Short Films Writing the Screenplay

by Nash, Patrick

• ISBN13: 9781842435014
• ISBN10: 1842435019
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-06-01
• Publisher: Creative Essentials

Summary

A complete guide to short film screenplays, from finding and developing that exciting idea to information on the technical revolution in digital filmmaking and distribution Every award-winning short film begins life with a clever idea, a good story, and a screenplay. Here Patrick Nash analyzes the process of writing short film screenplays and gives advice on story and structure, plot and pace, generating ideas, screenplay format, dialogue and format, and character design. He helps readers ensure that their writing will be fresh by discussing common cliches and stereotypes; conflict, obstacles, and stakes; eliciting emotion; and how to hook the viewer. The specifics of loglines, outlines, and synopses are also covered, as well as rewriting, length, practicalities, and budgets. The book also includes a number of award-winning scripts and interviews, advice and contributions from their award-winning screenwriters and a discussion of the benefits to writers of writing short screenplays.

Author Biography

Patrick Nash is an award-winning writer of both short and feature length screenplays. An award winner in Hollywood's Page Awards and a runner up in the British Short Screenplay Competition and BBC's Tony Doyle Awards among others, he has worked on short films and short film selection panels and juries with the Oscar accredited Foyle Film Festival, the UK's only Academy accredited film festival.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 7
A Short History	p. 12
Why Write Short Screenplays	p. 20
What is a Screenplay	p. 28
Structure and Length	p. 35
Story is King	p. 44
Finding a Story	p. 52
Brainstorming, Generating Stories	p. 60
Screenplay Format	p. 69
Beginnings, Middles and Ends	p. 82
Characters, Goals and Motivation	p. 91
Conflict, Obstacles and Stakes	p. 102
Eliciting Emotion	p. 109
Dialogue	p. 118
Clichés and Stereotypes	p. 131
Logines, Synopses and Treatments	p. 139
Rewriting	p. 147
Screenplay Competitions	p. 157
Cases Study #1: The Day Sam And Ralf Pushed Max Too Far	p. 165
Cases Study #2: The Door	p. 173
Cases Study #3: The Crush	p. 183
Appendices
The Day Sam And Ralf Pushed Max Too Far	p. 193
The Door	p. 218
The Crush	p. 227
Index	p. 249
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.