Document Text Contents
Page 1
THE/10/DAY
SCREENPLAY
How to Write a Blockbuster
Screenplay in Just 10 Days
- EXPANDED EDITION -
by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 by Shamrock New Media, Inc.
NOTICE:
You may not copy, redistribute, publish, retransmit, transfer, share, modify or
create derivative works, or in any way commercially exploit, any content
contained in the publication, in whole or in part, without the prior written
consent of Shamrock New Media, Inc.
Page 2
DISCLAIMER:
This publication contains the opinions and ideas of the author and should be
used for general information purposes only. Neither the author nor the
publisher is engaged in rendering legal, tax, investment, insurance, financial,
accounting, or other professional advice or services. If the reader requires
such advice or services, a competent professional should be consulted.
Relevant laws vary from state to state. The strategies outlined in this
publication may not be suitable for every individual, and are not guaranteed or
warranted to produce any particular results.
This publication contains statements and statistics believed to be reliable, but
neither the author nor the publisher can guarantee the accuracy or
completeness of any of the information contained in this publication.
No warranty is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the
information contained herein. The author and publisher specifically disclaim
any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which
is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application
of any of the contents of this publication.
Each individual’s success depends on his or her background, experience,
dedication, desire and motivation. As with any business endeavor or financial
transaction, there is an inherent risk of loss of capital and there is no guarantee
that you will earn any money.
This publication is not officially associated with, endorsed by, affiliated with,
or sponsored by any of the individuals or organizations written about in this
publication.
The names and identifying characteristics of certain individuals referenced in
this publication may have been changed.
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
2
Page 40
Day 1: Character Development
Class is now in session and our first day will focus on what I feel separates
great scripts from the piles and piles of garbage written each year: characters!
An original and compelling idea for your movie is essential, but even the best
ideas will flop if the movie lacks great characters.
Dull characters are normally created by writers who get so caught up in their
plots and their big ideas that they end up plugging in stale, lifeless characters
to play out their story.
Think of some of the worst movies you’ve ever seen and I can virtually
guarantee that you failed to connect with the characters that were driving the
story. Those are movies that get made based on ideas alone, but end up
flopping because they don’t include characters that audiences connect with.
So what makes a great character? More than anything else, it’s someone who
seems real. Someone who has flaws, like real people. Someone who
contradicts themselves, like real people. Someone who has a unique voice,
like real people. Someone we can identify with, like real people.
These are characters that we can understand. We can understand why they act
the way they do based on their circumstances (and note here that even if we
don’t approve of or enjoy what the person does, we need to still be able to
identify with why he or she may be doing what they are doing).
Think about what makes Rocky Balboa one of the most enduring characters in
motion picture history. First off, he’s the ultimate contradiction. On the
surface, he’s a brutish boxer who fights at rowdy clubs by night and collects
for the local loan shark gangster by day. But when we get to know him, we
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
40
Page 41
see that this is a guy who lives his life like a beat dog, afraid to ruffle any
feathers or take any real shots at a better life. We also see that he’s got a great
heart: he won’t hurt the people he collects from even if he’s been told to, he
tries to give street kids helpful advice even if they have no respect for him,
etc.
Then, there’s the identification factor. Sylvester Stallone has said that he
believes Rocky is such a beloved character because most people are afraid to
take their best shot at life, and here’s a guy who did. We can all identify with
Rocky’s complacency early in the movie and then wanting to prove that he
really isn’t the bum people seem to think he is.
And finally, Rocky had a very unique voice. Yes, his accent is now
internationally known, but we’re talking about more than his accent. Let’s
face it; this guy isn’t the brightest person. He’s uneducated with poor
grammar and a punchy delivery. People write him off as soon as they hear
him speak. Rocky is someone most people could easily have passed on the
streets and thought nothing of, assuming that someone like this couldn’t
possibly have anything of substance to say. But if we really listen to what
Rocky has to say, we hear someone who speaks from the heart. He’s naïve to
the harsh realities of the world and expects people to do what’s right even
though he has plenty of first-hand experience to prove that that isn’t the case
in life.
This quick examination of Rocky Balboa barely scratches the surface, but we
see a lot of depth here. We see a complex character with a unique voice. We
feel like we know him and we identify with him on many levels.
And again, understand that this must be true with our “bad guy” characters as
well. We obviously like and admire Rocky, but we need to also understand
why our “bad guys” behave the way they do. We need to feel their evil and
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
41
Page 80
The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and
Selling Your Script
by David Trottier
The Best Place to Find Screenplays Online:
Drew’s Script-O-Rama: http://www.script-o-rama.com
The Best Place for Movie News:
Variety: http://www.variety.com
The Best Screenwriting Software:
Final Draft: http://www.finaldraft.com
The Best Way to Format Your Screenplay without Screenwriting
Software:
Screenwriting.info: http://www.screenwriting.info/
Or, refer to:
The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and
Selling Your Script by David Trottier
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
80
http://www.script-o-rama.com
http://www.variety.com
http://www.finaldraft.com
http://www.screenwriting.info/
Page 81
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
81
THE/10/DAY
SCREENPLAY
How to Write a Blockbuster
Screenplay in Just 10 Days
- EXPANDED EDITION -
by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 by Shamrock New Media, Inc.
NOTICE:
You may not copy, redistribute, publish, retransmit, transfer, share, modify or
create derivative works, or in any way commercially exploit, any content
contained in the publication, in whole or in part, without the prior written
consent of Shamrock New Media, Inc.
Page 2
DISCLAIMER:
This publication contains the opinions and ideas of the author and should be
used for general information purposes only. Neither the author nor the
publisher is engaged in rendering legal, tax, investment, insurance, financial,
accounting, or other professional advice or services. If the reader requires
such advice or services, a competent professional should be consulted.
Relevant laws vary from state to state. The strategies outlined in this
publication may not be suitable for every individual, and are not guaranteed or
warranted to produce any particular results.
This publication contains statements and statistics believed to be reliable, but
neither the author nor the publisher can guarantee the accuracy or
completeness of any of the information contained in this publication.
No warranty is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the
information contained herein. The author and publisher specifically disclaim
any responsibility for any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, which
is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application
of any of the contents of this publication.
Each individual’s success depends on his or her background, experience,
dedication, desire and motivation. As with any business endeavor or financial
transaction, there is an inherent risk of loss of capital and there is no guarantee
that you will earn any money.
This publication is not officially associated with, endorsed by, affiliated with,
or sponsored by any of the individuals or organizations written about in this
publication.
The names and identifying characteristics of certain individuals referenced in
this publication may have been changed.
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
2
Page 40
Day 1: Character Development
Class is now in session and our first day will focus on what I feel separates
great scripts from the piles and piles of garbage written each year: characters!
An original and compelling idea for your movie is essential, but even the best
ideas will flop if the movie lacks great characters.
Dull characters are normally created by writers who get so caught up in their
plots and their big ideas that they end up plugging in stale, lifeless characters
to play out their story.
Think of some of the worst movies you’ve ever seen and I can virtually
guarantee that you failed to connect with the characters that were driving the
story. Those are movies that get made based on ideas alone, but end up
flopping because they don’t include characters that audiences connect with.
So what makes a great character? More than anything else, it’s someone who
seems real. Someone who has flaws, like real people. Someone who
contradicts themselves, like real people. Someone who has a unique voice,
like real people. Someone we can identify with, like real people.
These are characters that we can understand. We can understand why they act
the way they do based on their circumstances (and note here that even if we
don’t approve of or enjoy what the person does, we need to still be able to
identify with why he or she may be doing what they are doing).
Think about what makes Rocky Balboa one of the most enduring characters in
motion picture history. First off, he’s the ultimate contradiction. On the
surface, he’s a brutish boxer who fights at rowdy clubs by night and collects
for the local loan shark gangster by day. But when we get to know him, we
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
40
Page 41
see that this is a guy who lives his life like a beat dog, afraid to ruffle any
feathers or take any real shots at a better life. We also see that he’s got a great
heart: he won’t hurt the people he collects from even if he’s been told to, he
tries to give street kids helpful advice even if they have no respect for him,
etc.
Then, there’s the identification factor. Sylvester Stallone has said that he
believes Rocky is such a beloved character because most people are afraid to
take their best shot at life, and here’s a guy who did. We can all identify with
Rocky’s complacency early in the movie and then wanting to prove that he
really isn’t the bum people seem to think he is.
And finally, Rocky had a very unique voice. Yes, his accent is now
internationally known, but we’re talking about more than his accent. Let’s
face it; this guy isn’t the brightest person. He’s uneducated with poor
grammar and a punchy delivery. People write him off as soon as they hear
him speak. Rocky is someone most people could easily have passed on the
streets and thought nothing of, assuming that someone like this couldn’t
possibly have anything of substance to say. But if we really listen to what
Rocky has to say, we hear someone who speaks from the heart. He’s naïve to
the harsh realities of the world and expects people to do what’s right even
though he has plenty of first-hand experience to prove that that isn’t the case
in life.
This quick examination of Rocky Balboa barely scratches the surface, but we
see a lot of depth here. We see a complex character with a unique voice. We
feel like we know him and we identify with him on many levels.
And again, understand that this must be true with our “bad guy” characters as
well. We obviously like and admire Rocky, but we need to also understand
why our “bad guys” behave the way they do. We need to feel their evil and
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
41
Page 80
The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and
Selling Your Script
by David Trottier
The Best Place to Find Screenplays Online:
Drew’s Script-O-Rama: http://www.script-o-rama.com
The Best Place for Movie News:
Variety: http://www.variety.com
The Best Screenwriting Software:
Final Draft: http://www.finaldraft.com
The Best Way to Format Your Screenplay without Screenwriting
Software:
Screenwriting.info: http://www.screenwriting.info/
Or, refer to:
The Screenwriter’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and
Selling Your Script by David Trottier
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
80
http://www.script-o-rama.com
http://www.variety.com
http://www.finaldraft.com
http://www.screenwriting.info/
Page 81
The 10-Day Screenplay by Jonathan A. Browne
Copyright © 2008 Shamrock New Media, Inc.
81
