Accessible Filmmaking Workshop - Structuring Script and Professional Screenwriting Insights

Bus Stop Films ACCESSIBLE FILMMAKING WORKSHOP Workshop leader: Support workers: Location:

Acknowledgement of Country I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we meet today. I pay my respects to Elders past and present. I pay my respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Workshop Etiquette

Social Connection Share something about your week. Perhaps something you have done or somewhere you have been.

5 minute break

Todays filmmaking goals Structuring the Script 1. To learn to write the script as a group of screenwriters. 2. To write the scene headings, action, and story beats. SCENE HEADING: A line at the start of the scene that tells you where and when the scene is happening: Interior or exterior = INT. or EXT. This means inside or outside.

Lets try an example EXT. Is this scene inside or outside? Example Scene Heading Beach Where is the action happening? EXT. - BEACH - NIGHT. Night Why does the crew need to know this?

How screenwriters outline How Professional Screenwriters Outline Join our Discord server and tell me what your favorite film is: https://discord.gg/xxTqXXd A look into how professional filmmakers and screenwriters outline and structure their stories before writing. This is motivation for all aspiring screenwriters. Join the public Behind the Curtain discord: https://discord.gg/xxTqXXd Filmmakers featured in order of appearance: 00:30 Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) 00:50 Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds) 02:48 Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, The Master) 03:16 Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) 04:22 Coen Brothers (Fargo, No Country for Old Men) 04:43 Rian Johnson (Knives Out) 05:35 Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird) 06:03 Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) 06:36 Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) 07:23 Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3) 09:35 M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Split) ABOUT BEHIND THE CURTAIN Learn from real screenwriters. Learn the most without wasting time listening to long interviews with only 3 minutes of useful information. We take the best pieces of advice and insight from professional screenwriters and deliver them to you in an easily watchable format. Do Screenwriters Outline? https://youtu.be/jAY5Y9XWu4I #Screenwriting #Filmmaking #Filmschool Famous screenwriters share their approach. Put the captions on and pay attention for good tips.

Ideas from the writers in the video Create a structure Brainstorm the scene headings / sluglines Brainstorm the main story beats / plot points Structure is helpful for us working as a collective of writer s because then everyone knows what the story is We are going to work like the Breaking Bad writer s room in the video (but with less coffee!) So, what is a writer s room? .

Writers Room - What is it? Every Job in the TV Writers' Room Explained: A Decade of Experience Dive into the heart of TV production with me as I reveal the secrets behind every role in a TV writers room. From thrilling superhero adventures on HBO Max s Titans to romantic escapades on Netflix s Emily in Paris, I've been lucky enough to write for shows where the action is as diverse as the jobs that make them happen. In this video, I'm pulling back the curtain on the people who bring these stories to life from those just starting out as Office Production Assistants, to the masterminds we call Showrunners. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a die-hard TV fan, or someone curious about how your favorite shows are made, you'll get the insider's view on the structure that keeps these productions running smoothly. ? Here s what we ll cover: * From the Ground Up: Meet the support staff who keep the wheels turning. * Rising Stars: Discover how lower-level writers make their mark. * The Bosses: Learn how mid and upper-level writers steer the ship. Every role has a story, and I'm here to share these stories with you. So, grab your popcorn and let s explore the bustling world of TV writing! ? Remember to like, subscribe, and drop your thoughts or questions in the comments below. Want to know more about a specific part of TV production? Just ask I m here to chat! A writer s room is a space where a group of writers and other roles meet and plan and write. This usually happens for TV series. It can be helpful for us to use this model as we are developing our script as a group. Every job in the TV Writer s Room explained: A decade of experience By Working Title Writing www.youtube.com

Being in a writers room Mindy Kaling Shares Her Early Experiences in 'The Office' Writers Room Mindy Kaling describes some of her early experiences writing for 'The Office' and the difference between how she perceived herself versus how her coworkers perceived her. If you liked this video, there's a lot more where it came from. This is a small excerpt from a much longer conversation that you can watch right here: http://offcamera.com/issues/mindy-kaling/watch/#.V_bxXtxUM5k Get the Mindy Kaling issue of the magazine HERE: http://shop.offcamera.com/products/off-camera-072-mindy-kaling Want more Off Camera? http://offcamera.com The Off Camera Show is the YouTube channel for Off Camera with Sam Jones. Subscribe now to be updated on the latest videos: http://bit.ly/1K3VAC9 For full Off Camera episodes, visit http://offcamera.com Get Social With Us: On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoffcamerashow?ref=hl On Twitter: https://twitter.com/OffCameraShow On Instagram: https://instagram.com/offcamerashow/ On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theoffcamerashow Follow Sam Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/samjones How can we make our Writer s room workshops: friendly supportive engaging productive? How will we stay motivated? Mindy Kaling share her Writer s Room experiences on the Off Camera show on www.youbue.com

Being in a writers room Be respectful of everyone s ideas Make sure everyone gets a go The creative process needs brave people to Give thinking time. share ideas. Welcome other people s ideas Use think, pair, share activities. even if they are different from yours. Go around the room so everyone can share. Try not to become attached to ideas Try not to take rejection personally The creative process is iterative. That means If you have a great idea and it doesn't make it we revisit it and change it until we are happy into the final script, do not take it personally. with it. That means ideas evolve. You can use the idea in something else.

Writers Room Roles Writer s Assistant You can also brainstorm and research ideas. The Writer s Assistant is to take notes when ideas are discussed. The Script Coordinator reads and checks for errors. You also make sure the story, characters, and locations, fit and make sense. Script Coordinator The Staff Writer develops the story. Your job is also to develop the character arc (how the characters develop) during the story. Staff Writer Story Editor The Story Editor s role is to develop the story and give feedback on the ideas coming in from the other writers. The Writer s Room Co-Producer thinks about casting ideas, production design ideas, and the creative direction of the film. Writer s Room Co-Producer

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Getting the writers room right. And first . We are going to be sharing ideas. We are going to move forward with some ideas. We will not move forward with other ideas. That is the nature of writing as a collective = compromise. How can we challenge each other s ideas in a respectful way? How do we fix it if there is disagreement? What do we need to avoid doing or saying?

How to structure a script Scene heading AKA slugline Action line Dialogue between characters O.S. means Off screen. The dad, Phil, is off screen - we don t see him - his son is on screen talking on the phone. Script Page 1, Bystander Effect (Julian Neiheus and AFTRS class), 2023

How to structure a script Our script needs to be 6 pages. We are making our short film on a 1 day shoot. 6 pages is realistic in 1 day. Let s do a table read of a 6 page script. Follow along with the printed version. Return them to the workshop leader afterwards.

Lets start our script Scene Headings for each of your scenes Interior or Exterior - Location - Day or night Action lines under each scene heading What is happening, who is there, what are they doing

5 minute break

Workshop reflection Each One, Teach One AKA Explain it to someone else For each word, say what it is and why it is important. Person 1: Scene heading AKA slugline Person 2: Action lines Person 3: Dialogue

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