Screenwriting | Donald L. Vasicek

November 1, 2012November 1, 2012

Screenplay Page Length-Writing Camera Directions-Formatting

Page length is determined by genre. For the most part a rule of thumb
is to have no less than 90 pages and no more than 110. Any longer or
any shorter page length, and the writer is immediately in trouble with the reader.

Formatting is most vital. Cole & Haag’s “The Complete Guide To Standard
Script Formats – Part I: The Screenplay” is the standard by which the film
industry follows.

All camera angles, camera anything, should be avoided in the writing of
spec scripts. Spec scripts are scripts written by writers in hopes of selling
and/or getting it optioned. Writing camera angles in spec scripts shows
writers to be amateurish since camera angles are written into shooting
scripts. Shooting scripts are usually written from spec scripts and the
director is usually directly involved with the screenwriter in writing the
shooting script. Directors know what camera angles they want.
Screenwriters do not because they are not directing the film.

Getting produced usually helps the screenwriter become more liberal in following
these rules. Until then, screenwriters should use a grain of caution in how
liberal they are when writing their screenplays.

May 21, 2012May 21, 2012

Screenplays, WGA, Copyrights

In Reed Martin’s, “The Reel Truth”, he recommends that filmmakers copyright their screenplays. The reason for this is that a copyright carries more weight in a court of law than registration does

with WGA. He gives examples to prove his point. Also, by copyrighting your screenplay, you are able to make any and all changes you want to make without having to copyright your screenplay again.

Commitment to Professionalism

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

November 17, 2011January 25, 2016

Writing Story Beats

When writing a screenplay, by writing story beats first, it helps you organize your thoughts into a more coherent form. Once you complete writing the story beats, you can then begin writing each scene for your screenplay. By following this approach, you will find that you have a road map to follow with respect to your story beats. So, much of your grunt work goes into the story beats, while most of your creative work goes into the writing of each scene.

Story beats should show each scene in brief form. They do not have to be written in perfect grammar. They simply need to be written down in order. Story beats can be looked upon as idea beats. You have an idea for a scene. What should take place in that scene.? “Oh, yeah, this, this, and this.” Bang! You’ve written your story beats for the first scene. A word of caution, always enter your scene at the last moment and get out of the scene as soon as you can.

For example, on page 1/minute 1 of my screenplay/movie, “The Caller”, I introduce the setting. I introduce the main character. I show what she does as a professional. I show how she acts and reacts around other people. Bang! I move to the next page/scene. The story beats are: Introduce the setting. Introduce the main character. Show what she does as a professional. Show how she acts and reacts around other people. Get out, move to the next page/scene.

Once you get some story beats down, you will find that ideas come up where you want to write more in story beats you’ve already written. So, do that. If you want to expound on the setting, e.g., then add to introduce the setting, behind the stage of a fashion show. Then, get back to your story beats for the scene on which you are presently working.

Writing story beats are refreshing and very helpful to writing a multi-dimensional screenplay, something for which every screenwriter should strive.