Creative Screenwriter Expo Convention Notes-2

1. Karl Inglesia- 402B – Evoking Emotions.
A. What do readers want?  Key: Tell me something I know in a  way that moves me- emotions
B. Story is different from story telling- refresh me from everyday drivel
C. A reader hopes the next script is great
D. New information, need to bond, need for conflict resolution, need for completion and closure
E. Three types of storytelling:
a. Voyeuristic- curious
b. Vicarious- feel what the character feels
c. Visceral- what reader, audience feels- ( laughter, fear, suspense, special effects.
2. Character Emotion vs. Reader/Viewer Emotions
A. Jaws- Woman feels great when she jumps into the water- the audience feels dread as they see the danger from the shark.
B. Planning: concept                              Writing:
                               Theme                                description
                               Character                             dialogue
                                Story                                   re-write
                               Structure
                                Scenes
C. 12 WEEK contract to get a script  in Hollywood- 2 months to plan/ one to write
D. Concept: A great idea- Fresh, appealing, intriguing ( most ideas are boring- idea must hook you)
E. Must be intriguingly familiar- unique hook,
F. FAMILIAR EMOTIONS
G. Theme: Pro’s know right away- heart of the story- primary truth behind your story ( a truth)- Theme is the tool of the agenda- it is universal to human experience having a meaning  that resonates deeply within us- a blueprint for living.
H. STORY REVEALS THEME: a tool to create situations on a rational and emotional level.
I. THEME SHOULD resonate throughout your story
J. The more meaningful the theme the deeper the emotions
K. If you break apart a SCENE you should see the theme
L. Character: MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN STORY
M. Your characters attract talent- attract a star.
N. EMPHASIZE THE UNIQUENESS/COMPLEXITY of your characters
O. ACTIVE CHARACTER- not re-active
P. Key: Emotional connection with main character that builds, reveals, so as the audience connects emotionally
Q. SIMPLE FORMULA: a CHARACTER WANTS SOMETHING THAT CREATES CONFLICT/ DRAMATIC ACTION toward his goal- focus on elements that cause VISCERAL emotions- interest, curiosity, anticipation, tension , suspense-
R. STRUCTURE: build your story- spend more time on emotions
S. Three act structure- beg-mid-end- like a skeleton of a body- setup- conflict- resolution
T. Scene: A MINI STORY with beg, mid, end.
a. two twists
b. conflict or the promise of conflict
c. plan your scenes
d. somebody wants something and somebody is preventing it
   3. Writing: DESCRIPTIONS- not about what you say but how you say it
a. “he entered the room” is boring
b. change the verb to evoke emotions
c. use your ability to totally Immerse us in an experience
d. well written does not mean over written
e. scene writing is like poetry
f. command attention through words
g. create motion reading -riveting, reading experience

4. Dialogue:
A. move story
B. reveal character
C. have subtext
D. reflect speaker’s mood (not told)
E. reveal/ hide speakers motivations
F. foreshadow what’s to come
G. have an emotional impact
H. Individuality
I. Subtle exposition- invisible- “ As you know, I’m your father” is bad.
J. No “on the nose” junk
5. Polish: 90% of work is in story planning
a. remember- you can’t polish a turd.
b. Do not create false emotions
c. Instead, focus on definite emotion or wounds
d. Create an event that evokes the emotions
e. Get into the habit of highlighting emotions
f. Create an emotional experience for the reader
g. Command attention with your words- instead of  “a mean woman” say “she was a shrew”
h. He’s a good man- instead- he’s a saint
i. Shoes-  Italian, dog- pincher- car- corvette
j. Hold back in over describing the situation- “ The cow crossed the road” was the winner of the contest sponsored by
k. Replace Adjectives with Verbs-  A loud man- A man roars, Happy dog, The dog wags it’s tail
l. It’s windy- The wind whistles- Set right Pace- KEEP SCRIPT THE SAME PACE- DON’T INTERRUPT THE FLOOR WITH LONG DESCRIPTIONS IF THEY WERE’NT USED BEFORE
m. USE “SOUNDS”- the bell clangs instead of rings- read Shane Black to see a great example of active words
n. Use sensory words- sight, touch, wind licks the face,
o. Sound bites- bang, screech
p. Emotional cues- show don’t tell
q. Talking descriptions- actors love talking descriptions-
r. Instead of walk- strides, marches, paces, ambles
s. VISUAL METAPHOR- she could sell ice to an Eskimo
t. Symbolism- opening of Rocky- the name of the fighters Jim
u. COLORS: evoke emotions- red, anger, blue, peaceful, black, evil
v. CHARACTER DESCRIPTION: ONE POWERFUL SENTENCE
w. Ex: Neo- a young man who known more about living inside a computer that outside one.”
x. LOCATIONS: great spots- cliff-side house

David Freeman- Expo III
1. Deepening technique.
a. the plot circles back on itself in an interesting way
b. Mission statement (Jerry McGuire)- love clients- said on his own in a MEMO that comes back on him and causes him to be fired-
c. He’s not a guy who loves- but learns to through the story
2. Theme: a subject exploded from many points of view with a conclusion in the end which is correct
a. Lord of the Rings: theme is power
3. Plot deepening: A complicated group of dynamics who take a while to sort out- Casablanca is an example- relationships between Rick, Germans, French take time to sort out
4. Plot deepening: Someone dies as in Crouching Tiger
5. Plot deepening: Making a spiritual world-
6. Plot deepening: A character accomplishes ark but does not get goal- bitter sweet
7. Plot deepening: symbols
8. Note: 80% of plot deepening goes unseen by the audience
9. Plot deepening: A character who is an artist
10. Plot deepening: take your hero to a low place then make it lower
11. Plot deepening: contrasting /opposites plots ( My So Called Life)
12. Parallel plot lines- sub plot echoes main plot.
13. Spiritual BONDS

Jeff Kitchen- 36 Dramatic situations
1. Use them to jog the creative process
2. They suggest many possibilities that you may not have thought of
3. Free association tool
4. Think metaphorically with them- a poetic frame of mind
5. The less literally you take the 36 the more useful they can become
6. Murder can be symbolic
7. Get clarity for your idea
8. Ambition for your character
9. Get a simple- deep- clear understanding of your story
10. Demolish the cliché

Example: The Godfather
1. Revolt
2. Daring Enterprise
3. Conflict with a god
4. Ambition
5. Madness
6. Rivalry of superior
7. Pursuit
8. The Enigma
9. All sacrificed for a passion
10. Self- sacrifice for a kindred

Example: Tootsie
1. Ambition
2. Revolt
3. Daring enterprise
4. Rivalry
5. Deliverance
6. Disaster
7. Madness
8. All sacrificed

Example:  Training Day]
1. The Enigma
2. Conflict with a god
3. Ambition
4. Madness
5. Disaster
6. Rivalry
7. Revolt
8. Enmity
9. Erroneous Judgement
10. Fatal imprudence

Example: Minority Report
1. The Enigma
2. Madness
3. Erroneous Judgement
4. Supplication
5. Conflict with a god
6. All sacrificed for a passion
7. Pursuit
8. Disaster
9. Revolt

DAN MIERS- Saturday- “Beat and Sequence”
1. Story is built into our brains
2. 100 years of films teach us many things
3. foolish not to recognize the reality
4. Every movie is THE STORY OF A PERSON (MC) IN PURSUIT of something.
5. This is the face of some opposition in direct conflict with the MC
6. This is story and nothing else is story!!!
7. Other things are bi-products of the Main story
8. BEAT: “Any change in how the main character chooses to how to achieve his goal- a fork in the road so to speak.”
9. These occur with events, discoveries, decisions, etc.
10. Ex: Darth Vador kills Obie One- Question: What will Luke do next?
11. EVENT: “ Anything that requires a decision of the MC.”
12. DISCOVERY: “ This might change how the MC goes about his goal.”
13. SCENE BEATS: “ Any change in a scene- guns, map, car, leaves the building- change
14. He points a gun at someone to get what he wants- SCENE BEAT-
15. Perhaps 1 to 4 scenes make a BEAT
16. Writer must write it so it must be shot no other way- tight-  beats lining up
17. Set up, Conflict, Resolution
18. All story is drama: NEEDS IN OPPOSITION
19. Goal: create an ever increasing set of stakes from scene to scene
20. Your selection in order of story beats is critical- KEEP ONE THING GOING FORWARD
21. HOW DO YOU MAKE EACH BEAT STRONGER:
a. Elevate the stakes from sequence to sequence
b. SEQUENCE: A SERIES OF SCENES THAT FLOW OFF A BEAT
c. Each scene belongs to a certain beat and to nothing else
d. Ex: Go to Mexico to rob a bank: everything that follows belongs to that decision
e.  Big story beat: Act turn
f. Lost point: end of ACT II
g. End of ACT II the protagonist must do something different- all hope is lost- he must decide to win
h. At movies beginning he was on THE GOLDEN PATH- before the Inciting Incident-
i. Ex: Matrix- red pill or blue pill?
j. Each event in the story takes them further away from their Golden Path
k. MOMENT OF REALIZATION- WE CAN’T GO BACK IS AT THE END OF ACT ONE
22. Before you write- write a really good treatment- why? – IIT FORCES YOU TO IDENTIFY YOUR  BEATS-
23. Generally there are 10 to 20 major story beats in a movie- two or three scenes per BEAT
24. FIRST ACT- Ist sequence will introduce 90% of your characters- especially everybody that is important
25. Theme: comes together BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENS-
26. Act II- At mid-point all paths to objective are gone except one
27. Thelma and Louise- mid point is when they embark on a law-breaking journey
28. Luke see the Death Star at Mid Point
29. Page 60-90 opponent gets the upper hand- page 90 WE ARE SO FAR AWAY FROM THE GOLDEN PATH!
30. RESOLUTION: based on MC decision of what it will take- Luke says: I have to be a leader now.
31.  Chart the action- make sure your scenes move-
32. Add items on top of other things all in motion
33. BACK on page 10 did you forget that one thing you set in motion?
34. SET IN MOTION: an element of the story that should move forward/live after you create it.
35. Ac t one has only several sequences- more than four in trouble
36. Screenwritersgroup.com

Steve Kaplan: Theory of comedy
1. Ground hog day a perfect script
2. STARTS WITH ONE BIG LIE FOLLOWED BY THE TRUTH
3. “Big”, “Splash”
4. Plot means nothing, gags mean nothing
5. Comic Premise: without writing a word scenes pop into your head
6. Premise explodes with scenes
7. Comedy gives you permission to win
8. Comedy is watching somebody watch somebody do something funny
9. Comedy is about character
10. Comedy creates ACTION- EXPLOSIONS
11. First rule: What’s needed? Theme
12. You are not trying to be funny!!
13. The character tells you what to do
14. Man kicks dog then slips on a banana
15. If it’s funny to you it is funny
16. Comic: tells the truth with a twist
17. Everything we do is to make our lives better-
18. People will always try because that’s what humans do- that creates comedy
19. Comedy is: Ordinary guy strapped against demise without the tools to win and yet never gives up hope of winning.
20. Comedy gives people permission to win
21. Hero: lacks skills’
22. Tool: Metaphor relationship
23. Tool: Positive action- STUPID IDEA THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY WORK
24. No such thing as a straight man/funny man- both work for comedy
25. Remember that it is about what is real

Robert McKee
1. When a character drops out of character- that becomes melodrama
2. Talent is the ability to make a connection between two things making a new hidden connection between something- a connection no one has seen before- it’s called STORY
3. Truth is not what happens but what we think about what happens.

4. Is your story internally truthful within itself!