WRITING SCREENPLAYS
Jessie Coleman and Paul Peditto
Self-Counsel Press
(a division of)
International Self-Counsel Press Ltd.
USA Canada
Copyright © 2012
International Self-Counsel Press
All rights reserved.
Introduction
Everyone has a story to tell. Never before have personal narratives gushed so profusely in North America as they do this present day. It seems everyone wants to tell his or her life story. Is it because we believe our lives are all unique, or is it that we think people can learn from our drama? Is it a combination of both? Regardless of the reasons writers have for wanting to tell their life stories, as long as people exist, there will never be a shortage of people wanting to put forth their life woes or adventures.
Do you think your life would make a good movie? Most people do, and the reason is simple: There is a story to tell in all of us.
The truth of the matter is, everyone does have a story worth telling, if he or she knows how to do it. That’s what this book is about — helping writers find that crossroad, locate that milestone, and hone in on that moment in time that has lessons for everyone. However, just because something has happened to you doesn’t necessarily mean it will make a good movie, but there are moments in everyone’s life that, with the right spin, could make for a dramatic work of art.
It’s also true that there are many books on the market regarding the subjects of screenplays and memoir writing; however, Writing Screenplays dares to be different. This pioneering how-to guide walks the reader through a step-by-step process of telling the true-life tale in screenplay format, which is uniquely different from the standard book format. The screenplay version of your life story will cut to the meat of your story and highlight the message you want to share. You could say this book is two books in one:
• It’s a book about honing in on your life’s most dramatic moments and fleshing out the story into something people would want to know.
• It’s a book about how to craft a story made for the screen (whether TV or the big screen).
It is our wish that you enjoy the adventures of Writing Screenplays and, at the very least, experience the wonderful and fun process of discovery by connecting with the moments in your life that made you the person you are today. Here’s a golden opportunity to share with the world the story that is unique to you and demands to be told.
The following are some of our favorite movies based on true stories:
Jessie’s picks:
• Antwone Fisher
• Men of Honor
• The Assassination of Richard Nixon
• Mississippi Burning
• Black Hawk Down
• Not Without My Daughter
• Deliberate Intent
• The People vs. Larry Flynt
• Introducing Dorothy Dandridge
• Seabiscuit
Paul’s picks:
• Bobby
• Marie Antoinette
• Capote
• Primary Colors
• Donnie Brasco
• Sylvia
• Factory Girl
• United 93
• GoodFellas
• W.
The Appendix contains coauthor Paul Peditto’s screenplay Pictures of Baby Jane Doe. It is a graphic story, based on a real person he knew. Real life is graphic so it was important to include this screenplay as an example.
1
Finding Your Story
Your mission, if you should choose to accept it, is to select the most interesting period of your life that will appeal to a large audience. Your movie can be a drama, comedy, romance, etc., but if you want the movie to sell, you need to be aware of what the marketplace is buying. If you want your script to appeal to a movie audience, it must resonate with them; it must ring true with a theme that is universal, with characters the audience can recognize as believable and real.
True-life stories continue to cast a spell over people who want to learn from the experience of others, and for that reason, true-life stories with universal appeal will always be in high demand. For example, an adaptation that was powerful and had universal appeal was The Fighter, about the real-life battles of “Irish” Micky Ward and his rise to a boxing championship despite his dysfunctional family.
There are always moments or dramatic events in our lives that are so fascinating or memorable that they scream to be shared with the world, and we think, “This could be a movie!” Though that may very well be true, how do you go about finding that moment in time worth writing about and sharing with the world?
You may feel that the challenge is to choose the story that would appeal to the largest number of people. You want to be aware of what will sell, but if you’re writing this for the audience alone, it won’t be much good. You need to channel what I believe Judith Malina once said, “First I think about what it is I want to say. Then I go about saying it.” The point is that the story you’re writing must resonate with you; it’s a story that you need to write, not one that will draw the largest number of people.
Remember, a story is not necessarily interesting because it really happened. It’s an interesting story simply because it is, whether it really happened or not. Think of your life story as a work of fiction. If your life story were pitched as a novel, would people line up to purchase a copy, or would you have to say, “based on a true story” to capture their attention? You want your life story to be so interesting that even if it were not a true story, it would be compelling all on its own.
While you are in the planning stages of your story, it might be a good idea to view a few true-life stories on film to get an idea of how the subject matter is handled. After you have viewed some movies, you will probably have a better sense of how different stories are executed based on theme. If you have already decided upon the story you wish to tell, congratulations! If not, I offer you a piece of advice: Look for the hot spots of your life, the moments of the greatest change, greatest lessons, and sometimes the greatest loss. Do this and you will find the story that only you can tell. Here’s a golden opportunity to share with the world the story that is unique to you and demands to be told.
1. Story Ideas to Get Your Started
Where is the story in your life? What part of your life should be shared with the world? Instead of looking for just that one story to tell, compile a