Writing
A Great Script Fast In A Nutshell Workbook
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Step 1: Introduction
Questions To Consider:
Do you want to write a script, make a film and/or write a blueprint
for a novel using this online step-by-step story engine process?
If
you want to write a script or make a film do you want to do a short,
feature or series?
What is your goal in finishing this story project? To get a job,
to win an award, to make money or raise awareness about an issue?
If you are planning on making the film yourself which digital filmmaking
tools are you planning to use DV, 2D, 3D or combinations?
Step
2.2: Story Structure Sentence
It is a story about a protagonist (lead character) who wants something
(plot goal) that forces him/her to take action. He/she meets with
an escalating array of conflicts (obstacles) leading to a climax
and resolution.
Protagonist: Lead
character and focus of the plot
Antagonist:
Character or thing standing in the way of the protagonist
accomplishing his or her goals
Any quick ideas for a great original lead protagonist and/or antagonist
placed into the above story sentence?
Step
3: Favorite Main Characters
List
5 possible main characters for a film you would love to see
in a story. Attach an age, sex, location, occupation, visual style
and dreamcast with a favorite actor. Make sure these are characters
you would love to see in a film. Use the brainstorming lists below
to get more ideas to fill into this example chart:
Body
Type |
Age |
Sex |
Occupation |
Location |
Visual
Style |
Dreamcast |
Dog
head detective |
32 |
M |
detective |
Prague |
Goth |
Nicolas
Cage |
Bigfoot |
16 |
F |
shaman |
Mt
Shasta |
New
Age |
Angelina
Jolie |
Tall
blond athletic |
28 |
M |
archeologist |
Peru |
High
tech explorer |
Peter
Weller |
Skinny
NYC Party Girl |
26 |
F |
shock
performance artist |
NYC |
Hip
NYC artist |
Naomi
Watts |
Polar
bear |
9 |
M |
survivor |
Alaska |
Intuit
Indian |
Owen
Wilson |
Occupational
Ideas:
Pick ones that seem fun visually or match characters you might want
to develop. Feel free to combine occupations such as a Circus Clown
Professional Surfer, Matchmaker Wizard or a Tour Guide Astronaut.
Astronaut |
Musician |
Professional
soccer player |
Talk-show
host |
Dictator
|
Hunter |
Housewife
|
Fashion
designer |
Cowboy
|
Professional
Surfer |
Bum
|
Student |
Circus
clown |
Cook |
Matchmaker
|
Wizard
|
Researcher |
Tour
guide |
Shaman |
Slave
|
Belly
dancer |
Sheriff
|
Spaceship
commander |
Teacher |
Reporter |
Soldier |
Psychiatrist |
Gangster |
Guru
|
Hairdresser |
Poet
|
Witchdoctor
|
Magician
|
Construction
worker |
Burglar |
Stockbroker |
Government
employee |
Investment
banker |
Novelist |
Pirate |
Policeman |
Lifeguard
|
Hands-on
healer |
Computer
programmer |
Game
designer |
Butler |
Astrologer |
Advertising
executive |
Astronomer |
Accountant |
Car
thief |
Knight |
King/Queen |
Clerk
|
Mailman |
Fireman |
Hit
man |
Retired
Archeologist |
Chemist |
Congressman
|
Cartoonist
|
Model |
Clown |
Comedian |
Wrestler |
Veterinarian |
Priest |
Detective |
Dentist |
Doctor |
Witch |
Lawyer |
Artist |
Plumber |
DJ/VJ |
Student |
Mortician |
Vagabond
|
Warrior |
Editor |
Explorer |
Fisherman |
Fortune
teller |
Politician |
Engineer |
Landscaper
|
Actor |
Racecar
driver |
Painter |
President |
Visual
Styles/Attitudes:
What
one or two words would best describe the appearance of your character
style wise?
French
Chic |
Hippie |
Student |
Punk |
Biker |
Trucker |
Goth
|
1950's
Cocktail Hour |
Techno |
Yuppie |
Small
Town |
Native
Indian |
Country |
Beachy |
Four
Seasons |
New
Age |
Nerd
|
Hot |
Nervous |
Servant |
Dad
|
Old
Money |
Bookish |
Dirty |
Dreamcasting:
Attach a famous actor to dreamcast your main character idea. Feel
free to change their real ages or even use dead ones to describe
their essence. If you are thinking about an animated character dreamcast
for the voice actor.
Female
Actors:
Angelina
Jolie |
Drew
Barrymoore |
Meryl
Streep |
Marilyn
Monroe |
Lucille
Ball |
Angela
Lansbury |
Elizabeth
Taylor |
Dolly
Parton |
Nicole
Kidman |
Kathy
Bates |
Cameron
Diaz |
Sissy
Spacek |
Halle
Berry |
Diane
Lane |
Reese
Witherspoon |
Shirley
MacLaine |
Angelica
Huston |
Jodie
Foster |
Kate
Winslet |
Julia
Roberts |
Jennifer
Lopez |
Parker
Posey |
Catherine
Zeta Jones |
Kate
Hudson |
Gwyneth
Paltrow |
Whoopie
Goldberg |
Sandra
Bullock |
Uma
Thurman |
Claire
Danes |
Goldie
Hawn |
Naomi
Watts |
Sigourney
Weaver |
Oprah
Winfrey |
Kristen
Dunst |
Male
Actors:
Jack
Nicholson |
Samuel
L. Jackson |
Anthony
Hopkins |
Harrison
Ford |
Jeff
Goldblum |
Christopher
Walken |
Ben
Affleck |
Val
Kilmer |
Bruce
Lee |
Sean
Penn |
Billy
Bob Thornton |
Nicholas
Cage |
Richard
Gere |
Clint
Eastwood |
Ed
Harris |
Kevin
Costner |
Jackie
Chan |
Tom
Cruise |
Robin
Williams |
Billy
Crystal |
Keanu
Reeves |
Arnold
Schwarzenegger |
Bruce
Willis |
Michael
Douglas |
Leonardo
DeCaprio |
Matthew
McConaughey |
Tom
Hanks |
Denzel
Washington |
James
Woods |
Edward
Norto |
Brad
Pitt |
Owen
Wilson |
John
Travolta |
Ryan
Gosling |
Make
sure your Top 5 Possible Leading Character Ideas are ones you would
love to see in a story!
1.Age/Sex/Body Type:
Occupation:
Location:
Visual
Style:
Dreamcast
With Famous Actor:
2.Age/Sex/Body
Type:
Occupation:
Location:
Visual
Style:
Dreamcast
With Famous Actor:
3.Age/Sex/Body
Type:
Occupation:
Location:
Visual
Style:
Dreamcast
With Famous Actor:
4.Age/Sex/Body
Type:
Occupation:
Location:
Visual
Style:
Dreamcast
With Famous Actor:
5.Age/Sex/Body
Type:
Occupation:
Location:
Visual
Style:
Dreamcast
With Famous Actor:
Step
6: Film World Settings
What
film worlds or settings have you always wanted to see in a film
or story?
List
your Top 5 Favorite Film World Settings with dates, visual styles
and a few adjectives to really see these locations.
Think of places you have always wanted to see in film. These sets
do not have to relate to the characters you just did but may be
places some of them would live too.
If you are making the film yourself, think also of local settings
you could shoot or existing footage you already have such as DV
and photos.
For example:
• NYC 3012 as a green hippie Utopia city with a gold beehive
looking visual style”
• Mars surface during an expedition
• Ancient Egypt at it’s height
List Your Top 5 Favorite Film World Settings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Step
5: Favorite Subjects
What are your top 5 Favorite Subjects or areas of interest?
• Hobbies
• Subjects you like to study or research
• Mystical creatures
• Favorite subjects in books, movies, comic books
• Favorite myths or cultures
• Things you like to do for fun
• Places or historical events
• Urban Legends
List Your Top 5 Favorite Subjects:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Step 6: Story Flavors/Genres
List your Top 5 Favorite Story Flavors using the list below
to help you come up with ideas.
Think also of combining Story Flavors such an animated supernatural
comedy or a romantic crime thriller.
Action/adventure. Big adventures, hero survival,
daring stunts, and action sequences.
Animation. Far-out or surreal visual elements with
objects that can turn into other things. These stories usually show
us something real actors or sets cannot do as easily, such as talking
animals or living toys.
Ensemble. Stories about groups of characters unified
by same theme.
Experimental. Avant-garde rule breakers. Creating films that audiences
may not even understand.
Biography. Find meaning of the person's life (theme),
and make the person the hero (or anti-hero) in his or her own tale.
Buddy. Friendship or nonromantic close relationships
developed over a series of events.
City symphony. Films about a single location with
different perspectives, characters, events, and time frames.
Comedy. Show how characters in the best situations
still manage to mess up or create fish out of water tales. These
stories are often used to showcase the brutality of social life.
Crime. Murder mystery, detectives solving cases,
reporters investigating crimes, prison stories, heists, spy stories,
criminals/victims getting revenge, courtroom dramas, organized crime.
Disillusionment. Protagonist's view of life changes
from positive to negative.
Documentary. True story about event, people, or
place.
Drama. Passion, madness, dreams of human heart.
Education. Protagonist changes worldview from negative
to positive by learning something new.
Fantasy. New-world rules playing with time, space,
and laws of nature.
Historical. Stories from the past often work great
to show us some themes of our present situations at a comfortable
distance.
Horror. Bad, evil, scary, creepy things.
Journey. Trip, road trip, or travel tale.
Love story. What gets in the way of romantic love?
Maturation. Coming-of-age story.
Mockumentary. Fiction that looks like a real documentary.
Music video. Short film for a song and hopefully
some story, theme, or context.
Musical. Songs used to tell stories from any genre.
What are the new digitally enhanced musicals going to look like?
Myth. Hero journeys, ancestral memories, prehistory
moral conduct, or urban legends.
Obsession/addiction/temptation. Willpower versus
obsessions/addictions/temptations.
Personal anthology. Video diaries, personal events.
Postmodern. No single lead protagonist with distortion
of time and space.
Punishment. Good protagonist turns bad and is >punished.
Psychodrama. Madmen, serial killers, crazy people,
nuthouses.
Reality shows. Real-life, voyeuristic-style stories.
TV shows such as The Osbournes or Survivor.
Redemption. Protagonist goes from morally bad to
good.
Science fiction. Possible future, unknown past.
Societal problems. Political, racial, medical,
educational, business, environmental, family.
Sports. Big character change in relationship to
sporting event.
Supernatural. Spiritual or freaky occurrence in
unseen realms.
Tragedy. Cautionary tales, somber themes, catastrophic
characters.
War. Combat, prowar/antiwar.
Western. Wild West. Good versus evil. Gunfights,
cowboys, bank robberies, cattle drives, Indians, ranches, horses
and saloons.List Your
Top
5 Favorite Story Flavors or Genres:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Step
7: Digital Filmmaking Techniques
If you are making the film what types of software or digital filmmaking
tools do you want to use?
- Digital
Video
- 2D
Animation
- 3D
Animation
- Photo
collage virtual sets
- 2D
Southpark-style hand-drawn characters
- 3D
sets such as fantasy settings, prehistoric places, or anything
else
- Bluescreen
characters
- Hand
made and painted hand puppets
- 3D
characters – anything goes!
DV actors on DV sets
- Old
hand held stop motion dolls
- 3D
FX such as tornados, fire, tidal waves, smoke
- DV
actors on 2D photo sets
- 3D
particles
- Cut
up paper doll parts
List Your Top 5 Favorite Digital Filmmaking Techniques:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Step
8: Story Sentences
Fill in the following chart with the Top 5 Lists you just
created:
Characters |
Settings |
Subjects |
Genres |
Software |
Bigfoot
teenage girl, new age shaman, 16 Angelina Jolie |
lost
underground ancient city |
Bigfoots |
Comedy |
3D
bigfoots |
Tall
blond Nordic archeologist 32, explorer, Peter Weller |
Prague
1992 |
Lost
cities |
Animated
supernatural comedy |
2D
photo collage sets |
NYC
party girl 28 hip techno, shock artist, Naomi Watts |
Tunnel
crypts under Paris 2007 |
shamans |
Romantic
myth thriller |
2D
lightening bolt FX |
Polar
bear boy 9, fat orphan, Owen Wilson |
Inside
a cat's brain |
Native
Americans |
Buddy
spiritual adventure |
bluescreen
actors |
Dog
headed Gothic detective, 32, Nicolas Cage |
Lightening
bolt storm |
crop
circles |
Mockumentary
horror |
hand
drawn 2D characters |
Create
3 Story Concept Sentences using the above chart to fill in these
spaces:
It is a story about a Top 5 Character
who lives in a Top 5 Film World/Setting.
This story explores the subject of Top 5
Subject in a Top 5 Story Flavor using
Top 5 Software.
Be
flexible with how you phrase the sentence to make it sound best.
Feel free to add things not on the lists if you come up with better
ideas. Your goal is to end up with at least one Favorite Story
Sentence you would love to see as a film. Here are some more examples:
It
is a story about a 3D teenage bigfoot girl
who lives in a lost underground city.
This story explores the subject of shamanism
in a supernatural animated comedy
using 3D bigfoots on 3D sets.
It
is a story about a dog headed gothic detective
living in Prague investigating a
series of bigfoot sightings in an
animated crime thriller comedy using
bluescreen actors, 2D photo collage sets
and 3D bigfoots.
It
is a story about a fat polar bear orphan
boy living in Alaska trying
to survive global warming in an animated
comedy using 3D creatures, 3D sets
and some DV sets.
Pick your favorite Story Sentence to develop
for the rest of this Writing A Great Script Fast Nutshell Sample
Workshop. Make sure it is a story idea you would stand in line
in the rain on a dark cold night to see!
Step
9: Adding Plot Goals
Choose 1-2 main plot goals for your Final Story Idea Sentence:
Plot
Goal #1:
Plot Goal #2 (optional):
Make sure the goals sound fun visually and see how you can use favorite
subjects or goals. Be specific about the goal such as what type
of race they want to win.
To
slay monster |
To
win the race |
To
rule the world |
To
stop a bomb |
To
defeat an enemy |
To
win political office |
To
become king/queen |
To
get revenge |
To
save the world |
To
cure disease |
To
stop natural disaster |
To
fall in love |
To
get the girl/guy |
To
solve a crime |
To solve a mystery |
To
steal something |
To
win war |
To stop war |
To
get rich |
To
advance spiritually |
To
become famous |
To
become successful |
To
blackmail someone |
To
get someone to do something |
To
get someone to do something |
To
find meaning in life |
To
solve murder |
To
catch a killer |
To
solve/fix a problem |
To
understand something |
To
learn a new skill |
To
become a top warrior |
To
become a leader |
To
fight for a just cause |
To
do what is right |
To
help people |
To
find treasure |
To
get around the system |
To
stop a bad thing from happening |
To
become a better person |
To
evolve to a higher state of being |
To
survive a dangerous vision quest |
To
travel to distant lands |
To
prove a theory |
To
get a promotion |
To
get a date |
To
explore new territory |
To
fix broken transportation |
To
invent a new device |
To
make something new |
To
have a successful art show/event |
To
save a current relationship |
To
defeat evil |
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Step
10: Antagonists
Who or what is standing in the way of you character accomplishing
the plot goal you just chose?
This antagonist could be a madman, boss, family member, teacher,
enemy, competitor or organization.
You want to create a great original antagonist - think back to the
antagonists in your favorite films or stories to get ideas.
Competitor |
Madman |
Pirate
|
Outlaw |
Monster |
Natural
disaster |
Family
member |
Authority
figure |
Boss |
Commander |
Lawyer
|
Evil
person |
Protagonist
himself/herself |
Bad
alien |
Corporation or head of corporation |
Someone
blackmailing someone |
Robot |
Cursed
object |
Social
pressure |
Criminal |
Spirit |
Leader
|
The
system |
The
police |
Enemy |
The
government |
Local
bully |
A
teacher or mentor |
Organization
or head of organization |
Dangerous
animal |
Thug
or gang |
Characters
with different viewpoints |
Character
seeking revenge |
Disease
|
Antagonist Idea For Your Story:
How is the plot goal for this antagonist in opposition with the
protagonist’s plot goal?
Step 11: Plot, Character & Theme
Choose a one word theme for your story then explain how you are
going to make it original and specific (desire leads to suffering):
Themes
from Feature Films to study and get ideas:
• Alien: Fear of the unknown.
• Alien 2: The strength of motherhood.
• American Beauty: Desire leads to suffering.
• Antz: Think for yourself
• Apocalypse Now: There is a fine line between insanity and
sanity.
• Bad Lieutenant: Redemption of a lost corrupt man.
• Brazil: Consequences of individuality in a totalitarian
dictatorship.
• Boogie Nights: Self-delusion.
• Buckaroo Bonzai: Superhero with a pure heart can see evil.
• Casablanca: Loss of love for some greater cause.
• Citizen Kane: Exploration of personality; who was Kane?
• Clockwork Orange: Violence is a cost of individuality and
non-individuals have a loss of soul.
• Dangerous Liaisons: Courtship as combat.
• Dr. Strangelove: Exploration of systems and their crushing
of individuals.
• Evil Dead 2: Triumph of hero.
• Fargo: Treasure the little things in life.
• Fatal Attraction: Cost of deception.
• The Graduate: Alienation of 60’s youth.
• Magnolia: Forgiveness in Los Angeles.
• Memento: How humans construct and deconstruct reality.
• Princess Mononoke (2D): Everything is alive and connected
in our environment.
• Pulp Fiction: Seeking out redemption in underworld with
emphasis on loyalty.
• Requiem For a Dream: Addiction to dreams.
• Run Lola Run: Exploration of how the power of love can change
fate.
• Shrek (3D): Seeing inner beauty. When you can love someone
else you can love yourself.
• Star Wars: A hero coming of age taking on lost father’s
path.
• Terminator: Man being destroyed by their own machines.
• The Bad And The Beautiful: Creativity and corruption.
• The Big Chill: Warmth of friendship against cold world.
• The Blair Witch: Arrogance of youth lacking respect for
themselves, surroundings, and subject.
• The Celebration (DV): Dark secrets destroy families.
• The Cruise (DV): The beauty of Manhattan.
• Lord Of The Rings (1): Even the smallest person can change
the world. Pure heart needed to wield great power.
• The Matrix: Rise of superman against the system of the future.
• The Piano: The need for creative expression.
• The Remains Of The Day: Individual vs. place within class
society. Class society destroying individual.
• The Usual Suspects: Construction and reconstruction of memory
and identity.
• There’s Something About Mary: Love is more important
than beauty. Struggles with perfection.
• Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead: Honor among thieves.
• Trainspotting: Conflict between life and death urges.
• Toy Story (3D): Being the most favorite toy.
• Waking Life (DV): Exploration of lucid dreaming state. What
is real verses what is illusion.
• Wallstreet: Greed leads to corruption.
• Wizard of OZ: The importance of home and family
• You Can Count On Me: Loves evokes love
Theme |
Symbolic
Image Description in Script |
Treasure the little things in life |
Character
eating fresh pie savoring every bite. |
Alienation
of youth |
Young
character looking out of place at grownup party. |
Desire
leads to suffering |
Character
getting beat up trying to get what he wants. |
Exploration
of character |
Searching
for meaning of last word uttered on deathbed. |
The
blurry line between sanity and insanity |
Show
all the characters acting crazy but functional. |
Violence
as cost of individuality |
Hip,
artsy, unique criminal characters. |
Cost
of deception |
Pet
cat found hanging on clothesline by antagonist. |
Power
of love can change fate |
Character
screaming so loud that he wins game of chance to save lover. |
War
changes people |
Main
characters all experience extreme changes as result of war.
Some characters die, some become very scarred and others get
very resourceful. |
One Word Theme for your story:
How is your theme original and specific?
List 3 ways to show story events being controlled by the
theme in your story:
1)
2)
3)
Step
12: Character Traits
A character trait is anything that determines the way a character
sees the world and how the character thinks, speaks, and acts.
Possible
Best Traits |
Traits
|
Traits
|
Possible
Worst Traits |
Champion
________ |
Intelligent |
Airhead |
Insane |
Professional
________ |
Fake |
Athletic |
Addicted |
Master
________ |
Aloof
|
Activist
|
Fearful |
Top
_____ |
Affectionate
|
Moody
|
Worrywart
|
Beatnik |
Middle
class |
Dead
inside |
Mean |
Model
___ |
Corporate |
Gypsy |
Alcoholic |
Warrior |
Negative |
Hippie
|
Thief
|
Beautiful |
Positive |
Intuitive |
Poor |
Courageous |
Cool
|
Dork |
Annoying |
Rich |
Well
educated |
Perfectionist |
Depressed |
Charming |
Funny |
Loving |
Hot
tempered |
Talented
|
Peaceful |
Irresponsible |
Playboy |
Prodigy |
Worldly |
Tough |
Stubborn
|
Survivor
|
Burned
out |
High
strung |
Stressed |
Pick one best trait, one worst trait and five others
for each of the main characters in your story idea using the spaces
below:
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Mentor:
Sidekick:
Love Interest:
Other Characters:
Step 13: Plot Points
Write 1-3 sentences for what happens at each of the 9 basic plot
points for your story idea:
1) Hook: Start in the middle of a high intensity
mess. How could you show your main characters doing what they do
best or have them make an exciting visual entrance into your film
world? What twists, shocks or surprises could you add to your opening
hook (twist ideas: accident kills someone, a shocking truth revealed,
key equipment or transportation breaks down, sudden change of plans
announced)?
2)
Setup: How will you introduce us to your characters, film
world, and story? How will you show your character in his or her
normal life? The audience needs a chance to get to know your main
characters, along with the limits and possibilities of the film
world.
3) Inciting incident. What event happens that forces
your character to act by choosing a goal and committing to making
it happen?
4) Journey Into Unknown: Protagonist sets off to
accomplish plot goal leaving what is familiar behind.
5) Investigation: Protagonist searches for goal
object or informationencountering lots of Obstacles/conflicts. What
are some obstacles or conflicts your characters might face while
attempting to accomplish their plot goal in your story idea?
6)
Twist: A new plot goal usually emerges at this point because
the first goal is accomplished or an unexpected event occurs which
changes the focus of the main plot goal. Accident kills someone,
a shocking truth revealed, key equipment or transportation breaks
down, sudden change of plans announced.
7) Final confrontation. This is a confrontation between
two characters, groups or a situation that has been building up
during the story Protagonist/antagonist conflicts related to plot
goal.
8)
Climax. Highest point of intensity and audience interest
where the plot reaches a crescendo. What is the big climatic event
at the end where we see whether the characters succeed or fail in
accomplishing their goals?
9) Resolution. Ties up the loose ends in the story
such as who lives, who dies, who gets the girl, and who lives happily
ever after.
Workbook
Part 2
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