Skip to main content

Screenplay/Script Writing: Ideas, Stories, and the Script

 Stories are Character/s, imaginary or real, aspiring and moving towards a need/goal through adversaries (achieving it with a big idea / super powers) will make one a hero). More elaborately, Character/s, imaginary or real, faced with a conflict/problem/issue/situation and trying to understand/overcome/change it in spite of difficulties / limitations / oppositions from within or without (overcoming/changing it with a big idea / super powers) will make one a hero).

Please study the PDF below (only for academic use)

Stories and Film Scripting PDF

Stories have Shapes

Storytelling is an art form that has captivated humans since the dawn of civilisation. Whether through oral traditions, written literature, or visual media, stories have the power to entertain, educate, and inspire. At the heart of every great story lies a carefully constructed narrative that engages the audience and conveys a meaningful message.
According to Kurt Vonnegut, stories have shapes, the main ones are Man in the hole, boy meets girl, Cinderella, etc. Christopher Booker sticks to seven story types, like, overcoming a monster, ragas to riches, the quest etc.

writing stories
Shape of a Story

Elements of Stories

The major elements of stories are:

Setting: it is the background against which the incidents of the story take place. In one form or another, setting is essential to the story. Often, the relevance of one particular story is lost in another setting.

Characters: A character portrays a set of functions in order to make the complete argument of a story. Several functions may be grouped together and assigned to a person, place, or thing that will represent them in the story. The functions one portrays defines the nature of the character. A player/character is like a vessel into which a set of character functions is placed.

Conflicts: Conflict is any struggle that characters must overcome to achieve their goal. There are External conflict - a ‘real world’ obstacle or antagonist. And Internal conflict – an inner turmoil that characters must confront before getting what they want or need.

Climax: The climax is the point at which the central conflict reaches the highest point of intensity. In a more general sense, the climax is any point of great intensity in a literary work.

Resolution: The resolution of a story is the conclusion. Also known as the denouement, the resolution is a literary term for the final plot points that occur after a story’s climax.

Plot: Plot is how the author arranges events to develop the basic idea; it is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot.

Theme: Theme is the central message, "moral of the story," and underlying meaning of a fictional piece; may be the author's thoughts on the topic or view of human nature. Stories should not only have length (duration) but also have depth, layers of meaning. It is the underlying message being communicated between spoken words and shown visuals. It makes a film layered. It connects to audience on a deeper level.

Point of View: Point of View is the the angle from which the story is told. first person/author participant,  second person/author audience, third person/author observer: Story told by a narrator who sees all of the action. This person may be a character in the story.

Plot/Narrative Structure

Narrative structure is about two things: the content of a story (chronological action) and the form used to tell the story. 


1. Three-Act StructureThe three-act structure is one of the most widely used plot structures in storytelling, especially in films. It consists of three main acts:

Act 1 (Setup): This act establishes the main characters, their relationships, and the world they inhabit. It also introduces the inciting incident or catalyst that sets the story in motion.

Act 2 (Confrontation): In this act, the conflict intensifies, and the protagonist faces increasingly difficult challenges and obstacles. This is where character development and the story's central conflict are explored in depth.

Act 3 (Resolution): The final act brings the story to its climax, where the protagonist faces the ultimate challenge or ordeal. After this climactic moment, the story resolves, leaving the characters (and the audience) with a new sense of reality or transformation.


2. Five-Act Structure (Freytag's Pyramid): Proposed by Gustav Freytag, a German novelist in the 19th century, the five-act structure is often used in plays and dramas. It consists of the following acts:

1) Exposition: Introduction of the main characters and backstory.

2) Rising Action: The conflict begins to increase, building tension.

3) Climax: The tension reaches its peak, marking the story's turning point.

4) Falling Action: After the climax, the tension and emotion begin to unwind.

5) Resolution: The final outcome and conclusion of the story's events.


3. Hero's JourneyBased on Joseph Campbell's work "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," the hero's journey is a cyclical structure that follows the archetypal journey of a hero. It consists of several stages, including:

- The ordinary world

- The call to adventure

- Crossing the threshold into a special world

- Facing tests, allies, and enemies

- The ordeal or central crisis

- Seizing the reward or transformation

- The return to the ordinary world

This structure is often used in mythological stories, fantasy, and adventure narratives.


4. Story Circle (by Dan Harmon): Inspired by the hero's journey, Dan Harmon's "story circle" is a popular structure in television writing. It consists of the following steps:

1) A character is in their comfortable, ordinary situation.

2) But they want something (a goal or need).

3) They enter an unfamiliar situation.

4) They adapt to the new situation.

5) They get what they wanted.

6) But they pay a heavy price for it.

7) They return to their familiar situation.

8) Having changed as a result of their journey.


These plot structures provide writers with frameworks to organize their narratives, create tension, and guide the audience through the story's various stages. Each structure has its strengths and is better suited for certain genres or mediums, allowing writers to choose the most appropriate structure for their storytelling goals.

Storytelling is a multifaceted art that requires a deep understanding of narrative elements, structures, and writing techniques. By mastering these principles, writers can create rich and engaging stories that resonate with audiences on a profound level. Whether crafting a novel, a screenplay, or a television series, the insights provided in this article offer a solid foundation for honing the craft of storytelling. Ultimately, the ability to weave compelling narratives is a powerful tool that has the potential to inspire, educate, and leave a lasting impact on society.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Visual Analysis: INTRODUCTION

 Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific examination of visual materials that explores their communicative meaning, aesthetic qualities, and functional impact. As Susan Sontag noted, humans tend to linger in "mere images of the truth," making it crucial to develop a deeper understanding of visual interpretation. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Introduction to Visual Analysis PDF The Nature of Seeing: The process of seeing is not as spontaneous or natural as commonly believed. According to John Berger, our way of seeing art has historically been influenced by privileged minorities to maintain social and economic dominance. Visual perception requires conscious effort and is heavily influenced by habits and conventions. The visual faculty consumes approximately two-third of a person’s used energy, highlighting its significance in human experience. The Framework of Visual Analysis: Visual analysis could be traced back to communication models, for example, Har...

Visual Analysis: SEMIOTICS

 Visual analysis is a systematic and scientific approach to examining visual materials that goes far beyond casual observation.  In our visually saturated world, images have become a inescapable universal language that shapes our perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. From the artworks adorning gallery walls to the advertisements lining city streets, visuals communicate narratives, evoke emotions, and reflect sociocultural ideologies. However, the process of seeing and interpreting visuals is not as spontaneous or natural as we often assume. As John Berger notably stated, "seeing is an active decision," suggesting that the process of interpreting visuals is neither spontaneous nor natural, but rather requires conscious effort and critical thinking. The way we perceive and interpret visual content is heavily influenced by habits, conventions, and our individual perspectives.  Serious visual analyses requires conscious effort and critical analysis to unravel the laye...

Visual Analysis: LANGUAGE, ELEMENTS, AND GRAMMAR

 Visual communication plays a powerful role in shaping our understanding of the world. Like written and spoken language, visuals employ a complex grammar and system of meaning. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) Visual language, elements, and grammar PDF At its core, visual grammar is comprised of fundamental elements like line, shape, colour, texture, space, and typography. These are the basic building blocks that visual creators assemble and organise using principles like emphasis, contrast, composition, size, proportion, balance, and lighting. Just as words are assembled following the syntactical rules of language, visuals are constructed by purposefully arranging and relating these elemental units. Lines, for instance, can convey a range of associations through their orientation and qualities. Horizontal lines suggest stability and calm, verticals impart a sense of strength and authority, while diagonals imbue dynamism and movement. The weight and curvature of lines fu...

Visual Analysis: WHAT ARE VISUALS?

  Visuals are images/collection of images that are  made to be  seen. There is a continuum of images in which people live; and visual is a paused/frozen moment from them. Study the PDF below (for academic use only) What Are Visuals? PDF People/artists/designers capture/construct/make images/visuals for others to see. Therefore we only see the image/visual/frame that is given to us to see. For John Berger, a visual is a sight which has been recreated or reproduced ... which has been detached from the place and time in which it first made its appearance. Art: Traditional art, the oldest form of visual expression, represents humanity's first attempts to interpret and document the world. From prehistoric cave paintings to Renaissance masterpieces and contemporary installations, art has evolved beyond mere representation to become a vehicle for emotional, philosophical, and social commentary. Artists manipulate colour, form, texture, and space to create works that challen...

The Brown Sisters: A Four-Decade Portrait of Time and Sisterhood

 Nicholas Nixon's "The Brown Sisters" stands as one of photography's most compelling longitudinal portrait studies, documenting four decades of sisterhood through annual black-and-white photographs taken from 1975 to 2014. Using an 8×10 inch view camera, Nixon captured his wife Bebe and her three sisters—Heather, Mimi, and Laurie Brown—in the same order each year, creating a remarkable visual meditation on time, aging, and familial bonds. For the full set of images see the PDF below (for academic use only) Forty Portraits in Forty Years PDF What began as a spontaneous family photograph in 1975 evolved into a profound artistic documentation of human transformation. The project's strength lies in its methodological consistency: the sisters maintain their positions, with the sequence remaining unchanged throughout the series. This rigid framework paradoxically highlights the subtle changes that occur year by year, creating a powerful commentary on the passage of time...

A Critical Visual Analysis of Jan Banning's ‘Bureaucratics’

 Jan Banning's photographic series Bureaucratics offers a remarkable anthropological study of civil servants across eight countries, revealing how power, hierarchy, and cultural identity manifest in governmental spaces. Through meticulously composed photographs taken from a citizen's perspective, Banning unveils the theatre of bureaucracy the most immediate visual impact comes from Banning's consistent methodology: each photograph is taken from the same height and distance, positioning the viewer in the role of a citizen approaching the bureaucrat's desk. The bureaucrats are photographed in their natural habitat – their offices – which become stages where power dynamics and cultural values are performed daily. Make visual analysis of  Bureaucratics  by Jan Banning given below. Bureaucratics by Jan Banning PDF  (for academic use only) In examining the spatial arrangements, a clear pattern emerges: the desk serves as both barrier and symbol of authority. In many image...

2025 Must Create Its Own Art

 Tonight’s art becomes inadequate
and useless when the sun rises in
the morning. The mistake lies not in creating art for tonight, but in assuming tonight’s answers will serve tomorrow’s questions. Louise Bourgeois, a French American artist, reflected, “art is a guaranty of sanity;” but that guarantee must be renewed with each dawn, each cultural shift, and
each evolution of human consciousness. If some art endures through generations, it
is only because of its capacity to speak, its ability to demand fresh interpretations that test and challenge the new. To guarantee sanity in the coming year, 2025 must create
its own art. Why create art? Why watch art? Why read literature? True art, in the words of Sunil P Ilayidam, shakes that which is rigid and unchangeable. Art serves as humanity’s persistent earthquake, destabilising comfortable certainties and creating space
for new ways of seeing, thinking, and being
in the world. An artist’s duty is to reflect the times, and we see this in...