Category: Screenwriting

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“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.

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“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

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“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