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mbarkerWriting Excuses 12.47: Screenwriting And The Writers Room, with JD Payne
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2017/11/19/12-47-screenwriting-and-the-writers-room-with-jd-payne/
Key points: In the writers' room, your job, as writer, is to be delightful. It is intensely collaborative work. Be good to work with. Keep your ego out of the way. Try "Yes, and..." to reduce conflict and make that idea grow! Half of the job is getting everyone on the same page with the creative vision. Pitch, treatment, and then screenplay. When you get the note that destroys what you've been doing, the only thing you can control is your pain. So take a deep breath and figure out a whole new approach.
( What's my motivation? )
[Howard] Who's got our writing prompt?
[Mary] That would be…
[Howard] JD again?
[Mary] Yes.
[JD] Yeah. So they asked me to come up with one right before the panel started. I thought about it for a minute. Describe a character using only visual cues… Or introduce a character using only visual cues in 20 words or less. If you can, do it in five words or less. There's a couple great descriptions I read in screenplays where they'll say Palmer comma a bloodshot soul. That's like the only description of the guy. It's like… Another one I liked was Smith, Superman with a hangover.
[Laughter]
[JD] Just like… You instantly get those characters. So, like, the pithier you can be, the better. In screenplays, every word is your enemy. I think short story writing is probably similar. I mean, every word you write is an opportunity for them to get off board. So, particularly with your character introductions, if you can instantly get them on board with knowing who this person is, then that's half the battle.
[Dan] Awesome.
[Howard] That sounds like such good practice, that I think they should do it…
[Mary] A couple of times.
[Howard] For each of their characters.
[Laughter]
[Howard] And see how short they can get them. Listeners, this has been Writing Excuses. You are out of excuses. Go write.
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2017/11/19/12-47-screenwriting-and-the-writers-room-with-jd-payne/
Key points: In the writers' room, your job, as writer, is to be delightful. It is intensely collaborative work. Be good to work with. Keep your ego out of the way. Try "Yes, and..." to reduce conflict and make that idea grow! Half of the job is getting everyone on the same page with the creative vision. Pitch, treatment, and then screenplay. When you get the note that destroys what you've been doing, the only thing you can control is your pain. So take a deep breath and figure out a whole new approach.
( What's my motivation? )
[Howard] Who's got our writing prompt?
[Mary] That would be…
[Howard] JD again?
[Mary] Yes.
[JD] Yeah. So they asked me to come up with one right before the panel started. I thought about it for a minute. Describe a character using only visual cues… Or introduce a character using only visual cues in 20 words or less. If you can, do it in five words or less. There's a couple great descriptions I read in screenplays where they'll say Palmer comma a bloodshot soul. That's like the only description of the guy. It's like… Another one I liked was Smith, Superman with a hangover.
[Laughter]
[JD] Just like… You instantly get those characters. So, like, the pithier you can be, the better. In screenplays, every word is your enemy. I think short story writing is probably similar. I mean, every word you write is an opportunity for them to get off board. So, particularly with your character introductions, if you can instantly get them on board with knowing who this person is, then that's half the battle.
[Dan] Awesome.
[Howard] That sounds like such good practice, that I think they should do it…
[Mary] A couple of times.
[Howard] For each of their characters.
[Laughter]
[Howard] And see how short they can get them. Listeners, this has been Writing Excuses. You are out of excuses. Go write.
