See Vincent Laforet's Stunning Canon C300 Short 'Mobius' Here
Behind the scenes after the jump.
More on Vincent Laforet's blog; also, there a several more Canon C300-shot shorts on Canon's Media Gallery page.
Behind the scenes after the jump.
More on Vincent Laforet's blog; also, there a several more Canon C300-shot shorts on Canon's Media Gallery page.
If you have a strong hook, fulfill the promise of your premise.
Last week, I was at dinner with an executive who works at one of the three largest studios in Hollywood. I asked him about his favorite spec scripts and if he had any advice for writers who were trying to break in. He took a deep breath and said, "I wish more writers understood how important the concept of their movies is and how much they need to deliver on that promise."
It was at that moment I realized we needed to have and article on that statement. I went back through all the scripts I gave notes on in the last year, and I found that almost all of them either had an underdeveloped concept or bailed on that concept at the start of their screenplay.
So today, we're going to do a deep dive into concepts and see where we land.
Let's get started.
In screenwriting, the concept refers to the central idea or driving force behind your story.
A good concept has all the following elements:
Jurassic Park
Universal
There are two kinds of concepts in Hollywood:
Moonlight
A24
When you're in a pitch or a general meeting, you want your concept to feel like a project those people are trying to make. Your concept is what your agent or manager can also sell a filmmaker on when they're trying to package an idea.
Here's a few reasons this matters so much:
The Fast and the Furious
Universal Pictures
Let's go back to the original answer given to me by the executive. If you have a strong concept, you need to deliver on it. Blake Snyder called this fulfilling the promise of the premise.
Every screenwriter has been there—you're fueled by an electrifying idea, you blast through the first act of your screenplay.
You've outlined your characters, your world glistens with detail, and the premise hooks with thrilling potential. Then, somewhere around page 45, the momentum peters out.
Your once-brilliant idea feels tired, and doubt begins to creep in.
Before you know it, your script lies abandoned in the digital graveyard of unfinished projects.
This is killing your screenplay in the marketplace. People want concepts that get delivered by writers, and it's what separates the veterans from the amateurs.
So I want to dig deeper on why we bail and what we can do to stay the course.
X-Men
FoxThe excitement of a new idea can fade as you delve into the nitty-gritty. And you may want to stray from what was working because you're blocked about what needs to happen moving the story forward.
Don't do that.
Let's unravel the reasons behind why we pivot away from strong concepts.
The Revenant
20th Century Studios
If you're sitting here knowing you may be bailing on your concept, stop and let's have a chat. You know the reasons people bail, but now I want to give you the tools to push through.
Here's what helps me:
Remember, screenwriting is a marathon, not a sprint. There will be times when writing feels effortless and others when it's a grind.
The key is to persevere, trusting that your commitment to your initial concept will yield amazing results. Keep writing, and watch your story break free into a completed work you can be proud of!
Let me know what you think in the comments.