Create A Feature Film, Without Writing A Script

There are screenwriters and there are film makers.

Some people like myself and James do both, but it’s not true of everyone.

In fact, if anyone asks me what I do, I’d pretty much always say that I am a screenwriter before I’d said film maker.

However, if you don’t have a natural inclination to screen writing it doesn’t mean you can’t create a great feature film — there are ways to achieve this without ever having to hammer out a script. Not in the traditional way, anyway.

This doesn’t mean to say there isn’t any work involved. It’s just a different kind of work.

Just like a screenwriter you still have to start with your idea for the movie. As this is going to be your own film, you don’t need a logline strong enough to pitch, just a route through the film. Basically, you need to start by thinking about having the story idea roughed out, as the kind of paragraph you’d find on the back of a DVD cover.

So, for instance “The weekend before her wedding, Sue decides to hold a sleep over hen party for her girl friends, in an isolated country house — but when one of the girls tries on Sue’s antique wedding dress for a laugh, she becomes possessed by a vengeful ghost intent on killing them all…etc. etc.”

OK. Once you’ve found an idea you’re keen on, this is where the process changes. Instead of doing detailed character development work, instead you cast the film.

The key to the rest of this process is finding a cast of actors, who want to be involved, not just in performing in the film, but also developing the script.

The next step is to create a plot, in exactly the way we did when doing the “write a genre film in seven days” — or in other words, break the film down into four parts with twelve sequences per part.

Now call your cast together for a day in a rehearsal room.

On the first day together you’re going to talk through the plot, assign roles to actors and then hand out blank copies of the $1000 Character Development Sheet.

Ask each of the actors to create a back story for their character. This will be an easy task for most actors as they do it all the time when they are training. Once they’ve done that, bring them all back to the table and get them to share with each other, the back stories they’ve created for themselves.

Use this first session to try out how the back stories play against each other. One way to do this is to set a scenario for two or three actors to improvise, in character — let them play with it. It doesn’t have to be from the movie — in fact, it’s better if it’s from the back story.

At the end of this day’s work, you should have the Character Development Sheet completed. Remember to post out a copy of the master version to all your cast.

Now, go back to your rough plot and see if any of the character development work gives you an opportunity to build in new or different sequences in to your story.

Now go out and find locations for your film and write down next to each sequence, where it’s going to happen. Take digital photos of each location and paste them next to the scene descriptions.

You should now have a rough idea of who your characters are, what’s going to happen in the film and also where the story takes place.

All you need now is your script.

Gather your cast again, preferably at the locations — or, in a rehearsal room. Start with sequence one. Explain what roughly what needs to happen in the scene and then let your actors improvise the sequence.

The first time they do this, it’s going to be pretty rough. So, right from the start get the actors used to the idea that you’re going to ask them to improvise the sequence in at least three completely different ways, for every single sequence.

Take a cheap camcorder along and tape the sequences — at the end of three rounds of improv talk over with the actors about which worked best for them, which worked best for you — and then get them to rework the best approach.

Don’t be afraid to keep on reworking and improvising. The trick is to do this work until the scene sparkles, until it’s the best scene it can possibly be. Then change tapes in your camera and record a master shot of this scene.

When you get home that night, transcribe the scene that was completed into script form.

Over the next couple of weeks/months repeat this process until all forty-eight sequences are done and you’ve got a script.

There are a lot of advantages to creating a film this way: One is you can work as quickly or as slowly as your team has time to commit; the second benefit is you don’t have to be a writer to get your script done; thirdly, you get to benefit from the entire cast’s creative input and finally, when you come to do the actual shoot your cast has had an unbelievable amount of rehearsal — which will make your shoot go much, much better.

The downside of this process is it does require a massive commitment from your actors and you do need actors who excel at improv and who aren’t completely ego driven. It’s not a technique without man management problems. But, for the non-writer it’s a great way to build a vibrant feature film and a great way to build a strong ensemble cast.

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How To Write A Genre Movie In Seven Days

By this time next week I’ll be getting on a plane to Africa (Unless something prevents me!)

So, before I step off the map for a few days I wanted to write a post about speed writing.

One of the drawbacks of getting good at this screen writing lark, is the better you become, it the longer it seems to take to complete a draft. I think this is because as your standards improve you get more critical of the work you do. There is a constant need to create great writing — when in fact, this writing often surpasses the quality baseline of a workable movie.

So, to counteract this obsession with turning out “outstanding” screenplays, I think once or twice a year, a screenwriter should consider turning out a seven day genre movie.

The basic idea is you say “this week I’m going to knock out a screenplay.”

The aim isn’t to create a masterpiece, or to write something desperately original — the aim is to throw together a competent, watchable movie script as quickly as possible.

And this is how you do it.

Day One:

Switch off your computer; refuse to check your emails; power down your mobile phone; buy a cheap note pad and go for coffee.

As your latte cools, tear the first page out of the pad and write down six or seven genres — rip up the page and select a genre at random.

Let’s say the genre is Thriller.

Whilst you drink your coffee brainstorm ideas for your thriller, remembering to start this process by writing down the most cliched idea you can come up with and giving yourself permission to have bad ideas.

Once you’ve done that — throw your note pad into your bag and head for the nearest DVD shop — spend half an hour looking at the latest releases that match your genre. read the back covers — get a feel for what’s getting made at the moment.

Have some lunch.

Back to the coffee shop — take your best two ideas and play around with them — ask whether there is anyway you can change them in order to make them into a better idea.

If you’re absolutely stuck — buy a newspaper, read it — but ask yourself whether you can apply the “what if” formula to any of the stories.

So, for instance, what would happen if the Mayor of New York decided to organise a military coup and declare New York independent of the USA?

Once you’ve got a fun idea, hammer out a rough logline:

“When charismatic Mayor Of New York, Hilary Clinton, decides to team up with the New York Police department to declare New York an independent country, refusing the rule of US government, ordinary front line soldiers find themselves having to decide between the wishes of the President and going to war with US citizens.”

Now, because you’re going to write this in seven days, you need to pick a subject that you know something about — so, for me — I can see that this project is one where I’d need to do a lot of research to get it authentic. So, although it’s an appealing idea, I’d ditch it or rework so my research would be minimal.

With your logline fixed, your first day is done.

Now check your e-mails — get any business out of the way.

Day Two:

Computer off again; absolutely do NOT check your emails.

Grab the notebook and get back into the coffee shop.

On the second morning you’re going to do quick character outlines of your cast — keep it simple — no more than two protagonists, two antagonists, a stakes character and a mentor.

Because you’ve picked a film where you really already know the background material, this should be a fairly simple process — but give yourself the morning to play with it.

As you develop the character traits, remember you’re looking to create conflict and subtext, so give them clashing personalities and secrets they want to keep hidden.

This ought to be nailed down my lunchtime.

In the afternoon take four pieces of paper and plot the damn movie.

On each page come up with between ten and fourteen sequences, that will make up the four acts of the movie:

Act One: Will need to set up the story, to show how the antagonist’s actions drive the protagonist to make a decision to stand up and fight against them.

Act Two: Will show the protagonist struggling as the antagonist and circumstances repeatedly beats them further and further down.

Act Three: Will show the protagonist gaining new strengths, winning but paying an ever increasing price for their victories.

Act Four: Starts with the protagonist at their lowest point, leading to an incredible victory against almost unbelievable odds.

Remember, we’re looking to belt this out in seven days, so keep it simple.

Once you’ve got ten to twelve sequences for each act, your job for the day is done.

Now you can switch on your computer and noodle about for an hour or so.

Day Three:

Today you are going to write twenty-three pages. This is going to be a long day.

Do NOT check your emails — in fact disconnect your internet access.

Twenty-three pages seems like a lot, but actually it’s not as bad as it sounds. You’ve already got your twelve or so sequences, so it’s just two pages per sequence.

Start by visualizing your first sequence — write a John August style scribble scene on your note pad. Once you’ve got it in your head — fire up the word processor, get the thing down.

Whatever you do, don’t try to write it well — just bang it out, as it comes, Get the words down on paper.

Do NOT go back and edit it — just get the damn sequence written.

When you’ve got two pages down — move onto the next sequence.

This first day is going to be the slowest, because you’re still getting to know the characters.

When you’ve got your first act knocked out, you can either call it a day or then go back and play with it for a hour or so. Your call.

Day Four:

Today it’s Act Two. Twenty-Three pages

Day Five:

Act Three. Twenty-Three pages

Day Six:

Act Four. Twenty-Three pages.

By the end of day six you’ve got between eight-six and ninety-five pages — or in other words, a feature length screenplay. Congratulations.

Day Seven

OK — now you’ve got an entire day to go back, tidy up scenes, improve and edit dialogue, improve the level of description.

The trick here is to not get too hung up on making it perfect — just make it readable.

Now, having completed this, what do we gain as writers?

Well the first thing is we’ve proved to ourselves that if we don’t procrastinate we can bang our ninety pages in seven days — if we’re lucky we’ve got a screenplay that is worth rewriting properly — and, more important than that we’ve given ourselves an opportunity to see where our writing is at, when we stop giving ourselves a hard time and just do it.

There are real advantages to occasionally punching below our weight, or just aiming for competence, rather than aiming for something outstanding.

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