Screenwriting Courses - Tips And Advice From An Expert Screenwriter

By Author: Ralph Brooks
Total Articles: 34
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If you are interested in taking screenwriting courses it's best if you get as much experience in beforehand. When you are taking part in screenwriting courses there will be a lot of information to take in that you probably would have never considered beforehand. I'm not saying you should write an entire script before you start a screenwriting course but I would at least recommend reading up about the basic components of a movie script such as; theme, character and plot.
What Is The Theme Of A Movie?
The theme is basically what the film is about though this shouldn't be mixed up with genre. The theme of the film should be able to be summed up within one sentence, for example if you were going to sum up the meaning of Star Wars you would say: evil succeeds when good people do nothing. When you have the theme to your film then it will help you develop the plot as you will have a clearer understanding of what your film is about.
How Can I Create Interesting Characters?
There are many techniques people use to create interesting characters. One technique that is easiest is to base a character on somebody you ...
... already know and place them under a stereotype. Some very successful writers have done this to great effect, a classic example is David Brent for The Office. David Brent is based on a boss Ricky Gervais (writer) once had. Once you have written a basic outline to your character, even if you aren't writing a screenplay at that moment then it's always a good idea to store the information away in a character bank (computer or folder etc.) You never know when you might use them.
What Are Good Ways To Think Of Plots?
Once you have the characters and theme of your movie then the plot should become second nature. If you do however find yourself struggling there are plenty of techniques writers use to think of interesting stories. Try thinking of a setting or place and put your character there and just imagine what happens.
What I have basically taught you is some very simple ways to get started generating ideas. The idea of this is not to teach you how to write a screenplay but to prepare you for screenwriting courses. It's better to turn up with a collection of ideas rather than none at all.

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