By Donald L. Vasicek You began your screenplay with a visual metaphor. You’ve introduced your main character the setting the time the theme and you’re introducing other major and periphery characters. You’re getting to like your story pretty well when all of sudden you hit a block. What is your story about? This question is asked many times over each day in the film business and you’d better be prepared for it. Your story is about a character that reacts to something that causes him to begin acting instead of reacting to what is going on around him. The first step in your main character’s transformation (you’d better have one if you want to sell and get your screenplays produced) is when he reacts to the introduction of the dramatic premise. Until this time in your screenplay you should have established your main character that should be in a setting and time interacting with other characters that should all be showing (I emphasize “showing” instead of “telling” since all great writing “shows” instead of “tells”) different aspects of your theme. You should have established all of these elements by about page 10 of your screenplay. On or about page 10 in your screenplay you show something that occurs that is out of context of what you have set up so far. This turning point in your screenplay is when you have your main character react to something that establishes the dramatic premise of your screenplay. This dramatic premise will be the plot of your screenplay. Something happens to your main character that begins his transformation arc because he is forced to react to something he has been avoiding but he must react to it until he overcomes it or it his life will never change for the better. In the $56 million MGM screenplay I was a writer/consultant for Warriors of Virtue Ryan the main character is shown in school with his friends with his family and how he reacts to these people and this setting. Problem is Ryan wears a leg brace a defect in his leg he inherited with birth. Kids push him around. He can’t play on the football team. He argues with his parents. His dog barks at him. He has a lot of problems until he’s challenged to leap over this rushing water to show other kids that he’s not a wimp. Then his real problems begin. He leaps and falls into the water. He is swept into an alternate universe where he has to change or he’ll never be able to return to his home. The evil Komodo and his army a village of “people” and five Kung Fu Kangaroos who need his help stand in his way. This is where his transformation arc begins. This is where the dramatic premise for the movie is established. From this point on Ryan begins to change and to never be the same again. This alternate universe (no different than what your main character should be experiencing at this point in your screenplay) attacks Ryan. He survives the plunge but now the evil Komodo’s soldiers in a forest are threatening him. When some Kung Fu kangaroos rescue him he begins to see that someone cares about him and he doesn’t even know why. And miraculously he discovers that his leg is healed. Fearful of the village which is made up of a loving community of people at about page 45 Ryan foreshadows who he is going to be at the end of the movie. He meets a girl Princess Anne and he isn’t afraid of her. At midpoint Komodo and his soldiers attack the village. Though fighting valiantly the Kung Fu Kangaroos are outnumbered. They manage to drive the invaders away but they know that unless they come up with some kind of miraculous idea Komodo is going to take over the village and kill everyone. And now Ryan has a stake in the outcome. Where before he cared little about himself now he not only cares about himself but he cares about Princess Anne as well. But Komodo has kidnapped her to hold her for ransom in order to force the village leaders to give in to his demands and give up the village (Komodo desires the village because of its love and its peace because this kind of behavior terrorizes him). At about page 75 Ryan tells the village leaders and the Kangaroos that he believes he can talk Komodo in releasing Princess Anne. Interested he tells them how. At about page 90 Ryan under the protection of the hidden Kangaroos Ryan confronts Komodo about releasing Princess Anne. Komodo struck by Ryan’s audacity challenges him to a duel with swords. Only Komodo knows his soldiers are near to back him up but unaware of the hidden Kung Fu Kangaroos. Komodo by far the superior warrior to Ryan is about to take Ryan’s head with his sword when some of the soldiers show their faces. At that point the Kangaroos show themselves. An all out battle ensues. Ryan races to rescue Princess Anne. The battle is so fierce the out-numbered Kangaroos are exhausted and about ready to admit defeat when Ryan grabs a sword and disarms Komodo. The Kangaroos take over and defeat Komodo’s soldiers. Ryan rescues Princess Anne and saves the village. In the closing scene the village priest creates a mystical and spiritual avenue for Ryan to travel so that he can return to his parents and other life. After a tearful goodbye to everyone Ryan leaves. Upon his return to the town where he lives his parents friends and the kids in school see that his leg is healed and so is Ryan. Even his dog accepts him. So you need to take your character on a journey by establishing the dramatic premise then roughly timing turning points in the story and in your main character. Page 1 a visual metaphor that defines the theme of the story. Page 3 a line of dialogue or an action that directly pinpoints the theme of your story. About Page 10 establish the dramaticpremise. At about Page 30 something extraordinary should happen that spins your character and story around 360 degrees and sends it off in another direction. At about page 45 foreshadow how your main character is going to be at the end of your story. Just a small action something your character does to reveal this like when Ryan meets Princess Anne and he is unafraid of her. From this point forward you must have your main character creating all of the action. In other words he/she must be pro-active in all events. At about Page 60 midpoint you must show that about all is lostfor your main character regardless of the new strength he/she is showing. By about Page 75 have your main character change the way he/she is trying to accomplish his/her goal. At about Page 90 of your screenplay your main character should have a direct confrontation with the villain (villain represents evil in fiction) or antagonist (doesn’t necessarilyrepresent evil so much as representing the opposing force to your main character’s goal). This confrontation results in your main character winning and sets up how the story is going to end. For the next several pages your story should build to a climax where your main character goes nose-to-nose with the villain or antagonist. Here your main character should have an epiphany. For Ryan it was his discovery that he must overcome Komodo in order return home to his family and friends. It is here where your main character’s fatal flaw (the flaw that has caused your main character to pursue a solution to it because it is more overpowering than any other flaw) comes to the surface and must be overcome by your main character. With Ryan it was his fear and he overcame it. After the climax wrap up all loose ends and end the screenplay as soon as possible. Author’s Credits Donald L. Vasicek studied producing directing and line producing at the Hollywood Film Institute under the acclaimed Dov Simen’s and at Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute. He studied screenwriting at The Complete Screenplay with Sally Merlin (White Squall). He has taught mentored and is a script consultant for over 400 writers directors producers actors and production companies and has also acted in 20th Century Fox’s Die Hard With a Vengeance NBC’s Mystery of Flight 1501 ABC’s Father Dowling starring Thomas Bosley and Red-Handed Production’s Summer Reunion. These activities have resulted in Don’s involvement in more than 100 movies during the past 23 years from major studios to independent films including MGM’s $56 million Warriors of Virtue Paramount Classics Racing Lucifer and American Pictures The Lost Heart among others. Vasicek has also has written and published over 500 books short stories and articles. His books include How To Write Sell and Get Your Screenplays Produced and The Write Focus. Donald L. Vasicek Olympus Films+ LLC Writing/Filmmaking/Consulting http://www.donvasicek.com [email protected]
