BROAD GUIDELINES FOR FURTHER LEARNING
From Anjum Rajabali
December 2017
If you want to practice the craft of feature film screenwriting, you will have to invest some solid effort, time and attention to learn it.
For further learning, you don’t have to go to an institute or for any formal classes. A formal course or workshop is enormously useful, of course. However, if you can’t do that, it is possible to learn on one’s own too. You need to continuously pay attention to the elements of the craft constantly through your writing, viewing, reading, reflection, and discussions. Intuition, on which all good writing depends, has to be honed. And, it gets honed by all these five actions.
Moreover, screenwriting is a VERY demanding craft, as you’ll discover. So, respect it, appreciate its limitations, explore and expand its capacities to enable your personal expression to fit in it.
Hence, work out a regimen for yourself and see how much of the below-mentioned you can do in a rigorous regular way.
- Regular Writing
Making sure that you write every day is the way to be a writer! Period. Those of you who are professionally employed, or live very busy lives, and are unable to physically write daily, should make it a practice of writing mentally! As I repeatedly emphasized at the workshop, writing fiction requires a certain mental atmosphere to be created and maintained. You need to orient your perception towards discovering, in your imagination, the interesting possibilities (drama, humour, other interesting elements) underlying even ordinary-looking situations. You have to learn to notice what could be interesting about people that you meet or remember. Gradually, this knack of noticing interesting things around you becomes second nature. A screenwriter’s creative reservoir is constantly replenished by her engagement with life. By his capacity to respond to his reality – external and internal. It is this dynamic interaction that imparts vitality to your imagination. And hence, to your writing. (And, never forget what I told you about what the boss of us all, Jean Claude Carriere, said, ‘Imagination is like a muscle. If you don’t use it, it grows weak!’)
If you discover a premise or plot (or even just a character) that fires your imagination, pursue it with vigorous interest. Keeping it in you mind, prodding and probing it for interesting hidden possibilities, turning it on its head to see the underside – all these cost nothing. But, the dividends can be unexpectedly rewarding. For all you know, there is a script in there, waiting to be written.
So, in short, fantasise continuously, and write regularly. Regardless of whether you’re happy or depressed, excited or disappointed, busy or free, feeling lazy or energetic... write! Depending on the stage of the script that you’re at, actively attack that aspect daily. (If competitiveness motivates you, remember William Goldman’s words, ‘Be aware, that while you’re idling away your time, someone somewhere is sitting locked up in a room, writing away.’ S/he may finish a script before you!)
Fix a minimum number of minutes or hours every day that you will write. If possible, fix a time for that, so that you don’t have to be indecisive every day. And, FOLLOW THAT! (You do have a fixed time for your walk, or yoga, or exercise, don’t you?)
- Recommended books
- "The Art of Dramatic Writing", by Lajos Egri (First published in 1943, this excellent book by a teacher of playwriting captures all the essentials of what constitutes good drama. Very very useful.)
- "The Hero With a Thousand Faces", by Joseph Campbell (While this is not a writing text, it is a study of world mythologies which expose us to the rhythms of our characters' journeys based as this pattern is in a deep understanding of the human unconscious. A seminal and precious work for every screenwriter. Absolutely, a must read.)
- "Story", by Robert McKee (regarded as America's most influential screenwriting guru, Mr.McKee's understanding of mainstream Hollywood narrative is impeccable. Unfortunately, that is all that this is good for really, according to me.)
- “Writing the Character-Centred Screenplay”, by Andrew Horton (Desirable)
- “Poetics”, by Aristotle (Leon-Golden edition. Strongly recommended)
- “Tools of Screenwriting”, by David Howard (Interesting approach to writing; Frank Daniels’ method. Nice book.)
- "Screenwriting 434", by Lew Hunter (Regarded as one of the most respected teachers of screenwriting in America, Hunter has adapted his course at UCLA, where he was the head of the screenwriting department, into this lucid book with a classroom approach.)
- “Adventures in the Screen Trade”, by William Goldman (Enjoyable insights into the mentality of the film industry in Hollywood. Not terribly different from here!)
- “The Craft of the Screenwriter”, by Joel Brady (Detailed interviews with six greats, including Robert Towne, Ernest Lehman, William Goldman. A very good read.)
- “Alternative Scriptwriting”, by Jeff Rush and Ken Dancyger (Interesting examples of departures from conventions. Not necessarily always useful, though.)
- “Four Screenplays”, by Syd Field (Good format. Nice interviews with the writers of those four films.)
And, most important
- “The Mahabharata”, translated by Kamala Subramanyam
- “The Ramayana”, translated by Arshia Sattar
Note: Around half a dozen books a year are released on screenwriting, most of them from the US. Reading too many ‘to-do’ books can confuse you and undermine your free thinking. (From the above, I recommend that you definitely try to read 1, 2, 3, 12, 13. Eventually, you’ll realize that you will take from these books only what is relevant and useful to you! And, read 8 for pure fun! It’s the first book by a screenwriter that I ever read. And, came away with a lot of admiration for Goldman. He’s an entertainer, alright. Apart from this, it is always useful to look out for in-depth interviews with screenwriters.)
- Recommended films
- Chinatown (Dark theme, complex characters, tragic ending, difficult screenplay. But, one of the finest to come out of Hollywood.)
- Casablanca (Regarded as one of the best screenplays from Hollywood. So simple as to be almost elementary. Definitely worth studying closely.)
- On the Waterfront (If it helps, do know that I learnt most of my initial screenwriting from viewing this film. The producers of Ghulam had asked me to adapt this. Excellent writing by Budd Schulberg. Riveting central character, his dilemmas, and the transformation that he undergoes. And, a superlative performance by Mr. Brando!)
- 12 Angry Men (A tightly-structured screenplay entirely placed in a single room. Notice the arcs of transformation of the different characters.)
- It’s a Wonderful Life (The reluctant hero, who is capable of exemplary heroism. And of course a compelling theme. Trivia: The idea for this script came from a Christmas greeting card!)
- Manchester by the Sea (A tragic character’s honest but failed attempts at coming to terms with his terrible loss and his guilt. While the film appears to unfold very naturally, if you study the script, you’ll notice a very neat structure underlying it.)
- The Salesman (Again, a character’s struggle to contain his uncontrollable outraged at a violation of something that is exclusively his, by another man. Well calibrated character arc and script.)
- The Big Short (Wonderful script. Follows multiple characters, unknown to one another, but all held together by a disquieting phenomenon that intrigues them. Very nicely held-together script.)
- Fugitive (Quite a definitive thriller. Very clear structure and defined motives even as the intentions change with the growth of the character – including a definite mid-point where his response to his situation undergoes a sharp reversal. Disappointing action climax, though.)
- Witness (Good combination of premise and theme, with a text-book screenplay structure.)
- Zodiac (Another way of crafting a thriller, elaborate and open-ended, in a way.)
- Amores Perros (Three separate stories linked only by their theme and by an individual incident.)
- Children of Heaven (You don’t need a universally BIG premise for a touching story. It can be merely about a lost pair of shoes, but the effect of that on the characters has to be strong.)
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Written by one of Hollywood’s most interesting contemporary screenwriters, this very unusual premise has been structured in a most energetic and involving way. See all of Charlie Kaufman’s films.)
- Big Fish (Tim Burton’s experiments with narratives continues. What is fantasy, and what is reality? After a while, does it matter really?)
- Sweet Sixteen (Ken Loach’s touching, rousing and heart-rending account of a boy in Ireland. See all of Ken Loach’s films.)
- Dead Girl (Telling the story of one dead person from the povs of different characters who knew her, and how character is revealed thus.)
- The Machinist (A character believes his delusions to be reality. Quite well done.)
- Cronicas (A dramatic but incisive and uncompromising story about how media-persons manipulate reality with tragic consequences.)
- No Man’s Land (An entire screenplay loaded with huge ethnic conflict depicted entirely in a narrow, tense space during a war.)
- Amadeus (Powerful theme of envy, keeping your sympathies entirely with the envious protagonist who is an anti-hero. Excellent opening sequence.)
- Verdict (Rather compelling script of how a character rises from the ashes to some glorious heroic victory.)
- Battle of Algiers (A bold powerful and different way of telling a story. While it is made to look like a documentary, it is actually a feature film and was entirely scripted.)
- Deewaar (One of the better-scripted Hindi films. Very good and very useful to study.)
- Aakrosh (1980. Dir: Govind Nihalani) (Notice the transformation of the character, as the plot intensifies. While telling the front-story of the lawyer and his case, the script brings out the exploitation of tribals so effectively.)
- Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (Once again, notice the arc of the character.)
- Separation (I think it won the Golden Globe as well as the Oscar for best foreign language film. Worth viewing and studying. These Iranians know how to write, that’s for sure. Notice the dialogue, especially.)
- Ardh Satya (For the superb characterization of Anant Velankar, a man beset by his own demons from childhood, which explode and control his destiny as a police officer brutalized by a callous and corrupt system.)
- Satya (Gritty screenplay, some wonderful scenes, memorable characters, and a whammy of a climax.)
- Piravi (Difficult to get this, as they never released DVDs. Maybe you could catch it at a festival. One of India’s finest films. Lovely screenplay.)
- Groundhog Day (Absolutely delightful premise. And, a structure that depends on the character exploring all the desirable options before moving on to the more difficult but valid ones. And, in the process, discovering life. Must watch.)
- Meghe Dhake Tara (The routine hypocrisy of a middle-class family, and the doomed destiny of their daughter who is exploited by her own. A study in how to use melodrama effectively. Tight screenplay. Superb film.)
- Charulata (Satyajit Ray’s classic, which remained his favourite film. Wonderful screenplay. Watch the opening scene of 8 minutes repeatedly, and study its screenplay.)
- Manthan (Written by the great Vijay Tendulkar, this is a pretty tight screenplay which could well have lapsed into a propaganda film, but personalizes the drama such that it remains an involving story. Bravura performance by Naseeruddin Shah.)
- E.T. (Simple, heartwarming tale, but woven into an engaging screenplay, with the stakes rising as the friendship between the young lad and the alien grows, and the obstacles that his continued presence on earth causes for his return to his own planet. Rousing climax which leaves you with wet eyes too!)
- Maqbool (Observe the way Vishal Bhardwaj crafts his scenes, since the characters are so much a part of their soil. And, he is one of the best dialogue writers that we have in the country.)
- Rear Window (For me, one of Hitchcock’s best films. Shot from one single room, it has a script that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Good stuff, this.)
- Star Wars (If you want to see how Joseph Campbell’s formulation of the heroic journey translates into a screenplay. Not recommending that you do the same, but it is still worth appreciating how they did it.)
- Mughal-e-Azam (The mother of all dialogue-based Hindi film dramas! Long scenes, but the rhythm of the dialogue and the escalating dialogue-baazi keeps you riveted. Definitely worth viewing, and discussing.)
- Dahan (Another fine screenplay by Rituparno Ghosh. One incident that permanently changes the life of two women, caught at two ends of the conflict that ensues. Touching, believable, sad.. Good screenplay.)
- Fandry (Impactful Marathi film, with a really good script, by Nagaraj Manjule. Will shake you up. The climax will have you on your feet, breathless and applauding. A must watch!)
- One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (The main plot is about one man’s fight against an institution that abhors individual freedom. Based on the theme that regimentation robs you of your individual humanity and should be rebelled against. Just look at the variety of situations that the writers conjure up. A superlative performance by Jack Nicholson.)
- The Sixth Sense (This is a film that should be read and then seen, or vice-versa if you’ve already seen it. Shyamalan writes as he appreciates the cinematic expression of his moments. Vibrant writing. Some wonderful scenes, really. And, a sad but satisfying resolution. Must see, if you haven’t. And, must read, if you haven’t.)
- Memento (Very interesting structure – it goes backwards, effectively. So, having figured out a pattern, Chris Nolan milks this all the way through. And, a great twisted revelation at the end. Do watch, and study.)
There are just too many films to see. Am recommending the following, just for you to watch, if and when you feel upto it, and to mull over the screenplay. (All the films listed above, and below, are those that I’ve learnt something or the other from.)
- Fanny and Alexander
- Autumn Sonata
- Sideways
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- All the president’s men
- Becket
- Terminator 2
- Nayakan
- Gandhi
- Ordinary people
- Guess who’s coming to dinner
- The Sting
- Thevar magan
- Saaransh
- Shree 420
- Damini
- North by northwest
- Masoom
- Sahib, Biwi aur Ghulam
- Unforgiven
- Full Monty
- Monsoon wedding
- Marty
- It Happened One Night
- The Crying Game
- Jerry Maguire
- Gadar
- Braveheart
- Piano
- Ghost
- Roman holiday
- La Strada
- L’Aventurra
- Boyz n the hood
- The Circle
- L’enfant
- Paradise Now
- 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days
- The Lives of Others
- Talk to Her
- In Bruges
- The Big Lebowski
- Incendies
- Fish Tank
- Amour
- The Social Network
- The Lunchbox
- The Reader
- The Hunt
- Requiem for a Dream
- Black Swan
- Juno
- Happiness
- Waltz with Bashir
- American History X
- Her
- Bicycle Thieves (1948)
- Days and Nights in the Forest (1970)
- Junoon (1978)
- Life Is Beautiful (1997)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- WALL. E (2008)
- And another 100 that you already know about or will discover. Watch as many films as you can!! Period.
Some other general recommendations
- Read at least one script a week for the next six months. (You can download hundreds of scripts free from www.simplyscripts.com or www.script-o-rama.com There are also other sites which offer scripts.)
- VERY IMPORTANT: Transcribe the step-outlines of at least 12 films that you love over the next six months. Watch the film (even if you’ve seen it earlier), switch the DVD player off, and then write out the whole step-outline, scene-by-scene with scene headings and a paragraph to describe what happens in the scene. Just a paragraph per scene, no direct-speech dialogue necessary. Having done this, compare it closely to the film, see what you’ve missed out, and why. Complete the step-outline. Then study it closely. What is driving the sequencing, see how it cuts between the main plot and the sub-plots, see if you appreciate the tight structure, notice the devices used (pay-in pay out, foreshadow, pay-offs, etc.). If need be, isolate all the scenes of the main character and see his/her growth/arc through the script. Is his personality/behavior evolving through the situations that he is going through? After this, I would say, write out two scenes FULLY, with dialogue. This will help you to see how to write visually such that the scene reflects what is on your paper. This will gradually orient your literary style into a cinematic one. This helps the director see exactly how you have visualised the scene. This way you’ll learn how the written word translates into a picture, and you’ll also learn to appreciate the precision of the screenplay. Use professional screenwriting software for this. By writing it in a professional format, you’ll also hone your skill to judge the equation between your writing and the screen time that it is likely to occupy. (Judging the duration of the film by looking at your script is not just a valuable ability; soon it will become an imperative skill, given how filmmaking economics are becoming so critical.)
- Some useful websites:
The above are just a few interesting ones. If you google your choice of words, you ought to get hundreds of suggestions off the net.
The last one will give you Hindi film scripts.
- Workshops: There are many people who conduct workshops on screenwriting. It is unfortunate that people think it is easy to put together one, not realizing that one can’t teach screenwriting; one can only help the aspirant to learn, by giving him enough guidelines to help her use those principles, but leaving enough space for him to figure out how she wants to write her story. So, do keep your eye out for workshops by all means, but be careful about who’s the main instructor.
- Read LOTS of literature, especially classics – in any language that you can.
- And, above all, don’t forget to enjoy yourself as you do all of the above!!! ☺
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