How to write a screenplay (for beginners) | types of screenplay explained | photographycinema

 Hello everyone. Welcome to photographycinema. Last time we see about 'HOW TO WRITE A STORY' by the contuniy we going to see about ' HOW TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY'. Screenplay is important in writing. It decides that how the film is going run in the screen. It covers all the things for a film.

Let's get into it.

What is screenplay ?
     In simple words, After writing a story the scenes which we are going to display to the audience is screenplay.
   In other words, a series of scenes is said to be screenplay.

What is a scene ?
     A scene is something that is a character's action and dialogues. Building this all scene by scene and giving it a structure is called screenplay.

     To write this screenplay there are many structures and a format.

What is format ?
     Format I'm trying to convey is writing in a note or digital format in which we write the screenplay.

We have to follow the same format which is adopted by everyone, as this will allow the reader to access it easily.

     The order everybody follows is first the scene heading, interior or exterior whether inside the house or outside and scene location. Where the scene takes place room ,park ,hotel ,etc., Should be mentioned when is the scene taking place. Day or night or evening these information and then our character name also includes while writing the screenplay.

     The dialogue spoke by the character parallel to their name and their action For Example:- [NAME: DIALOGUE (ACTION PORTRAYED)]

     Writing all this and storing this all in one easy format is called as formatting.

     To write on format there are many software and application available in the market to install. There are some free software and apps such as CELTX are available for free in mobile. But, for screenplay structure there is no external help will be available as we have to decide how it's going to be.

Like this we have many basic structures to write screenplay structure.

The first screenplay structure we are going to discuss is, the most common and popular 3 ACT STRUCTURE.

Most movies will be in this format where the screenplay is divided into 3 acts.

ACT 1: SETUP, ACT 2: CONFRONTATION, ACT 3: RESOLUTION

Let's discuss ACT 1
ACT 1 : SETUP,   here all characters are introduced. The time period, where the character is living , the nature of the character, behaviour of the character, how it responds to every situation.  what the character wants are to be established within first 20-30 mins of the film.

After ACT 1 is finished a plot point is created. Plot point is when the protagonist facing a problem when he pursuing for what he wants where it may change its life. Our protagonist will enter a different world this is how ACT 1 will be ending.

Let's discuss ACT 2
ACT 2: CONFRONTATION     This the problems arising between the protogonist and antogonist  during the search for what the character wants. Confrontation is ended with plot point 2. This plot point 2 will helpful in ACT 3: RESOLUTION .

Let's discuss ACT 3

The decision taken by our hero whether the hero has obtained what he wants.

For example:- if he succeeds with his love by marrying or not , succeeded ending in separation.

     Like this plot point 2 will be helpful in acting as a triggering point. From this a resolution will be given and thereby ending the film. Like this from childhood we saw & heard growing up this 3 ACT structure.

Example:-  This is a simple story we heard as a kid, the crow which steals a vada from the old lady.


     The protagonist in this story is the crow, first they are setting the scene like Once upon a time there lived a old lady in a village where she was cooking and selling vada. A crow was seeing this from sitting from a branch of a tree nearby, - this is setup

The protagonist knows what he wants, here the crow wants the vada. Here the plot point 1 is the crow steals the vada and gets to the branch in the tree.

Next is CONFORNTATION

Then comes a fox. The fox tries to stop the crow from eating the vada which is a problem arising for the crow (confrontation). Next the fox makes a plan to steal the vada from the crow now the conversation which takes place between the fox and crow is CONFORNTATION.

The fox says "Hey crow your voice is beautiful, sing a song for me". When the crow starts to sing, the vada falls down, then the fox steals the vada from crow this is plot point 2.

Now the RESOLUTION is whether the crow gets the vada or not.  Here it doesn't get it this is RESOLUTION.

     Like this many of the stories we heard growing up as a child is based upon this 3 ACT structure.

This can't be simply said as a structure. It's like how newton discovered gravity. Gravity is not something he invented he deduced a way to apprehend and use it for understanding. That's how 3 ACT structure is...

when you write a screenplay based on this, it will be much easier for you but still this is a basic level of structure.

Roshomon structure screenplay
    Another screenplay structure is Roshomon structure. Why the name rashomon is, this type of screenplay was first conveyed in the film rashomon hence the name, this is an very interesting screenplay structure because, In this, a single scene is taken and dealt with different point of view & character's view.

This runs as two screenplay.

     In Tamil film 'VIRUMANDI'  Kamal Haasan film this rashomon screenplay was well used in this movie. The same scene is conveyed from both view of Virumaandi and Kothaladevan handled superbly in this film. 

     Even in 'VIKRAM VEDHA' Tamil film this roshomon effect is used to some extent. 

    If we are going to write a structure based on rashomon structure, one should have a higher maturity level as even the slightest mistake may collapse in screenplay. So if you are going to take up this, you have to be in a very conscious & focused.

Reverse chronological order
     As in the name,  going by chronological order by sequencing. The scenes from the front are shown at end and scenes from back are shown at the start.

Handling this is very difficult,  but this technique was well handled in the Tamil movie 'VADACHENNAI'.

     We won't know why the character is doing this action. Building the tension and then justifying the action of the character and revealing the story. This technique is know as reverse chronological order.

similarly there is another screenplay structure called as fabula and syuzhet structure

Fabula and syuzhet screenplay
     A character is taken and placed in a situation and  then the character explains how he came into this situation with a flashback.

A good example for this is vetrimaran's  film ' POLADHAVAN '. At the start of the movie the Dhanush character is seen to be in a fight scene. Why he is in this fight, why they are trying to kill him, how he bought the bike, how he fell in love with the girl, like this when everything is shown accordingly we get to know the story of the film.

Even 'SANTHOSH SUBRAMANIYAM' Tamil film will be in this format.

Hyper link screenplay

     In this type two or three stories take place.A scene from each story is shown, as the film moves forward we can see a converge in all the stories and see it as on whole story.

In this structure many films are taken like MANAGARAM, VANAM, SUPER DELUXE.

     Ok now we have this many screenplay structure's . we decide from one of these and start writing a screenplay. There are some things where we need to work on which I will be explaining now.

     Other than HYPERLINK STRUCTURE a scene and consecutive scene should have a link. That is when a scene ends the scene should have a lead point for the next scene. Then only the audience will have a flow to watch.

     If you convey a story with no links in between there will be no engaging factor. To work even better, we can work sequence by sequence. That is to combine four or five scenes into a sequence.

Good examples for this type are films like THUPPAKI, SADHURANGA VETTAI.

Take SADHURANGA VETTAI there are about 6 episodes. In which the story travels along how he manipulates and cheats everybody is shown. like this if we engage the screenplay, the movie will not have any downs in it and will run in a beautiful flow.

     If  a screenplay is written in this format it will be much more engaging,  speaking of which, if we want to keep a movie engaing. Between 15-20 mins, in the story there should be something which should be happening in continuous phase.

FOR EXAMPLE:- A love scene we establish that they love each other, if we keep on taking scenes which show their love or In a comedy scene if we keep on doing the same scene continuously, audience will get bored eventually and start to feel why the story isn't moving forward.

    what we must do is, In a scene, keeping in mind what is the emotion, either mixed with comedy or with love. The scene  and the story should progress onto next level continuously, then only the audience will not get the bored feel.

Conclusion
     Now with the points I have mentioned, you can write a screenplay easily. Now the points I mentioned are not rules or some procedures. You can refer these as they have been already applied  and we can make use of this techniques and adopt this.

If you are going to do something innovative and new that is your wish.

      Cinema is a creative craft. There is no manual or guidelines to do.  Why i am saying, these points are for beginners who are starting to write a story or a screenplay.



     That's all viewers. Thanks to spending your valuable time. I hope this blog post will develop to improve your writing skills. I also explained in detail about HOW TO WRITE A STORY . See our other post to improve your filmmaking skills. If you have any questions or doubts please contact us or comment below. All the best for your writing work for your film.

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