Donald L. Vasicek

Category: Screenwriting

  • “The Protagonist’s Journey”

    In Robert Kosberg’s “How to Sell Your Idea to Hollywood”,
    he discusses some of Chris Volger’s ideas on Joseph
    Campbell’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”

    Volger’s outline shows, and what many movie studios
    urge their readers to understand, the steps of a
    protagonist (the classic Hollywood-hero-type) should
    take.

    In Act 1:

    Step 1, is the protagonist’s ordinary world which will
    contrast sharply with the strange new world he/she will
    be entering.

    Step 2, is the call to adventure where the hero is
    presented with a problem or challenge that will
    change his/her destiny. This sets up and demands
    that he attain a specific goal.

    In Step 3, the “reluctant” hero experiences fear
    of the unknown or fear of outside forces. The
    hero hasn’t completely committed to the
    mission. Whatever the fear is, this will land the
    hero in a state of no return.

    Step 4, is where a mentor gives guidance and
    support to the hero. The purpose of the mentor
    is to assist the hero in his/her transition to the
    other world.

    In Step 5, the adventure gets going; the first time
    the hero has fully made the decision to accept
    the challenge. It is usually the turning point into
    Act II.

    Step 6 is when new challenges arise as the hero
    learns the rules of the other world. He/she
    encounters both favorable and unfavorable
    consequences of his decision to act.

    In Step 7, the hero comes to a dangerous place;
    the villain’s den or the arena where he/she will
    find the object of his/her quest. This can also
    be the hero’s moment of truth.

    The Supreme Ordeal is Step 8 where the hero
    hits rock bottom and all appears to be lost.
    This often marks the second part of Act II and
    can be the appearance of what the hero realizes
    he/she fears most.

    In Step 9, the hero having barely survived, takes
    possession of the prize he/she has been seeking. Now,
    he/she must apply his/her wisdom or power before he/she can
    travel back to safety.

    The hero deals with the consequences of having
    seized the prize in Step 10. Hostile forces will be
    confronted and it is at this stage that the hero
    will proclaim his/her desire to bring the journey to an
    end and return to the ordinary world.

    The resurrection marks Step 11 and Act III where the
    evil forces are given one last opportunity before
    being defeated. Transformed, the hero will triumph
    and return to his/her ordinary life changed by some new
    insight.

    In coming back, Step 12, he/she brings a token of his
    journey, a prize or a lesson or he/she is doomed to repeat
    his dangerous adventure. Because of this possession,
    the hero’s ordinary world as he once knew it, is
    changed by his/her new knowledge.

    These steps can be seen in “The African Queen”,
    “The Hurt Locker”, “Star Wars”, “Crazy Heart”,
    “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Chinatown”, “E. T.”,
    “Romancing the Stone”, “Witness”, “The Hunt for
    Red October”, “Aladdin”, “High Noon”, and a host
    other movies.

  • “How to Get Script Readers to Like Your Screenplay”

    First, be very careful “directing” when you write. Any direction you do write, should move the story forward, otherwise, don’t use it. The “directions” you write are going to be rewritten any way, by you, or by another writer once your screenplay is optioned/purchased. They will be rewritten because the director will collaborate with the writer on writing the shooting script, which is considerably different than the spec script. Although it’s acceptable, do not break dialogue from one page to the next, for any reason. The reason for this is that those who read your screenplay usually have several screenplays setting on their desk and/or nightstand, in line to be read. Readers must move fast. Many readers skim and don’t read every word. Many readers also look for certain elements in the screenplay without reading the entire script. To have a break in dialogue from one page to the next causes the reader to slow down. It is like hitting a bump in the road with your bicycle. It can jar you and throw off your focus. Always strive to make your screenplays reader friendly. Strive to leave more white on each page than black. If you do this, you enhance your chances of pleasing a reader, and getting your script sent to the next level.

    Donald L. Vasicek Olympus Films+, LLC
    The Zen of Writing and Filmmaking
    http://www.donvasicek
    dvasicek@earthlink.net

  • “How To Destroy Writer’s Block”

    What I learned several years ago was
    to push myself to write.  By writing
    at the same time each day, even if
    it is for 15 minutes, I write.  If it is
    not writing an article, screenplay,
    book, etc., but just writing, I write,
    at the same time each day.  This
    approach to writing is vital to
    the professional writer.  It is like
    professional athletes do before
    a practice or a game, they loosen
    up to reduce the danger to injuries.
    A writer must loosen up before they
    write, or they will experience an
    injury, some refer to as “writer’s
    block.”

    I select something about which to
    write.  A pen setting on the table
    in front of me, for example.  I
    study the pen.  I think about the
    pen.  I ask myself, “What can I
    write about this pen for 5 minutes?
    I define the shape, the color, and
    the angle to the table the pen is
    laying.  I define the metal clip
    on it.  I define the steel tip on it
    I define the color of the ink in
    the pen.  I note the name of the
    pen.  I write about the pen in a
    Zen-like story form.  I take all
    of these elements and put them
    together in a fashion that tells a story
    about the pen.  The theme of
    the story, is the pen.  The theme
    is what holds every story together,
    like the roots of a tree.

    One can always write.  The question
    is, how much brilliance does one
    have to write, when the mind
    refuses to give one anything to
    write?  This is when the writer
    must take charge and write.

    When one desires to write their article,
    screenplay, book, personal letter,
    business letter, etc., and has
    difficulty in getting started for the
    day, or night, or what have you,
    do a writing exercise such as I have
    described above.  This warms up the
    mind to turn to what one sets down
    to write in the first place.  Write only
    long enough to get the mind to
    working again, before you return to
    what you want to write.

    And remember, anything anyone
    writes is brilliant.  It’s just a matter
    of how the writer puts what they
    write together, that defines brilliant.

    I hope this has been of help to you.

    Best Regards,

    Donald L. Vasicek
    Olympus Films+, LLC
    http://michaelc.nextmp.net/wordpress
    dvasicek@earthlink.net