A great screenplay begins with a great story. Filmmaker Paula Brancato explains how writers find the remarkable insight behind an unusual, winning premise.
A great screenplay begins with a great story. Unfortunately, not all stories deserve to be told. You’ve heard it a hundred times: “We want a premise that’s unique, high concept.” “Something new that knocks our socks off.” “A tale with remarkable insight, never told before.” One of our greatest poets was asked why he turned out only six new poems a year. He said, “Because I only have remarkable insights six times a year.” So, how do you get the remarkable insight that generates the unusual premise that creates the story that’s a winner?
Truth is the average professional writer will run through about 100 story ideas – dead cat meets maker and finds out he’s a dog, London schoolteacher launches science fair undoing MI5, a cyber house turns on its inhabitants – to get 10 that deserve to be put on paper or even discussed in short treatment form. Of the 10 stories deemed suitable for a short treatment, the pro will find maybe only three have the meat necessary to become a screenplay. That is after he or she has already written maybe 50 pages.
So how do you pick a winner? Sheer unadulterated work. Plus paying attention to what stays in one’s head and what doesn’t. This is the realm of the poet, the observer who lets many good and bad ideas pass, until something sticks that’s both compelling and has a perfect story structure.
Pros are ruthless about casting aside less promising story ideas, because each rejected idea brings the writer closer to that remarkable concept. The cat as dog theme may be appealing, but not something this particular writer can write well. The London School teacher idea might have run out of twists and turns and become a really bad, sappy romance. And how many interesting ways can a cyber house kill people, after all, if that is all it’s meant to do? Cyber House may make a fine Twilight Zone episode, but it takes more to make a strong feature film. The pro relentlessly whittles away, funnels down.
Of the three stories that do survive, the professional further knows that only one is likely to have that remarkable insight that will not let go of the writer – that’s one in 100. And this is the story that must be told.
So, if your screenplays aren’t tearing up the world, consider your premise before you start. Is this something you know about, or can learn about, and write? Is it fun? Does it turn you on, excite you down to your very bones? Is there enough meat to warrant two hours of an audience’s attention, or have you fallen in love with a one-note Johnny? Are you certain you have no particular ax to grind – screenplays aren’t lessons, they are insights, things you didn’t even know yourself! Finally, do you just keep finding this darned story knocking around in your head, no matter how hard you try to get rid of it?
Then write, by all means.
David Lent Peter Kiwitt William Donaruma Patrick Reis Paula Brancato Scott Essman Sky Crompton Camille Haimet Wynona Luz Jenna Oldrid Kelcie Des Jardins Naomi Laeuchli Megan Harr
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