I would just like to state for the record

[rm]

That screenplay format may kill me.

This shit is hard.

Granted, I entered this contest to force myself to acquire this skill, and plan is working, but UGH.

Because you know what is not useful to Google? "How do I indicate a swoopy tracking shot?"


ETA: First draft is DONE. Too ambitious and too weird for five pages. Probably TOTALLY student work, and you know what, I don't even care. I'm trying to get used to thinking in a text-based way about what is a storyboarding exercise. Hence doing this competition. So, successful on that front if nothing else. Also, I suspect, like with fiction, "short" is not my form.

I'm really proud of myself for doing this, as it's actually pushing a lot of my buttons and is sort of confronting.

Comments

[rm.livejournal.com]

It's totally not a crane shot, is the thing.

I figured out how to do it (I think) by being smewhat less specific.

I thought I'd overstep more on actorly directions, but I'm totally playing camera guy too much.

THanks.

[intenselee.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay. So yeah, easily misinterpreted and yes, as becky mentioned, they don't want a Director, DP, or Cinematographer..they want the story. Keep the actor directions to a minimum as well. I know screenwriters who include all that stuff anyway, but I don't know any Directors who follow any of it.:-) You ARE a storyteller. That's why Your screen writing will be excellent.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I'm totally not loading up the actors. It's just that this is VERY visual, so I'm getting bogged down there.

But I've almost finished a draft, which will satisfy me for tonight.

[intenselee.livejournal.com]

Completely understandable and in that case, You are completely correct. You should paint that Visual for them. Totally feel like I'm telling You things You've already figured out now. :-) See? You're a natural.

A page from 'writing for Visual Media' showing an example of writing the visual: http://books.google.com/books?id=MwtjdtT0fJkC&lpg=PA12&ots=A927r4eOnQ&dq=describing%20visuals%20in%20a%20screenplay&pg=PA14#v=onepage&q&f=false

Says it better than I can.

Good luck. I'll hush now.