The Essentials of Screenwriting Effective screenwriting is the result of many different factors, all of which contribute to the success of the film. The following is a list of different techniques the screenwriter uses to gain and hold the reader’s attention.

Drama is conflict and change

If there is no conflict there is no change

Change can be the cause of dramatic conflict or the result of dramatic conflict or both

Changes may occur gradually through a story or it may be sudden

If there are no changes, the story is boring

If there are many changes at first, then none, the story seems interesting at first, but then boring

Generally a story has a set up, called the first act.

The main character, called the protagonist, is introduced and they have some sort of problem.

The problem can be another person, called the antagonist, or a natural obstacle, like a storm.

If the problem remains the same we get bored.

If there is a change and the problem becomes worse we get interested again.

Once the problem has become worse, we are in the second act.

The more active the protagonist is in dealing with the problem, the more absorbed we become

with the story.

Before the protagonist manages to overcome the problem, things should get worse again.

This puts us into the third act.

Near the end of the third act, the protagonist faces the worst yet. This is called the climax.

During the climax, the protagonist generally overcomes the problem, or is crushed by it.

Once the climax is over, the audience wants everything to be wrapped-up fairly quickly, as they

know the outcome.

Sometimes, when they think it is over, another climax may occur.

This is especially common in action thriller films.

In addition:

Short films can be just one scene

There may be a three act structure within the one scene

Good scenes will have a beginning, a middle, and an end

Events which have happened before the script begins are called the backstory

Text is what the actors are saying or doing

Subtext is what the actors may be perceived to be feeling

Subtext is usually derived from something which happened earlier in the story

The story must be arranged so that the audience believes what is happening. If, without

warning, something unbelievable happens (unexpected is ok), the audience will feel cheated.

Notes from Bruce McKenna “Saltwater Moose”