Intention Definition & Exploration of Ideas -
Creative writing is one of the most influential types of entertainment recognized in present times. With its elements of inexplicable imaginative concepts and the substantial amount of formulaic present within most works, fictional stories have shaped a large variation of communities and will furthermore, without a doubt, continue to do so. From my earliest memories, I remember always loving fictional stories and fairytales, and basically anything else in the same category. When I discovered my passion for creative writing, it was like a flower had blossomed within me, or like a dull lightbulb finally reached the light. I'd always fancied the creative works of both myself and others who enjoyed the same forums as I did; and with this cessation in mind, I'd come to the conclusion that I relished in script-writing rather than going through the process of producing an entire film on my own. And though I was switching my focus, I still wanted to keep the same elements and theme I'd worked with before, which, of course, was 'The Arts of Daily Life', but instead of working with 'The Sacred Realm' I wanted to swap that for 'Invention and Fantasy', as I feel it would better fit the aura of my works on art. For my scripts for this year, I wanted to focus mostly on the realism that can be recognized in them while also including a few elements of fantastical ideas within the story. My most recent script, which is named Spencer, is based on the first chapter of the novella I am currently writing about a girl, Spencer, who grows up in the 1930s and is later sealed to a fate of eternal immortality. The story is a great mix of both realism and fantasy, as it takes place in a real-time period and consists of the main character later becoming a mystical creature.
My biggest inspirations when going into the art of screenwriting were 1) those I sought out to better assist me in captivating my story structuring and 2) the various examples of scripts I used to correctly format my screenplays as best as I could. Tyler Mowery and D4Darious were two of the most influential people whose videos I used in a previous blogpost, in which they discussed the importance of a script's structure and how to properly write a scene. Regarding the scripts I used as examples, the teleplay written for the pilot episode of the HBO show Euphoria was the one that I took the most inspiration from.
D4Darious + Tyler Mowery's videos
Planning -
Going into the switch from making films to writing scripts, I wanted to make sure I had a base material to work with; therefore, I decided I wanted my scripts going forward to be derived directly from already written stories. I'd stated before in my End of Marking Period 2 blogpost that I planned on basing my future scripts off of pre-written material, such as a short story or a chapter from a novel, and I wanted to stick to this idea with my projects going further. So, with this idea in mind, the first script I wrote after switching my focus was the screenplay version of a chapter from a friend's book. I'd been helping her edit the novel for quite some time now, so I was more than knowledgeable about how the chapter would have gone if it had been developed for a movie.
Story versus Screenplay
As stated above, my most recent script is based on the first chapter of the novella I am currently writing. The chapter begins with the early life of the main character, Spencer, in which she starts off as a five-year-old baking cookies with her mother and sister, and ends with a new years party to celebrate Spencer's parents opening up their own family shop. But before I began writing the script for this chapter, I had an idea for a blogpost in which I would look up the script for one of the many shows I enjoy and format mine in a similar way. I decided to use the pilot episode from the HBO original Euphoria. So, using the teleplay written by Sam Levinson, I took inspiration from parts of the script (scene headings, action sequences, and transitions) to better format mine into a professional-looking screenplay.
Euphoria Script versus My Script
Producing -
This year I've created one full film, 'An Angel's Wish', and, after switching my focus, have written 3 scripts. My first script was initially going to be the basis for my second film - a girl is attending a therapy session, and as she is being asked questions, the audience can see how she is feeling through various visual effects, as well as her narration. My second script is based on a chapter from my friend's novel in which the main character, Glac, is attempting to find out more information on the mysterious boy who she has stuck on her brain. And finally, my third script is based on the first chapter of my novella which follows the main character Spencer through her life in the 20th century. Though I am partially sad to be leaving behind the art of making films, and that's mostly because that's what I joined the class for in the first place, I'm glad I'd decided to change my work going forward as I was starting to become overwhelmed and uninterested when the pre-production for my second film rolled around. On the brighter side, the next screenplay I'd like to write will be a bit experimental for me, as the basis for it is a long argument between two people. I'm not sure what the notion behind the argument is quite yet so that plot is, of course, still in thought.
Evaluating -
As of right now, I have finished my third script and am very happy about how it's turned out. To be completely honest, I wasn't entirely sure I would get the hang of screenwriting, even though I really enjoyed it, but luckily with a bit of research and inspiration from other people's work, I was able to write my own script without any problems at all. The only complaint I have for myself is that I wish I was a faster writer, as it's taken me quite a while to even come close to the end of my current script. But, of course, I also understand you can't rush the creative process, so I shouldn't beat myself up for something I am unable to control.
Integrating -
I believe the main thing I am going to change about my work ethic is the amount of time I put into writing. I have a tendency to put stuff off until I really feel like doing something, so I feel as though that is definitely something I have to work on. Another thing I would like to change or maybe add to my work is perhaps a new structure within my screenplays to give them some sort of spice. Like I detailed in a previous blogpost, I think I would like to include either a hyperlink structure (when two or more characters' stories are intertwined) or an oneiric structure (where the line between reality and fantasy is unknown) to my next screenplays. Now, regarding what I'd like to continue doing with my scripts is to base them off of already pre-written work; I feel this assists me with keeping a clear and continuative story while also helping me maintain my love for writing and increase my screenwriting skills overall.
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