NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #19/NN_1992_19.iso/spool/misc/writing/2705

Internet Message Format | 1992-08-29 | 2.8 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!dtix!mimsy!nocusuhs!yoshi
From: [e-mail] (D M Yoshikami)
Newsgroups: misc.writing
Subject: Re: Any Screenwriters out there?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 28 Aug 92 12:22:28 GMT
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Organization: National Naval Medical Center
Lines: 43

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Allen) writes:
> Time and time again I have
>seen three act structure screenplays filled with plot points and inciting
>incidents but no moment to reality. It seems we are breeding a generation of
>Happy Days writers.

I found it is easy to fall into this trap if you have not read enough
good drama (the same applies to any other kind of writer).  Too many
writers today have characters who walk around like pieces of
cardboard, being about the same as when they started the story.  In
addition, the only distinguishing characteristics many of these
characters have are quite often the cliches they use (in speaking) or
their names (in other words, the cardboard has a little colouring on
it, but it's still cardboard).

>I always recommend anyone who wants to write to read Shakespeare.If you study
>his developement you can watch him kick the habit of poetry and learn to write
>drama. Poetry is language that calls attention to itself while good p\script
>writing is where you look through the language to character and action. There
>are no good and evil characters in Bill's plays. They are people and are not
>formulized and the author stays out of the way of the story.

Good point.  Study the masters, and learn how they did it.  Certainly
Shakespeare did something right if his plays are still performed
hundreds of years later.  I've probably quoted this before, but the
Star Trek production guys would throw away most of the scripts they
received.  Their complaint is that usually the writer is not familiar
with the series -- i.e. is not familiar with the format, has not read
the back scripts, and lacks an in-depth understanding of the real
relationships of the characters to one another.  They often complain
the writer will create a story around one character, ignoring the rest
of the series regulars, or perhaps write a story impractical to
produce.  Know your audience before you write, and one of them will
include the producers (or editors)!!!

DY :-)

There were no cucumbers to be found at the market ... not even for ready money

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