Telling a Story through Film

The Five Basic Steps of Film Production: Script developmentكتابه النص Preproductionمرحلة قبل الانتاج Productionالانتاج Postproductionبعد الانتاج Distributionالتوزيع

What is a script? Your script must be well crafted وضع before production can begin. Think of it as a blueprint مخطط for the final film – the instructions for making your film.

Where do scripts come from? Ideas Ideas Concepts Concepts Images Images Characters Characters Dreams Dreams Real events Real events Fantasies Fantasies Memories Memories Historical events Places Social issues Real-life experiences News stories Magazine articles Adaptations of short stories

What is the story about? What do you feel after you read the story? Why does the story move you? What do you feel after you read the story? Why does the story move you? Whose story is it? Do you identify with the main character? Whose story is it? Do you identify with the main character? What actually happens? Do you identify with the plot? What actually happens? Do you identify with the plot? Is there a relationship between the main character and the plot? Is there a relationship between the main character and the plot? Does the plot tell us something about the main character? Does the plot tell us something about the main character? What does it say about the human condition? Do you identify with its theme? What does it say about the human condition? Do you identify with its theme? How much of the story is developed through internal thoughts and feelings? How much of the story is developed through internal thoughts and feelings? Are you able to tell what happens in the story in one sentence? Are you able to tell what happens in the story in one sentence?

Find your plot and characters To find the plot (what actually happens), strip the story of its dialogue and internal monologues (what the characters are thinking and feeling). This will reveal the dramatic “through line” of your story. Once you’ve eliminated what you can’t see and hear, what do you have? Do you have a plot? Does the action reveal something about the main character? Is there a beginning, middle, and end?

General story guidelines: Do not cut and paste Do not cut and paste Be willing to reinvent Be willing to reinvent If adapting, make the story yours, not the author’s If adapting, make the story yours, not the author’s Be true to the essence and spirit of the story Be true to the essence and spirit of the story Keep it simple Keep it simple Be aware of economy of time, place, and action Be aware of economy of time, place, and action

Basic guidelines for the short form Length – Is there an ideal length for a short? The best length is the one that allows you to adequately على نحو كاف, and concisely اختصار, tell your story. The length may be predetermined سلفا due to the submission guidelines of the intended market though.

* Important * We are often very anxious قلق about wanting to impress people with our talent and skill, and can tend to try to say or do too much with our short films. When in doubt, if the scene is not essential in revealing the message of your film, cut it. Don’t just keep stuff because it “looks cool,” etc. You don’t want to distract the viewer with too much. Keep it simple.

The Central Theme The central theme is what the story is all about. It represents why you wanted to make the film in the first place – what you wanted to say. All scenes in your film should contribute to the main theme. As a good rule of thumb ابهام, if someone should ask you, “what is your film about,” you should be able to answer in one or two sentences.

Conflict A basic element common to all visual drama is the need for a specific and identifiable conflict. Conflict creates tension. Tension engages the viewer’s emotions until the conflict is resolved and the tension relieved at the end of the piece.

What is conflict, and how is it created? Conflict is realized through the characters. Most narrative stories begin by establishing a problem,, or goal. Someone wants something or is unhappy or unfulfilled لم يتم الوفاء بها in some way. The process of working out this issue defines the drama.

The Basic Conflicts: Individual vs. Self (internal) الفرد مقابل نفسه Individual vs. Self (internal) الفرد مقابل نفسه Individual vs. Individual (personal) الفرد مقابل شخص اخر Individual vs. Individual (personal) الفرد مقابل شخص اخر Individual vs. Society (social environment) الفرد مقابل المجتمع Individual vs. Society (social environment) الفرد مقابل المجتمع Individual vs. Nature (physical environment) الفرد مقابل الطبيعة Individual vs. Nature (physical environment) الفرد مقابل الطبيعة - Each one of these conflicts, alone or in combination, draws our attention to the plight محنه of the main character (or protagonist بطل الروايه ).

The Dramatic Arc القوس الدرامى Every story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Most stories can be reduced to the basic formula الصيغة of goal/obstacle/resolution, creating this progression: Beginning (setup) Beginning (setup) Middle (development) Middle (development) End (resolution) End (resolution)

Dramatic Arc This formula الصيغة creates the natural arc of all narrative and non-narrative drama. All stories follow this progression. The problem is introduced, developed (dealt with), and then resolved. When the resolution has been reached, the story is over.