3 Questions A Screenwriter Should Ask When Developing A Story - Paul Joseph Gulino

TL;DR

A viable script should grab and keep the audience's attention with a natural flow, and storytellers can use techniques like dramatic irony to engage the audience.

Transcript

Film Courage: From being at Showtime what did you learn about a flat script versus a viable script? Paul Joseph Gulino, Associate Professor at Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts: To me I’m looking for something that’s pretty basic, does it grab me and does it keep me (however they accomplish that). Does it flow, does it have a ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎥 A viable script grabs and keeps the audience's attention, with a natural flow and a desire to turn the pages.
• 🎭 Collaborative movie productions with high stakes can lead to incoherence and the need for multiple writers, affecting the overall quality.
• 🔒 Dramatic irony adds suspense and story depth, but too many collaborators can water it down or make it unclear.
• ❓ Crafted stories should answer three questions: what the main character wants and wants to avoid, what they know and don't know, and what the audience knows.
• 🎬 Screenwriters have control over what the audience and characters know, allowing for the strategic withholding of information to keep viewers engaged.
• 🔎 Audiences engage in top-down processing, making inferences based on clues provided by the filmmaker, actively constructing their own reality.
• 💡 Screenwriters can play with audience expectations by utilizing schemas, familiar patterns and conventions, to create surprises and twists.
• 🧩 Constructivist psychology helps screenwriters understand how audiences think and respond, allowing them to create clever and immersive storytelling experiences.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why is it important for a script to have a natural flow and keep the audience engaged?

A script needs to have a natural flow and keep the audience engaged because this ensures that viewers are captivated and want to continue watching the film or show. It allows them to become emotionally invested in the story and characters, leading to a more satisfying viewing experience.

Q: How does the pressure for big movies to succeed affect the quality of the script?

The pressure for big movies to succeed often leads to defensive measures, such as bringing in additional writers to make sure the script works. However, this collaborative process can result in an incoherent final product, as too many voices and ideas may dilute the original vision.

Q: What is the role of dramatic irony in storytelling?

Dramatic irony is a technique that involves withholding information from the audience and characters, creating suspense and engagement. By revealing information at specific moments, the audience is kept on their toes and becomes more involved in the story, as they try to anticipate what will happen next.

Q: How can storytellers utilize constructivist psychology in their storytelling process?

Storytellers can utilize constructivist psychology by understanding that audiences experience a movie by actively constructing their own reality based on the clues and information provided. By playing with audience expectations and providing them with clues to piece together, storytellers can create engaging and immersive narratives.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A viable script is one that grabs and maintains the audience's attention, with a natural flow and engaging storytelling techniques.

• The pressure for big movies to succeed can lead to multiple writers being involved, which can impact the coherence and quality of the final product.

• Dramatic irony, a storytelling technique that involves withholding information from the audience and characters, can enhance suspense and engagement.