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How Professional Screenwriters Outline

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546K views|4 years ago
💫 Short Summary

The video discusses the importance of structure in writing, outlining the entire plot before diving into the script. It emphasizes starting with a list of story beats and gradually expanding into a full script through iterative deletions. The process involves breaking down the story into acts and scenes, with characters evolving and influencing the narrative direction. The speaker highlights the need for detailed planning and individuality in scripts to overcome the challenge of uncertainty in storytelling.

✨ Highlights
📊 Transcript
The importance of structure in writing and the evolution of characters in storytelling.
00:12
Writing focuses on constructing the skeleton of the story rather than specific details.
Characters evolve and influence the narrative direction as the story progresses.
The process involves starting with story beats and expanding into a full script through iterative deletions.
Initial drafts, while subpar, provide a foundation to work from and overcome uncertainty in storytelling.
Importance of Outlining in Writing Process.
04:36
Outlining before writing can kill ideas, so the speaker prefers to outline after having a lot of material.
Index cards are used to organize thoughts and break down the story into scenes for rhythm and structure.
Individuality in scripts is emphasized, along with the need for detailed planning before starting to write.
Breaking down a film script into four pages, each representing an act, helps to identify areas for adjustment or improvement.
08:15
Using paper sheets instead of index cards is preferred for clarity and organization.
Outlining and structuring the story before writing is emphasized, likened to architects creating blueprints before building.
Writing is considered crucial but not the most challenging part of the creative process.