Category: film industry

Networking for Film Makers

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I read a book on networking once and realized it didn’t have exactly the information I needed for my own career. But there was some sage advice that could be adapted.

Let’s look at several options for networking in the film industry.

Networking Events

Might seem obvious.

It does make a difference on which networking event you attend.

When I first moved to Georgia, I jumped at the chance to go to meet folks in the industry. I literally went to the first one I saw. It was at some studio and sounded legit. People were encouraged to go up to this microphone, introduce themselves, and mingle afterward. It was so awkward. Everyone there was someone who wanted a job, not anyone who could actually offer one. I ended up making one connection, who ended up humble bragging into making me believe he knew what he was doing. I wasted time prepping a film that fell apart the day before the shoot and I found out they lied and misled about everything. I had to block this person on every form of social media as they got a bit stalkery.

Lesson learned.

So choose accordingly. As a general rule, networking events shouldn’t charge much if anything to its participants. I was at an event that charged $10 to attendees which wasn’t bad. Look at the event, where it is held, and what exactly they’re offering. It may also be helpful to go to more specific events that cater to more narrow criteria, like one specifically for women film makers.

Here are a few upcoming networking events you may want to check out:

April 1 – Class In Session: Creative Industry Mixer & Panel – Free

March 23 – Atlanta Film Production Group – Film Mixer – $10

Other events to look out for in the future:

WIFTA open networking events (open to members and non-members)

Atlanta Film Society‘s Eat Drink and B- Indie Networking events.

Casual Meetups

It’s not all about networking, sometimes it’s just about making a connection.

Film Bar Mondays – Set at a different bar each week, Film Bar is an informal meetup.

Film Brunch Sundays – Another super informal meetup.

Atlanta Script Reading Club – A group of people get together to read and discuss scripts. It’s a new group but I like their chutzpah. They cover screenplays and plays.

Maybe check out some groups on something like Meetup.com as well!

Education

I know I’m not the only one who attended SCAD or a similar film school and referred to it as “Networking School” It really was a trial by fire situation. You quickly built your favored group of film people and made films together. Some of those connections would go on to last into your professional career.

But this isn’t a post about film school. You can see that post here.

Let’s talk about other educational opportunities. A simple Google search or Facebook event search will show you courses and panels you can attend either virtually or in person.

For an entry level course, I’ve heard really good things about both the PA Academy and the Georgia Film Academy, plus I’ve run into graduates on films I’ve worked. Clearly something is working.

Atlanta Film Society hosts a number of great events you can learn from, such as their writing classes, panel discussions and film screenings.

Film Festivals

https://www.filmimpactgeorgia.org/georgiafilmfestivals

Another great way to meet people is at film festivals or screenings! Talk to panelists after a discussion, research filmmakers and talk to them about their work, meet your fellow audience members, go to a social event connected to the film festival. Come equipped with business cards (yes I’m old school) or an easy to share Instagram or Facebook handle so you can connect with people after the event.

I got to DP The Night Courier because the director and I met at a film festival. We contacted each other outside the film festival and said, almost simultaneously, “Hey I liked your film!” and a connection was made. That led to another successful film for both of us.

Working on set

“But I’m trying to network in order to get on set!” You say. I know, it’s a real chicken-and-egg situation.

One great way to meet and network with people in the industry is to actually work on sets, big or small. I’m hard pressed to find a gig I did where I didn’t end up with a phone number, email or Instagram of someone who wanted to work together or connect again in the future.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we worked together again? What’s your Instagram?”
“Quiet on set. And stand over there.”
Film crew on location above Cow Green Reservoir by Andrew Curtis is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

I did a lot of the work for you here. Now it’s your turn. Go out and make those connections!

Feast or Famine: Looking at the Stats

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It’s the end of February, and all I’ve heard from various film friends is “I’m not working right now, are you?” A winter slump is normal, especially December into January. I just go into these months expecting the slowdown, and for things to pick up in March.

But another kind of work anxiety hits. How much do I need to reach out to jobs before I work regularly? It’s not an easy answer, but looking at my own data, I can see some patterns.

Since 2018 I’ve been keeping track of how many jobs I’ve applied to or been recommended for, and how many jobs I actually got. I meant well, but as times got busy, I eventually lost track or didn’t keep the best data. But I decided, you know what? There’s still something here to see. At least from 2018-2021.

I’m looking at two main things. Gigs applied to, referred to, or inquired about vs Gigs actually worked.

A Handy Dandy Chart

YearGigs AppliedGigs WorkedHow many applications until a job
20181231210
2019164266.3
2020105205.25
202160351.7

Within 4 years, you can see that I went from sending out 10 applications to get to one job, to sending out about 2. Now, I went to art school so I can’t Math all that well, but that looks like a good trend to me.

If I just don’t think too hard about it, the math checks out

I didn’t bother showing info from 2022 because I had several long running gigs and decided not to be Type A about showing what jobs I applied to anymore.

Represented as a hastily thrown together graph on Canva, that looks like:

Top line = Number of applications

Bottom line = Number of jobs landed

Closing the gap is a good thing.

There’s a few things I want you to know about this data.

  1. It takes a lot of effort to establish yourself in a new market. When I arrived in Georgia, I had to do a lot of legwork to start getting jobs.
  2. As time went on, a lot of my applications were actually just recommendations — people recommending me for gigs. When you become known, the work starts coming to you.
  3. I didn’t bother keeping track in 2022 because I was almost 100% working based off recommendations and had several longer runs on shows, whereas previous years I had more day-play opportunities.

If I look at my Google calendar from those years, I see wide swathes of nothing going on for days or weeks during the same slow months. Film is a marathon, not a sprint, and you’ve got to plan accordingly for the slow times. And those slow times can make you feel like you’re beating your head against the wall.

And it’s not just as simple as applying to jobs you see posted on job boards or Facebook groups or throwing your name in the ring for open crew calls.

A lot of the work I did alongside all this was networking, meeting people for coffee, doing casual fun things with fellow filmmakers, helping out on friend’s sets, speaking to students and film clubs, and even writing this blog. Self-promotion is a big deal in addition to applying for jobs. Networking is the glue that holds it all together.

I also applied to a lot of jobs in the slow months of January and February each year. There’s a lot more competition then, because less people are actively working.

This is my way of saying, if it’s slow right now, it’s not just you. It’s a lot of us, and there’s a lot of folks scrambling for the next job.

Keep in mind we’re also on the brink of a possible union strike down the line, and theories have been floating around about productions holding back from starting. I don’t know for sure. All I can say is to hold tight and know that you’re not the only one not actively working right now, and if you’re new — it’s going to take a lot to get yourself established.

This is not an easy industry to get into, but those who have the fortitude to stick through the hard times end up successful.

Sources:

Hollywood Braces for a Possible Writers Strike: Why the WGA and Studios Are on a Collision Course

Someone asked me to give an inspirational speech…

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Recently I was asked to speak at the Atlanta Film Production Mixer on Feb 17. It was held at the Star Community Bar in Atlanta.

Organizer Edward Reid told me to prepare 5-10 minutes of “something inspirational, talk about your specialty.”

Never one to underdo something, I wrote a whole speech. I thought it was pretty good, so I’m sharing it here too.

The awkward timing on this photo provided by Marco Gutiérrez.

My name is Bridget LaMonica. I’m a cinematographer and Steadicam operator. 

I graduated from the Savannah College of Art & Design and immediately started working in film, right? Great success. Roll credits. We’re done here.

SCAD – The University for Creative Careers and Existential Breakdowns. Had fun though!

No, not really. 

It took a couple years. Thank God I moved here with a savings because it was months before I started getting paid work, and even longer still before film was truly paying my bills. 

What got me here was not just what I knew, but my personality and work ethic. Yeah yeah, – but hear me out.

If you’re a pleasure to be around and you’re willing to learn on the fly, you’ll go far. My first full run on a show, I was hired as a production assistant. By the end of the first week, I was upgraded to camera PA and stills. And a producer was genuinely shocked I wasn’t a camera assistant already. 

I got my first camera operating job on a feature because I had worked with the DP on several short films. She liked working with me, and trusted me to shoot that feature alongside her. 

90% of the work I get is through recommendation. Your biggest goal is being the one that people like being around. Let’s face it, when you work a standard 12 hour day, the last thing you want to be is the grumpy one everyone avoids. We call those people… oh wait, we don’t call those people. Because they don’t get hired again.

You have to overcome the crushing disappointment of rejection and applying to promising jobs that then ghost you like a bad first date. 

There’s also something else you have to deal with.

You see, after that big step of camera operating on that first feature, I was visiting family for Thanksgiving that I hadn’t seen for a few years. I thought maybe, this was one of those humble brags that would earn me sick thanksgiving family street cred. After I told this family member that I had camera operated on a movie, he winced at me – winced! – and said “Are you happy with where you are in your career right now?”

I didn’t know how to respond. The turkey hadn’t even come out yet.

I’m a camera operator on a movie! How is that not a good thing?

I’ve seen worse.

For every person who claims you can’t have a creative career, who says you shouldn’t bother writing that movie or working on some set… For every person who says “Get a real job” – remember they’re also the ones gushing over the most recent episode of The Last of Us, or listening to music on the way to their boring office cubicles.

Film and television productions spent 4.4 billion dollars in GA alone last 2022. All that content had to be made by someone. By someone like you….

If I couldn’t get past rejection and disappointment, I never would have taken that Steadicam class. I remember putting on the heavy rig we had at school, feeling overwhelmed, and thinking – for a minute there – maybe I can’t do this. But I’m no quitter, and this was just another goal to tackle.

I’m one of the few female Steadicam operators. I know, I know, you figured me for a professional wrestler. I’ve put on Steadicam rigs that made muscle-bound key grips go “Whoa. This is heavy.” I’ve also operated hour long segments on reality TV wearing an EZ rig and ye olde Sony F55 – about yay big of your best friend including the lens. (Imagine hand gesture here).

Eh this is the best photo I got after 2 seasons on the show.

Getting started is the hardest part. You’re here. This is a start. Networking is a big deal in this business. Picking the right projects will set you on your path. Go into each job with the knowledge that your presence could make the entire production better. 

There will be hard days and crazy directors and hilariously bad crafty and moments where you may legitimately question your sanity – but if you keep going, you’ll find yourself saying, “I make movies for a living.” What’s not a little cool about that?

Even if that requires being the old cam op who can fit into tight spaces.

And if it’s a crappy movie you’re embarrassed you worked on? Well, did the check clear? 

I’m not just in the film industry to make films. I’m also here learning, pushing boundaries and helping those who need it, because I was once the one who didn’t know what a c-stand was. Now I hope I inspire the next person.    

One of the ways I do this is through the blog on my website (Holy crap, you’re here already?!). Thanks to my set experience, I write on my website about equipment you should know, how to write a screenplay, and even how to avoid scams targeting film people. That’s a big one for me. I don’t want those who chase their dreams taken advantage of by some jerk. Some jerk in a cubicle.

I’ve had people reach out and thank me for the information on my blog. I’ve had PA’s on set appreciate that I took the time to teach them a skill. It’s that passing of knowledge that makes me realize that I do make a difference, and it feels good.

How to Avoid Film Job Scams – Take Three

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This is a perennial post on my blog now.

There are a lot of scammers out there who want to take advantage of you.

This is especially so in a freelance gig worker job where jobs can sometimes be few and far between. Slow times of the year (December into January definitely comes to mind) mean film workers can get desperate for that next job, especially if they’re entry level like a production assistant, and living on a paycheck by paycheck basis. It’s possible these scammers are aware of the slow times for work and we’re going to tap into that later.

These scams can target a person in many different ways. I’ve received e-mails from either very fake sounding names (Vincent TONG) or very famous sounding names (Steven Spielberg, scammers? Really?). I’ve received text messages that claim I was discovered on some film directory and my “skills” are perfect for this job, and I just need to contact them to learn more.

Here’s a common copy-pasted scam I’ve seen under a bunch of names. I’ve actually posted one such version below here so you can compare.

Red Flags? We have many:

  • awkward grammar (non-native English speaker)
  • imaginary profile on “film production directory.”
  • Weird punctuation – “Titled” is capitalized, but the actual film title is inexplicably in parentheses and lowercase.
  • $1800 for a production assistant. Also what’s the rate of pay? Is that supposed to be a day rate?
  • “Stay Blessed” – common in scam e-mails. See also: Kind Regards.

The scammer can also create a fake social media profile, often spoofing a real person’s name and information, and contact you directly or make job posts online to lure in as many unsuspecting victims as possible.

So what is the scammer’s goal? Easy. To steal your money or even your identity.

One of the most common scams targeting film workers is the check cashing scam. Someone asks you to cash a check, saying you’ll get part of it and someone else gets the rest. The check is fake and you’re out thousands of dollars.

Here’s an example of a word-vomit e-mail that is likely the lead-up to a check cashing scam. I blanked out the name of the sender because they were impersonating a real person.

The red flags in this email:

  • It’s too long! My legitimate job emails usually are: “Hi, you were recommended by So-and-So. We have a feature coming up in March and we’re looking for a camera operator. Are you available? What are your rates?”
  • bad spelling/grammar
  • Asking for way too much personal information.
  • $1800 – they like this number, don’t they?
  • Pre-production pay? What?
  • Kind Regards AND Stay Blessed
  • More information section*

*This section is where we have the lead up to the check cashing scam. they’ll likely send a check, it will look real, prior to the job start date. They expect you to put that in your bank account. They either expect you to send money elsewhere at that point, or they’ll get your bank info and clean out your account.

The Federal Trade Commission has an article about fake checks that you should peruse, especially as it explains how scammers get away with these fake checks:

By law, banks have to make deposited funds available quickly, usually within two days. When the funds are made available in your account, the bank may say the check has “cleared,” but that doesn’t mean it’s a good check. Fake checks can take weeks to be discovered and untangled. By that time, the scammer has any money you sent, and you’re stuck paying the money back to the bank.

Federal Trade Commission

Sometimes the scam isn’t even offering you a job, it’s saying you owe someone money. Recently, this message was sent out to union members:

this is where I was going to leave this installment of “Bridget takes on the scammers” but then something happened.

Remember when I said they prey on people who are eager to work or during a slow time of the year?

The following scam is one I received four days after applying for unemployment. This scammer somehow found my email during that process. I spoke with a friend who had applied for disability, and she got the same email.

They prey on the desperate. They prey on the uninformed. Don’t take the bait, be savvy, and stay safe out there.

Have you come across a job scam and want to share? Fill out the form below.

Previous posts on this topic:

Common Film Job Scams and How to Avoid Them

Film Job Scams and How to Avoid Them – Take Two

A Film is Born Three Times: Pt. 2 Production

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“A film is born three times. First in the writing of the script, once again in the shooting, and finally in the editing.”

Robert Bresson, French film maker.

Part 2 of 3. Read Part 1 on Re-writing here.

You’ve written the script. You’ve done the pre-production. You have your shotlist in hand and you’re ready to shoot. Surely, you have an image of what your film is going to look like in your head. The thing is — it’s really hard to make that a reality.

Once you’ve made your first or even fourteenth film, isn’t part of you a little disappointed it doesn’t look exactly how you pictured it? No? Just me, okay.

There’s a number of factors that go into why your film will change during production. Let’s go over a few reasons:

  • casting
  • location
  • equipment

Casting

You and a friend are prepping for a film competition and it’s the night before your first shoot day. You’ve got your gear and props, your script finalized, your cast set and call sheets sent out. Now all you need is–

Oh wait, your lead actor just quit. Now it’s 11pm at night and you’re supposed to be filming a mere 10 hours from now.

This is exactly what happened to Desiree and I when we were prepping our Mystery Box Film Challenge short. Our lead actor was cast via the film commission in Philly, and he decided at 11pm the night before the shoot that he wasn’t going to drive to Northeast Pennsylvania to do the short. Because he’d have to get up early. I can’t even make this up. The actor had the script and knew where he’d be filming for days in advance, and chose literally the 11th hour to change his mind.

Desiree and I very calmly… went into panic mode. After a moment of us going “literally, WTF” we contacted everyone we knew in the local film community, and the search was on. Friends contacted friends until we connected with a guy named Joe, who was more than happy to help us. He turned out to be a great actor, a better choice than we originally had, and our short film continued as scheduled.

Especially in the case of short films and volunteer projects, you could lose people at the last minute. The goal is to have a network you can turn to in order to fill in the gaps. Or start getting creative with the cast you already have.

Location

When I originally wrote The Road Less Traveled, I had envisioned a cat and mouse chase inside a literal slaughterhouse. Instead, we ended up in an antique barn, which I ended up liking so much more.

Sometimes your limitations on location will be budget related. You intended on x but had money for y (or z was free).

Weather, too, can play a part. If originally your location was going to be outdoors and a storm blows through, you might have to re-evaluate and see if you can film an indoor scene instead.

My thesis film, Routine Procedures took place in a crater….but since that’s impossible to create on no budget, we filmed in a sand pit used by construction. We filmed on days they weren’t out scooping the sand. A unique feature was that a lot of it was flooded, so we needed to purchase a canoe to get to the optimal location.

Equipment

You’ve got everything planned. Absolutely nothing could go wrong.

You get the idea now, right?

You don’t have enough batteries to continuously shoot. Your media fails. Your stabilizer isn’t stabilizing. Your mattebox donut has ripped and too much light is now hitting the filter.

This is one example where we had to replace a piece of equipment with something unexpected. The rubber “donut” that goes from the mattebox to the lens had torn, and too much light was hitting the filters. We replaced it with an old school mousepad with a hole cut in it. It worked great! Plus I ended up seeing this kittycat mouse pad on the next project I worked with this DP so obviously it made an impression.

Film sets are Murphy’s Law Incarnate. You need to be able to roll with the punches.

The following scenarios have happened to me or someone I know:

  • the DP underestimated how much media we’d need to record on and nobody media managed even after I pointed out we were going to run out of cards. The last scene of the day was filmed shooting one line of dialogue at a time on the last two minutes of card space.
  • Your wireless follow focus has lost signal and has some issue that can’t be solved, so you pull it off the barrel of the lens and pull focus by hand (like the pioneers did!)
  • The director suddenly wants a Steadicam-like shot without there being a budget or an actual Steadicam around. You see a rolling desk chair and get some ideas…

Don’t let an equipment malfunction limit your ability to shoot your film. There’s often a way around it if you take a moment to look at your options.

A Steadicam setup I did years ago for someone’s crowdfund campaign. The camera was way too light for the Steadicam, so I bongo tied a few 5lb ankle weights on there to compensate.

One of the absolute best skills you can have as a film maker is problem solving. If you can be adaptable, creative and a team player, you can find a way around your problem and into a solution.

Screenwriting Basics #5: Scene Description

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I want to spend time showing examples, so very quickly here’s what goes into scene description (also called action lines):

Elements of Scene Description:

  • tells you what the characters are doing in the scene
  • describes the setting
  • details what can be seen or heard in the scene
  • sets tone and pacing or rhythm that informs the edit
  • uses ALL CAPS to highlight important things (use sparingly)
  • avoids camera direction (don’t use “the camera dollies in…”)

We’re going to look at pages from three very different scripts: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, Zodiac (2007) by James Vanderbilt, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) by William Goldman

Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse (2018)

This animated film balances humor, pathos and a coming-of-age story in a superhero origin film. It is excellent, and for that matter, so is the script.

Into the Spider-verse has a narrative told through a comic book filter, and for that reason the script has to show this comic flair as clearly as possible. That includes scripting out the comic thought bubbles and things that appear across the screen. Note that the pivotal moment “EVERYONE KNOWS” is played up for comic relief — the script has it appear in giant letters behind Miles, the last period landing with a resounding note.

Later in the script, when Miles is trying to help Peter B Parker hack into a computer they have to work around the Head Scientist Olivia Octavius. This fun exchange happens:

That “organize your desktop, lady!” line got big laughs in the theater, and that’s partly because of how starkly we’re shown the “BAFFLING DESKTOP FULL OF FILES” right before that. So relatable. If that moment hadn’t been scripted out, it wouldn’t have played to such laughs.

Zodiac (2007)

Lots of good feelings from the first example. Let’s go down a darker path.

Writing horror, thriller, suspense… they come with other challenges. How can you communicate that a scene is scary? Get out this page from Zodiac, the movie based on the real story of the Zodiac Killer.

Look at how the car following Darlene and Mike, soon-to-be-victims, is characterized. Like a hungry lion. It’s not literal, and yet it works to get the point across.

What was interesting when I looked up this example was the fact that the script I lfound and the resulting film were very different scenes. In the script, this car has been following Darlene and Mike for miles, resulting in a car chase and eventual car trouble. In the movie, things are quite innocent until the killer’s car pulls up behind them.

An early draft could look totally different from what you eventually see on screen. Why this car chase scene was skipped over was possibly two-fold — the car chase scene took too long and detracted from the rest of the movie, and possibly because it wasn’t true to what really happened. This is a real killer this movie is based on, so some attempt at reality should be made.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

In the opening of this Western, we’re introduced to our main character Butch Cassidy. The scene descriptions give us a good idea of what type of man he is and how he should be portrayed.

William Goldman is a very well known screenwriter, and he could get away with some tricks that you probably shouldn’t do in your first scripts. For one, he’s scripting out a lot of stuff that cannot be seen, like how Butch speaks and that he’s been a leader of men all his life. For the most part, if you can’t see or hear it, you should think twice about writing it in your action lines.

The format is also a little off from the norm, or at least what we see today. A MAN is separated from the rest of the description. This could be very intentional rhythm illustrated for the scene, having the director and actor take their time letting this introduction play out before the camera. Nowadays, write the subject in the same paragraph. William Goldman can do all this. We can’t. Yet.

I also want to note Goldman’s use of “CUT TO:” between each segment here. This is a stylistic choice — it’s not necessary. Sometimes this can give a sense of pacing. Personally I find script pages to be prime real estate — I might need to hit very specific page counts and I find the CUT TO unnecessary because…well, what else are you going to do? If you’re jumping to another scene, you’re gonna cut.

Sources:

The Magic Bullet: Action Lines – ScriptMag.com

5 Ways to Write More Effective Scene Description – The Script Lab

Screenwriting Basics #4: Dialogue

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One way to get me interested in your script: Have really compelling, interesting, and/or funny dialogue.

Writing dialogue is hard. Heck, writing at all is hard. It takes years of study — reading everything you can get your hands on, practicing at your craft, sucking at the first few scripts you try, doing better with each draft and receiving constructive criticism that leads you down the right path.

First, let’s understand what counts as bad dialogue.


*snore*

Is anyone else bored yet? I know I am. Dialogue like this, although similar to how we talk in real life, does nothing to advance a plot and frankly bores the reader into a stupor. Authentic dialogue does not mean word-for-word small talk. Authentic dialogue is more simulated reality.

Another example:

If some kid scares off some robbers with his, um, karate skills? Wouldn’t you want to see that happen?

Here’s where we remember the cardinal writing rule of Show, Don’t Tell. It’s much more interesting to see action scripted out, happening before us, than to have some character explaining it. Johnny’s dialogue here becomes an info dump — blurting out a series of events in an unnecessarily long rant. It is so dull to hear a character explain things that should have just unfolded on screen.

Another fun, yet difficult one to learn. On-the-nose dialogue.

On-the-nose dialogue is when characters say what they actually feel in the moment or describe things that are obvious. It’s the opposite of subtlety. This is where subtext comes in, and that’s a tricky subject.

Subtext is the implicit meaning of a text—the underlying message that is not explicitly stated or shown. Subtext gives the reader information about characters, plot, and the story’s context as a whole.

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-subtext-learn-the-definition-and-role-of-subtext-in-writing-plus-5-tips-to-better-incorporate-subtext-in-your-work

A character’s feelings, or even the situation at hand, can be described using visuals, settings, character body language and more to be conveyed. Sometimes, a character will say the opposite of what they mean, but we as the audience can see the truth behind it. Humans lie a lot. Your characters could too.

Yeah. Johnny isn’t happy.

Your characters can say a lot without really saying much. Trust the actors to do the acting. Body language coupled with dialogue can change an entire meaning of a line.

Great dialogue is, of course, subjective. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder. But there are a number of films out there that many folks agree has good dialogue. Check out this scene from The Shawshank Redemption. Spoilers if you haven’t seen this famous film from 1994.

“It always makes me laugh. Andy Dufresne… who crawled through a river of sh*t and came out clean.”

– Red

This scene comes at the end of the movie. Andy Dufresne has already escaped, and Morgan Freeman’s character Red laments his loss. It’s expositional. It’s telling, not showing. It shouldn’t work but it does. It wraps things up beautifully, told in the unique voice of Red.

“I’m Mad As Hell and I’m Not Gonna Take This Anymore!”

– Howard Beale

This scene from Network is a great one to study. A news anchor losing his cool on national television! But the story behind the scene is not that he’s mad about current events… it’s truly about his anger over the fact that he’s losing his job. Subtext!

“That ain’t no Etch a Sketch. This is one doodle that can’t be undid.”

– Convenience Store Clerk

I really like Juno. The characters all have very strong, individual voices. Even the bit parts, like the clerk at the convenience store, are interesting characters for an actor to play.

You want to be the type of writer who could attract someone to any part in your film, and screenwriter Diablo Cody became quite the Hollywood darling after this film premiered.

Sources:

How to Avoid Writing On The Nose Dialogue – Screencraft.org

15 Movies Screenwriters Should Watch to Study Dialogue – Screencraft.org

What is Subtext – Masterclass.com

Screenwriting Basics #3: Character

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Unless you’re writing the type of artistic film where you only show time lapses of moss growing or something, you’re likely going to need characters to populate your script. They may be a hodgepodge group of high schoolers or even anthropomorphic cars.

The most important of which is your main character. And they should do more than just go through the motions.

Your main character needs to be interesting. Infuse them with details, quirks, dialogue that makes the reader, and eventually audience, enjoy going on this ride with them.

How do you do this? Start thinking details. Are they funny? Smart in a really unique way? Do they see the world in a way others do not? Do they have a personal struggle and you can’t help but root for them?

Do they have a general disdain for humanity but also the propensity for curing everyone’s ills?

Lookin’ at you, Doctor House.

You want to avoid stereotypes in your main character. Instead of having a genius doctor, you have a genius doctor who lacks a bedside manner, has a physical disability which leads him to a dependency on narcotics.

So let’s talk round vs flat characters.

“A round character is deep and layered character in a story. Round characters are interesting to audiences because they feel like real people; audiences often feel invested in these characters’ goals, successes, failures, strengths, and weaknesses.”


https://www.masterclass.com/articles/round-vs-flat-characters-in-fiction

Round characters are more interesting and make your reader and audience more invested in the story.

“A flat character is a two-dimensional character lacking depth or a real personality. Usually, flat characters have just one or two perfunctory traits. Often considered “stock characters,” flat characters can often be summarized in one word (like “bully” or “love interest”) and never digress from or transcend their role.”

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/round-vs-flat-characters-in-fiction

A flat character lacks the great detail that makes a compelling character. They fall into stereotypes — the distracted professor, the overworked single mom, the ditsy cheerleader… we’ve seen these time and again. It’s fine if they populate the rest of your world a bit, but for the characters we follow? We want more.

How to write a round character:

  • Character Traits. What are their character traits, both good and bad? What is the flaw your main character possesses that might cause them grief later in the story?
  • Details. What are their likes/dislikes? What is their appearance? What sports do they play? Where do they work? You might not use all of these, but it will help you make more informed decisions on how your character will act.
  • Believability. Your main character has believable reactions to events based on their character traits. A generally mellow person won’t just blow up at a minor inconvenience. It wouldn’t fit their character. Don’t lose your reader, and later your audience, by making your character behave strangely.
  • Conflict. Give them an internal and external conflict. The main conflict may be the fate of the world ending, but the internal conflict may be a father regaining the love of his estranged daughter.
  • Dialogue. Your character has a voice, and it should be a distinct voice. If you cover up the names of all the characters in your script and read the dialogue, you should be able to tell who is speaking. Don’t let everyone sound the same.

Building a really interesting main character is one part of writing that great first script.

Sources:

https://blog.reedsy.com/round-character/

https://www.indiewire.com/2013/11/screenwriting-101-5-tips-for-writing-better-characters-into-your-screenplay-33156/

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/round-vs-flat-characters-in-fiction

Screenwriting Basics #2: The Format

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A screenplay is a blueprint that not only tells the story, but contains the basic information needed to make the actual movie. Unlike the men of Mulan, it should not be as mysterious as the dark side of the moon.

Screenwriting requires using a tried and true format that is immediately easy to read, well organized, and follows some basic rules. If you’re writing your first or even your hundredth script and want to look professional, this is the way to do it. That’s why this Screenwriting Basics is all about format. 

Scene Heading/Slug Line – contains pertinent practical information on when and where the scene takes place. Also called a slug line. (Ex: INT. BEDROOM – DAY would be “Interior bedroom in the day” or EXT. HOUSE – NIGHT “Exterior House at night.”)

Action lines – Describes what is happening in the scene, written in present tense.

Dialogue – centered under the character name of who is speaking out loud.

Parenthetical – a description of how the line is spoken. Use sparingly.

Let’s look at a snippet from Stranger Than Fiction:

stranger-than-fiction-ex-1_editDownload

In the above example you see where I marked basic elements of screenplay format — the character names, dialogue, scene description and even a parenthetical.

Now let’s look at a portion of a scene and its script. Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen this movie from 2006. This is the moment that Harold, our main character, finally calls the author who has been narrating his life:

Now let’s look at this scene:

The script had to make it clear what was happening in this scene, and that includes what Kay is typing versus what is actually happening in the scene. Kay’s dialogue “Don’t answer that!” is in italics because the normally pretty chill author is now feeling very tense.

I might have thrown you off with this slug line of the scene (INT. GARMENT LOFT – CONTINUOUS). It says “Continuous” instead of “night or day” because it’s coming right after a scene of Harold dialing the phone, so they are right up against each other time-wise. For now, keep it simple at Day or Night so your Assistant Director can schedule things easier.

Note that the writer, Zach Helm, doesn’t feel the need to describe the slow camera dolly in to Kay as this climactic moment approaches. He lets the words tell the story and trusts the director and cinematographer to put their creative touch on later. You too don’t want to be held accountable for “directing from the page,” but perhaps that’s a lesson for another day.

It’s a lot of work putting together a film production, and you need a clear blueprint so every crew member knows what to bring to the table.

Want further reading on the subject?

Check out the Hollywood Standard Vol 2, the definitive formatting guide for screenwriters.

You can also read a more detailed overview of format over at Screencraft.

Screenwriting Basics #1: Budget Friendly Screenwriting Software

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This is the first in a multi-part series breaking down the screenwriting process so you can get started writing your next great idea.

First, let’s talk where you write the script. I don’t care if you start in a paper notebook or scribble outlines on napkins, at some point you’re going to have to type this into proper screenwriting format on a computer.

Professional screenwriting programs like Movie Magic Screenwriter or Final Draft are a major investment. Screenwriter 6 is currently at the sale price of $169. It’s usually $249. Final Draft 12 is on sale for $185 (again, usually $249).

That’s a hefty price tag for someone who is just starting out. Luckily, there’s some really good free and cheap options out there too:

  • YouMeScript – a Google Drive extension. Features the ability to have multiple writers working at the same time from different computers. Great for collaboration but make sure you save often. It does not automatically save for you.
  • Fade In – Fade in provides a free trial to get you started. It is only $80 for the full version.
  • Writer Duet – a Cloud based software that has a lot of nifty features. The free trial lets you write your first 3 scripts on the program for free.
  • Celtx – This used to be free but it seems it’s gone through some updates and is now $15/mo for the most basic package.

The free options are fine for when you are learning to write or if you are simply writing for your own short films, but if you decide to go big time and start submitting to agents or contests or major production houses — get Final Draft or Screenwriter. There can be little formatting issues with the free programs that the pricey programs would sort out.

10 Best FREE Screenwriting Software Options For Writers in 2021

Study the Craft

You can’t expect to grow as a writer unless you work at it, study it and see what’s been done before.

You can see my list of recommended screenwriting books here: Reading List: Screenwriting.

How do you expect to write a script if you don’t read them first? The following link gives resources to the best screenplays to read in each genre.

50 Best Screenplays To Read And Download In Every Genre

You can also check out a lot more scripts on Simply Scripts and Drew’s Script-o-Rama. Just keep in mind some are transcripts written by a fan watching a show, which makes them not worth studying. You may also have to click through a few, especially on Drew’s site — some links are broken.

“So what’s all this I hear about formatting?” We’ll talk about that in the next Screenwriting Basics post.