concept – The Story Department

Screenwriting Basics [Story’s Holy Trinity]

Karel FG Segers — Mon, 17 Aug 2015 12:20:26 +0000

Many teachers and writers have tried to capture the screenwriting basics. Unhappy with most of them, I boiled them down to a simplicity I have not seen anywhere else.

This is mostly analytical. So there’s no guarantee that you will deliver a successful story. Then again, no system does. No matter what the teachers promise you.

What this approach to the screenwriting basics does promise however, is a crystal clear grasp of what you MUST have before your story will work on a large scale. If this doesn’t seem all that new to you, I am still hoping to offer you a new perspective.

1. A Character

At the centre of every story we find (at least) one character. In film, this is mostly the ‘person’ to whom the story happens. Sometimes, it is the individual through whose eyes we experience the story.

Character also means the combined set of traits that define that particular person. This will come into play later, as we can really only see what a character is about when they act. Anyone can say anything. But will you believe them?

Before we can look at any other aspect of the story, such as its structure, we must know who this character is. For each character, there may be a different event kicking of their story. Of course each character should act in different ways.

And a great character will respond in a significant way to the Major Event.

2. A Major Event

Second step in the screenwriting basics: Something must happen to the character. A Major Event of some sort must trigger the story. Some people call this the Inciting Incident. I prefer to name it the Call To Adventure.

If the character starts pursuing the main story goal without this event, then the story will lack motivation. The audience may not even realise that the story has effectively started…

In brainstorming, this Major Event is often what you include in the ‘What If…’ statement.

Many teachers leave out this part of the story. Big mistake.

From studying story for nearly thirty years now, I am convinced that the Major Event is critical for a successful story. It is certainly indispensable in defining your story, in separating it from any other story told before you. Total screenwriting basics.

Many teachers leave out this part of the story.
Big mistake.

This is why I like to see the major event to be part of the logline.

Major events are more important than the story stakes. They often even imply the stakes, so you don’t need to mention stakes separately in a summary of the story.

This event must be ‘major’, in that it disrupts the life of the character. If it doesn’t, it is a non-event. In this case, either you don’t have a story yet, or the reader/audience won’t understand the story has started.

3. An action / Goal

Having a goal is not enough. The character must act, fight, struggle to reach that goal. A passive character, burning with desire, is a total bore. They must fight ferociously to get what they want.

Sometimes the action is directly in pursuit of the goal. In other words, the Hero chases directly what s/he wants.

Having a goal is not enough.

If you know your screenwriting basics, you will know this. In most love stories, the Heroes pursues the love interest. In most crime movies, the Hero wants to catch or kill the criminal(s).

In other cases, the goal or desire can only be fulfilled by first completing a task, or test. In Inception, Don Cobb must perform Inception (plant an idea inside a man’s dream) in order to see his kids again. In Avatar, Jake must relocate the natives in order to receive a new pair of legs.

Either way, the story goal must create change in the visible world. To try and achieve a different state of mind – through the ‘Inner Journey’ – does not typically qualify as a story goal.

Brainstorm Screenwriting Basics

When you brainstorm movie concepts, you must have all three of these screenwriting basics.

In fact, none of these can truly exist without the other two. This is why it is such a perfect system.

When you brainstorm movie concepts,
you must have all three of these story aspects.

It is something of a closed loop – or a mindf*** if you wish. You cannot really define any of these three within a story context without using the other two.

Get your head around these screenwriting basics, and you will see the beauty and the perfection of this approach.

This is the Holy Trinity of Story.

-Karel Segers

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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What the Hell is High Concept?

Jamie Campbell — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 22:33:01 +0000

I’ll confess… when I started working in this business as an assistant, and heard the term “high concept” over and over, at first I assumed it meant high budget. Then I thought it had something to do with drugs. But I quickly learned that a high concept project is a unique story that can be described clearly, succinctly and effectively in about one sentence – and you will understand and picture exactly what that movie is.

If your project is high concept, then that ONE sentence description should not only make us easily understand the story and make it clear what the demographic is and why it’s unique and original, but also make us picture the trailer, the poster, and the actor who would want to be cast.

If it’s a comedy, then your one line (and quite frankly even your title) should make it OBVIOUS that there are a ton of original, funny things that could happen. If you’re writing a thriller – it needs to be clear that the potential for great suspense and thrills is there. Horror, same thing.

Can your project do that? Don’t answer just yet.

…you will understand and picture exactly what that movie is.

High concept properties are more about the premise and idea than the characters and their personal struggles. More about visuals and hooks than deep narratives and emotions. But almost any movie can be described in one or two sentences – that’s not enough. The hook – what makes your concept original and different – also has to be really clear. And high concept properties should be appropriate for mass audiences (at LEAST 2 out of the 4 quadrants – male, female, young, old).

Technically, the film Kids can be described in one sentence – a group of inner city youths do drugs and have sex until they realize their actions can have horrific consequences. But what’s NEW about that? What’s high concept about it? What’s the mass appeal? Nada.

Ninety percent (90%) of writers fail because their concept just isn’t strong enough, original enough, or commercial enough. They are doomed from the start.

If your project is so intricate, so complex, so cerebral that no one will get it (and get it quickly) – then it’s not high concept. This doesn’t mean it’s not commercial – Inception was NOT high concept. But MOST studio films are. Why? Because they have to be able to be marketed well, and low concept material is much harder to market. There are very few studios who actually market low concept well. Fox Searchlight is probably the best in the business (Slumdog Millionaire, Black Swan, Little Miss Sunshine, etc). But most studios just don’t get it.

And neither do audiences. Audiences, by and large, are stupid and have no attention span. High concept material is pitch-driven. But if your pitch starts with “so the troubled protagonist had this horrible childhood and goes on this journey to find himself…blah blah blah” – it’s NOT high concept!

High concept pitches do not start with character and back story – they start with premise and action. If it takes 10 minutes to explain your story…that’s 9 minutes and 45 seconds too long. But if you can describe your story by simply saying “big shiny thing here now BOOM” – people will get it.

Ninety percent (90%) of writers fail because their concept just isn’t strong enough.

Comedies (especially R-rated and romantic comedies), action films, some horror, disaster movies, etc – these are the projects that are most often high concept. It’s harder to make dramas, teen movies, fantasy, and more intricate thrillers into high concept projects.

The very first purposefully high concept movies are often considered to be Jaws and Star Wars. Though the ultimate example of high concept is actually movies like Snakes on a Plane – you get everything you need to know in 4 words. Other great examples of high concept projects include Jurassic Park, Liar Liar, Groundhog Day, Armageddon, Wedding Crasher, Transformers, Air Force One, Speed, 40 Year-Old Virgin, Titanic, Home Alone, War of the Worlds, etc.

Great examples of low concept fare – Pulp Fiction, Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine, Fargo, Citizen Kane, Syriana, Garden State, almost anything by Robert Altman or Woody Allen, etc. You can see the difference in just the titles.

This doesn’t mean that your high concept project can’t tackle more in-depth issues or have an interesting story with lots of characters and plotlines. It just means that the hook to your script has to be so clear and original and understandable in one line that audiences will get what they are in for.

Studios largely work within the world of high concept. So if you want to be a studio writer, spend more time coming up with the best concept and premise with the most potential and commercial appeal instead of worrying if your character’s personal journey has a new plot point introduced on page 38. I hope that clears up what high concept material encompasses. Good luck and keep writing!

– Danny Manus

Danny Manus is one of the most in-demand script consultants as CEO of No BullScript Consulting and author of “No B.S. for Screenwriters: Advice from the Executive Perspective.”

Danny is also a producer, a columnist for ScriptMag, a judge four years running for the PAGE Awards, and teaches seminars and workshops across the country. You can follow him on Twitter @DannyManus.

Jamie Campbell

Jamie Campbell is an author, screenwriter, and television addict.

Jamie is proud to be an Editor for The Story Department.

Her latest series Project Integrate is out now.

jamiecampbell.com.au

Concept In Screenwriting [Do You Understand It?]

Karel FG Segers — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 08:19:45 +0000

The screen industry has changed dramatically over the past decade. Not only have independent dramas all but disappeared, many of the cinemas that used to program them have too.

It is now more difficult than ever to get a screenplay optioned or sold, if it doesn’t appeal to the main movie-going demographics. Being a great writer is not enough; your story must stand out immediately, and for this to be possible, you need to have a strong, fresh concept.

Check out which movies work and which don’t, often you’ll find that those with poor concepts fall by the wayside.

High Concept vs. Low Concept

Many have tried to define what high concept really means. I believe the following all apply:

can be expressed in a simple sentence
immediately appeals to the imagination
can easily be remembered
has never been done before
doesn’t need a star cast to attract an audience
not necessarily on a blockbuster budget

Examples of high concept movies were:

Die Hard
Armageddon
Air Force One

But also low budget films such as:

Phone Booth
Buried
Liar Liar

From this list, you might think that I count a movie like Locke among high concept, too. I don’t. Only filmmakers get excited about seeing Tom Hardy in a car for an hour and a half. It would have been different if he had to save the world before reaching his destination, though. So, stakes…

High concept scripts don’t always need to be written to the very highest standards. Studios understand that money can be made, and they will be more than happy to buy the script and worry about some further development later. In this case, they are really interested in the idea, and less in the writer or script.

You will find that many original blockbuster films (not remakes or sequels) fall in this category.

Tony Gilroy (the Bourne movies, Michael Clayton, Armageddon) responds to people’s pitches. You’ll learn how he distinguishes good concepts from ‘execution dependent’ scripts. Later we will explain further what this means.

https://player.vimeo.com/video/91689107

EXERCISE:

Choose 5 highly successful films, then 5 poorly performing ones. Now see if you can identify whether they are high or low concept.

Execution Dependent Screenplays

If your story is low concept, don’t despair. Low concept screenplays written by newcomers do sell – on occasion. What makes those scripts attractive to buyers (producers/studios)?

First and foremost, they must be page turners. If you have a story full of suspense, and that moves so fast; or if you boast a writing style that is so seductive that the reader can’t put the script down, you are on a winner…

Low concept ideas are often called ‘execution dependent’. It means that they can still work, provided the writer is highly skilled. And if you demonstrate superior writing skills, the studio or producer may well be interested in hiring you to write something else for them.

Finding Good Concepts

Everybody is capable of coming up with great ideas. The problem is that too many people settle for their first idea, and think it will write itself. Or worse, they believe that people will pay them money for the idea, even before the script is written.

I am contacted regularly by people who are convinced they have the next blockbuster idea, and hope I will find them someone who will write it for them. This is not how it works. Ideas are ten a penny. Unskilled writers overestimate the power of their ideas. Once they try developing them, it shows they weren’t really valid movie ideas in the first place.

The best way to finding a sellable concept, is to brainstorm many, and regularly. Don’t sit around waiting for that great movie idea to hit you. Thousands, tens of thousands of screenwriters have made it a daily habit to brainstorm concepts, to write down loose ideas they have in the course of the day, and review them regularly. If you don’t do this, the odds are stacked against you.

To trigger your brain into finding original concepts, you may try the same techniques people use to battle writers block. To become a successful writer, you will need to find out what works for you.

Now, how do you test a concept?

By writing the Logline.

-Karel Segers

Karel FG Segers

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The First Rule Of Screenwriting: Strong Concept

Karel FG Segers — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 20:20:38 +0000

Last month I broke a record for the year. I saw three movies at the cinema that I truly enjoyed (and I only watched three).

One of these three failed spectacularly at the box office: the Australian crime-action flick SON OF A GUN, written and competently directed by newcomer Julius Avery. It is by far the most entertaining and best made Australian film I have seen in this genre in a long time. Yet it failed.

NOTE: This article contains spoilers about NIGHTCRAWLER, SON OF A GUN, GONE GIRL, WHIPLASH and CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR.

Story Diagnosis

The story is that of young JR (Brenton Thwaites), who breaks out of prison and then joins the crew of Brendan (Ewan McGregor), a hardened crime boss. SPOILER: in the third act JR rises from under Brendan’s wings, and outsmarts him to get his ‘rightfully’ earned share, to rejoice in a – somewhat long – happy ending. There is also a love story, which for me didn’t work all that well.

Next I saw GONE GIRL, the novel adaptation everyone seems to be talking about. Some claim that its success wiped out any chances for SON OF A GUN here in Australia. I probably don’t need to say much about GONE GIRL’s story, because it has Ben Affleck, so it won’t have escaped you if you passed at the box office lately.

The Philosophical Ending

I found GONE GIRL an entertaining mystery thriller with a smart, non-compromising ending. It is about marriage as a metaphor for… well, marriage. The twist conclusion is courageous, and reminiscent of CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR, in that it built a thesis, then turned it on its head.

Where CHARLIE WILSON’S WAR surprisingly ended in a comment on the arms race, here we are reminded about what marriage really is, and the hero ultimately does not achieve his goal. In fact, NIGHTCRAWLER also refuses to deliver the hopeful happy ending, with the difference that the hero gets away with it.

What didn’t really work for CHARLIE WILSON ($119m BO for a $75m budget), didn’t harm GONE GIRL’s box office ($254m at the time of writing, with a budget of $61m).

Then I saw WHIPLASH, which was made on a $3m budget, and which will rake in many times that, after tremendous word of mouth and a likely Academy Award run. It’s the story of Andrew, a young jazz drummer (Miles Teller) playing under a band conductor (JK Simmons) who seems to take pleasure in making things hard for Andrew. Again, this movie has a surprising ending because the antagonist has an ultimate surprise in Act Three, then redeems himself in the finale.

Back To Basics

Let me try and summarise the stories of these three films to a gotta-decide-in-15secs simplicity. GONE GIRL is about a guy who REALLY wants to leave his wife, but she is giving him a hard time. WHIPLASH is about a guy who REALLY wants to be the drummer in a jazz band, but is given a hard time by the conductor. And SON OF A GUN is about a young criminal, fresh out of prison who REALLY wants to … Well, there’s the problem.

Once he is out of prison at the beginning of Act Two, JR in SON OF A GUN doesn’t REALLY want anything badly. For most of the movie he is not following his own dreams, but simply does what Brendan wants. He is a PASSIVE character, which the average punter doesn’t like. And to recoup the budget of movies such as ANIMAL KINGDOM and SON OF A GUN, it seems that you do need that mainstream audience. One would think the Australian film funding agencies should get that point by now…

Great Movies – Silly Budgets

So there you have it. People keep talking about how the market has transformed, television has taken over, and film distribution models need to change and … blah blah blah. In order to reach an audience, you need to tell a story that is clear, with a strong main character that has a CLEAR GOAL, which they pursue OBSESSIVELY. Characters that don’t want anything or don’t know what they want, won’t cut it.

Let me repeat that I really liked SON OF A GUN. But I’m not a regular punter. I work in the industry and often times like non-mainstream films. Still, to finance these films with public funding at the levels they have been ($5m – $10m and more) is insanity.

If you make low-concept films, you are unlikely to reach the masses, therefore you need to produce them at a lower cost. If American filmmakers can do indies with decent cast under $5m (see above, WHIPLASH: $3.3m), anyone can. A healthy film industry is not necessarily built on small films alone, though. I believe it is vital to have a good mix of arthouse and mainstream.

The first rule of screenwriting is still: start from a strong, simple concept, with characters that want something – badly.

-Karel Segers

Karel FG Segers

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