After a busy November with multiple Book Club visits and focusing on completing my Screenwriting course at the University of Toronto, I traveled to California. I spent a few days in La Jolla editing my third novel, and then I closed up my computer and spent a week relaxing. However, it seems when you give something a break, it inevitably continues to percolate within the self-conscious. Many mornings I woke up with new thoughts around a character or plot line enhancement and I’d reach for my notepad and scribble it down. Sometimes I think we have a second self working while we sleep!
What I learned in my Screenwriting course
For eight weeks this fall I was enrolled in the University of Toronto’s introductory Screenwriting course. On Tuesday nights between 6.30pm and 9pm, nine classmates and I gathered with our instructor Dan Sacco on the eighth floor of the OISE building on Bloor St.
My first takeaway from this course was how compelling it was to learn the basics in storytelling from a scriptwriter. There is a succinctness present, which is so different from the verboseness in novel writing. Our instructor carefully chose his words and descriptions as he explained how to create characters, themes, genres and story structure. And I guess this makes sense. A script is a concise landscape. Scriptwriters get to the point.
We learned that on the description horizon, a novel sits on one end and a play on the other. While a novel is full of description, action and dialogue, a play is mainly dialogue, with very light stage direction. A screenplay hovers in the middle of the description horizon. It applauds concise dialogue and adds in minimal action and description, with the golden rule: if you don’t need it, take it out.
As we experimented with writing our own 10-page screenplay we were asked to adhere to these screenwriting rules:
1. Ensure it’s “filmable”. External states such as descriptions of body language, behaviour and visual adjectives, dialogue and physical verbs are filmable. But psychological verbs, such as “he realizes” or “he decides” are unfilmable and should not appear in the action/direction portion of a script.
2. Write in the present tense. A screenplay is written as if all action is happening in that moment. If there is a flashback, it is noted when the scene begins, and then that flashback is expressed in the present tense.
3. Bring along your audience with the word “we”. It’s common for the scriptwriter to use “we” as action is described. E.g. We hear an alarm clock in the corner of the room, and everyone in the room looks towards it.
4. Scene titles have a specific format. Scene titles are expressed as (1) EXT. (exterior/outside) or INT. (Interior/inside), (2) place, (3) time of day. E.g. EXT. Wasaga Beach – Morning
5. Use capitals sparingly. Capitals are used for (1) emphasis and (2) the name of a new character when they first arrive in the story.
6. The passage of time is shown with visual clues. Instead of stating in a scene title or in the description that it’s autumn or winter, you describe what is seen. The description for an autumn scene might say: the leaves on the maple trees are red, orange and yellow. For a subsequent scene happening in the winter the description might say: the trees are bare of all leaves. These descriptions are considered filmable, whereas the words autumn or winter are not. (E.g. Winter in the north and south looks very different).
7. To denote a pause, use the term “Beat”. It’s an action instruction that is written between dialogue lines, indicating a type of pause. E.g. one character speaks, then an action line is written: E.g. Awkward beat, and then a second character replies.
We also learned about the process of developing a script. Here are the steps:
· Plot Summary – This could be a few written paragraphs.
· Beat Sheet (also known as a Scene List) – A film has 60 scenes on average, and each scene is listed with a one-line description of that scene.
· Step Outline – Here you flush out the description of each scene to a few sentences, to produce a document that is approximately 10 pages.
· Treatment – This summarizes the action and details of the story. It also summarizes the dialogue without using dialogue. This creates a document that is about half the size of a finished script and is often used to pitch the movie to producers and actors.
· Full Screenplay – With the plot well developed in the steps above, the treatment can now be turned into a full script with industry accepted structure for action, description and dialogue. Note that on average (1) a scene is 1.5 pages long and (2) one page is budgeted as approximately one minute of filmable time.
Throughout our course, our instructor emphasized the most important thing in a good screenplay is a great story. If you think of the best films you’ve seen, it was likely the story that drew you in. He also had us think back to memorable lines within movies. A screenwriter composed those words and some of them have crept into our daily lives, living on outside of the film.
“There’s no place like home.” – The Wizard of Oz, 1939
“Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.” Gone With the Wind,1939
“I’ll be back.” The Terminator, 1984
And one of my favourites: “You had me at hello.” – Jerry McGuire, 1996
Note: Film Scripts are available free online. If you type in the name of the film, then a space, then pdf, you can usually find it. EG. Forest Gump pdf They are fun to read and sometimes you’ll spot great scenes that never made it to the movie.
BOOK CLUB
Irene Christie – Thank you for inviting me to join you. While Abby and a couple of others were unable to make it, a big thanks to Julia for joining in and taking pictures. Thanks Irene for a lovely three course dinner, complete with individual chocolate pumpkin cheesecakes to celebrate Halloween.
BOOK CLUB
Cathie Hyland – Thank you to you & your Book Club for inviting me for dinner at Mylar & Loreta’s in Singhampton. We were an intimate group of six and I enjoyed all the sharing around your reading experiences and learning about the books you have loved. Thanks for a great girls’ night out!
BOOK CLUB
Heather Dryden – Thank you for the invitation to join your Book Club on a sunny fall afternoon at your beautiful home in Creemore. It was fascinating to learn how your group formed from having a daughter in the same class at school. Time flew, the girls grew up and the mom’s became fast friends. Thanks for your interest in the writing process & the formation of my characters.
BOOK CLUB
Jane Fleetwood-Morrow. Thank you for hosting your friends and reaching out in advance of your meeting with your questions from your members. I’m glad your sharing of my email answers added to your night. Thanks for spearheading this virtual format & sending me this picture of your group. So glad you enjoyed the book & thank you for your support.
BOOK CLUB
Louise White – Thank you for inviting me to join your group. It was lovely to reconnect with OLPH Mom’s from long ago, and to meet others I’ve seen within our neighbourhood for years, but never met in person. The world became smaller in a good way! Thanks for all your questions & insight on characters. It was fun to review all with you.
BOOK CLUB
Sarah Tawaststjerna – Thanks Sarah and Mary for hosting me at your Book Club. When we formed a large circle of 18 after dinner, it was amazing to feel the energy within the group as questions on writing and observations about plot and characters in my books bounced back and forth. Thanks for all your kind words and support.
Beyond Writing, what I do…
For the past 40 years I’ve been involved in helping client families with financial, estate and philanthropic planning. While I’m winding down my practice at the end of this year, so as to spend more time with my writing, I was happy to help the Toronto Public Library Foundation by being a panelist for this event. I greatly admire the foundation’s work in providing access & opportunity to all within our city.
LAMBTON READS
Thank you to Maureen for the invitation to join your afternoon group at the Lambton Golf & Country Club. Thanks too, to Marg Harvey (my FANTASTIC sister-in-law) for hosting us all with tea and scones. I very much enjoyed meeting everyone. Thanks too, to my sister Katy, and Abby for helping out and being my wing women at this event!
La Jolla, California
I spent 4 days in La Jolla working through the responses from my test readers for Book #3. Lots of excellent comments surrounding characters and plot lines. The good news is that Mimi & the story is being well received and I’m being encouraged to fill out some scenes and characters – which will be fun to do! A huge thank you to Sarah, Alison, Cece, Cynthia, Mary, Darryn & Michael.
Cal-a-Vie – Vista, California
After writing in La Jolla, I took a week at Cal-a-Vie as a holiday. I went on my own but by the end of the week had some beautiful, new friendships. The surprise was when Kimberley learned I was an author mid week & ordered books from Amazon. Our last night turned into an unplanned mini Book Night. Thanks to all of you for your encouragement, and to Ruth for introducing me to Cal-a-Vie.
INDIGO – “Book spotting”
A big thanks to Chris Wallace who spotted The Acquisition of Elizabeth Grace sitting on the “Discover Your Community” table at the Bay & Bloor store. Great to have my book sitting side by side with other Canadian authors. If you see my book in a bookstore, please do send me a picture. I don’t receive reports, so it’s often a surprise. gwen@gwenkharvey.com
Coming up December 6th
Curiosity House Books presents their Holiday Open House in Creemore from 5pm to 8pm. I’ll be there along with 2 other authors and & the artist, Liane Brossard, who happens to be a long time family friend. It will be fun to share the evening with fellow creatives & those popping in to shop for the holidays.
Are you in a Book Club?
I’m open to attend in person or by Zoom, depending on dates and location. Thanks to all who have booked me for the fall and winter. I’m looking forward to meeting you! I can be reached at gwen@gwenkharvey.com.
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