ANFSCD (Pt. 3)

Continuing our exploration of of: Pilar Alessandra’s, The Coffee Break Screenwriter: Writing Your Script Ten Minutes at a Time.

Go here to order: http://www.amazon.com/Coffee-Break-Screenwriter-Writing-Minutes/dp/1932907807/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1281795215&sr=1-1

I promise you I don’t get any kickbacks by recommending this book.

Last week I told you that, as I went through the exercises in chapter two, I discovered different aspects to my characters: traits; actions they might take; relationships.  And, the discovery that, a change in one character can, and will, affect other characters; the plot; the tone of the story and how these aspects of story are linked together in a ‘storytelling synergy’. 

Chapter Two: The Structure Summary:

1. Create four (4) act segments: ACT I; ACT IIa; ACT IIb; ACT III.

2. Give each segment a title that illustrates the theme or event in that segment.

3. To discover all the structural possibilities, shift and rename your segments.

4. Twist the story around at the end of each segment by creating a reveal that sends the story in a different direction.

5. Flesh out each segment by introducing key events that reach a climax with that reveal.

6. Understand the big picture by reviewing the completed structure sheet.

This week I will cover pages 27 thru 40 of Chapter Three: The Outline.  Ready?

Pilar suggests that we divide our four act beat-sheets into eight sequences.  For example, in my screenplay, the Act I segment breaks down into:

ACT I:   Lost

Sequence 1: TATTOO awakes in an underwater cavern unaware of who he is, where he is, or why he is there. 

Sequence 2:  Uneasiness washes over TATTOO, then anxiety, finally panic. 

REVEAL: TATTO realizes he is claustrophobic and trapped in underwater cave with no way out.

Next, you describe each sequence using three (3) sentences that describe the GOAL, ACTIVITY, and COMPLICATION in each sequence.  Again, using my ACT I as an example:

ACT I Lost

SEQUENCE 1

GOAL: Figure out who they are and where they are.

ACTIVITY: Make sure everyone is awake and okay and ask a lot of questions.

COMPLICATION: No one remembers anything.

SEQUENCE 2

GOAL: Find a way out of the cavern.

ACTIVITY: Explore the cave.

COMPLICATION: The cave becomes narrower and narrower.  PANIC sets in as TATTOO realizes he is claustrophobic and stuck underground.

Lessons learned: as you progress through the exercises you will find that your mental idea of how the story will progress, changes.  The naming of the Four Part Structures changed for me from: Lost, Fear, Hope, and Redemption to: Lost, Escape, Survival, Redemption.  Be flexible — nothing is carved in stone.

One very helpful Ten Minute Lecture in this chapter had to do with developing your story in eight beats.  The format goes something like this:

1. CHARACTER FLAW triggers CONFLICT.

2. CONFLICT triggers PROBLEM.

3. PROBLEM triggers STRATEGY.

4. STRATEGY triggers EMOTIONAL EVENT.

5. EMOTIONAL EVENT triggers MAJOR ACTION.

6. MAJOR ACTION triggers MISSTEP.

7. MISSTEP triggers BATTLE.

8. BATTLE triggers FINAL CHALLENGE.

Pilar writes: “Though each beat tells its own story, it is always connected to the next one in order to reveal the big picture.  Each beat tends to ‘trigger’ the next.  And, by doing so, the story is pushed forward.”

Other exercises include:

Beat-sheet supporting character/antagonist rewrite: brings in additional characters and layers the story and/or provides a subplot.

Beat-sheet complication rewrite: brainstorm what would be the best complication, what would be the worst complication; what would be the genre specific complication.

Beat-sheet midpoint rewrite: cover all the midpoint possibilities with the potential to steer your story in a new and more interesting direction.

Beat-sheet structure rewrite: why wait until your script is finished to start playing with structure?  Use your one-page beat-sheet to make important changes to story and structure before you type FADE IN.

Beat-sheet non-linear structure: play with your sequences.  Reverse them.  Combine them.  Jump forward in time.  Imagine the possibilities.

Beat-sheet emotion rewrite: write down the key emotions experienced by your main character in every sequence and write down the resulting emotional arc.

That’s a wrap for this week.  Hope you all have a good week and a productive week as you

Keep Writing!