Breaking coconuts
As screenwriters we qualify on the evolution ladder to be somewhere between coconuts obsessed chimps and cold blooded high tech engineers. More or less we all work using the best of each approach which makes us high tech chimps or coconuts obsessed engineers. In my wildest dreams, I envision what one may call, well, a step forward.
Movies are dreams
The craft of screenwriting seems to be an infinite subject for books, posts, seminars. Advices everywhere, gurus at the corner of each lost dog on a parking lot. And indeed, some sort of science is finally slowly emerging of all this. What I’d like to highlight here is the most significant aspect of movies : their dream quality.
One story, four pitches
Everyone insists on how important a pitch is. But as for myself, I think every writer needs four different and necessary pitches.
First is the install pitch, the initial appeal of a conflicting contrast, a fresh situation around someone in relation with three essential entities : us, his world, and a vital necessity.
Backstory and the sense of loss
In a movie, the revelation of the backstory can be mind blowing or a miserable burden in the telling : how much, when, what for, from whose point of view, at what progressing rythm (Chinatown) or unique intensity (Runaway Jury, Psycho) is the ultimate identity and vision of the writer.
To some extent, the mastery of backstory is the central crossroad of the craft, the right path to any story, and the most personal artistic signature of the writer.
Pivotal Moments 1- How miraculous : the characters necessity fits your need
Let’s be clear : while the message of stories and even our intention as writers are most of the time noble and sincere, the « craft » is mainly about trickery, cheat, duplicity.
And it’s fun !
The art of reading
The screenwriting litterature is abundant in saying all screnwriters should hone their craft by reading and writing.
And this of course, every single day of a somehow strange life. Write every day for sure. Read every day : fiction books, newspaper, scripts, good and bad, more books from classicals to contemporary, read all formats, train your reading muscles.
But the biggest skill of all, and this one I never see underlined in these books, is to read what you write.
Scope, descent, elevation : the symbolism of spaces
It’s been a long time since I wanted to post a note about this. I wanted it to be perfect, full of meaning and precise. But as you know, perfection means never, in a writer’s language. As a great master once stated « There is …
Bienvenue !
Bienvenue à vous dans ce nouvel espace, et en particulier à tous ceux qui m’ont suivi depuis writeorwrong, les histoires font la loi.
J’ai souhaité ici mieux mettre en valeur textes et réflexions et surtout offrir un espace plus convivial à ceux d’entre vous qui voudront partager expérience ou vision dans les guest posts.
Le projet de ce blog est désormais d’adopter un esprit collaboratif, de devenir un lieu d’échanges et de relations. Je souhaite que ce bout de net soit un lieu vivant où la passion, la bonne humeur et l’audace dans la réflexion pourront s’épanouir.
Enrichir nos outils individuels, faire vivre ensemble nos projets, constituer des équipes créatives ambitieuses, ouvrir la dramaturgie sur des territoires nouveaux…sky is the limit !
Bonne écriture à tous.
Marc Omeyer
Lonely process, sharing and collaborative minds…
One coffee, one script.
Each morning is a new day of passion. We are writers, lovers, hard workers. We search, create, imagine.
Heart and brain dedicated to make screenwriting not only a richer and deeper process but somehow a tool for discoveries.
The realm of stories is all secrets and mysteries, and we stand at the treshold…
