Bad Guys... Are They Necessary?

In a word... YES!

Every good story has a villian. It's your job to build that type of character into your screenplay. Remember, some bad guys are likable and heros may be irritating.

Here's something I was reading on Fathom.com: In most cases, the antagonist is easily identifiable as "the bad guy." His morals and motivations are clearly corrupt, his goals destructive--Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs, for example.

In other stories, the antagonist's objectives may be less sinister but still pose the major obstacle for the protagonist. In the classic romance Casablanca (1942), for example, the antagonist is Ilsa's husband Victor, the war hero. Although the Nazis threaten Ilsa and Rick, it is Victor and all that he represents who ultimately stands between them. He, too, is fighting for Ilsa's love. Rarely does a movie succeed without an antagonist.

Even disaster and man-against-nature stories need a human opponent. If the sinking ocean liner were the only problem in Titanic, for example, the film would be thrilling but not moving.

Pretty cool, right? Take time to really develop this element into your script.

Happy writing!
Brian

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Brian K. Allen
Screenplay Writer & Coach
http://www.Scripts4Agents.com
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Save time with "Intercuts"

When you have two or more scenes occuring at the same time and you want to cut back and forth between them rapidly... use the INTERCUT.

Why? Because typing & re-typing the Scene Heading is a pain! lol

In addition, it helps the Reader move along at a more natural pace.

Have a great day!
Brian

********************************************
Brian K. Allen
Screenplay Writer & Coach
http://www.Scripts4Agents.com
********************************************

From "Spec" Script To "Shooting" Script

Prior to being commissioned or bought, a script written with the hope that it will be sold is called a 'spec' or 'submission' script.

Once a script is purchased, it will often go through a bunch of rewrites before the project enters into production. Once that happens, the script becomes a 'Shooting Script'.

Knowing this in advance should help a writer "de-personalize" the rewrite phase. We all put our heart & souls into our scripts BUT we also have to trust the production TEAM during the rewrite phase.

A movie needs to make a PROFIT and massaging a script is often what makes this occur.

Until next time,
Brian

********************************************
Brian K. Allen
Screenplay Writer & Coach
http://www.Scripts4Agents.com
********************************************

Getting Your Script Going!

When ideas are flying around in your head, it may be tough to get things going. You have character ideas, relationship ideas, scenes, maybe even visualizations from movies that you've scene... all floating around in your head.

I always start a new screenplay with 2 boiler plate documents. The character sheet and the script planning sheet.

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Character Sheet:
============================

Here is where I describe all the 'players' in my story. I have them listed by name (which may change a few times) and their relationship to each other. Also, I note a little back story about them.

============================
Script Planning Sheet:
============================

Here is my document that is a 'skeleton' of the 3 Acts & 5 turning points most screenplays will have.

First, I print this off and begin hand writing my ideas in the right spots... then I go back into the original document and begin typing. Then, I "Save as" with a new title and date.

I noticed that I tend to print my scripts with extra spacing between the lines and carry them around with me. As ideas come to me, I hand write notes on the script and type it up when I get back home.

That's it for now... hope you're having a great day!

Brian

********************************************
Brian K. Allen
Screenplay Writer & Coach
http://www.Scripts4Agents.com
********************************************