How do I become rich and famous?
Seriously though, I have never taken screenwriters class, never read a book about production, never been actor, AND I HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN A WAITER!!!!!!! In essence, I have not paid any dues, or slept in my car for a year while eating Mr. Noodles. You get the point.
However, I have a weird brain that comes up with all these great ideas and I honestly think some of them are better than below average. I just need a little help to get them to above average and see if there is something to work with.
I've heard about getting your ideas on paper, screenplays, treatments, etc etc. I have no idea where to start, but I am hoping 99% of you have been in this place before and are willing to give a little help to a "24" year old man who "knows" he has a lot more to offer to this world than what he's doing now.
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Adam, take some basic screenwriting classes. I am taking a class and have learned so much. Also, consider joining a screenwriting group. That way you can get feedback on your scripts and help with things you don’t know.
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Hey Adam, we've all been there! I made some free tools that help new writers, and my Screenwriting Dashboard guides you step by step on writing a screenplay. More info at storbang.com. Hope this helps you cross the abyss!
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Hey, Adam Neil. Welcome to the community. You're in the right place to start screenwriting. Check out this blog for up-and-coming screenwriters (www.stage32.com/blog/the-questions-up-and-coming-screenwriters-need-to-a...). The Screenwriting Lounge has a ton of great resources and advice (www.stage32.com/lounge/screenwriting).
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By no means is this the last word on learning how to write a screenplay, but the best advice I ever got was to READ screenplays. Read every single one you can find. Read ones that are similar to the stories you want to tell. There are a million Best Screenplays lists. Best of luck.
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I'm confused. Do you want to be a Waiter (you put it in caps) or a writer? I don't like to assume anything.
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I think it's all about motivation and goals, but at your own pace. If you do it for the WRONG reasons, then perhaps you should think about it first.
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Adam Neil if you enjoy scouting locations I recommend shooting plenty of photos and video on your phone to accumulate visual ideas,
many times envisioning a clear arena of story can spark catalysts for moving things forward cinematically on small and then progressively larger concepts and projects.
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Welcome Adam! You’re definitely in the right place! The folks here are Awesome! Best wishes on your endeavors!
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That marathon of conception sounds either like a coke-fueled creativity spree or over-eccentric sparks of your random imagination in need of a notepad. Either way, note all those ideas down, build on them, shape them into a 2-hour story - all the while, learning to Screenwrite.
But I agree with Marcel, if you're only in it for the money and fame, you're only in it for the wrong reasons.
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Adam - You start by writing. Doesn't matter what format. Pick one idea and start describing it. If this is a problem for you, then writing might not be the best choice for you.
Sell your soul to Satan.
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Reach out to me and I will show you A way, but it's not the only way. That's what I do for my service to humanity. Looking forward to chatting with you. You seem strange and that's not strange for an idea man.
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Write a short story. Edit it, meaning correct all grammar and spelling mistakes, and then ask someone, anyone, to read it. Listen to what s/he says. Then repeat sequence thirty times writing different stories. That IS paying your dues as well as letting you know if you are a writer, or a wanna-bee. Baby steps, but guaranteed to be informative. If you struggle, but keep going, you'll get the hang of it all.
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Hey Adam welcome to the world of screenwriters, there's a lot of great advice here, take a screenwriting class, poke around the Stage 32 resources - I might add, read a lot of screenplays in all genres to get the structure down and then redo it your way! And have fun writing the stories you like :)
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Start with the book Syd Field's Screenplay, so that you know what you're getting into. Then read McGee's Story to understand the circle of antagonism. I say this from a place of caring: It's not about being fed, it's about learning to fish.
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Well, my li'l dude, if you haven't waited tables, pftt! :P
Before starting my first ever script, I painstakingly transcribed a pilot I really liked, and timed every scene. Then I analyzed the rhythm of it and when/how plot points were introduced etc.
Next, I developed my characters - meaning I wrote detailed descriptions of them and of their back stories.
Based on that, I made a rough outline. At first, I wasn't quite sure how to get from one break point to the next, so I wrote the scenes I already had a good idea for, and filled in the rest later.