Russell Edwards    Screenwriter
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RUSSELL'S FEATURE SPECS
    • THE STATUE IN THE PARK
    • SANTA'S WISH LIST
    • THE MAGIC CANVAS
  • CONTACT
    • EXTRA

Screenwriting - Goals! Goals! Goals!

28/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Set  yourself some writing goals.
Quality should always trump quantity.

11 - 12  Months

  1. Four pilots.
  2. Feature script rewrite.
  3. Possibly, one new feature script.
0 Comments

The dreaded blank page.

19/12/2019

0 Comments

 
12 weeks give or take.
Enough time to get this feature rewrite done.
Pages written so far: 98 Finished for now. 27/4/2019

Pilot.
16 weeks give or take.
Enough time to get a first draft written.
Just need to figure out the story. Not too difficult then.
Pages written so far: 59, 1st draft. Rough draft. Vomit draft. 27/6/2019

Pilot
16 weeks give or take.
First draft.
Just need to figure out the story. Not too difficult then.
Pages written so far: 59, 1st Draft. 22/8/2019

Pilot
14 weeks give or take.
FIrst Draft.
Last project of the year.
Pages written so far: 57, 1st Draft 12/09/2019

Pilot
Final project of the year.
Pages written: 54, 1st Draft 17/11/2019

Rewriting
14 weeks give or take.
December 19th

Yippee!
Picture
It's been a while since I've seen one of these.
0 Comments

Screenwriting -- Writing a Pilot

12/10/2019

0 Comments

 
When it comes to writing.

I don't think there's any one way of doing it.
But if you're considering having a go at writing a pilot or two. Or more.
This might help.

This is the way I do it.
And may be the reason why I watch so much TV.

You can read all the books on writing, but I personally think the best way is to do this.

1. Get your hands on some pilot scripts. There are plenty of them on the internet. After watching so many TV shows this year, I wish the streaming services and networks would release the pilot scripts for them. Not sure if that's possible, but it would be awesome. There'll be a list of some pilots that you should definitely read below.

2. Once you have a number of these pilot scripts. Ten would be a good number to start with. DON'T READ THEM YET.

3. Find where these series are being shown. Streaming services. Networks. Or you could just buy them on Blu-ray. Then watch them.

4. Then read the relevant pilot script.

5. Look at how the story unfolds on the page, then compare the script to how the action and dialogue unfolds on the screen.

6. Look at the act breaks.
Does the show have a TEASER?
How many acts does the show have? 
Is it four or five acts?
Do they stick a tag on the end?
How long are the scenes?
How many scenes are in an act?

7. But the most important questions for me personally?
Does the pilot hold your interest?
Are the characters interesting?
Are the characters asking questions at the end of the pilot?
Is the storyline interesting?
How are the characters introduced?
Is the story familiar, but also different to what you've watched before?

8. What type of series is this?
A limited series with a limited number of epsiodes.
Is this idea one that will last for more than one season?

There are plenty of pilot scripts, but these are good ones to check out.

Watch pilot. Read script. Watch pilot.
Break them down.
  1. Chernobyl
  2. True Detective
  3. Altered Carbon
  4. Godless
  5. Justified
  6. Breaking Bad
  7. Stranger Things
  8. The 100
  9. The Expanse
  10. The Killing
  11. The Sopranos
0 Comments

Screenwriting - characters

8/5/2019

0 Comments

 
Characters that don't get along with each other are far more interesting.
IMDb
0 Comments

screenwriting - get rid of the fat.

13/3/2019

0 Comments

 
Story taking too long to get going.

Get rid of pointless characters.
Get rid of meandering scenes.
Get rid of everything that's muddling and slowing down the story.

If the 1st ACT isn't working.

Get rid of it.
0 Comments

Arrived at a brick wall. This will help.

26/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Around this time  last year I bought the following items.
Picture
Please do not annoy the writer...
Picture
Writer Emergency Pack
Picture
Keep Calm I'm A Writer

The mug was a birthday present for a nice girl. 
I do hope she didn't put me in a story and kill me, although I wouldn't blame her.
I do hope she's still writing her novel.

The Writer Emergency Pack and the coaster were bought to inspire me to start writing. My creative well had dried up at this point. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. They've been collecting dust on my desk for the last twelve months. With that said, I've just opened the Writer Emergency Pack and taken a quick look through the cards.

Impressive.

If you've come to a brick wall, and can't find a way over it, this deck of cards will go a long way to help. Obviously, it won't do the work for you, but the ideas will definitely get you thinking.

Definitely recommend to all writers. Not just screenwriters.
0 Comments

Is there a story here?

26/1/2019

0 Comments

 
Can you use these pictures to create a story?
Let's see.
What do we have here?

A treasure map.
A red dinghy.
A gold key.
A lighthouse.
A hermit that hides away in a cave on the beach.
A chunk of cobalt aura quartz.
A red moon.
An antique trunk.

Let's throw in a mother and kids, or maybe a dad and his two teenage kids that have moved to the seaside for various (mysterious) reasons. Reasons that will be revealed to us as the story unfolds.

What if the kids come across the hermit while on the beach?
What if the hermit is somehow related to the kids or the parents?
What if the single parent warns the kids to stay away from the hermit?
What if the hermit is a relative or even one of the parents?

What if the town sheriff isn't too keen on the new arrivals and tries to get them to leave the town?
What if the town sheriff has their own agenda?
Picture
Treasure Map
Picture
Gold Key
Picture
A hermit
Picture
Red Dinghy
Picture
Lighthouse
Picture
A chunk of cobalt aura quartz
Picture
A Blood Moon
Picture
An antique trunk
0 Comments

Goals - Writing goals for the year.

25/1/2019

0 Comments

 

 Give yourself a goal.

1. One rewrite. Almost Done.
Just needs a few adjustments. Setups and payoffs make sense.
A little tinkering here and there.

2. New script.
3. Possibly a pilot script.

And that's it.

My goal for the year.
Picture
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Engage the reader!

18/9/2017

0 Comments

 
Entertain


the


Audience!

0 Comments

Screenwriting - Dialogue.

7/7/2017

0 Comments

 
A unique phrase.
A word.

Do your characters say things that set them apart from the others?
Picture
IMDb
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Too many characters!

31/5/2017

0 Comments

 
Got characters doing the same thing.


Combine them into one character.

If they're taking up too much screentime, and not adding much to the story.


Get rid of them!

0 Comments

Screenwriting -- The outline!

20/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Some do!
Some don't!

But having a rough idea as to how your story starts, progresses and ends will certainly help when it comes to putting words on the page. This roadmap can be any length, long, short, fat or thin. And as detailed as you want it.

Throw in some dialogue for good measure. Get some of those characters interacting and talking to each other. Pick a scene, and get writing.

There's no single way to write a screenplay, but the more work you do beforehand will certainly help when it comes to the actual writing.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - New Year, New Goals

1/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Time to set some new writing goals.

New ideas.
New storylines.
New characters.

Setting up the situation these characters find themselves in.
Needs.
Wants.
Goals.
Flaws.

Protagonist vs. Antagonist.

What and who is stopping them from achieving these goals?
0 Comments

Screenwriting - A few sites worth checking out.

31/12/2016

0 Comments

 
John August

Go Into The Story

The Writers Panel - Nerdist.com

The Broken Projector Movie Podcast
0 Comments

Screenwriting – Which project next?

2/9/2016

0 Comments

 
Currently, I'm working on my third rewrite of the year. At the start of the year, I made it a goal to rework three previous scripts, rather than start any new projects. This was my goal for a twelve-month period. As it stands, I seem to be on target, although getting this third concept to actually work is a lot trickier than I first envisioned. The concept and idea are there, but the actual execution of the story sucked somewhat in previous versions. Great idea! But this story is boring, slow, repetitive, and not much is really happening. Hence, the rewrite. But I'm going off on a tangent.

From experience, setting yourself realistic writing goals is a must. Otherwise, you end up putting way too much pressure on yourself, and not putting enough time, energy and thought into any one project. Writing a million screenplays in a year will not help you in any way, shape or form if they all suck!

As for which project or projects you should consider working on after putting aside that current draft of the one you've just finished.

Again, this is personal.

Have you made a list?
Do you have a folder on your laptop containing five possible ideas and projects that you're considering working on at some point?

Out of those five, which of them have you visualized scenes, characters, an actual narrative for?

How many notes have you made for each of those ideas?

I have a list of four projects.

Out of those projects, the two that I really want to write have by far the most notes. As I write this, I can see the opening scenes or sequence of scenes as the main characters are introduced in one of them. These opening scenes have been playing out in my imagination for quite some time. The same can be said of the other one. As for the third project, that's going to be a rewrite.

Cutting a long story short.

Which story or stories do you feel the most passionate about?

If they're continually playing out in your head, eating away at you, nagging your subconscious, then you probably need to get that first draft down on paper.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Cloud watching!

31/8/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
More often than not, you'll find yourself watching the clouds drift by.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Scriptnotes with John August & Craig Mazin

25/8/2016

0 Comments

 
The One With The Agent

Excellent podcast. Very insightful. Go here!

Query letters.
Pitch Festivals.
Script consultants. Script readers.
That charge silly amounts of money for notes and feedback.
Logline contests.
95 percent of screenwriting competitions.

And the list goes on!



These are all businesses that have been created for one thing. And that is to remove your hard earned money from your wallet, and bank account. They're there to make money. That's not to say you shouldn't pay someone a reasonable amount for their time, especially if you find their feedback useful and constructive. Just be weary of people that charge ludicrous amounts of money. Hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars. They may come across as people in the know, but really, if they were that good, they'd be writing scripts and getting movies made, or at the very least, selling their scripts.

99.99 percent of the time, they're not.

That's not to say that you shouldn't enter contests either. I only enter one contest a year, and that's just to see how my work stacks up against other writers. It's also a good way to set yourself a deadline.

And, just because you're a quarter or semi-finalist, doesn't mean you have a badly written script, it just means it didn't gel with whoever was reading it at the time. So keep at it.

It's your writing that matters.
And the stories you tell.



0 Comments

Screenwriting - Rewriting is not...

8/4/2016

0 Comments

 
Correcting punctuation and grammar.
Sentence construction, and how the story is laid out on the page.

While the above is important, this is not rewriting.


You might well smile with relief on finishing that first draft. But don't be fooled. You have plenty of work ahead in getting that script up to scratch.

Firstly.
Don't be frightened of getting some feedback on that story you've just finished. Ideally from some trusted sources. Or at the very least, from people who write themselves, and know something about creating story. A lot of writers shy away from getting feedback because they're worried about being told that what they've written isn't very good. But that's the point. You need to know what's working and what's not.

Secondly.
Once you've received feedback, put that finished script and the notes away for a while. Two weeks. Three weeks. A month. Several months. A year! Step away from it. Step back. Put it out of your mind. Forget about it.

Thirdly.
Be productive while stepping away from this newly finished project. Start work on the next project that's been bugging you. Make some notes. Come up with some new ideas. Characters. Scenes. Write an outline for this new project. You could even write the first draft.

Fourthly.
Once you feel you've been away long enough, go back to the project. Read through the notes you've received. Then read through the script. See what works, and what isn't. A boring first act? Perhaps the second act is dragging? Characters that don't appear to be doing anything? Just because someone has mentioned something, doesn't mean it's right. It doesn't mean it's wrong either. Consider writing a new draft based on feedback that you like. Then consider writing another draft based on the feedback that you're not too keen on. Who knows? You might find that you like that draft.

Fifthly.
Take a break.
Re-energize those creative juices.

Then repeat the process.


You need to be constantly writing to be in this.



Because if you're not, someone else will be!


0 Comments

Screenwriting - Wardrobe, hair, makeup.

7/3/2016

0 Comments

 
This is Sarah.

Even though she looks in the mirror every day, and men drop at her feet with their tongues hanging out whenever she walks into a bar. For some strange, inexplicable reason she just doesn't realize how beautiful she is!

Scriptnotes.

Wardrobe, hair, makeup.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Putting your work out there!

25/1/2016

0 Comments

 
As much as it pains some writers.
You need to get your work out there by any means possible.
To see how it stacks up.
Having a script sitting on your computer or hidden in a drawer won't be doing you a whole lot a good.

If you can afford it, why not try a contest or two.

A good place to start would be the following:

The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting
The Austin Film Festival
PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

There are a few others worth checking out.

Do your research!
0 Comments

Screenwriting -- Four-quadrant movie.

13/1/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Which demographic are you targeting with your current project?
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Goals!

7/1/2016

0 Comments

 
A new year.
Means a new set of goals.
Be realistic in what you want to achieve.

Working on too many projects might mean you're spreading yourself far too thinly, and not giving enough time and effort to any one writing project.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Ask yourself...

7/1/2016

0 Comments

 
What if this scene goes here, rather than there?
What if this character does this, rather than that?
How will the story change if I remove this character?
Will the story be better if I introduce this character or group of characters much earlier on?
What if I use the 3rd Act as the opening instead?
What if I change the sex or age of my protagonist?
What if I change the goals these characters are trying to achieve?

What if?
What if?
What if?


Just because you've written it on the page, doesn't mean it has to stay that way.

Good thing about words, they can be

rewritten.

Don't settle for that 1st draft.

Keep developing the characters.
The story.
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Ideas!

11/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Write them down.


They might well be a starting point for a story.

A character that you've dreamed up.
A situation that this character finds themselves in.
Perhaps you have an ending in mind for a story.
How will you get to this ending?
Getting this character or group of characters from A-to-B-to-C and so on.
A scene that keeps playing out in your head that you can't get rid of.
A bit of dialogue.
A bit of action.

What if this happens?
What if that happens?

What's the essence of this story?
What's it really about?
0 Comments

Screenwriting - Bored? Need something to read?

9/10/2015

0 Comments

 
A few screenplays worth checking out here.

Lots of other good stuff as well.

0 Comments
<<Previous
    Contact
    Welcome to Russell’s website. A storyteller who enjoys writing screenplays for movies. Even though the process is hard. It keeps his imagination working overtime.



    RSS Feed


    Categories

    All
    60 Screenwriter Survival Tips
    80s TV - Setting A Benchmark!
    An Interesting Year For Movies!
    Books
    Discipline And Commitment
    Disney -- Video Shorts
    Favorite Scripts I've Read
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2014
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2015
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2016
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2017
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2019
    Favorite TV Shows Of 2020
    Film Adaptations
    Film Scores
    Finding Your Voice
    How Do I Come Up With Story Ideas?
    How To Write A Constructive Review
    Improve Your Screenplay
    Inspirational Videos
    Interesting
    Loglines
    London Screenwriters' Festival 2012
    Movie Quotes
    Movie Scores
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2012
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2013
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2014
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2015
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2016
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2017
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2018
    Movies That I Enjoyed -- 2019
    Movie Trailers
    Pixar
    Podcasts About Screenwriting
    Podcasts About Screenwriting
    Quotes
    Screenplay Analysis
    Screenplay Feedback
    Screenplays Worth Reading!
    Screenwriting Articles
    Screenwriting Contests
    Screenwriting - Getting Ideas
    Screenwriting M.F.A. Debate
    Screenwriting -- Receiving Notes & Feedback
    Star Wars
    Story Structure
    Television
    The 2014 Blood List
    The 80s - Welcome To The World Of Fantasy!
    The Black List 2012
    The Black List 2013
    The Black List 2014
    The Daily Grind
    These Movies Need A Remake
    Top Ten Movies
    Video Game Trailers
    Videos About Screenwriting
    Writing That Novel


    Blog Archives

    March 2021
    December 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    February 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011


    Take a Look

    WCMartell
    John August
    Wordplay
    Craig Mazin
    Done Deal Pro
    Movie Bytes
    London Screenwriters' Festival
    Screenwriting from Iowa
    Bang2Write
    Chris Jones Blog
    Go Into The Story
    UK Scriptwriters
    Nerdist Writer's Panel
    Deadline
    The Bitter Script Reader
    ScreenwritingU
    Screenplay.com
    Corey Mandell
    The Hollywood Reporter
    Variety
    WGAW
    U.S. Copyright Office
    Inside Film Magazine
    Screen International
    Scriptchat
    Save the Cat
    The Black List

    Writers & their Blogs

    The Scriptwriter
    David Sartof
    Scripting Life
    Bamboo Killers
    Selling Your Screenplay
    Script Doctor Eric
    Geoff La Tulippe


    about.me/russelledwards

    Web Counter Free
    Site Web Counter

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • RUSSELL'S FEATURE SPECS
    • THE STATUE IN THE PARK
    • SANTA'S WISH LIST
    • THE MAGIC CANVAS
  • CONTACT
    • EXTRA