Girls Season 1 Episode 1 Beat Sheet

Hi Newbies!

I started a new project. It is currently untitled. I don't know if I am going to video blog about it yet but I will be posting about the development process starting with some research. The project I have in development will be similar to HBO Girls but with a twist.


Check out this beat sheet of the series premier below if you want to get a feel for the structure of the narrative, episodic program starring Lena Dunham. Check out her IMDB.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with my breakdown in this BS2 and then check out some others here:

Girls Season 1 Episode 1 Beat Sheet

Opening Image – Hannah eats diner with her parents in an upscale restaurant with 3 entrees in front of her.

Set-up –Bankrolled by her parents, Hannah depends on her parents to fund her lifestyle

Theme Stated: With only her friends in her corner, can Hannah transition into financial and emotional maturation in the big city?

Catalyst – Hanna’s parents cut her off.

Debate – She debates with her parents about the economy? Can she face this challenge of being jobless & moneyless? Does she have what it takes to make it on her own in New York?

B Story – the “love story” of Marnie and Hannah begins, best friends and confidants. Shoshanna’s cousin arrives from London and Shoshanna is totally smitten with the fabulousness of her cousin.

Break Into Two (Choosing Act Two) – Hannah forced into her journey decides to ask her internship provider to hire her.

The Promise of the Premise – Internship provider tells Hannah she can keep interning or get out. He is a total dick when Hannah mentions her book. Hannah takes takes the loss gracefully.

Midpoint – Hannah visits Adam. Everything seems great. Hannah remains upbeat.  Hannah gets the support she wants from Adam, who had been dodging her.

Bad Guys Close In – Inner doubt, fear, and disappoint overcome Hannah when she leaves Adam and he utters the hated phrase " I'll text you"

All is Lost –Hannah realizes she has about 7 days worth of funds to stay in New York. She is sad because she has to leave or find a job quick.

Dark Night of the Soul – Hannah hits bottom, and wallows in opium. Why hast thou forsaken me parents? internship? New York?

Break Into Three (Choosing Act Three) – Mourning the loss of her New York City dream, she gets contrasting advice from Marnie and Jessa. Hannah decides to try again with her parents.

Finale –Hannah goes back to her home while Jessa and Marnie fight over Hannah and who gives the best advice. Jessa reveals that she is pregnant.

Hannah makes her parents read her book. High-as-a-kite Hannah, passes out on the floor and her parents argue about is now the best time to cut her off. It appears her father may cave. She falls asleep with a smile. She wakes to find herself alone and that her parents left her a mere 20 dollars, the same as the maid--which she also takes.

Final Image – Hannah skips across a busy street in wide-open New York, signifying a new world.

#KeepWriting

-DW

Think Like a Team

Elevation in the Industry: Get Your Team Up!

This is a community based industry. Movies are shot with large crews of actors, producers, editors, and crew. Even though screenwriting is one area initially done it solitude, for the most part it takes a group to get a project made. Screenwriters need to make multiple contacts to get their projects sold either themselves or by way of an agent.

With that being said, how often do you think about the development phase being a team activity? If you haven't maybe now is the time to start. You have to have your idea together first, but then it's fair game to pitch your concept to get honest reactions and feedback.

When you involve your classmates, mentors, or auteurs into your creative process, your project will elevate. Great minds can build beautiful things when their energy is focused on similar goals.

Try it out with a few of your past or present classmates and watch how elevate together and apart.

Must Use Tool Kit for Screenwriters

Here are all of tools that should be in your arsenal as a screenwriter:

1) Screenwriting Software
2) Index Cards
3) Organizational Board
4) External Hard Drive ( back it up)
5) Cloud Based Storage Drive ( double back it up)
6)  2 Inch Brass Screenplay Fasteners
7) Support Group ( screenwriter blogs like this one, family, Meet-Ups and community groups)


#KeepWriting

-DW

My Favorite Playlist for Writing: The Smooth Life MIx

Do you ever need some extra motivation to keep you writing? Maybe you are feeling sleepy? Distracted? Down in the dumps?

Try some music!

The mellow yet complex playlist below boast electro-beats and subtle soothing lyricist create a cocoon of creativity that envelops you in. I listen to this thing like four hours straight when writing. I hope you enjoy it. Is there any particular song or playlist that keeps you in the writing zone? Shoot it over, and you may see your track on the playlist!


"The Smooth Life Mix" is private on SoundCloud so you must have the link to access it.  I hope you enjoy it!

https://soundcloud.com/c-danielle-wilcox/sets/the-smooth-life-mix/s-dhlZV

A Freebie from The University of Southern California Film School

So if you can't afford USC Film School you can still feel like you are there if you give this podcast a listen. Starting in 2007 the podcast has interviews from some of the most influential writers, directors and producers of the last century.


I decided to listen to them while at work. I take a note here or there when something really clicks but I feel like if I want to be a serious filmmaker I need to surround my self with the language and the tools of a filmmaker, learning from those who have paved the road before me is just one of the ways I walk my path towards filmmaking success.

Check them all out by clicking here.

Here are my personal notes from the Mark Fergus 2007 USC Interview. His works include “Children of Men” and “IronMan. Check out his full IMDB page here and  keep in mind I typed these while listening......

HOW HE GOT HIS START:

·       being HBO script analyst training helped him become a better full time screenwriter

·       found niche by tackling projects no one else would

·       Writing spec script at Showtime focusing on what he thought everyone else wanted to buy, but when he focused on the script he wanted to make to please himself & writing partner

·       found writing partner Hawk Otsby; but they live in separate locations but it works for them

COLLABORATION:

·       Collaborators should make you think beyond where you are and should make your ideas get better

·       You have to be open to letting people challenge your ideas and be able to look at them in a different way

·       Also if you agree that any of their ideas make it better, when you incorporate them, you give them a stake in the project. They believe in you and the project more

WRITING PARTNER:

·       Take turns doing outline, first draft, second draft, etc.

·       Collaboration worked so well that they decided to be represented together

·       Likes the surprise of seeing what they come up with separately and are able to fix each other’s mistakes

SCREENWRITING:

·       Biggest revelation, non-verbal is more important than what is verbally happening in your script

·       Trust your gut, it can deliver better than your brain when writing

·       Director, Jon Favreau liked working with  Fergus and Otsby so much he hand-picked them to write on Iron Man

·       You must finish what you started.  Deadline and pressure is screenwriter’s best friend.

·       Collaboration opportunities can be opportunities to move your script forward

·       Put your morals and passions into your writing. Unique viewpoints encouraged though the voices of minorities and women are often not heard.

·       People need to believe your story to go on a journey with your script

·       Big Franchise Sci-fi movies have producers that live, breath and eat the background for comic book characters. Use these experts to help script stay true to these comic book characters. They will protect their characters

·       “Everything you take away empowers everything you have left behind”

·       The common denominator of being productive in the business is being driven and wanting to make the best movie ever made.

·       If you believe in the work, the writing will come. Don’t write for the market place or what is cool.  The timeline for movies is 18 months so what ever is in will be out of style by the time it comes out.

PITCHING:

·       Less is best but be Concise. 4 minutes should be all you need to pitch

Screenwriting with the Newbie Ep. 2: Card. Board

So I just realized episode 2 of the vlog wasn't on the blog. Shameful... I know. So here is episode 2 which is all about those fabulous index cards and creating a board to layout your script before you type it all up.

I just graduated so my goal was to do this as cheaply as possible. If I had to do it again I would go with a magnetic board though. Eventually one of those pins stuck me. Ouch!

Different strokes for different folks on how yours will look. Feel free to shoot me a photo, link to your boards or maybe you are one of those few people who don't even need this step, because you did such a killer job with outlining.

But nonetheless, if you wanted information about my Screenwriter's Board and what a board actually may look like, this is the video for you.

"SAVE THE CAT?" A Follow - Up

Hi,

Here is a link to the resource used in my first and second video post related to the Blake Snyder book in case you were having any trouble finding it. I highly recommend it as it is an easy read to get you started on your journey. From one newbie to another, I think this is a great starting resource as it breaks down the structure into beats and offers some great initial advice for how to start.


I can only speak on the original book, as that is the only one I have read, but there are also a wealth of Beat Sheets, Podcast post, etc. on the Save The Cat site if you are having trouble understanding scripts or creating a starting point.




#KeepWriting

DW

Twitter, a Newbie Screenwriter's Best Friend: Check out the Top 25 Accounts to Follow

Twitter, a Newbie Screenwriter's Best Friend: Check out the Top 25 Accounts to Follow

I mentioned twitter in my last vlog video " Screenwriters Unite" and I wanted to expand upon it.  I cam upon this great list as a result of one of the accounts I follow on twitter.

Check out this list of the Top 25 Accounts for Screenwriters that +ScreenCraft posted. A lot of the resources I mentioned in the video made the list but there are even more resources than I could have imagined across the internet. What other resources from twitter would you add to the list?

I will keep posting them on the blog. Don't forget to follow me @danie11ewi1cox and the full 25 Accounts is in the link below:


http://screencraft.org/2013/10/24/top-25-twitter-accounts-screenwriters-follow/

Screenwriting With the Newbie Ep.4: Screenwriters Unite

#KeepWriting


- DW