What We Can Learn from Screenwriting
Monday May 26, 2008
Recently, one reader, Jenni, wrote in about how much she'd learned studying screenwriting at The Film School, a Seattle writing program that offers three-week intensive courses. Jenni explained that while she's really a novelist, the program encouraged her to think more about storytelling while trying out a new form. A similar topic came up in an interview with Alicia Erian, in which she talked about how screenwriting helped her learn to avoid back story and stick with the plot. After emailing with Jenni, I wondered if other people have had this experience moving between fiction and screenwriting, and also if anyone else had taken classes at the Film School. If so, please voice your opinions below or in the forum.
Comments
Exploring storytelling in a format that was new to me did wonders for my grasp of timing, rhythm, character work–all of the above and more. I was surprised and so inspired by the depth all the instructors at TheFilmSchool went into in exploring character and how to keep an audience enthralled. That’s so important–if they don’t keep reading, how are they going to hear what you have to say? That’s true for films and fiction alike.
My business partner and I went to The Film School.
I have no problem saying it was a life changing experience. I understand script writing in a way that books can never explain. The teachers are fascinating. They do not agree on the way scripts should be put together. That sounds problematic but it is far more helpful to have script creation explained in different ways. This allows each student to take what works for them and write great scripts.
Every teacher is stellar and worth every minute but I must give some extra attention to Stewart Stern. This is a man of true genius. Listen and learn from this master now.
I have maintained close contact with John Jacobsen after the class and several other teachers. They all care and want to make good movies.
The best part of TheFilmSchool’s 3-week intensive for me (aside from the brilliant and amazing people, of course) was the experience of standing up in front of a big-name-actor and trying to play the third-tier/background role of a lesbian waitress who is hitting on the lead actress in while quibbles with her lunch date as the main action of the scene. It taught me more about understanding my characters’ motivations than I could ever learn from a book. There I was, playing a character who was everything I’m not, and I still had to honor her, know why she was in the scene, and then advocate her need for attention while still “working it” for a big tip and trying not to dump imaginary ribs on my customers. Since I learned to know all that about my characters - the scenes (practically) write themselves. I didn’t get anything near that experience in any of the other dozen classes I’ve taken on writing.
And P.S. Ditto that remark about Stewart Stern!
I also had an amazing experience at the Film School. I came to this three week intensive course with a playwriting and directing background, and had decided to take the class after my first attempt at a screenplay had me writing in circles for months. Theater was a great place to learn about how to develop interesting characters and uniquely fitting dialog, but what I needed, (and then later found at the film school) was how to structure a story. I don’t know how I had gotten out of a top acting and directing undergraduate program without having studied the concept of the hero’s journey, but after learning about it at the Film School, a light bulb went off, and I realized why the writing I had done up until this point hadn’t been working. My journey to develop my craft as a screenwriter is still underway, but I have to say that I think I may have given up several years ago, if I hadn’t gotten the amazing guidance that I did at this school. The staff really cares about the students, and it’s exciting to be part of the vibrant community of writers that has emergee because of this school.
Another Film School grad here. I’d taken a couple classes in the past and have since created some great story ideas, but despite my past schooling, there was something stiff about most of my scripts. The Film School helped open up both logical and creative pathways to dealing with my character’s conflicts. Some stories went back to the beginning, some only needed a little “nugget” tweaking. Inside joke… Everyone should check out The Film School. It’s worth the money and the time. And Seattle is beautiful!!
Before attending TheFilmSchool, I’d spent a lifetime telling stories. I’d enjoyed enough success to make a sporadic living at it, in fact.
However, it was not until I attended TheFilmSchool that, for the first time in my life, I was pushed to improve my craft exponentially.
For the serious writer, TheFilmSchool truly is a life-changing experience.
The Film School was a GREAT experience for me. I’ve been a film and video producer for many years and still found this program a big leap forward. The best instructors aren’t even the big names. John and Warren’s programs were particularly valuable. It’s an intense experience both in terms of hours and the emotional work so not for light weights at all but sure to be a worthwhile and memorable experience.
I am a total film buff, and wrote my first novel as though I were watching it as a movie. Consequently it’s pacey, and people seem to really enjoy reading it. The visual imagery I had when writing really helped me constuct the world and the characters. It was such a fun way to write. I’m very happy with the results. However, I have had publishers and agents say it’s good writing, but not a “proper novel” with all of the components they feel it should have. Now I’m writing my second, which is more grounded in literary norms, and much less fun to write.
I took an intensive screenwriting course about 15 years ago. I’d already completed 7 novels, and sold about 50 short stories and a smattering of articles before that. I’m big on structure, and for me the best thing about screenwriting was the insistence on a strong structure. Screenwriting also helped improve my use of descriptive verbs and made writing short stories and novels easier because of that.
I learnt to write a script working on ScriptFrenzy this year (found at www.scriptfrenzy.org), and although I never wrote scripts before, I thought it was good for making you think of scenes, and the saying “show don’t tell” if you think of your novel or short story as a movie or TV Episode, you’ll think much more of action and how to describe it as it’s happening, keeping the reader involved with a sense of immediacy. I really enjoyed the experience!