CREATE & CONSIDER YOUR CONCEPT by Jeff Newman Precious few professional screenwriters, once they get an idea

for a screenplay that enthuses them, simply put fingers to keyboard and start writing. Instead, most writers, prior to writing, do some prewriting. They may have done otherwise once or twice, and found that just rushing to the writing actually takes a lot more time in the end! they wind up with a goopy, droopy ultra"rough first draft that needs far more than pruning and polishing. #fter doing that once or twice, they now look $and think% before they leap. #s the saying goes, &ell begun is half done. #nd part of beginning well is spending some time thinking, making some tentative decisions, and organi'ing one(s thoughts. This is the first article in a series called Prewriting! )efore *ou &rite (+ade In.( #nd the first step in the prewriting process is creating your concept! coming up with the idea, and then clarifying and massaging it "" tinkering and toying with it "" until it(s an interesting, compelling, dramatically viable concept. +urthermore, it should be a concept that you are willing, nay eager, to spend some time with, it should be an idea that really enthuses you, that you are e-cited or passionate about. #nd finally, to be realistic and practical, it should be a concept that will be marketable. Not necessarily mass" marketable $although that would be great%, but ... would many producers, agents, prodco e-ecutives, and major actors agree to read a screenplay based on this concept. &ould enough movie"goers want to see it so that the film would turn a profit. #fter all, movie"making isn(t just an art, it(s a business $show business%. /ompared to publishing books or staging plays, movies are e-pensive to make $and to distribute and market%. If a film based on a particular idea is likely to attract only a tiny, niche audience, it had better be one that could be made for a very low budget. If it(s going to be something that would take an average movie budget to produce, it had better be an idea likely to attract a whole lot of people. 0o before committing to a concept "" before you spend weeks or months developing it and writing a screenplay based upon it "" take the idea out for a test drive. 1ake sure it(s a solid idea! one you want to write, and that enough others are likely to want to read and see. &e(ll talk more about that in a bit, but first! how does one think up good ideas in the first place. /21IN3 4P &IT5 I67#0 2nce you(ve been writing a while, finding ideas you want to write about won(t be a problem. The problem will be finding time to write all the concepts you keep coming up with. *ou(ll have more ideas than you could ever possibly find time to e-ecute. If, however, you are trying to restrict yourself to sure"fire, slam"dunk, high concept ideas ... that(s different. No matter how e-perienced you are, coming up with those kinds of fresh, highly commercial, mass"market ideas will always be a challenge. Ideas are a dime a do'en. 3ood ideas are worth a lot more. #nd high"concept ideas are as rare as diamonds in a dung"heap. &ell, just about. )ut when writers are just starting out "" and especially if the writer is young "" then finding good ideas is often 8uite hard. It seems that all the ideas they come up with are either not likely enough to create interest among others, or else they(ve been done. #t first, it just seems almost impossible to come up with new ideas, when so many movies and other stories have already been produced. 0o the efforts of a new writer to come up with a good idea are similar to the efforts of a pro trying to come up with a high"concept idea. 5ow to proceed. There(s no magical or one"si'e"fits"all answer. )ut here are some strategies that work for many.

9. The Power of 0elf"0uggestion +ollowed by :ela-ation 2nce you are in idea search mode, spend some time thinking about the kind of movie you(d like to write, in terms of subject matter, tone, and;or genre. Think of other movies along those lines "" ones you like and would be proud to have written. 2nce in a while, a good idea will 8uickly spring out at you. Not usually, though. )ut at least you(ve let your subconscious know that you(re seeking an idea, and roughly what kind of an idea. Then! rela-. 3o about your business, your life. If an idea doesn(t suddenly strike you from out"of"the"blue, then keep reminding yourself every now and then. 7specially just after going to bed. #nd every now and then at various times during the ne-t few days. /hances are now good that an idea will suddenly bubble up from your subconscious. It often happens while in the shower, taking a walk, or driving. 2r while drifting off to sleep, or even while dreaming. # 7ureka moment will occur. Note! be sure to write the idea down "" at least a few notes about it. *ou think you(ll remember it, but you might not. This is especially important if it comes as part of a dream in the middle of the night. &rite ... it ... down. #fter thanking your subconscious mind, now it(s time to start playing around with the idea. #nd, if necessary, improving it. #nd testing its worthiness. )ut before we get to that process ... &hat if this approach doesn(t work. It usually does, but not always. 0o what(s another idea"generating approach. <. +ind = 0eek If your subconscious didn(t come through after some polite re8uests, then you may have to do some e-tra work to prime the pump. If you know the subject matter you want to write about, you could start doing some research. /hances are, an idea will present itself at some point. #nother strategy! start reading material you normally don(t have the time or interest to peruse. 3o through maga'ines you usually don(t read or never read $going to a library will save you lots of money here%. :ead some tabloids, too, some of the sensational, or wild and wacky, stories might trigger an idea. *ou can(t take the e-act idea, but by changing the details and some aspects of the story, you can make the idea your own. &hile you(re at the library, stroll the aisles of books, and look through some you(ve never read, including non"fiction books on subjects you haven(t read about before. Just skim and browse. #lso! look up plot summaries of old novels and plays, and old movies. If you come across an idea that grabs you, then do some switching and altering. )y changing elements $the time period, the genre, occupations, the locale% and enough details, you can make what was old into something new and different. 7ven if all of this doesn(t result in your stumbling across an idea, it still serves a purpose! your subconscious knows you are doing this. It knows what you are after. It(s also absorbing all of this new information. #nd so, after a while ... while showering, walking, or driving ... you will come up with an idea that makes you say #ha> 0o let(s say you now have an idea you like, that you think would be good. Now what.

TI17 T2 TIN?7: #N6 T70T 5ere are some 8uestions to ask yourself. Take the time to really go through these, and be willing to play around with your idea if needed in order for it to pass muster.

9. Is this idea solid and strong enough to sustain a full"length movie. 2r is it too slender. Is it good for a short trip, but not for a long haul. 0ome ideas would be fine for a short film or a short story, but not a @A"9<A minute film. #nd 8uite often, ideas are good but they are only halfway there. They need another element, another angle, to make them really strong and compelling "" some kind of and then or but then complication. <. &ould this idea, when presented in the form of a logline or short paragraph, make 5ollywood professionals interested enough in the idea that they would consent to read the script. Note well! most scripts written by amateur writers never get read by a well"established agent or production company e-ecutive. The concepts just didn(t sound interesting, substantial, or compelling enough in logline or capsule summary form. 2r they seemed to lack any commercial potential. #nd they won(t read anything longer than a 8uery letter $which can(t be longer than one page%. They want to read the idea as e-pressed succinctly. 0o ... would the pro(s want to read your prose, based on this idea. B. &ould this idea, if written well and produced well, be the basis for a movie that a goodly number of people would pay to see. 2ne way to answer the last two 8uestions! C. Is the idea gossip" and;or news"worthy. That is, if this idea were to happen in real life, would some people gossip about it "" would they tell others about it, and would others be interested in listening to it. 2r, if this idea actually happened, would it be something likely to be written about in the newspaper and;or included in the TD news. If it doesn(t seem likely to be something that would be gossiped about or reported on if it happened in real life, it(s probably an idea that wouldn(t have any reel life, either. It(s probably too flat, too mundane. Too ordinary or low"key or cerebral or ... well, boring. E. Is there something unusual or surprising in the idea. 2r if not, at least something that is not just interesting, but fascinating, intriguing, e-citing, and;or compelling. F. 6oes the idea suggest significant problems and difficulties for one or more characters. Is there likely to be some conflict "" some obstacles, competition, and;or opposition. G. 6oes the idea suggest high stakes. They don(t necessarily need to be life"and"death stakes, but we need to sense that one or more significant things could happen "" good things if a character succeeds, bad things if the character fails. H. 6oes the idea contain or suggest an objective "" a goal. # big problem to solve, or something that someone wants to obtain, become, or achieve. #nd does the goal sound like it would or could be very important to someone. @. 6oes the idea take too long to e-plain. Is it too comple-. If it can(t sound both clear and compelling when described in GE words or less $and preferably about BA words or less%, then it may not be an idea that is clear and simple enough. 9A. Is the idea distinct and specific enough. It can(t sound too generic. If it does, it won(t sound intriguing. #nd it won(t seem fresh enough. It can(t sound too much like some other movie that many people have seen. It can sound similar in some ways to other movies, but it needs to be different and distinct enough to seem fresh. 99. &ould this be a movie you(d want to see. 9<. Is this an idea you really want to write. 6o you like it enough to spend all the time and effort on it re8uired to write a full"length screenplay. Is there something about it that e-cites or enthuses you. If your idea is able to successfully negotiate the do'en checkpoints mentioned above "" or, if not, if you are able to revise and revamp the idea so that on the second trip through, it does "" then congratulations! you have a sturdy, story"worthy, market"friendly idea on your hands. #nd it(s an idea that you yourself also like.

If, even with a good deal of toying and tinkering, your idea doesn't clear these do'en hurdles ... then go back to the process described earlier, and come up with one or more other ideas. 6o you want to be e-tra"certain, before committing all your precious time and skills, and pinning so many hopes on this idea, that it(s one that others will likely to be attracted to. Then test it out on a few folks. +ind the concepts;loglines of several screenplays or projects that have sold in the last few months or so. 5ollywoodlitsales.com is a good place to find out that information. Then select five or si- friends of yours who like movies, and ask them for their help $either individually, or when all are in a group, it doesn(t matter%. Tell them you(re trying to get a better sense of what 5ollywood buys and what it doesn(t $that(s true, after all, isn(t it.%. Then tell them, or let them read, five or si- loglines "" one of which is yours. )ut don(t tell them that one is yours. 2r, if they guess what you(re up to, don(t tell them which one. #sk which idea they think is best. #sk which ones they like. #sk which they think is the weakest. 0ee what they say and think about your idea. If they don(t like it, or they have a shrug"like, nyeh "" might be okay kind of reaction ... then it(s back to s8uare one. That(s not the idea for you. *ou must start with a strong idea. The idea is the foundation for all that follows. 6on(t sabotage yourself, and condemn your screenplay and all your efforts, right from the git"go. 6on(t spend time, thought, effort, and emotion building a castle on a foundation of sand. 0tart with a sturdy idea. III

COMPLETING THE CONCEPT by Jeff Newman &hat(s a common "" and serious "" mistake that many newbie writers make, once they(ve come up with a story idea they like. They plunge right into their first draft. 2f course, if you don(t mind writing an e-ploratory pre"first draft "" one from which very, very little $if anything% will be used in later drafts "" then fine. If you would rather e-plore the concept and the characters by writing scenes, even a full"fledged draft, rather than doing some brainstorming and at least partial outlining, then that(s your choice. 6o whatever you prefer, and especially, whatever works best for you. )ut too often, blindly, rashly, and impatiently rushing to the keyboard before the concept and some elements of the story have been thought through and given some early development, results in a draft that is based upon a concept that is partially and potentially good, but still somehow weak and lacking. No matter how skillful the characteri'ation and dialogue, and how compelling some of the events are, if it(s all based on an insufficient concept, then no amount of limited revising and polishing can help. The main problem is at the concept level. The problem with the Jeaning Tower of Pisa wasn(t that the tower was poorly built, it was built very well. The problem was the foundation. #nd no amount of tinkering with the tower itself could or can change the underlying foundational weakness. #nd then, even if the concept;foundation is indeed solid, it(s still not wise to jump into the actual writing. 0ome forethought and some designing will make your screen story richer and less hapha'ard. It will likely have a greater sense of focus, direction, and cohesion, and have greater structural strength. +or most writers, this advice proves helpful! don(t rush to the writing. 6o some prewriting first. Prewriting involves pondering, daydreaming, and brainstorming, and some analytic thinking and decision" making. It may or may not involve an outline $and if it does, it can be an informal and;or sketchy one%.

Is there ever a time to skip the prewriting phase, and simply rush in. *es "" if the idea comes to you all"at"once, or nearly ... if it comes to you fully grown and clothed, or nearly. #fter all, sometimes we(re lucky, and the story concept "" and much of the story itself "" emerges rapidly, within minutes of conception, in a brilliant burst of creativity. If that(s the case, and if little or no research is re8uired, then ... just jot down a few milestone markers and reminders, and you can dive in. 1ost times, however, the idea presents itself to us only half"formed, if that. &e have a general situation in mind, some tentative ideas for some of the major characters, and a few major plot events. )ut there are a lot of gaps that need filling in. 0ome development is in order. It(s the development of your initial, basic story idea that we(ll e-plore in this, the second article of the series Prewriting! )efore *ou &rite +ade In. 0o let(s say you(ve come up with an idea that sufficiently e-cites you "" an idea that you really want to write, and that you think would make a good basis for a screen story. Now it(s time to start developing the concept $if necessary% and to begin brainstorming an array of story possibilities! events, scenes, se8uences, moments, bits, and characters. )ut how to proceed. 0ome of us wish for a logical, easy approach that will yield 8uick results with little wasted time. #las, screenwriting isn(t a clean and tidy process. # do this first and that ne-t agenda is seldom feasible. In fact, it rarely works to start on item one and proceed to the last, as though we were following a recipe or list of directions. Instead, you might spend time on one task, move to the ne-t, then move back again to the first for a bit of additional thinking, then jump forward to the third task and find yourself doing the fifth activity at the same time, before moving on $and back% to the fourth, and so on. There(s a lot of jumping around and backtracking involved. /reation is an oft"times messy and imprecise process, and we just have to e-pect and accept that. There are two primary tasks at this stage of prewriting. The first is developing and setting the concept $we can change it later if we think it prudent%. The second is letting our imagination run wild, so we can accumulate a list of possible scenes, events, characters, and so on. These two tasks can be done in tandem! at times simultaneously, and at other times in alternation. #t some point, the concept will become firmly set, and we can then concentrate solely on creating options and possibilities. Jet(s start with ... 67D7J2PIN3 T57 /2N/7PT &e(ve already thought up a concept we like, or we wouldn(t be at the brainstorming, note"taking, and story" development phase. )ut now we are trying to e-pand, to flesh out, the basic concept. &e want to make sure it is a dramatically viable concept "" a story"worthy vessel able to bear the weight of characters, dialogue, and of events that are primarily cause"and"effect related. &e seek a story"ship able to change course, since a straight path is predictable and boring. &e want a craft that can weather rough seas and winds of generally increasing fierceness $i.e., a story with progressive complications and which escalates and intensifies%. It must also be able to make a sustained voyage without sinking $in our case, a two"hour voyage, or thereabouts%. &hat kind of concept fits that bill of particulars. It(s a concept that ... K attracts attention and pi8ues interest $one test of that! in real life, would it be gossip" and;or news"worthy.%. K e-presses or implies an important"but"difficult goal to be achieved and;or a difficult problem to solve. K e-plicitly mentions, or at least implies, conflict and struggle, since these are necessary ingredients for drama.

K isn(t too general or thin, but has a certain specificity to it. K contains an une-pected development, a major complicating factor "" an and then or but then story turn. +or now, let(s focus on that last element, since it(s the one most often missing. T57 1#J2: /21PJI/#TI2N If you(re lucky, your concept will already contain an une-pected development, a major complicating factor "" an and then or but then story turn. )ut if not, now is the time to start searching for one. If, after some sustained brainstorming, the 1ajor /omplication or Interesting #ngle doesn(t come to you, then go on to the ne-t task! generating a list of possible events, scenes, characters, etc. It(s likely that what you(re looking for $in terms of augmenting, improving, and completing the concept% will come to you during that process. )ut here(s what we(re looking for $if it(s not already in place%. 1ost still"forming stories feature a broad concept that is interesting up to a point, but once we look beyond that point, we reali'e the concept feels a bit too general and;or incomplete. The concept needs another angle. It needs something une-pected, unusual, or;or unlikely, as well as something that will make things less predictable and less linear for the viewers, and more difficult for the major character$s%. &hat major une-pected development could occur to intensify the main problem, or to add a major problem to the central situation. 2ften there is an ironic angle "" of all the times for this to happen or of all the people or places... )ut whether it(s ironic or merely challenging, some kind of and then or but then complicating development or story turn usually needs to be added in order to keep the story from being too thin, or from running out of gas halfway through. It can be any major development that makes the situation even harder for the main character$s%. It may be some kind of ironic aspect related to time or place, or an unlikely, less"than"ideal person or team that must deal with the problem, or an adversary or ally who is a clear mis"match to the main character, and who is certain to generate sparks, if not fireworks. &hat we(re looking for, in effect, is the second part of the concept. The first part is the general, broad concept. That(s what we tend to think up first. 4nfortunately, some writers are content to leave it at that. They don(t add the crucial second part. The second part is the much"needed wrinkle that adds an e-tra level of interest and energy to the story. It(s a complicating factor or angle that is unusual, une-pected, and;or unlikely, and which make the proceedings more difficult for the characters. +or instance, in JI#:, JI#: the basic concept is already strong! a boy, sick of being lied to and disappointed by his inveterate liar;lawyer dad, makes a birthday wish that his dad must tell the truth for <C hours. #nd then the wish comes true. That(s already a good concept. )ut it needs another, complicating $and preferably ironic% element, and here it is! the father is a lawyer who has succeeded partly by lying "" by his molding of the truth in his approach to cases, plus by insincere flattery of those he works for. #nd now he(s just been given the biggest case of his career "" and if he does well, he can get the big promotion he(s been hoping for. )ut then, suddenly, due to his son(s wish, he(s compelled to tell the truth ... the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. 2f all the times for such a thing to happen... 0o that(s the major complication, the second part of the concept! just when he(s been une-pectedly given the biggest case of his career, the success of which will ensure a big promotion, he suddenly has to tell the truth for <C hours. &ithout a complication of this sort, the concept would seem too thin. It would lack a sense of direction, and seem likely to be too easy of a problem for him to deal with. 5e could just wait out the clock. )ut with this complication, he can(t do that. Things become much more difficult, unpredictable, and ... well, complicated. The second part of the concept in )#/? T2 T57 +4T4:7 also avoids the potential all he has to do is lie low and wait out the clock story problem. 1arty has une-pectedly and unintentionally been 'apped BA years into the

past. 0o far, so good "" but that(s not enough for an effective concept. In fact, in this case, that(s about a third of the concept. The ne-t third! there, he meets his parents when they were his age "" and is shocked by what they were really like. )etter, but still not enough. 0o the final third! his future mother falls for him, instead of his future dad "" 1arty has inadvertently disrupted the time line. If he doesn(t correct it prior to the one moment $in a few days% that he has a chance to return, he(ll vanish from e-istence. This not only makes things more interesting for us, and much more difficult for him, but it also takes away the option of just waiting around until he can return. The fact that he interfered with the time"line and now might disappear into oblivion greatly raises the stakes, and it gives him a difficult task to perform $making sure his future parents get together%. #nd the fact that he must do it before the lightning strikes the clock tower provides a deadline. &ith this added element, the story concept is much stronger and more compelling. The central concept "" and thus, the inspirational or animating idea "" in T22T0I7 is that a talented actor can(t find an acting job because he(s so difficult to work with, so he disguises himself as a woman and lands a co" starring role in a soap opera. That(s fine so far. )ut what(s the major complicating factor. It(s that he falls in love with the female lead "" who thinks he(s really a woman "" and he can(t tell her the truth. In 0T#: &#:0, the broad concept is that a galactic empire has created a huge and powerful 6eath 0tar space station, capable of destroying entire planets, and the empire intends to use it against the home planet of some of the rebels who seek to restore self"rule and democracy "" and on any other planets whose inhabitants aren(t submissive. The complicating angle. Those enlisted to deliver the schematics of the 6eath 0tar to the rebels are not some band of highly trained spies or a special forces unit. It(s a farm boy, two non"combat robots, a long" retired general, and a money"grubbing black marketeer. This unlikely group "" later joined by a princess "" are all that stand between complete and permanent imperial domination, and a chance for life and liberty of billions. In T57 1#T:IL, the broad concept is that what we perceive as reality is really just a computer"enhanced dream "" that, unknown to us, machines with artificial intelligence are drawing energy from us as we sleep and dream our lives away. That(s an e-cellent and fascinating premise, but it needs more specificity, it needs another angle and;or a complication. #nd that is provided by focusing in on one individual in particular $Neo%, and following him as he makes this discovery, so that he and we learn about it at the same time. #nd then ! he learns that some believe he is the fulfillment of a prophecy that one who seeks the truth and awakens from this coma"like state will be the one "" a human savior who will lead humanity to freedom from domination and e-ploitation by the machines. Is he really the one. &ill he accept this task. #nd if so, will he be up to it. That(s the new, additional direction that the story concept presents us with "" the vital second part that completes and invigorates the basic concept. There are some stories $dramas, usually% where the additional story angle or major complication isn(t as bold or startling as in genre stories "" but some kind of complicating factor that makes the basic situation more interesting and less predictable, and which increases the basic level of conflict or difficulty, is usually still present. In # 0T:77T/#: N#176 670I:7 a delicate but very intelligent and manipulative 0outhern woman has lost the family home and her teaching job, and seeks shelter with her married sister. &hat could be a fairly interesting but also rather static and talky piece is made more compelling by the fact that the sister(s husband resents his sister"in"law(s presence and meddling, and determines to force her out. )eing an earthy, common, practical, often brutish man, he(s in most respects the opposite to )lanche. It(s the additional challenge and threat he presents, and their glaring incompatibility, that provides the added level of dynamic interest. In #17:I/#N )7#4T*, the basic concept is this! # middle"aged man feels trapped in a largely loveless marriage and a soulless job, and by the materialism and conformity he once bought into, and now he seeks to turn his life around. 5e hopes to find some meaning, spontaneity, passion, and authenticity in his life. That(s interesting but familiar territory, and too general. &hat completes and enhances the concept is what inspires him to wake up and to change! a teenage cheerleader friend of his daughter(s, and his daughter(s non"conformist boyfriend "" a youth who recently spent time in a mental institution, who refuses to accept society(s conventions or play by its rules, and who escapes by smoking dope. Thus, the source of his inspiration and guidance isn(t a motivational or self"help guru, psychiatric help, religion,

or a book of philosophy. It(s two very different teenage friends of his daughter. 3iven his age, situation, and the initial depth of his despair, that(s an unusual, une-pected, and unlikely source. This makes his road to recovery and authenticity somewhat more difficult, since it doesn(t involve any set, prescribed, tested path, and it certainly makes it less predictable. Turning now to your story idea "" the concept you(ve recently come up with and are intending to develop and write into a screenplay... 6oes your concept have an une-pected, complicating angle. 0ome kind of story"invigorating wrinkle. 6oes it have an and then or but then factor. If not, then now is the time to try to come up with one. 0ometimes this will come fairly 8uickly. If not, here(s the good news! *ou can flesh out and solidify the concept first, or, if you(re not satisfied with the results of your initial thinking, you can instead start generating ideas for story possibilities, and then $based on some of the ideas and options you come up with%, you can go back to the concept. 0411#:* 6on(t proceed to your first draft $unless you intend it to be more of an e-ploratory draft% until your concept is sufficiently developed and dramatically viable. 2ften, the initial concept is incomplete. It(s too broad or general. It needs greater specificity, and some new angle that will increase the level of difficulty, add interest, and make the situation less predictable. 1ost initial concepts need a second part to complete and enhance them. This second part is some kind of 1ajor /omplication or New, Interesting #ngle. Nearly always, it will fulfill some or all of the following criteria. +irst, remember the B 4(s. The second part of a concept "" the 1ajor /omplication or New, Interesting #ngle "" should be one or more of the following! K 4nusual K 4ne-pected K 4nlikely )y unlikely we mean unlikely but credibly so. 4nlikely could refer to the person or team who are given a task or who must achieve the goal, deal with the difficulties $obstacles and;or opposition "" the conflict%, and;or solve the big problem. 2r it could refer to an unlikely pairing of two individuals. 4ne-pected and 4nusual are self"e-planatory. #nd the above elements and;or other aspects of the 1ajor /omplication should make the situation! K Jess Predictable $for the audience% and K 1ore 6ifficult $for the main character;s% In addition to the above, try to create a complicating element that does one or more of the following! raises the stakes, provides the main character$s% with a difficult task that must be performed before the goal can be achieved, creates a deadline, and;or contains an ironic aspect of some sort. )ut the main thing is to provide a second part to the main concept so as to complete and invigorate the story concept "" a new wrinkle, twist, or development that complicates things and which is unusual, une-pected, and;or is in some way unlikely, and which makes the story less linear and predictable for the reader or viewer, and makes the situation and proceedings more difficult for the major characters. There(s no point in spending all the time and mental effort in writing a story unless the underlying concept is solid. 2therwise, you(re trying to build a castle on a foundation of sand.

T57 N7LT 0T7P )y now $or soon, once you do some brainstorming and apply the above criteria% you should have a sturdy, compelling, dramatically viable concept. Now it(s time to begin $or continue% brainstorming some initial ideas and possibilities that can help you decide how to flesh out the story and design the plot. That will be the topic of the ne-t article in this series. III /opyright <AAF by Jeff Newman

BRAINSTORMING & NOTE-MAKING by Jeff Newman $This is the third installment of the series on Pre"&riting $for screenplays%. To start with the first article, go to http!;;www.hollywoodlitsales.com;cf;journal;inde-.cfm.intI6ME9 and scroll down to the bottom article, /reate and /onsider *our /oncept. % ):#IN0T2:1IN3! # J2N3 JI0T 2+ P200I)IJITI70 )rainstorming and note"jotting should be a fun, mentally stimulating activity. )rainstorming is where we unleash our brains and let them run wild. 1ore precisely, brainstorming is the mental and imaginative process of generating ideas and possibilities for your story. &e let our thoughts wander, unrestricted. &e think out loud. &e pursue some what if or maybe suggestions that we provide to ourselves. &e travel down some story paths to see where they might lead! dead ends, barren deserts, overly long detours, or fruitful valleys and challenging but climbable hills. &e imagine, speculate, daydream, and ponder. In short, this is when we create a long list of possible events, developments, obstacles, tasks, scenes, se8uences, bits of business, gags, and moments. It(s also a list of possible characters and themes. This doesn(t have to be done in one sitting. In fact, it usually shouldn't be, it(s better to dip into your creative river on a number of occasions. 0o spend several hours at this, spread out over a few days $at least%. 7njoy the process, it can be 8uite heady. #nd when you(re not involved in active, directed brainstorming, your brain will still be providing you with suggestions. There will be times in between your dedicated sessions "" while you(re driving, preparing a meal or eating, shaving, showering, or paging through a maga'ine "" when ideas for scenes will suddenly jump out at you, or bubble up une-pectedly from your subconscious. &elcome those ideas, and be sure to have a small notepad handy at all times $or a pocket recorder, etc.%. If your idea is one that re8uires some research, you can do some brainstorming prior to plunging into the research, then do your research, or the main, most"needed part of it. &hile doing so, some of what you read, observe, or hear about will trigger ideas for characters, bits of dialogue, and events. )e sure to record those ideas. &arning! don(t get bogged down at the research phase, you rarely need to become an e-pert, and you can investigate needed details later on. 3ive yourself a fle-ible time limit, find out what you need to know and some things that may be helpful to know, and then move on. Then, when the bulk of your research is over, return to general brainstorming "" generating ideas and

possibilities, and e-ploring story options. &hat(s ne-t is very, very important. &hen you are in brainstorming mode, be kind "" to yourself and to the ideas you generate. #t least, for a while. The creative spigot will go from a generous flow to a miserly trickle if you subject the outpouring to logical scrutiny and to criticism. *ou want lots and lots of ideas on your list, so you can sift through them later for the gems. 0o at this point, don(t be selective. Turn your internal editor"analyst"critic off. This is mostly a right brain activity "" the imaginative, creative, intuitive part of your brain. Instruct your logical, analytical left brain to switch off for a time, or to go into idle mode. #fter a while, you can alternate between right" and left"braining thinking. #nd still later, you will put the left brain in charge for a while. )ut not yet. +or now, you(re creating and listing ideas, not criti8uing them. #nd so! 6on(t edit. 6on(t criti8ue. 62 ... N2T ... J4637. Just keep saying thank you and got it, and let the ideas keep coming. *ou may have learned from e-perience that your very first thoughts and ideas often turn out to be too obvious. That(s generally true, but even so! don(t censor them. 0ometimes, especially if you have a highly trained or advanced creative sense, they will be good. #nd if you get into the censoring, critical mode, some good ideas will never present themselves. There(s another reason for not letting yourself be critical while brainstorming, besides wanting to encourage and accept a gusher of ideas, hoping that some of them, upon later consideration, will be good ones. The other reason! you don(t want to close off potential story paths too soon. )y committing to an early, fairly good story direction, you might never hit upon the great approach that would otherwise present itself later. This should be a create possibilities and e-plore options phase. 6efer decisions until later. :ight now, it(s idea"generating time. &hile brainstorming, never assume you(ll remember an idea. 6ictate it or write it down. 7LP#N6IN3 T57 JI0T 0o let(s say that you(ve spent several hours over several days doing this kind of directed, dedicated brainstorming, in a non"judgmental, non"critical frame of mind. *ou now have lots and lots of ideas listed "" possible scenes and events, etc. "" for your overall story concept. Now it(s time to put your left brain to work. )ut we(re going to keep it on a leash, for now. &e(re not starting the winnowing and decision"making process. Not yet. Instead, use your analytic brain to work with your list of raw ideas "" not to eliminate any, but to create a few additional ones. That is, now that you have largely depleted your store of possible story angles, developments, plot directions, problems, and so on, go through your list in analytic mode and see if some ideas or possible events can be revised, or some new options added. /onsider the following 8uestions. K /an some of the possible events be flipped . That is, can they be revised and made into the opposite or nearly or partially the opposite of what you originally had. /onsider the reverse or the opposite $or nearly% for some of your first"thoughts ideas. $Note! don(t discard the original version "" keep both it and the flipped, reverse, opposite version on your list.% K &hat problems might also be opportunities for the main character$s%. That is, what problems, difficulties, opposition, and challenges might turn out to be blessings in disguise. K &hat opportunities might be turned into problems! a double"edged sword. 3ive the roses some thorns $and make them poison"tipped, so to speak, to up the negative ante%. K /an some of the ideas be e-aggerated or made more e-treme. 1ore dire.

K +or some of the ideas;events, how can the stakes be increased. K /an some characters be combined. #nd now, go through the events, and see if one or more themes are presenting themselves. 2ften times, the very nature of the story and its major events will suggest one or more themes ... statements or observations about life, humanity, society, or e-istence. #ssuming you are able to identify one or more themes, can the themes themselves be used to suggest still more ideas "" ideas that help illustrate those themes. Just as theme can help you develop your plot, so too can structure and $when applicable% genre. If you are aware of some of the basic structural milestones in traditional stories $/atalyst, 7nd of #ct 9 Turning Point, an optional 1idpoint reversal or shift, an 7nd of #ct < Turning Point, +inal 2rdeal and;or /onfrontation, :esolution /lima-, etc.%, then you can see if any of the ideas;events you(ve generated so far would seem right for such structural events. 7ven if some seem to fit the structural bill, try to conjure up a few more events that would seem fitting for each of these commonly seen structural developments. If your story fits into one or more genres $action, adventure, fantasy, science fiction, mystery, thriller, crime, western, romance%, then study a few movies you admire from each relevant genre and identify some developments or story beats that are seen in most stories of that genre. This may take a few days or more. 5aving done that, then see if you can create some events for your story that would fulfill $or defy, or in some ways riff off of% those commonly seen genre events and e-pectations. # consideration of character arc can also lead to plot possibilities. )y now, you(ve worked with the story 8uite a bit. Is there a clear character arc yet for one of the major characters. If not, could there be. That is, could one or more of the characters change "" learn, reali'e something of importance, fulfill an inner need, con8uer a key flaw, and;or be able or willing to do something he or she was unwilling or unable to do earlier. It may still be too soon for doing more than pondering some possibilities for a character arc. *ou may not know enough yet about your character and the overall development of your story to make the decision of who gets the arc, and what is it. )ut at least give it some thought at this time. If you are able to settle upon a character arc at this time with a high level of confidence that it(s an interesting and effective arc, could be a credible one, and is right for this story, then think of events that can occur that can help cause the arc to occur. &hat events might open the character(s eyes, or encourage, almost demand, change. &hat dilemmas might he or she be faced with, what situations might need to be e-perienced, what fears faced, what ordeals endured. Think of events that can help create change in the character "" events that can motivate and help cause growth, insight, evolution, or $if it(s negative change% deterioration. #lso think of other characters who, by e-ample and;or e-hortation, intentionally or otherwise, might inspire or otherwise influence a character to change. This could be a romance character, an antagonist, or some kind of mentor $or two or all three of the above%. 0o spend some time playing with some of your early event possibilities "" see if some of them can be turned on their head "" reversed or done the opposite way, or nearly. 0ee if others can be made more e-treme. Then see if theme, structure, genre, and character arc can generate plot possibilities. 1#?IN3 /52I/70 )y now, you(ve spent several days where you(ve set aside some time for directed daydreaming. The results achieved during these hours of active, dedicated brainstorming have been augmented by stray thoughts and ideas gleaned during odd moments while you(ve been doing other activities. Then, you went over your list and played with some of your listed scenes, events, characters, moments, etc., and

found new variations for them. +inally, you(ve given consideration to theme, structure, genre, and character arc, to see if thinking about these story elements might generate still more specific ideas for your story. Now $finally>% it(s time to start making choices. Time to fully unleash your left brain, and to bring the editor" judge"critic"analyst on board. #nd that means it(s time to start evaluating what you have, and start making some decisions. This can be e-citing but also sometimes scary! you are, after all, finally closing off some options. )ecause a story can only go down so many paths. If certain possibilities really e-cite you but just don(t seem to belong, highlight them and save them "" you may be able to use them in another, future story. )ut right now, you may need some criteria to help you decide which events $etc.% to keep, and which to discard, and which story options to close off, and which paths you should start proceeding down. There is no strict set of guidelines for this. This becomes a matter of creative judgment, instinct, common sense blended with story sense, personal preference $what kind of movie would you like to see.%, and a sense of oneness with the audience $what would be intriguing, fresh, and compelling for many in the audience.%. 0o go through the list and cross out $or cut and paste elsewhere% those ideas that just don(t seem to belong with the others $the styles clash, or it would just lead the story into a whole other direction you(re not interested in taking it%. /ross out those ideas that just aren(t that inspired "" because they are too obvious, too ho"hum in nature, too cliched, too similar to others you(ve decided to keep, and so on. Now is the time, if you haven(t done so already, to finally nail down the concept, beyond its original broad stroke. Is the major complication or additional element in place "" the and then or but then factor. 0ome themes will emerge as you write the first draft. )ut others can be seen at this point, as ideas that the story seems to be illustrating. 3ive preference to story ideas that illustrate theme$s%. If you(ve decided on a character arc for one $or more% of the major characters, then events that motivate, promote, and illustrate the arc can also be given preference. There are some genre musts that need to be observed, and others that may not be re8uired, but which you desire to employ. 0elect events from your list that match up with those broad genre events. #nd then do the same for major structural turning points and developments. 7ventually, you will wind up with a list of <E"BE events. 0ince some events re8uire more than one scene to play out, this number will generate an ample number of scenes. 2f course, you may not choose to make use of a full"fledged outline. Instead, you may decide to highlight just the half"do'en or do'en events that, at least as of this point, you definitely want to include in your first draft "" events you will be aiming for and writing toward. In effect, these are guidepost or milestone story events. Not all of them need be big events or major developments. They are just those moments, events, se8uences, bits, moments, and characters that you(ve decided you really want to make use of, out of the much larger, longer list that you generated during the brainstorming process. )ut before you proceed to your first draft, or to drawing up a more complete story outline or treatment $should you elect to do that at all%, there is still one more prewriting activity you should engage in $two related ones, actually%. )efore plunging in $unless you enjoy writing e-ploratory drafts prior to your actual first draft%, spend some additional time on designing your characters, and on the orchestration of characters. This is one of the most important steps in writing, and it(s really a prewriting step $although it can be a rewriting step, if it wasn(t addressed earlier%.

+or those who find they discover a character best by actually writing scenes, there is a prewriting approach that can incorporate that preference $a step that can benefit all writers%. 0o let(s assume you(ve worked your list of brainstormed options, as discussed above. If so, set aside your list for now. Now it(s time to focus on characters and their orchestration. &e(ll go into that in the ne-t article or two. III /opyright <AAF by Jeff Newman