FILM PRODUCTION

Story Development and Script Writing

 FILM PRODUCTION
Story Development and Script Writing
Story Development, Structures and Flow

Question:

What is the purpose of creating a story?

Answer:

The purpose of creating a story is to:

1. Entertain!!!

2. Convey a message, idea, or theme. For example, ‘honesty is the best policy’,

‘respect your elders’ , ‘believe in yourself’ etc.

Tip: Think of your theme like a lighthouse, it helps you not to lose your way.
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Story Development and Script Writing

Story Development, Structures and Flow

- The key to an entertaining story depends on the questions and

answers the writer creates for the audience.

- Questions should be interesting enough to hook your audience

- Answers should be satisfying to your audience, but not what

they expect

- You should try to create some twists and curves to keep your
audience thinking and guessing how will this all end
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Story Development and Script Writing

Steps a writer follows to develop a successful script:

1. Brainstorm a creative script idea

2. Create a story outline

3. Create a beat outline (beat sheet)

4. First Draft of script (edits to follow)

5. Second Draft of script (edits to follow)

6. Final Draft of script

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Story Development and Script Writing

Steps a writer follows to develop a successful script:

1. Develop a creative script idea

- A writer must search for inspiration

(ie: real life experiences, visual arts, toys, music etc.)

- Research
(ie: current events, news, entertainment etc.)

- Write down all ideas that come to mind (don’t judge initial ideas)
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Story Development and Script Writing

Steps a writer follows to develop a successful script:

2. Create a story outline

- The outline serves as a detailed plan for writing the script

- Outlines include: beginning (Act 1), middle (Act 2), and end (Act 3)
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Story Development and Script Writing

Steps a writer follows to develop a successful script:

3. Create a beat outline (beat sheet)
- A beat sheet is a list of story beats

- A beat is used to describe a specific element of your story

- A best is best described as a scene that will take place in your movie

- Allows the writer to make changes before the script is written

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Story Development and Script Writing

Steps a writer follows to develop a successful script:

4. Script Draft writing (1st, 2nd, and Final)
- Writer begins writing in proper script format (ie: software “celtx”)

- Writer references all development materials

- Following each script draft a writer edits (as well as others - script
editor, or fellow colleagues etc.) the entire script
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Story Development and Script Writing
Story Development, Structures and Flow

Stories are typically structured into three main acts.

Act 1 (Beginning): Introduce and setup:

a. Who (main character)

b. What (the big question with high stakes - will the character get what
he/she wants? i.e. life/death, love, food, money, shelter etc.)

c. Where (environment, location etc.)

Act 2 (Middle): Your main character experiences conflict trying to answer the big
question. They may have to survive several experiences before it is all over.

Act 3 (End): The main character’s conflict ends in resolution and it should be
difficult for the audience to figure out.
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Story Development and Script Writing
Sources:

1. http://radhowto.blogspot.ca/2011/08/story-class-lecture.html

2. “Steps to Writing a Good Script - What Process Works?” Lisa, Donna. Toon Boom News. Fall 2012.

3. How to Use a Beat Sheet to Design a Story | eHow.com

4. http://www.ehow.com/how_2363655_use-beat-sheet-design-story.html#ixzz2BvjNVdb0