The Importance of a Good Structure

Concept sentence, action-idea, premise, tagline... It sounds really easy – somebody wants something for a specific reason but it is impossible because of a specific obstacle. And that should be the core of the screenplay where all of the events and actions stem from. So basically 'nail down the premise and build your film from there'.

SIGH. More of then than once, I have heard the term 'development hell'. Getting caught in a limbo of honing this, changing that, amending this, correcting that. Bringing a secondary character forward as the protagonist, making the antagonist the protagonist, cutting characters and merging storylines. Cutting useless plot dimensions and focusing on the main storyline sounds simple but it is harder than it appears. The temptation to add complications and twists is a hard one to resist.

During the past few months, I have been focusing on nailing down the basics of the film. This has consisted of writing the premise, moving onto a 2-page outline and finally working out a 5-10 page treatment of the film. With each step I've taken, I have received valuable feedback that has been really, really useful. Workshopping with my fellow students has led me to notice a lot of inconsistencies and ways in which I should hone the focus of the story. For me personally, this has meant changing the themes of my piece and eliminating useless plot twists. It is safe to say that I have learned far more during the past two months than I did last year.

In terms of my film project, I feel like I am in a relatively good place. Next up, I need to do a bit of re-writing on that, take a few ganders at my secondary TV project and finish work on a small extracurricular project, which sees me write a five-minute radio monologue that will be broadcast on Resonance FM. It is a really exciting opportunity and collaborating with the sound arts students, who will be taking care of the practicalities of the sound world, has been really enlightening and refreshing. Stay tuned for updates on this one - my first real production credit! :-)

I also got promoted at work, which makes me a very happy bunny indeed. It is not a major change, but it is nice to feel appreciated. My employer has been really good to me in terms of allowing me to work four-days-a-week due to my studies and even giving me a promotion while on that limited schedule.

Also – in the beginning of February, I finally moved to a nicer home and so far, I'm loving it. After all, an aspiring writer not only needs to write a good structure for her feature films, but also needs to establish a 'good structure' for her life as well – a nice bed to sleep on, a quiet environment to write in and good transport links wherever her quill might take her.

Overall, I am really happy about everything right now – I wish that life could always be this rewarding, thrilling and exciting! :-)

First term over, first draft ready - First impressions of a screenwriting student

Within the first three months of this new year, my little London existence has changed quite dramatically - in my terms, anyway. Some big, exciting changes have taken place, which have made me a very happy lass indeed.

In January, I was finally able to start pursuing the art that had brought me to London in the first place - screenwriting. As a result, my days have been primarily dedicated to combining office work with university lectures, reading, project planning, and finally - writing. It has taken me hours and hours to actually get to the writing stage, and I must admit that it has been a lot more work than I thought it would be. Sadly, I have been ignoring my friends and turned into a bit of a hermit, but hopefully, it will be worth it in the end.

I have greatly enjoyed my first term, which has now come to an end. And... I have a first draft of a short film script to show for it! While I won't post the entire script online, here is a short premise to give you an idea of what the story is about:

A Matter of Time
On the day of her induction to the Clockmakers' Guild, 20-year-old Alice is visited by a mysterious woman from a distant time. This prompts Alice to re-evaluate her future goals, her heart and her own interests, and to question her suitability to the family tradition of clockmaking.

As for the next term, I can hardly wait. Our next project will be a 30-minute adaptation, and I've already been reading a wide range of short stories. I am starting to lean towards Victorian ghost stories or science fiction, but we'll see.

Overall, I am really excited to be pursuing this course. It is going to be a lot more work in the future, but being able to do the course has made me incredibly happy. This is my calling, let's hope I may flourish in it.