Screenplays have been the key element of filmmaking since the earliest days of motion pictures. Although movies are a visual medium, they typically begin with words on a page, a literary blueprint. Before the first onscreen kiss,  |
| American Film Institute |
| Filmmaker Frank Capra received the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award in 1982. |
before the first onscreen duel and even before the first cream pie was thrown into someone's face, screenwriters were diligently working at their craft. Although it may look simple at first glance, screenwriting is a challenging art. In addition to expressing visual ideas on paper, the writer must create engaging characters and an airtight structure. There is little room for error. As legendary filmmaker Frank Capra (right) once said, "Scriptwriting is the toughest part of the whole racket…the least understood and the least noticed."
This seminar focuses on the nuts and bolts of screenwriting, from creating a compelling premise to formatting the final copy. Aided by excerpts from well-known screenplays, students learn how to think visually, create memorable characters, write engaging dialogue and build effective scene structures to enhance their stories. Screenwriting terminology and writing strategies--along with sample pages and templates--will help guide you through the screenwriting process from the initial inspiration to the finished script.
Creating a premise for your screenplay
When I was a first year fellow at the American Film Institute's Center for Advanced Film and Television Studies, the question I dreaded hearing the most from Center director Toni Vellani was, "What is the premise of your story?" To be asked that question meant that on some fundamental level my film had failed. It failed because, in Mr. Vellani's opinion,
I hadn't conveyed to the audience what was driving my story, or why the audience should care. Although coming up with a story premise seems like a simple enough task, I can safely say that 90 percent of the films made during my first year at the American Film Institute (AFI) failed Vellani's premise test.
Often times, what makes a story move isn't what inspires us to sit down and attempt to write a screenplay. The source of inspiration may be a great idea for an opening, a setting, a character or a plot twist. While there's nothing wrong with starting with whatever stirs our imaginations and passions, at some point you should ask, "What is my story about?"
In his book The Art of Dramatic Writing (1977), teacher and playwright Lajos Egri discusses at length how premises work. Egri states:
Everything has a purpose, or premise. Every second of our life has its own premise, whether or not we are conscious of it at the time. That premise may be as simple as breathing or as complex as a vital emotional decision, but it is always there…Every good play must have a well-formulated premise…No idea, and no situation, was ever strong enough to carry you through to its logical conclusion without a clear-cut premise.
The premise should be the driving force behind every event in your screenplay. A good premise is derived from emotions--love, hate, fear, jealousy, desire, etc.--and revolves around a character, a conflict and a conclusion. For example, the premise of William Shakespeare's Othello is that unchecked jealousy leads to death. Othello is the character, his jealousy of Desdemona is the conflict and death (of both) is the conclusion. In James Cameron's film Titanic (1997), the premise is that love conquers death, physically and spiritually.  |
| Starting to write | |
| What inspires screenwriters? Everything. Real-life experiences, dreams, songs, paintings, magazine articles, history books, fiction--all can be sources of inspiration. No two writers work in the same way. Some need the discipline of routine--one hour every weekday evening, or all day Sunday, for example. Other writers prefer a more spontaneous approach. Once you've figured out what works best for you, be consistent. Good work habits help keep you focused. Schedule regular breaks during your writing hours. If you get stuck, lie down. Great ideas are more likely to come to you when you're relaxed. | |
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Rose is the character, the sinking ship and Rose's forced engagement are the conflict and the conclusion is that Jack's love helps her beat death and free herself from her fiancé. In Jonathan Demme's film The Silence of the Lambs (1991), the premise is that courage destroys evil. FBI agent Clarice Starling is the character, the conflict is her fear of the serial killer Buffalo Bill and the conclusion is that she overcomes her fears in order to defeat her opponent. As noted by Egri, "A good premise is a thumbnail synopsis of your play."
If your story does not have a clear premise, it will lack focus and drive. For example, if a story is more "illustrative" than dramatic, presenting ideas rather than conflict, it may not maintain an audience's interest.If a story has more than one premise, or if the premise changes along the way, it will confuse and bore the audience. Either way, the script won't work. However, some screenplays, like Steven Gaghan's script for Traffic (2000) and Alan Ball's script for American Beauty (1999), are able to succeed with multiple story lines and points of view. This is because while these movies may seem at first to be without a premise, in fact, each separate storyline has its own clear premise.
