S Y D FIELD S P ER S P EC TIV E

A B O U T S C R EEN W R ITIN G
By Sukriti Bajaj

TO M A K E A FIN E FILM , YO U N EED

TH R EE TH IN G S : A G R EAT S C R IP T, A
G R EAT S C R IP T, A G R EAT S C R IP T
By Alfred Hitchcock

IN TR O D U C TIO N

Introduction
Screenwriting is a craft that occasionally rises

to the level of an act.

Writing a screenplay is a process.
Always changing & evolving
Whatever we will write today will outdate

tomorrow & so on.

Dont be too attached to your initial ideas
& concept.
All that matters is what works within the
context of the screenplay.

Introduction
If it works, use it & if it doesnt, dont.
Discipline: Find the best time of day or

evening for you to write your

screenplay. No one can decide best time
for you.
Writing is a step-by-step day-by-day

process. Dont try to do everything in

one time.

W R ITER S A R E N O T EX A C TLY
P EO P LE ... TH EY A R E A W H O LE
B U N C H O F P EO P LE TR Y IN G TO B E
O
P ER
SO N .
ByNF.E
Scott
Fitzerald

O V ER V IEW

O verview
GETTING STARTED

The idea.

Action & Character.

Structure.

Write a Four Page Treatment.

CREATING CHARACTERS

Create the Characters.

Define Dramatic Need.

Block their Course of Action, their Emotional Arc.

Discuss the Nature & Function of Dialogue.

WRITING SCREENPLAY

Work in individual unit of Dramatic Action.

Setting up, Structuring & then Writing Act 1.

Prepare Structure & Write Act 2.

Prepare Structure & Write Act 3.

REWRITING SCREENPLAY

Polishing & honing the first draft.

Part 1:

G ETTIN G S TA R TED

Know ing W hats N ot Screenplay?

Knowing what A Screenplay Is & What Its Not.
Its not a Novel.
Action takes place in characters head.
Mindscape of Dramatic Action.
Its not a Play. On Stage, in front of Audience.
Action takes place trough characters words.
Language of Dramatic Action.

Know ing W hats Screenplay?

Screenplay is
a story told in pictures
With dialogues & description
Placed within the context of Dramatic

Structure.

Idea leads to Subject

In language of Screenplay, Subject is

an Action & a Character.

Whos your story about?
Whos your character?
What happens?
How does it ends?

Idea leads to Subject

Before Writing:
WHAT is your story about?
WHOS your story about?

Structure

To build something. To put something

together.

Relationship between the parts & the

whole.

Structure:The Paradigm
A model created to be an instructional tool.
Essential tool in understanding the

structural nature of screenplay.

Act 1, Act 2 & Act 3 are individual units of

dramatic action.
1 Page of Screenplay is ~ 1 minute screen

time.

Structure:The Paradigm

Structure:The Paradigm

Context is a Space.

Context doesnt Change. Only the

Content Changes.

Structure:The Paradigm
THE SET-UP:
Establish Dramatic Premise.
Establish Characters.
Establish the Situations
Establish the Relationships between

Characters

Structure:The Paradigm
CONFRONTATION:
Character must encounter obstacles

after obstacle to achieve his/ her

Dramatic Need.
Dramatic Need is for the character

wants to win or gain or get or achieve

during the course of Screenplay.

Structure:The Paradigm
RESOLUTION:
What is the solution of your story? Does

your character live or die, succeed or fail,

win the race or not.
Resolution is not the End.
End is the last sequence of scene of the

script.

Structure:The Paradigm
PLOT POINT:
Incident, Episode or Event that Hooks

into the action & spins it around in

another direction.

Structure:The Paradigm
Four Elements you must know:
Beginning
End
Plot Point 1
Plot Point 2

Activity:1
Create the Subject of your Screenplay.
Who is the main character?
What is your story about?
Structure the Subject on Paradigm.

Activity:2
Four things you know:
The Ending
The Beginning
Plot Point 1
Plot Point 2

Activity:2
Write a 4 page Treatment. (Narrative Synopsis

of the Storyline to give an unformed idea form

& to start the process).
Characters?
Where they are from?
What their goals are?
What their dramatic need is?

To give an unformed idea form

To start the process

Activity:2 (4 Page Treatm ent)

In Page : Write the opening scene

or sequence in a dramatic narration.

In Page: Summarize the action

that occurs in Act 1.

In Page: Write the Plot Point at the

end of Act 1 in a dramatic narrative.

Activity:2 (4 Page Treatm ent)

In 1 Page: List four obstacles that your

character(s) confront during the action of Act

2.
Obstacle individual or in combination can be Internal
External
Physical
Emotional
Mental
Spiritual

Activity:2 (4 Page Treatm ent)

In 1 Paragraph: Summarize each of the obstacles

during Act 2. (Describe the obstacle & how the

Character deals with it).
In Page: Write the Plot Point at the end of Act 2

in a dramatic narration.
In Page: Summarize the action of Act 3, the

Resolution.
In Page: Write the end scene or sequence in

dramatic narration.

Activity:2 (4 Page Treatm ent)

In Page : Opening scene or sequence in a dramatic

narration.
In Page: Summarize the action that occurs in Act 1.
In Page: Write the Plot Point 1 in a dramatic narrative.
In 1 Page: List four obstacles in Act 2.
In Page: Write the Plot Point 2 in a dramatic narration.
In Page: Summarize the action of Act 3.
In Page: Ending scene or sequence in dramatic narration.

Part 2:

C R EATIN G C H A R A C TER S

Creating Character
What is Character but the

Determination of Incident.

What is Incident but the Illumination

of Character.

Creating Character
Incident is the Key.
What is the incident that drives your

story forward because its the key that

starts the engine that can power the
story you want to tell.
Once the incident is determined then

you can begin to determine the causes

that would let your character develop.

Creating Character
What makes good Character?
Dramatic Need
Point of View
Attitude
Change

D ram atic N eed

What does your Character want to

win, gain, get or achieve during the

course of Screenplay?
Every Character has Dramatic Need

because the source of all drama is

Conflict.

Point O fView
Film is Behavior
What does your Character think?
What is your Characters Point of

View about something?

Attitude
A manner or opinion.
Character can show Attitude (manner) or

he can talk about it through dialogues

(opinion).
Example - People being superior or thinks

inferior, person who thinks he is right,

being too conservative or too liberal or too
optimistic or too pessimist or opportunist.

Change
Does your Character Change during

the course of your Screenplay.

Character Growth

Creating Character
Tools of Creating Character?
Character Biography
Research
Life of Character
The Circle of Being

Character Biography

Traces your Characters life from

birth until the time the story begin.

Research
Live Research: You find a person &

interview him/her to get some real

background on the Subject & the
Character that you are writing about.
Text Research: Library, books, old

newspapers, magazines, internet,

new media, etc.

Life ofCharacter
Professional Life:
What does he/ she do for a living?
What kind of relationship with his/ her boss?
What kind of relationship with co-workers?
Personal Life:
Is he/ she in a relationship?
Private Life:
What does he/ she do when alone?

The Circle ofBeing

Event in Characters life that

emotionally parallels & impacts the

storyline.
Happens when Character is between

12-18 years of age.

Example Death of parent, physical

abuse, etc.

The Circle ofBeing

What is Character but the

Determination of Incident.

What is Incident but the Illumination

of Character.

The Circle ofBeing

Event in Characters life that

emotionally parallels & impacts the

storyline.
Happens when Character is between

12-18 years of age.

Example Death of parent, physical

abuse, etc.

Activity:1

Write a Character Biography in 5 7

Pages or more.

Activity:1 (Biography)
Determine your Character.
Name?
Where was he or she born?
How old?
What does father do for a living?
What kind of childhood?
Any brothers or sisters?

Activity:1 (Biography)
Develop Characters first 10 years

(1-10 years old)

Good student?
Friends?

Activity:1 (Biography)
Develop Characters second 10 years (10-20 years

old)
Like school?
Relationship with teachers?
Clubs she belong too?
High school?
Friends?
First love affair?
Active in sports?
Dreams of college?
Major?

Activity:1 (Biography)
Develop Characters third 10 years

(20-30 years old)

What kind of job?
Girlfriend/ boyfriend/ marriage?
Dreams & aspirations collide with

reality?

Activity:1 (Biography)
Let your Character tell you who he or she

is?
Give your Character a voice
Character Biography
Characters Grandparents
Characters Parents
Past Lives
Astrological Breakdown

Activity:2
Write short essays on your

Characters:
Professional Life
Personal Life
Private Life

Activity:3

Write a Characters Circle of Being.

Activity:4
Define Characters:
Dramatic Need
Point of View
Attitude
Change

Part 3:

W R ITIN G S C R EEN P LAY

Preparing Act 1
Act 1 is a unit of dramatic action.
Structure Act 1 on (14) 3*5 cards.
Each card represents a scene or sequence in

the Screenplay.
Write opening sequence/ scene in 5 words or

less.
Write Plot Point 1 in other card.
Now prepare rest 12 cards.

Preparing Act 1
Back Story:
What happens to your main

character, a day, a week, or an

hour before the story begins.
It should affect the opening.
It deals with specific event.

Preparing Act 1
When you are doing the cards: You

are doing the cards.

When you are writing the screenplay:

You are writing the cards.

Activity:1 (Biography)
Structure Act 1 on (14) 3*5 cards.

(Not more than 5 words per card)

Write the Back Story (in a page or

two).

W riting Screenplay
Screenplay needs to be written in the standard

format for universal understanding.

The recommended software for writing Screenplay is

Final Draft.
Screenplay Grammar:
Shot What the camera sees.
Scene The unit or cell of dramatic action.
Sequence A series of scenes, connected by one

single idea with a definite beginning, middle & end.

W riting Act 1
Opening Scene or Sequence. (first 10 pages)
A unit of dramatic action :
o Action driven?
o Character driven?
The main Characters Point of View.
The main & the reader/ viewer are united.
Because both see the things at the same time.

W riting Act 1
Establish :
1. Who is your main character?
(Who is the story about?
2. What is the dramatic premise of your story?
(What is your story about?)
3. What is the dramatic situation?
(Circumstances surrounding the action)
These three threads of storyline are called inciding
incidents

W riting Act 1
Follow the Focus of your main

Character. (second 10 pages)

Setting up Plot Point 1. (1 or 2

scenes)
Plot Point 1 is the true beginning of
your story

Activity:1
Design & write the first 10 pages of

Screenplay. (dramatic action)

Establish:
Main Character
Dramatic Premise
Dramatic Situation

Activity:2
Design & write the second 10 pages

of Screenplay. (dramatic action)

Follow Focus of your main

Character.

Activity:3

Set up the one or two scenes needed

to write Plot Point 1

W riting Act 2
60 pages unit of Dramatic Action.
Begins at end of Plot Point 1.
Continues until end of Plot Point 2.
Held together with: Confrontation.

W riting Act 2
All drama is Conflict.
Without Conflict you have no Character.
Without Character you have no Action.
Without Action you have no Story.
Without Story you have no Screenplay.

W riting Act 2
Enter the action by defining Dramatic Need.
Mid Point:
Occurs around page 60.
Breaks Act 2 into two units of dramatic action.
o First Half of Act 2
o Second Half of Act 2
Links the First Half of Act 2 with Second Half of

Act 2.
Link in the change of Dramatic Action.

W riting Act 2

W riting Act 2
Structure: To Structure Act 2.
One major sequence in the First

Half of Act 2.
One major sequence in the Second

Half of Act 2.

W riting Act 2
Sequence:
A series of scenes connected by

one single idea with a definite

beginning, middle & end.
It can be expressed in one word.
Example love, escape, fight, etc.

W riting Act 2
Pinch:
A sequence that keeps the action

moving forward to the Mid Point or

Plot Point 2.

W riting Act 2
With reference to film Titanic.
Plot Point 1: Jack saves Roses Life.
First Half of Act 2: Jack & Rose Relationship.
Pinch 1: Jack has dinner with Rose & others.
Mid Point: They make love in the car.
Second Half of Act 2: Their attempts to get life

boat.
Pinch 2: Rose rescues Jack.
Plot Point 2: Rose leaves lifeboat for Jack

Activity:1
Things you know:
The Ending
The Beginning
Plot Point 1
Plot Point 2
Determine the Midpoint. Establish Mid Point.
Determine the Sub-dramatic Context of the First Half

of Act 2.
Determine Pinch 1.

Activity:1
Things you know:
Mid Point
Plot Point 2
Determine the Sub-dramatic Context

of the Second of Act 2.

Determine Pinch 2.

Activity:2
The essence of Act 2 is Conflict.
Layout the (14) 5*3 cards for the First Half

of Act 2.
In free association.
Find Pinch 1 (card 7).
Write the First Half of Act 2 leading to Mid

Point.
30 page unit of dramatic action.

Activity:2
The essence of Act 2 is Conflict.
Layout the (14) 5*3 cards for the Second

Half of Act 2.
In free association.
Find Pinch 2 (card 7).
Write the Second Half of Act 2 through

Mid Point.
30 page unit of dramatic action.

Activity:1 & 2
Determine Mid Point.
Determine Sub-dramatic context in First Half of Act 2.
Determine Pinch 1.
Structure First Half on (14) 5*3 cards.
Write First Half of Act 2.
Determine Sub-dramatic context in Second Half of

Act 2.
Determine Pinch 2.
Structure Second Half on (14) 5*3 cards.
Write Second Half of Act 2.

W riting Act 3
Resolution means Solution.
Write down the one or two items that are

unresolved at Plot Point 2.

Define them
Articulate them
Structure Act 3 with (14) 5*3 cards.
1 card per scene the contradiction

W riting Act 3
Just let it go.

Then ask
How would you like your story to

end?

Activity:1
Write down the one or two items that

are unresolved at Plot Point 2.

Structure Act 3 with 14 cards (1 card

per scene).
Determine whether your ending

works for now.

Part 4:

R EW R ITIN G S C R EEN P LAY

Rew riting Screenplay

Re-Reading: Read what you have

written from beginning to end

without interruption.
Write three essays (in free

association or automatic writing).

Dont Judge & Dont Analyze.

Rew riting Screenplay

1. What was it that originally attracted you

to this idea? (2 Pages)

. Real life experience?
. Someone you met?
. Explore an emotional situation?
. A mystery thriller?
. A love story?
. An action adventure?
. A comedy?

Rew riting Screenplay

2. What kind of Screenplay did you end up
writing?
What did you set out to do & what did you

end up doing?
3. What do you have to do, to change what
you did do, into what you originally wanted
to do?
Intention must be equal to result.

Rew riting Screenplay

Re-Writing: Work in 30 page units of dramatic action

of each.
Rewriting one unit at a time & one section at a time
Rewriting words-on-paper draft will take 3-6 weeks.
Rewrite Act 1
Rewrite 1st Half of Act 2
Rewrite 2nd Half of Act 2
Rewrite Act 3

Rew riting Screenplay

Syd Field called writing Second Draft as Mechanical

Draft from First Draft.

Try to even out the edges of your story to put into the
single line of dramatic action.
Third Draft as Polishing Draft.
Edit & hone each scene.
Strengthening & lightening dialogue.
Find missing scenes.
Add necessary scenes.
Work on transitions.
Smooth out entire storyline from beginning to end.

Activity:1
Rewrite Act 1
As a unit of dramatic action.
Make notes in margin of pages as

you read.
Rewrite Act Two 1st Half
Make notes in margin of pages as

you read.
Check your structure.

Activity:1
Rewrite Act Two 2nd Half
Check your structure.
Change & modify where necessary.
Rewrite Act 3
Smooth the rough edges.
Keep the story line moving forward.
From beginning to end.

YO U FA IL O N LY IF YO U
S TO P W R ITIN G .
By Ray Bradbury

TH A N K YO U !