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Did you ever wonder why writing a screenplay is so difficult? Even if you're lucky enough to come up with a terrific idea. The kind of idea that you can put neatly into a sentence and when other screenwriters hear the idea they smile and say "Yeah, cool idea."
And maybe you even do a decent outline and you break it down into three acts--even Act Three is strong.
And you're ready to start writing.
And you start off gangbusters. Solid page one. So good that you know you're gonna hook anybody who reads it by the time they get to the bottom of the first page. (By the way, doing that is an accomplishment in my book) Anyway, you keep going, knocking off ten pages, then twenty and before you know it you've reached the End of Act One.
And you're into Act Two and then things start to slow down, despite your very good outline. What is it exactly that's slowing you down?
Most likely you've lost your line of dramatic tension. You've veered off course. Your aim is no longer true.
It's pretty easy to work your way around this if you know what you're doing.
Let me offer this as a help aid.
Baseball games last nine innings, football games three hours (counting commercials) and championship tennis matches go over three hours. In the best games the climax is preceeded by various ebbs and flows, by numerous shifts in momentum. One team or player seems to be winning. Then something happens that gives the lead to the other team. Somebody who never makes a mistake, makes one. Somebody who's considered mediocre makes a crucial play.
Whatever is going on, it's compelling. It's nail-biting time. It's edge of your seat stuff. I'd put in another cliche, but one doesn't come to mind.
Point is: the dramatic tension of the game is clear: who will win? All anyone watching the game or match cares about is who will win? If somebody has money on the outcome, it's more intense. If it's just a loyal fan wanting his team to win because the team needs a win, it can be equally intense.
What you need to make sure your screenplay never loses sight of is this line of dramatic tension.
If you do, no matter how smart and exciting your story is, you'll lose your own interest in it. Stay alert to the story you want to tell. Make sure you don't lose your way. And if you do, cut away whatever stuff make you lose it. |
