darcy

Writing > Lighting

A movie can look rich and complex, but if the script stinks the movie stinks.

A movie can look plain and simple, but if the script shines the movie shines.

Producers, take note.

#scriptsky

Getting to the end of an outline is a pretty special feeling.

Sure it’ll all end up changing by the time you get to a final draft of the screenplay. But from here on out you have a solid foundation to build those changes on.

You’re now officially standing on solid screenwriting ground.

#scriptsky

Thank you. Too often pros mock any kind of guideline because *they* no longer need it (and are probably in denial they ever did).

It sends the wrong message to aspiring screenwriters, who then jump into the deep end without a life jacket and drown.

Guidelines guide. That’s the point.

#scriptsky

I feel happy he had a stroke and I feel good for saying it and I feel good that you feel happy.

AI won’t replace human screenwriters.

Remember when CG was getting so good it would soon replace actors?

CG has only gotten worse since then. The tech hit a wall and became a commodity.

We’re already seeing this with AI.

Don’t be discouraged. Real screenwriters aren’t going anywhere.

#scriptsky

This applies to the style and length of prose in your action lines so much.

Not every single moment of your script can be the most important.

Save the poetry and verbosity for when you need the reader to really lean in.

For the rest, keep it clean and simple and help their eyes glide.

#scriptsky

Just walked by Aaron Eckhart on the sidewalk chatting with a tech (maybe the director?) and resisted the urge to pay my respects.

Why? Because he was clearly working.

I know if I were in the middle of writing a sentence or thinking of a word, I’d appreciate not being interrupted.

#scriptsky

Unpopular opinion:

7 WIPs is a good thing.

That’s 7 possibilities you’ve invested something in rather than losing to the mind’s ether.

Any one of those could turn out to be THE thing. You’ve 7x’d your odds of finding it.

Focus gets fetishized too much imho. This is your process and it is valid.

It’s incredible how much writing your brain keeps doing in the back of your mind when you give the front of your mind a break from it.

When you feel a tad too close to the material, taking a break can help you gain a sort of outside perspective that powering through can’t give.

#scriptsky

I remember feeling at 24 (in human years) that I'd already missed my shot. Age dysmorphia's a helluva drug...

At 30 you have your whole life ahead. Enjoy the process, I wish you all the best with it.

A lot of movies/scripts today truncate act 1 to get to the excitement of act 2, which ends up feeling lifeless because it lacks the context a micro act 1 can't give.

The Matrix has a long first act, with more action and intrigue than most second acts today.

Do with that what you will.

#scriptsky

Omg even better! I can picture him always changing the subject to how Gander took in all the grounded planes on 9/11 any time someone tries to get his take on how to stop the geese (I’m from NL and it’s still all anyone can talk about lol)

Make one of the environmentalists from Gander, NL, and you’ve guaranteed yourself the entire province’s contribution to your box office.

Yes and no.

Notes like these from experts in a given field often miss the story forest for the trees.

When the doc finds a cure significantly faster than normal, they pulled off a one in a million shot.

It’s only a problem if the story doesn’t convey how extraordinary a feat this is.

#scriptsky

So story craft is not objective but rather correlated to how famous or undiscovered you are as a writer?

So did Sorkin only adopt his approach to character after his fame permitted him? What was his approach to character before he got so famous?

If I had to guess, Sorkin would say character is the thing they want plus the reason why they want it, revealed by everything they do in response to their pursuit being obstructed, and that he’s famous because he applied that understanding to his work rather than permitted on account of his fame.

I’m with Sorkin on this: characters don’t have backstories. It’s either in the story or it isn’t.

Giving characters actions or motivations that only make sense if you know something about their past that isn’t in the story is a recipe for confusion.

#scriptsky

1999 has entered the chat…

When I worked on #TheOffice, my best friend on the show was also an aspiring writer. He was talented, well-liked, worked hard, but his writing career didn’t pan out.

Years later, his biggest regret was “not being more ENTITLED.” I knew just what he meant.

A 🧵 on good/bad entitlement.
#Scriptsky
1

Harmony is boring. It's also not very revealing.

Conflict is not only far more interesting, but it forces characters to reveal their wants, fears, plans, etc, in a natural way.

Conflict is a cheat code for exposition AND entertainment. It's quite literally the stuff movies are made of.

#scriptsky

Tinkering with the setup for the third act. Holding off on barreling ahead with the first, second, or third idea that has formulated so far and instead taking the time to really explore my options and build something both true to character and unexpected/rewarding for the reader.

Happy writing!

Related: Applying a blunt force trauma to a character's head to knock them out, which we all know is the most safe and effective way to make someone sleep for the exact amount of time the plot requires.

First ideas are exciting. There’s this “Oh, I have it!” quality that is almost impossible to ignore.

But more often than not, if you let the idea marinate, more and better versions will come to you.

Your first incredible idea is just the catalyst. You’re capable of even more.

#scriptsky

That voice telling you 'it shouldn't be this hard to break in'? I hear it too. And you know what? The journey IS tough. But the writers who succeed aren't the ones with shortcuts—they're the ones who fell in love with the process of becoming better.
#scriptsky

There’s a reason why first draft rhymes with worst draft.

Don’t beat yourself up. Or read it through rose tinted glasses.

Be proud of your accomplishment, but also be aware it’s gonna need work. A lot of it.

That’s just part of the process.

#scriptsky

The most liberating mindset shift for writers? Understanding that the person across the desk in that big meeting is HOPING you're amazing. They need great writers as much as you need opportunities. You're not being judged—you're being discovered.
#scriptsky

Plot problems are often due to missing conflict, rarely solved by forcing the action through.

Instead try going back to create more problems that challenge or weaken your protagonist. Suddenly the plot moves in a whole new and natural direction, and the problems aren't problems anymore.

#scriptsky

Somewhere in between there is just giving yourself permission to take a break, either to focus on other things or not think about screenwriting at all... chances are this project will keep humming in the background, and when you least expect it you'll find yourself inspired to dive back in.

Masterful screenwriting takes time. Especially when you're still developing.

Once you get past your first 1-2 screenplays, tips & tricks that make writing faster and easier could be a trap.

You get faster and better by mastering a technique. And that takes considerable time and effort.

#scriptsky

Writing in sequences and taking breaks in between to reflect and refine can help avoid the pitfalls of plot taking over and driving your screenplay down easy street to the finish line.

Sequences are natural pause points to ensure you keep challenging both your protagonist and yourself.

#scriptsky