what the lm
is.
Sometimes I highlight the bits I want to keep, but mostly this process is about getting it clear in my head.
Then I use my now much more eshed out idea of the lm, to start outlining.
Have a clear idea about what to do. Sometimes you don’t need a storyboard
Pitching your idea to anyone who will listen. If you can't verbalize it, you can't write it.
A treatment would be great. Or just writing down the general story, character sketches and jotting down some
design choices so as to further esh out the world of the story.
What are some important elements of creating a premise and why are
they important?
33 responses
Knowing enough about the topic, because a premise based on false or semi-false information will feel
inauthentic. Personal connection, without this, it will again feel inauthentic.
Timing limitations. Creating a story that doesn't t into an already required time frame will require
compromises that will affect how the audience views your lm.
Beginning, Middle, End, Climax... Without these the story either won't go anywhere or could be confusing
It gives you a baseline direction for the plot to follow, which can eliminate early writer’s block. By knowing
what plot you want, you can evaluate the characters you create to determine if their personality and decision-
making be compatible with that plot.
Setting and Tone. Characters need a reason to exist and without the where and how that’s very hard to
accomplish across 100 pages with consistency.
Once you have the base its easier to nd what little details work and what doesn't
Con ict, message and purpose.
Basing the plot around interesting characters with strong motives.
The premise is the reason for the story, if you don't have that, why are you telling a story?
Simplicity usually rules
Cohesion so the story makes sense and follows a continuous theme
The premise has to be vivid and clear to making writing easier and stronger.
Knowing roughly where you want to end, so you know where to go with the story
In order to develop an idea of a story, the one thing to keep in mind is what kind of lesson should it provide to
everyday human experiences. After all, if there wasn't a point or a meaning to the narrative, then it wouldn't
make sense. It's like humans developing religions: We desire purpose.
The main character because it will be our guide throw the lm, the con ict because it will be what will make us
wanna stay watching the lm and the setting because it will get us an idea of the atmosphere and design of
the lm.
A central theme and hook
Don't get stuck with having a strong premise.
Ensuring you are bringing something new to the screen - sculpting a premise that resonates deeply and is
relevant.
Again research, not only for inspiration, but also to see what's going to be plausible in a story and what's not.
Most audiences are willing to suspend their disbelief throughout the story, but its hard to get them to accept
an unrealistic/unlikely/nonsensical premise.
Characters' behavior will dictate premise. Nail your characters down so you know how they will act in the
situations you're putting them in.
Entertainment and originality
Finding the ending. Figure out a good ending, and the rest will fall into place.
Music/Sound fx. Never underestimate how powerful the right sounds are (especially quality and levels), or
how much bad sounds can take away from a lm.
I honestly put no effort into premises. They come to me at random.
Premise has con ict built into it; needed to make any story exciting and needs to be built in to the premise so
the con ict doesn't feel forced
Making sure your audience can understand you and become committed to the story because, without that,
your work will be worthless.
Strong characters with a fatal aw that is exploited by the concept
You just need a general idea of what's going on in your story
All my lms begin with a basic premise and a feeling for the tone. For me the premise itself is less important
than the vibe of the kind of movie I'd like to see. If the premise isn't tting with my ideas around tone, I'll tweak
it to match.
As the premise is one of the rst things to enter my head around a lm, it's usually the most exible as I work
my way through the story. Don't get locked into your initial idea. Let the characters guide the lm.
You need to create an ending that many people don’t expect. Give the audience the unexpected
Is there con ict? Would a rational person be challenged by the implications of the premise?
A premise must set up the world of the story, introduce the characters, and set up the plot.
What are some important elements of creating characters and why are
they important?
33 responses
They need a purpose to be in the world, the audience needs to know why they are there. They need to be
relatable, without that the audience won’t care if they are there or not. Really, hero or villain, the audience
needs to care about them, or they won’t care about the story.
Knowing what type of movie you are doing. Is it a character study? Are the characters caricatures? Fully
eshed out? How many characters and how many are gonna be focused on?
Giving enough characters depth... Without depth characters could be considered shallow or uninteresting
Each characteristic should have a clear origin in the character’s past. The writer should also have a plan for
how these characteristics will be challenged, destroyed, or changed through the obstacles the character faces
during the story.
What are their experiences before we meet them? This will help you bring life to your character between the
lines and remain consistent across the scope of their actions/reactions.
Characters are fairly easy to manipulate, just nd one that goes well with each part needed.
Your characters have to be well developed, especially if you’re making a tv show. So, whether or not they’re
likeable, spend some time to develop them properly.
Context, depth and inner con ict as well as outer
Finding little beacons of humanity to prominetly highlight through actions meaningful to a character can only
serve to enhance an otherwise basic scene.
Without characters you can't move your story forward, your audience can't relate to what you're trying to
convey. Characters are a splash of the writer and their experiences, it's where we can hide the soul of the
piece.
Avoid one dimensional characters, everyone is complex in their own way
Establishing some history and relationships with other characters. So you can follow them throughout the lm
Consistency is key to creating characters. As well, it is important to create a character that wouod realistically
face the obstacles presented in the story.
Understanding motivations and relationships with others
It keeps the audience's empathy toward the narrative
I think the most important thing when creating a character is to know what he/she wants and how the con ict
of the lm will put pressure on their psychology and view of the world.
A relatable character arc
They must be three-dimensional; legitimate in every senses.
Individual character diction and syntax is most essential.
Realism and humanity. Characters are an important part of moving a story forward and expressing an idea,
but most people can tell when a character is just a mouthpiece for a speci c idea or just a tool to push the
plot in a certain direction.
No characters = no story. Give them a unique voice and desires to drive their actions. Then make their life hell
so they can overcome adversity and the audience can feel catharsis. Or they fail, and it's a tragedy.
Clear goals, entertaining/funny, well-de ned purpose within story
Write the roles, then change gender and ethnicity. That adds a layer of complexity to each character.
Reliability or uniqueness. People will more likely connect to your characters and thus your story if there is
something about them they can understand the feelings of. On the other hand though I nd characters with
more unique, less common personalities are more interesting to see then the same old same old.
Let the audience understand them. Even if it's an alien from outer-space that carries no human
feelings/thoughts/emotions... don't just have it do things; give it a reason for acting in a certain way, and
communicate that to your audience. If they don't understand the "why" of a character, it shouldn't be anything
more than a background person.
Realism in that they have lives outside of the events of the story. Relatability in that they have desires and
aws that hinder their growth.
Somewhere for them to start, and somewhere for them to end. A clear start and end helps plan the journey
and makes the ending satisfying.
A character should either spark interest by having a relatable goal/ personality or create mystery by showing
less of their true self intentions.
A clear, external, actionable goal
Just gure each one out, and have their traits/characteristics down to a science. Even if it's not relevant, you
need to know what type of music they like, what they eat for breakfast....just get inside their heads
I write several basic arcs for my protagonists in the early stages, looking at what themes emerge, and how the
character's wants and needs will drive the story forward. If something's not working, I'll try a completely
different approach.
I give them a number of aws and problems at the beginning of the lm, so we have something to explore or
potentially x as we go.
I build all the other characters around the theme, and the questions that my protagonist is asking (or doesn't
yet know to ask).
It's important that the character's central needs are what is driving the plot forward. Along the way these
needs will change, and it's that con ict that creates story.
Understand how to create a sympathetic character and when they die, it will be more impactful but don’t go for
the Hollywood style death please
Flaws. Vulnerability. Blindspots in the moral compass and intellectual map.
What are some important elements of identifying theme(s) and why are
they important?
28 responses
Themes can be preselected, but they also can emerge as you form the story. Having a premise and characters
are much more important.
Themes may appear out of the story that you do not realize you are righting about. It's less important than
creating the story.
It really depends whether the theme is hidden or in plain site...more work should be done for hidden themes
Themes should be a consideration during the prewriting phase, but should come naturally as you write the rst
few drafts. A problem I’ve encountered is when I plan the themes before writing, then end up making that
theme very blatant in the text and characters without much subtlety.
I might underrate theme, but I think theme has a life of its own and other than providing the occasional beat, it
really is best left in the margins of your mind, in my opinion.
con ict within themes.
Understanding how sub plots relate to and build off each other, or the dichotomy between character's views
can help us understand theme.
Theme is a muddled one for me. My lms tend to gravitate towards multiple genres at once. But you usually
have to let one win out eventually. A theme ultimately is the bit size interest the reader/audience will want to
swallow before going after the rest.
Consistency so that the theme is clear.
Seeing the biggest take away from writing so it can be explored later
In a play, we identify themes by what characters say or the set they are portraying. On the other hand, lm has
to do with the action of the characters and from what we perceive. What we perceive is the Mia-en-scene that
surrounds the scene. A recent movie I watched was Bolden 2019. It is based on the buddy Bolden, a key gure
on the birth of jazz. The lm is set in 1920s-30s New Orleans. One of the key themes of the lms was memory
because throughout the lm we are constantly presented these past expoerces Bolden had gone through
before being indicted into a mental hospital. Themes are important because it allows us to make sense of the
sorry that is being told.
I think the theme is important as long as it represents in an esthetic way somthing important of the main idea
of the movie, so I dont think the theme is equal the main idea or point of view.
Must be true to what the lm promised the audience from the rst quarter of the lm.
Choose themes that will last and haven't been overdone.
Finding elements of the story that can be echoed throughout the script are going to help bring out the
important themes, as long as it isn't just about repetition. It's like how rhyme or alliteration in poetry create a
rhythm to push the lines forward and create a sense of satisfaction for the reader, there should be elements
(characters, props, actions, dialogue) that echo throughout the script in new ways to help the audience feel
that same sense of satisfaction.
Themes come after you start writing. If you try to force your story into a theme too early, you're going to get
stuck or write poorly for the sake of the theme.
Theme is what keeps a movie from being pointless, it is essential
For me, positive themes. So many lms are based around negative themes (horror, etc.) and I want my work to
stand out.
Music really helps me with this, but just as important is the color grading. Can you imagine if the battle of
winterfel if they used bright poppy colors? it wouldn't have been as epic.
I usually think vaguely about my themes until my rst draft is done. At that point a strong one to a few will
show. Then I'll use them in my rewrite sort of like glue to add consistency and connectedness to my various
character arcs.
Once identi ed, think of as many offshoots of it as you can to inform every little decision or detail throughout
planning.
Honestly I'm not sure. Color and color theory can help clue your audience in to the theme. It's a great way to
imply theme along with keeping it consistent throughout your work. But I doubt your question was actually
answered.
theme should be part of every element that makes it on screen
They're important, unless you're doing a lm for fun and not for a message, which is perfectly ne also
Theme is tricky. Sometimes you have an idea for a lm, but no idea what the theme is. I've written entire
screenplays not having any clue what the theme is, only to discover it on a reread three months later.
But it's vitally important that once you know the theme, every character exists to challenge or reinforce it. So
rewrite... a lot.
I tend to think of theme as a question, hopefully with no de nitive answer. I try not to judge my characters and
if your theme has a clear and obvious morally correct answer, then we have a tendency to try to push that
answer on the character.
You can use symbolism or allegories to help out with identifying the theme. For the fun of it and experimenting
reasons, try adding 2 themes in one movie. One on the surface, second meaning through subtle details.
Themes reveal themselves as you write. You don't chose your themes. Your themes chose you.
What are some important elements of creating a pitch document and why
are they important?
29 responses
Having a quick, concise pitch is necessary to getting other people on board. Executives aren’t story tellers,
they are business people, you have to show them how it won’t lose money.
Like 99% of screenplays don't ever get made. To create an edge is necessary in a screenplay being bought and
made into a movie.
If you want to sell your script or nished lm, you need to see if the concept is marketable or interesting to
audiences. Too often, I think, script documents are just competitions for the best « idea » and have little
bearing on the quality of the nished script.
Logline and Synopsis are essential for a pitch document. Your script will change as you write it, and therefore
so will these elements. Pitch when you have a script, not before.
Never hurts to get a pitch in case more funding is required or to get more people behind a lm
Can’t help you here, sorry.
They’re not unless you’re... Pitching
Understanding what it is you're pitching inside and out and being able to articulate that with con dence is
important because without those skills no one will give you the time of day.
I haven't had too much experience with pitch pieces, but I know that if you do them right then the people you're
asking for money from will be more willing to help. Demonstrate how cohesive the story is, how thought out it
is. Make it fun!
Wouldn't know. Never had to do a pitch doc.
Knowing why you want the project completed
I haven't made a pitch document but what I can say is that these questions have really opened my mind to the
prescreenwiritng process of lm.
I think is important to express why your movie is relevant, why it needs to be done now and why you are the
best person to tell this story.
Quickly to the subject without losing too much details.
It has to pop from the rst sentence. It has to be surprising.
De nitely an abstract of what the project is, how it's going to be told, but also why the story needs to be told at
this time. What is this script going to give people that's worth the investment of reading it/watching the movie
that comes out of it?
Log lines, 1 pagers, and being able to verbally engage your audience (here, we're talking about the people who
buy stories). Pitching is about selling your story. In show BUSINESS you need to know how to sell a story as
much as to tell one.
Clarity, concision, hook, entertaining (again)
Tell the story, not the lm. If you can tell the story in a compelling way, people will imagine the lm from your
story. If you try to pitch the lm, then you're basically explaining a process, which is less compelling.
Know who you're pitching to. For instance, my "story ow document" would never y if presented to producers
who are expecting a traditional script/screen play. However, it would be very useful if I was presenting it to a
possible funder of a project who has no idea what font a script is supposed to be typed in (which is Courier
New and it's really stupid how much of a stickler people are to this rule...but whatever).
Collected thoughts and helpful in memorizing your pitch.
Needs to be exciting and convey the tone of the script.
Get them in within the rst 10 seconds, the longer you wait, the less you have them. Hooks are necessary.
Selling what makes the project special while at the same time showing a market exists for the material
Just nail down your story before doing that. Have it all mapped out
I'm a visual artist as well as a writer, so I draw. Creating my own concept art as I write is a great way of having
visual pitching material to accompany my script.
My pitches tend to include, WHY I wrote the lm, WHO the lm is about, and WHAT the lm is about. Also,
anything visual that will give the reader a sense of the intended tone is enormously helpful, whether that's
concept art, a mood board, or images from similar lms. This is a visual medium, so it's helpful to put an
image in their head.
Never start your pitch with the world, always the character. A well thought out world is great, but if it's not
there to support or challenge your characters journey, then it's not important. Studios aren't nearly as
interested in a world as they are a good, well thought out character.
Know your title, (the one I had trouble with the most) a quote you made to catch one’s attention, and a well
made summary. (This goes into the thinking process before this)
Clarity. Brevity. Simplicity. Don't be ginger with your information. Give us the best bits.
A pitch document (or docket as we call it) will help in selling your idea to potential investors.
What are some important elements of creating a scene-by-scene outline
and why are they important?

28 responses
The best reason to do a scene-by-scene breakdown is to pre-edit. You can pull scenes, or rearrange them, to
tighten up the story.
It depends on your writing process. Some directors need it and story board everything. Others don't.
Helps ll in possible gaps
It makes the rst draft incredibly easy to write and helps settle structural issues that you might forget while
writing the actual screenplay.
Determine your act structure and the purpose of each act. Outlining isn’t for everyone, but it’s crucial for me.
Again get every detail down into stone but don't marry those ideas
It’s optional. Scene by scene isn’t necessary
Clarity so everyone reading is on the same page, guratively.
Making sure everything is tied together. You might write one scene today, then two months from now come
back and write the scene immediately after that. It is imperative that you match your tone throughout and
don't just ebb and ow with every sequence.
It's not important, mainly because a scene-by-scene is likely to change during the writing process.
To understand what the screenwriter wants the audeince to see in order to based the judgment of the
character I presume. I may be wrong.
I dont think there is really a formula on this but I think avoiding information that has already been given in the
script and developing the preassure we put to our characters is important.
...
Hire you weaknesses. Get a storyboard artist that has humanity and talent.
To persist even when it gets hard. When we get ideas they don't usually come fully formed, we may have only
one scene, or half the scenes when writing and the rest we have to gure out in the writing process, which can
be hard. If we'v written the rst few scenes but can't gure out what happens in the middle, try writing the
ending scene and it may give insight into what happens before. And always edit, get feedback and edit again
and again and again. Writing a bad rst draft is the rst step to getting a good nal script.
Do you mean an outline? Outlining is key! Most important thing you've listed other than knowing who your
characters are. Why? It guides everything you do: pacing, tension and release, character development, plot
points, act breaks, etc.
Is this an outline? Important to have a road map to know where you’re going so you don’t have to make it up as
you go
The path to the ending. How and why they grow.
just look at these: https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/movie-script-scene-by-scene-breakdowns-

a9753d767ba5
I essentially do this in an outline, but this helps a writer see where issues are before they start writing pages. A
small problem in an outline is likely a HUGE problem in the script.
Pay attention to the pacing, give the audience room to breathe and check that every scene is vital; either to
plot or character.
Have some one else look over it so that the scene by scene works well enough to be understood it without
your input.
without a roadmap it's far too easy to get lost, especially in act two
You'd need to write the whole thing rst
When I write my outline, I try to ensure that every scene is there as a result of the scene before it, or to
challenge your character further. You should be able to put the words BUT or THEREFORE between every
scene. As an example, JENNY nds the ancient temple, avoids the traps and nally takes the AMULET....BUT....
the temple rumbles and the roof starts to cave in. Or instead, it could be THEREFORE... JENNY returns to the
village and enslaves the villagers with her new powers.
If instead of BUT or THEREFORE, you nd that you have the words AND THEN, you're heading down the wrong
path.
I use this method to work my way through the lm, guring out how my character would push the story
forward, and then external or internal forces push them back.
Outlining is enormously important to my process. When I rst started I didn't use them, and always struggled
to nish anything. Nowadays I've worked out the entire lm before I write a word in the screenplay. Not
everyone works best in this way, but for me it has been fantastic.
Understand your premise, if you’re making suspense, tell the audiences a secret that the characters don’t
know. ALWAYS make dialogue sound like something you would say while you’re taking a shower and thinking
about that time you were doing (event).
Every character's arc in the scene, what the con ict is and how it is or isn't resolved. If a character isn't
changing from start to nish, why are they in the scene?
Is there anything else relating to the pre-screenwriting process that you

would like to add?
18 responses
After learning how to write a story, make each screenplay a personal challenge or journey for your fears or
beliefs. For example, if you often feel useless or unwanted, you can focus on a character with a similar con ict
and explore his/her solutions to that problem. That way, you can nd closure to your own con icts while
learning how to express them better through writing.
Have multiple people go over it after its done helps a lot
Have a plan, but give yourself the freedom to be creative during the writing period
I'm not really good at screenwriting, I just gured I'd help you on this survey
Don't overthink it. You either have an idea or you don't. If you start working on a beat sheet or index cards and
realize none of it is working, put it down for a bit. A day, a week, a month. Work on something else or nothing,
then come back to it when you're clear. If you still can't cobble it together, don't get hung up on that ONE script.
Go write the next one, that one will be there when you're ready.
I really think the most important thing is to de ne what is our point of view and what do we really want to say
with this story or lm.
Don't over plan, it will make your story feel mechanical
...
Talk with other people about your ideas, they might be able to point you toward relevant information, or if
they're willing to lend a critical/questioning eye to your work they may point out potential problems you hadn't
thought of on your own. And also stay true to the emotional or intellectual core of your script; there was
something that inspired you to tell this story, what was it and are you really sharing that with an audience
through this script?
There is no "pre-screen writing," everything you ask about other than pitching is part of screenwriting. Writing
isn't just typing, it's mostly planning and then vomiting up a rst draft and then rewriting and more rewriting
and then even more rewriting.
I like to do a look-book and nd images that match the tone of what I want to write. I also take a bunch of
notecards and put them up on a cork board before writing a formal outline. Practice pitching to friends and
anyone who will listen before I start. Create a schedule for when you will write and when you expect to nish
each draft.
Read 'Big Magic' by Elizabeth Gilbert. It's about the creative process.
one of the most helpful things I've ever read was Dan Harmon's breakdown of storytelling. You can nd it here:
https://channel101.fandom.com/wiki/Story_Structure_101:_Super_Basic_Shit. I don't always implement it
exactly, but it's helpful during the writing process.
Do lots of research, watching lms and reading scripts similar to what you want to write to get into that head-
space.
Organization is a gift. But be ready to change plans if inspiration hits.
I don’t know that much since I’m still a high school student. Good luck though. By the way, try making the lm
visually entertaining, people will love it appreciate a lm for its wacky and creativity of a director, screenwriter,
or cinematographer. (John Woo, Seijun Suzuki, Early Tarantino are examples of fun visual style and Tarantino
also has really good dialogue as I’m sure you know already)
It's easier to delete than to write so take the pressure off when you're writing. Jot everything down. Then, get
strict and delete almost everything.
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6/14/2019 The Pre-Screenwriting Process of Film

The Pre-Screenwriting Process of Film

What is your relationship with lm as a profession?

How often do you watch lm?

What steps do you believe are important to the pre-screenwriting process?

Research, Finding a Hook

Vision, Con dence, and Belief

Having a LONG enough item you can make into a screenplay

Outline and Create a Simple Pro le for your Characters

Have a idea for everything, and share it.

Have a beginning, an end, and a couple stuff for the in-between

Planning a beginning and ending

Probably having a clear story?

Beat sheets, and knowing where you want to go.

Research and character development

Thinking about the idea, a skeleton plan

Finding your point of view and voice.

judgement free brainstorming

Going out / making routines.

Allowing time for it to assemble itself in your subconscious.

Outlines. Outlines. Outlines. Character development.

Building the intertwining structure of story and character arc

Brainstorming, eshing out characters

Con ict, message and purpose.

Basing the plot around interesting characters with strong motives.

Simplicity usually rules

Cohesion so the story makes sense and follows a continuous theme

A central theme and hook

Don't get stuck with having a strong premise.

Entertainment and originality

I honestly put no effort into premises. They come to me at random.

Strong characters with a fatal aw that is exploited by the concept

You just need a general idea of what's going on in your story

Context, depth and inner con ict as well as outer

Avoid one dimensional characters, everyone is complex in their own way

Understanding motivations and relationships with others

It keeps the audience's empathy toward the narrative

A relatable character arc

They must be three-dimensional; legitimate in every senses.

Individual character diction and syntax is most essential.

Clear goals, entertaining/funny, well-de ned purpose within story

A clear, external, actionable goal

Flaws. Vulnerability. Blindspots in the moral compass and intellectual map.

con ict within themes.

Consistency so that the theme is clear.

Choose themes that will last and haven't been overdone.

Theme is what keeps a movie from being pointless, it is essential

theme should be part of every element that makes it on screen

Can’t help you here, sorry.

They’re not unless you’re... Pitching

Wouldn't know. Never had to do a pitch doc.

Knowing why you want the project completed

Quickly to the subject without losing too much details.

It has to pop from the rst sentence. It has to be surprising.

Clarity, concision, hook, entertaining (again)

Collected thoughts and helpful in memorizing your pitch.

Needs to be exciting and convey the tone of the script.

What are some important elements of creating a scene-by-scene outline

and why are they important?

Helps ll in possible gaps

It’s optional. Scene by scene isn’t necessary

Clarity so everyone reading is on the same page, guratively.

The path to the ending. How and why they grow.