The 21st Century Screenplay: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Tomorrow's Films

510 Pages·2010·5.35 MB·English

by  Linda Aronson

Praise for Linda Aronson’s Scriptwriting Updated (published in the US as
Screenwriting Updated)
‘A lucid and eminently useful atlas of screenwriting technique. All the vague
confusing things that teachers and studio executives say about flashback,
turning points and multiple protagonists are whipped into coherent shape
here, in a comprehensive, precise and extremely practical theory. An essen-
tial tool in any writer’s kit.’
Christopher Vogler, author of The Writer’s Journey
‘A very clear and intelligent analysis of what’s going on in film structure and
the advances of the last ten years. Terrific handling of Pulp Fiction and flash-
back. A genuine advance in the theoretical knowledge of film structure and
a very clear coverage of the basics. A big advance on the standard texts. They
say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I learnt a thing or two.’
David Williamson, playwright and film writer
‘A unique and in-depth screenwriting book that is a MUST for the modern
screenwriter. It sits on my desk.’
Screenwriters Utopia, US
‘I really love this book. Her analysis of eight major features, followed by com-
mentary of common script problems is worth the price of admission or cover
price of this book alone. But the entire 300 pages maintains this level of qual-
ity and depth of analysis. Very strongly recommended.’
Script Magazine, US
‘Linda Aronson provides screenwriters with invaluable detailed strategies to
lay bare the workings of the craft. She has constructed a remarkable guide
to take you from that mind-numbing first blank page, over all the hurdles,
through to polishing the final draft.’
Jane Scott, Producer (Mao’s Last Dancer, Shine, Crocodile Dundee I and II,
Goodbye Paradise)
‘An illuminating introduction into new forms of film writing that challenges
us to keep up with the innovators.’
Jamie Sherry, The Screenwriters’ Guru Guide, Writers’ Guild of Great Britain
‘There’s only one book worth reading on screenwriting structure, by the way:
Screenwriting Updated by Linda Aronson. She’s published one of the only two
credible explications of Pulp Fiction.’
Joe Clark
‘Tired of the Syd Field and Robert McKee dyad? Screenwriter Linda Aronson
has a new nuts-and-bolts book that could leave the other gurus searching for
day jobs.’
Erick Opeka Austin Film Resource, Texas
‘[Screenwriting Updated] . . . was intended as a guide to writing for TV and
film, but it’s very applicable to the games industry. The focus is on the struc-
ture of a story and gives practical strategies for creating or improving your
narratives.’
Game On, US
Linda Aronson
First published in 2010
Copyright © Linda Aronson 2010
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
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(the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever
is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational
purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has
given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.
Allen & Unwin
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ISBN 978 1 74237 136 8
Internal design by fisheye design
Set in 11/14.5 pt Minion by Post Pre-press Group, Australia
Printed in China at Everbest Printing Co
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
List of figures viii
List of development strategies x
Foreword xii
Preface xv
Part 1 Getting Ideas
1
Chapter 1 Creativity and general problem solving 3
Chapter 2 Triggering good ideas fast from screen models 15
Chapter 3 Triggering good ideas fast from other models 26
Chapter 4 What film are we in? 31
Part 2 Conventional Narrative Structure
43
Chapter 5 Overview of conventional narrative structure 45
Chapter 6 Planning a conventional, three-act structure 61
Chapter 7 Normality and disturbance (the set-up) 68
Chapter 8 Action line or relationship line? 72
Chapter 9 Protagonists and characters who seem
like protagonists but are not 78
Chapter 10 One protagonist, many antagonists 86
Chapter 11 Characterisation 91
Chapter 12 The plan and first-act turning point 99
Chapter 13 The second act 104
Chapter 14 The third act: Climax, resolution, symbolism
and myth 113
Chapter 15 Structural analysis of The Piano 120
Part 3 Practical Plotting
127
Chapter 16 The nature of the task 129
Chapter 17 Close plotting: Beats, interweaving and condensing 133
Chapter 18 Plotting: Tips, traps and rewriting 144
Chapter 19 Genres with particular plotting problems 155
v
vi The 21st-Century Screenplay
Part 4 Parallel Narrative
165
Chapter 20 An introduction to parallel narrative 167
Chapter 21 Six categories of parallel narrative 171
Chapter 22 Which structure suits my film? 177
Section 1 Tandem narrative 182
Chapter 23 Tandem narrative: An introduction 182
Chapter 24 The macro in tandem narrative 188
Chapter 25 Writing your tandem narrative film 194
Chapter 26 City of Hope: Tandem narrative case study 203
Section 2 Multiple protagonist narrative 207
Chapter 27 Multiple protagonist narrative: An introduction 207
Chapter 28 Multiple protagonists: Preliminary plotting 218
Chapter 29 Multiple protagonists: Plotting the group action line 222
Chapter 30 Multiple protagonists: Plotting relationship lines 228
Chapter 31 Plotting issues in multiple protagonist quests,
reunions and sieges 235
Chapter 32 American Beauty: Multiple protagonist social siege 242
Section 3 Double journeys narrative 246
Chapter 33 Double journeys 246
Section 4 Flashback narrative 252
Chapter 34 Flashback: An introduction 252
Chapter 35 Simple flashback forms 254
Chapter 36 C omplex or double narrative flashback:
An introduction 271
Chapter 37 Thwarted dream and case history flashback 278
Chapter 38 Flashback: Protagonists, antagonists, and the
enigmatic outsider 287
Chapter 39 Autobiographical voice-over flashback 301
Chapter 40 Planning a double narrative flashback film 304
Chapter 41 Case studies of flashback films: Hybrids and oddities 313
Contents vii
Section 5 Consecutive stories narrative 328
Chapter 42 Consecutive stories narrative: An introduction 328
Chapter 43 Consecutive stories: Stories walking into the picture 334
Chapter 44 Consecutive stories: Different perspectives 337
Chapter 45 Consecutive stories: Different consequences 342
Chapter 46 Consecutive stories: Portmanteau films 347
Chapter 47 Consecutive stories: Fixing journey stories with a
portmanteau (Homer’s Odyssey) 370
Section 6 Fractured tandem narrative 376
Chapter 48 Fractured tandem: An introduction 376
Chapter 49 Pace, connection, meaning and closure in
fractured tandem 380
Chapter 50 Fractured tandem: The structure of 21 Grams 386
Chapter 51 Four fractured tandem films 397
Part 5 Lost in the Telling:
Films with Structural Flaws
409
Chapter 52 Conventional narrative films with structural flaws 411
Chapter 53 Parallel narrative films with structural flaws 419
Part 6 Getting It on the Page
443
Chapter 54 Scene writing: Exposition, backstory and subtext 445
Chapter 55 Dialogue 449
Chapter 56 Treatment/outline writing and the script as an
instruction manual 467
Index 476
List of figures
Figure 1.1 Vertical thinking 5
Figure 1.2 Lateral thinking in action 6
Figure 1.3 A dvantages and dangers of vertical and
lateral thinking 9
Figure 2.1 Breaking down genres into tasks 24
Figure 2.2 Genre table for a war movie 24
Figure 4.1 Mind map on the theme of poverty 36
Figure 5.1 The three-act structure as a mountain 54
Figure 5.2 Christopher Vogler’s hero’s journey (simplified) 54
Figure 5.3 The three-act structure as a road or timeline 55
Figure 5.4 Basic Smiley/Thompson nine-point plan 56
Figure 5.5 Nine-point plan compared with three-act model 56
Figure 5.6 ‘Cinderella’ broken down into the basic
Smiley/Thompson plan 57
Figure 5.7 Extended version of the Smiley/Thompson plan 60
Figure 6.1 Basic plan of what your film has to contain
and depict 63
Figure 6.2 H ypothetical structure chart for writing
Being John Malkovich 65
Figure 11.1 Character chart 93
Figure 14.1 What your film has to contain and depict
(expanded version) 118
Figure 21.1 Types of parallel narrative film at present 172
Figure 24.1 The plots in Nashville 188
Figure 36.1 The triggering crisis in Shine, Slumdog Millionaire
and The English Patient 274
Figure 36.2 Flashback narrative is like two of Vogler’s
circles 275
Figure 36.3 The triggering crisis in Citizen Kane and
The Usual Suspects 276
Figure 36.4 The jumping pattern in double narrative
flashback 276
viii
List of figures ix
Figure 37.1 T he structural mechanics of Shine
(thwarted dream) 283
Figure 37.2 The structural mechanics of The Usual Suspects
(case history) 284
Figure 41.1 Scene sequences in Memento’s action line 323
Figure 41.2 Joel’s story in Eternal Sunshine
(preview flashback) 326
Figure 46.1 The Joy Luck Club portmanteau 350
Figure 46.2 The Pulp Fiction portmanteau 355
Figure 46.3 The structure of Amores Perros 365
Figure 50.1 The beats in 21 Grams 391
Figure 50.2 21 Grams: Chris’s story stops at its first peak
(21 Grams) 393
Figure 50.3 2 1 Grams: Paul and Jack’s stories are not mountain
structures (21 Grams) 393
Figure 55.1 ‘Going on holiday’, version 1 451
Figure 55.2 ‘Going on holiday’, version 2 456
Figure 55.3 ‘The break-up’, version 1 457
Figure 55.4 ‘The break-up’, version 2 460
Figure 55.5 ‘The break-up’, version 3 463
Figure 56.1 Extract from ‘Getting to know you’, episode 5,
Something in the Air 468
Figure 56.2 Poor treatment writing 472
viii
List of development
strategies
Development Strategy 1: Define the task at hand 12
Development Strategy 2: Brainstorm the best ‘real but
unusual’ remedy 13
Development Strategy 3: The genre equation 22
Development Strategy 4: Find non-narrative triggers 30
Development Strategy 5: Create a simple narrative
sentence 66
Development Strategy 6: Create an advanced narrative
sentence 66
Development Strategy 7: Make sure the disturbance happens
soon and involves real change 70
Development Strategy 8: Distinguish an idea from a story 71
Development Strategy 9: Differentiate the action line and the
relationship line 72
Development Strategy 10: Create a relationship road 74
Development Strategy 11: Peg the relationship line to the action
line and start creating a three-act
structure for the relationship line 75
Development Strategy 12: Identify the protagonist 83
Development Strategy 13: Identify the antagonist 90
Development Strategy 14: Find out what the plot tells you
about characters 92
Development Strategy 15: Get into character 94
Development Strategy 16: Create a character arc 97
Development Strategy 17: Insert a misleading plan 100
Development Strategy 18: Find the first-act turning point scene
(surprise/obstacle) 103
Development Strategy 19: D evise second-act complications
via the first-act turning point 107
x