U64022 SCREENWRITING ADVANCED WEEK 4 Seminar: 7-BEAT MODEL IN ROMCOMs SCREENPLAY STANDARDS (3) FILM GENRES (2) Crime thriller/noir

HOMEWORK FOR SEMINAR Watch: - Four Weddings and a Funeral (set 1) - Notting Hill (set 2) - Pretty Woman (set 3) Write a scene breakdown of the narrative structure and identify the 7-step pattern (including sections building up to each step) Bring along your analysis for seminar discussion in week 4. Use a memory stick and be ready to illustrate your analysis in class.

ROMANTIC COMEDIES – 7 BEATS 1.Setup 2.Catalyst 3. Sexy complication 4. Hook 5. Swivel 6. Dark moment 7. Joyful defeat U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level (+) 5 6 7

SCREENPLAY STANDARDS  Master draft, production drafts, shooting script  Drafts and revisions

SCRIPT DRAFTS & PRE-PRODUCTION Master draft No dates, no draft number, no copyright logo, no SCENE NUMBERS, no CONTINUEDs at tops and bottoms of pages Production drafts Once a script officially enters pre-production: Scene numbers added (both sides of every scene heading, beginning with 1) CONTINUEDs added - (CONTINUED) and CONTINUED: (n) Note: only when a scene is broken between pages, with addition of scene number Once the script is “boarded”, it becomes LOCKED (i.e. no more changes to scene numbers) and official “First Draft” (date is added on cover page)

SCRIPT DRAFTS & PRE-PRODUCTION Production drafts After completion of each draft, the script is revised Every revised line (and relevant slug line)  add * (right-hand margin) Deleted scenes  OMITTED (relevant pages will remain short) Added scenes  scene number + A, B, C... (e.g. 35A) Runs of pages (with changes)  new material will flow onto following pages. Add an extra “A” page after the last page of the run, before the first following page left unchanged.

SCRIPT DRAFTS & PRE-PRODUCTION Production drafts Revisions and polishes Every single round of revisions of the same draft is colour-coded Date and (colour) of each set of revision added on top right of title page Date and colour of latest revision added on top of each revised page Colours: white, blue, pink, yellow, green, goldenrod, buff, salmon, cherry, tan If too many changes, a new draft is written (all revision colours for this draft will start from white again)

FILM GENRES  Types of genres  Crime thriller / noir  Krevolin’s 15-step model

GENRES  Macrocategories – comedy, tragedy, and romance  Genres  narrative conventions  identify the story FORM  Genre determines some “constants”:  Nature of the struggle/conflict (protagonist VS antagonist)  Role of character(s)  Role of structure (dramatic shape)  Genre creates expectations in the audience U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

TYPES OF GENRES Based on what they tell us (the audience) about (ie. Nature of conflict/struggle):  Wish fulfillment  Between wish fulfillment and realism  Realism  Between realism and fear  Fear U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

GENRES OF WISH FULFILLMENT Always plot-intensive + main character as hero who achieves great feats  Western  Action-adventure  Science-fiction  Historical film  Musical U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

GENRES OF REALISM Characters in real-life situations.  Police/detective/crime story  Thriller  Gangster film  War film  Situation comedy U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

GENRES OF FEAR Where fears and fantasies meet and we (the audience) anticipate the worst  Film noir  Screwball comedy  Horror U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

GENRES BETWEEN WISH FULFILLMENT AND REALISM  Romantic comedy  Melodrama  Biopic  Sports film U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

GENRES BETWEEN REALISM AND FEAR  Farce  Satire  Moral fable U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

ROLE OF CHARACTER  Genre  presentation of main character VS antagonist  Goal differs based on genres and are related to themes U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

ROLE OF CHARACTER  All wish fulfillment genres  Main character = knight (set of ideals, values)  Antagonist = opposing forces  Goal = restore order  Ex. Crime story  Main character = detective or investigator  Goal = apprehension of the perpetrator of the crime  Theme = crime cannot go unpunished U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

ROLE OF STRUCTURE  Three acts (related to type of genre and role of characters) COMEDY CRIME/DETECTIVE 1- Meet Crime 2- Lose Investigation 3- Get Apprehension U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

3-ACTS & STORY ELEMENTS (Krevolin) U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level ACT 1 (lean and tight) 1-10 Setup  establish theme and tone. What ’ s the film about? (p.7) Story established  dramatic problem / stakes up  audience ’ s emotional involvement Plot/turning point #1  reversal/twist  NEW direction (p.29) i) decision to act ii) changes the protagonist ’ s life iii) related to plot A  first, failed confrontation w/antagonist force

3-ACTS & STORY ELEMENTS (Krevolin) U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level ACT 2 (longest, explore characters and relationships) Subplots (B, C, D stories etc. established and intertwined) i) affect love interest, best friends, parents ii)related to plot A but not driving force Complications on the road to achieve goal Never let up, a “ pinch ” every 5-10 pages (up and downs, fast and slow) 60 Midpoint. Breather after big confrontation (high point), but won ’ t last (soon leads to lowest point) The world starts to crumble i) subplots come into play or play themselves out ii) pushing down protagonist Plot/turning point #2  Lowest point (all is lost) i) revelation (epiphany) / realization (catharsis)  further decision, (re)action  driving force for change ii) affects rest of protagonist ’ s life (for better of for worse)

3-ACTS & STORY ELEMENTS (Krevolin) U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level ACT 3 (ties up all loose ends, always building, very tight) Build up of tension i) chase or battle scenes ii) resolution of many subplots ) Big Climax i) final danger (dead or alive) VS antagonist ii) final resolution (of dramatic question) ) Epilogue, hero rewarded (money, love) 120) THE END

GENRES Realism: Characters in real-life situations.  Police/detective/crime story  Thriller  Gangster film  War film  Situation comedy Fear: Where fears and fantasies meet and we (the audience) anticipate the worst  Film noir  Screwball comedy  Horror U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

Summary: ROLE OF CHARACTER AND STRUCTURE Crime story  Main character = detective or investigator  Goal = apprehension of the perpetrator of the crime  Theme = crime cannot go unpunished COMEDY CRIME/DETECTIVE 1- Meet Crime 2- Lose Investigation 3- Get Apprehension U64022 Screenwriting: Advanced Level

HOMEWORK FOR WEEK 5 Watch: Se7en Analyse structure: a) Write a scene breakdown b) Identify Krevolin’s 15-step pattern c) Identify roles of characters, main conflict, subplots, internal patterns Bring along your analysis for seminar discussion in week 5. Use a memory stick and be ready to illustrate your analysis in class.

TUTORIAL  Developing ideas  Dramatize ideas into a short story outline

COURSEWORK - OUTLINE Develop YOUR OWN story (i.e. no adaptations or remakes) Structure of 2-page outline Title (must be captivating to create expectations)  MANDATORY Written by NAME+SURNAME Premise (a short statement, words max) Plot synopsis. - Include all 3 act breaks - Each act must consist of short paragraphs, each corresponding to a main narrative step in the story.

PREMISES A short, one to three sentences statement ( words), which captures the essential elements of the screenplay Introduce characters (names, job, function) Introduce main antagonist, conflict and goal Overriding themes Set the scene (where and when) Evoke colour, taste and smell

SHORT SYNOPSIS Use present tense. Style must be fluent and crisp. Use short sentences, focus on dramatic action (what happens). No walls of blahs, write short paragraphs. Do not numbered paragraphs. Event structure of your story (NOT a scene breakdown: i.e. one-liners). Events will become sequences of scenes in the final screenplay.

SHORT SYNOPSIS Split into 3 acts (indicate) and include all the essential plot points and story elements. Act 1: 4-6 blocks, Act 2: 8-10 block, Act 3: 3-5 blocks Synopsis = PLOT (no lengthy descriptions, no explanations, no unnecessary details) Keep characters’ description to a minimum (only essential traits when they first appear; no need for physical traits if not essential) Specific indications of locations and time must be concise.

SYNOPSIS - SAMPLE First paragraph from the outline of When Harry Met Sally Harry Burns and Sally Albright share a long car ride from the University of Chicago to their new, post graduation lives in NYC. En route, they discuss whether a man and a woman can be friends, without sex getting in the way. Concluding that they cannot be friends, they part ways upon their arrival.

SYNOPSIS – SAMPLE ANALYSIS From When Harry Met Sally Harry Burns and Sally Albright 2.Share a long car ride from Chicago 3.En route, they discuss whether a man and a woman can be friends, without sex getting in the way. 4.In NYC, concluding that they cannot be friends, they part ways. 1 paragraph in synopsis = 4 sequences in script

COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1  Write 2-page story outline  Follow guidelines (e.g. apply a model, and suggestions from tutorial)  Choose a genres: either RomCom or Crime-Thriller  Stick to instructions in handbook (pp )  Deadline: Wednesday 2 November  Submit: i) printed copy (hand in at start of class); ii) DOC file (via , see instructions)