| SCREENPLAY |

 

...

My first draft

I. WHAT IS A SCREENPLAY?

https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/brilliant-script-screenplay-format/

    A screenplay is a written document that outlines the story, characters, dialogue, and setting of a film or television show. It is a critical component of the film industry, as it serves as the blueprint for a movie's production. Screenplays are essential for filmmakers to convey their vision to the cast and crew and bring their story to life on the big screen.

    Writing a good screenplay requires a lot of effort and skill. It's essential to have a unique and engaging storyline that hooks the audience from the start and keeps them invested until the end. Creating well-rounded and relatable characters is also crucial as they are the heart of the story. Dialogue is another essential element of a screenplay, as it helps to develop the characters and move the story forward.

    To write a good screenplay, it's also important to understand the structure of a screenplay. Syd Feild, in his book "Screenplay", describes how a typical screenplay is divided into three acts, with each act having its own set of plot points and character arcs. It's important to have a clear understanding of these elements to ensure that the story flows smoothly and logically. Lastly, it's essential to be open to feedback and revisions. Writing a screenplay is a collaborative process, and it's important to work with others to refine the script and make it the best it can be.

II. CHALLENGES

    Writing a screenplay for a drama romance film opening has been quite challenging. The biggest challenge was creating a unique and compelling storyline that would captivate the audience. I had to think hard and brainstorm many ideas before finally settling on one that I felt was worth pursuing. Another challenge was to create well-rounded and relatable characters that the audience could connect with emotionally. I spent a lot of time researching and analyzing different personality traits, behaviors, and experiences to create compelling characters with depth and complexity. Also, miscommunication is one of the big steps we have to climb over as even though we used to be classmate, everyone has their own life (which I think is just a plea).

    Additionally, I had to overcome the challenge of balancing the drama and romance elements of the film. It was essential to ensure that both aspects were equally emphasized to maintain the audience's interest throughout the movie. Lastly, I faced the challenge of bringing my vision to life within the limitations of my budget and resources. I had to be creative in finding cost-effective solutions without compromising the quality of the final product.

    So, how do we overcome those?

1. We start to spend more time researching and analyzing different personality traits, behaviors, and experiences to create compelling characters with depth and complexity. 

2. I outlined the whole thing clearly and divided the labor to ensure that everyone was working on their strengths.

3. I tried to connect with the others more by involving them in every important progress I made while also persuading them to do so. Therefore we were able to keep track of each other work. We hung out more to create a family and to reach an easier form of communication.

4. Lastly, adopting a collaborative approach, doing thorough research, being creative, and persisting in the face of obstacles. 

 

III. PROGRESS

1. Drafts Harvesting. 

     As the ideas in the "Genre Ideas" are more of a summary of the whole plot, I realize that I should have outlined the whole thing clearly. So we have to work everything from scratch: Kevin working on the technical problems, such as equipment, budget, location, etc. While Zoe and I tend to focus more on the moldboards, script(s) and content, audience research. So the division of labor is done, now it is time for more serious problems. The two of us stepped on the very first one: how, the opening scene, will be. Where, what, when, and why (yes and no how) all shoved us hard when we first try to imagine it. After a few days, an idea flashed inside my head: Why don't we try to make different scripts to see how different we imagine the plot. 

    This is what happened: 

Link to her work: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LRAwmJf_b0jOt2TMFfs0M68y-fMACr9dB1PgVvm1-5Y/edit?usp=sharing

        Clearly, we approach the plot in two completely different ways. As I tend to focus on the present setting - where they all grew up and have stable jobs, Zoe is more favorable of the fact that everything that happens is simply the male lead's dream, as he wishes to have a life with her but fails because she died. 

    Before I got into researching what plot is more likely to hook the audiences, I reached out to Kevin and asked for his opinion - he claimed, quotes: "The first one is better, as the second one is too fast and the audience will get spoiled that the rest of the movie just a fantasy life of the male lead's; they might lost interest." But, he also pointed out some of the good parts in Zoe's script that we can adapt, later on as I discussed with her, that creative girl immediately popped another idea and went home that night to chat about it. It clearly has blended my idea into the script, but we will save that for later as those are just ideas, not the complete screenplay. 

        2. Research and Rework.

    In analyzing the 2024 Oscar winners' prediction, it is interesting to note that many of the "winners" have certain things in common. One commonality is that they often tell stories that are emotionally resonant and socially relevant. In terms of genre, no one type of film consistently wins Oscars. However, it is worth noting that many of the recent winners have been dramas or biopics. This may be because these types of films often have strong emotional arcs and allow for in-depth character development. So this proves we are going on the right track. 

The top PREDICTED NOMINEES for the 2024 Oscar, written by Variety. 

    After watching some of them and picking out some main factors, I can say that in the past Oscar's winning film, their opening scenes has:

1. The interesting elements that grab the viewer's attention: The opening of the film is often the most critical part of a movie as it sets the tone for the entire film. Oscar-winning films tend to have openings that grab the viewer's attention and hold it throughout the film. Like unique film openings such as Midnight in Paris (2011) which is just a collection of the City of Love's footage and background music.

2. They establish the mood and setting: The opening of the film often establishes the tone and mood for the rest of the movie. The opening of the film often establishes the setting of the story. Oscar-winning films tend to have an immersive and believable setting that draws the viewer into the story. For example, Titanic (1997) foreshadows the ending by showing the people dressing in suits and gowns waving in happiness to imply that they are leaving on a boat, they then turn everything to darkness. Slowly, two faint lights appear, close together... growing brighter. They resolve into two deep submersibles, free-falling toward us like express elevators. One is ahead of the other and passes close enough to fill the frame, looking like a spacecraft blazing with lights, bristling with insectile manipulators. Tilting down to follow it as it descends away into the limitless blackness below. Soon they are fireflies, then stars. Then as shown they are searching for something in the deep, cold ocean. We all know the ending, so just by one minute and twenty-three seconds, Titanic successfully sets the mood of the film while also raising the narrative enigma. 

3. They usually introduce the main characters or the character that we will get the POV from: The opening of the film often introduces the main characters and their personalities. Oscar-winning films tend to have well-developed and multi-dimensional characters that are introduced engagingly and memorably. For instance, Gone With The Wind (1939) or even Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004).

4. They set up the story: The opening of the film often sets up the main conflict and themes of the story. Oscar-winning films tend to have a well-crafted and engaging story that is introduced intriguingly and compellingly. 

5. Another commonality is that they often feature strong performances from actors. These actors can fully embody their characters and bring them to life in a way that feels authentic and compelling.

6. Outstanding technical elements, such as cinematography, sound design, and visual effects, which further enhance the storytelling and immerse the audience in the world of the film - however, those two last ones on the list will be saved for later use as now we are talking about the screenplay.

     After pointing these out, we have a short meeting whenever our plot has the top 4 elements. We both quickly realize that we haven't really set up the story! And we also need to list out how we establish the mood plus the interesting elements. A week later, we finally came up with the last solution.

For the complete experience, I recommend watching the extended version: here

───── ❝ dox.xela ❞ ─────