8.31.16 Melancholy Stunned Elated Brave Revulsion Grumpy

Class Instructions Take out your preliminary micro minis! Await further instructions! I need six volunteers…

9.1.16 Pleased Indifferent Numb Weary Hopeless Uncertain

9.2.16 Overwhelmed Hateful Trusting Intrigued Excited Sympathy

Constructing Our Own Micro-Minis A Step-by-Step Exercise to Beginning the Screenwriting Process

The Micro-Mini, a Quick Review We are beginning the course with four concepts: back story internal conflict stage business blocking

Step #1: The Prompt The micro-mini begins with a prompt designed to give the writer enough room to find his or her own creative way, while also maintaining a focus common enough for us to share a dialogue as a class. MM Prompt #1: Confined to a small space in which none of the characters are able to exit, (x) siblings confront one another about a serious (read: non-humorous) matter pertaining to a past family secret.

Step #2: The Back Story The second step is to populate the scenario with believable characters. As this is a very short scene, limit your number of characters to two or three. Then write a very brief back story describing: 1) who each character is 2) the relationship between the characters 3) how they got where they are when the scene begins 4) any other pertinent information we need to know to understand the scene

Step #3: The Dialogue Dialogue, very simply, is conversation between people. The next step is to use the scenario and the characters to create a dramatic scene through the use of dialogue. To achieve internal conflict, remember, one character must grapple with two opposing demands/impulses. Write a scene of 25 words or less (excluding stage direction) that entails your characters navigating the given scenario. Emphasize and prioritize internal conflict. With so few words, you’ll have to use a pruning technique.

Step #4: The Stage Business This step is what distinguishes the dramatic from the literary – where abstract ideas written on a page become concrete characters on a stage. Read back over your scene. Then, for each character that appears on stage, write a short paragraph that describes what he or she is doing…

Suggestions for Writing Stage Business Having a character doing something boring (e.g., tapping away on his or her phone) is as good as having them do nothing at all. Typically, when we are involved in conversations with others, we are engaged with them in some sort of shared activity. See if your scene lends itself to this overlap in stage business. If the stage business can reflect the dialogue being spoken, you’re doing very well. If the stage business can reflect a larger theme of the scene, you’re also doing very well.

Step #5: Blocking The last step is to determine the spatial relationships of the characters – both to themselves and to the set. While thoroughly underappreciated, blocking is fundamental to actualizing a scene. Draw a bird’s-eye view of the blocking for your scene. Begin by illustrating the placement of the set pieces of the space (e.g., doors, furniture, key props, et cetera). Then draw in the characters as they will appear to the audience when the scene begins. Lastly, use numbered arrows to indicate important movements that are integral to the scene.

The Micro-Mini Summarized Step 1: The Prompt Step 2: The Back Story Step 3: The Dialogue Step 4: The Stage Business Step 5: The Blocking Today’s Prompt: Confined to a small space in which none of the characters are able to exit, (x) siblings confront one another about a serious (read: non-humorous) matter pertaining to a past family secret.