DESERVED FILM AWARDS

Taiwan gave out awards for best student scripts and films....

Taiwan has some of the most creative filmmakers, who all need much more support from the government, society, and Taiwanese audiences.

CONGRATULATIONS,  MICHAEL WU CHIA-HSU !

http://blog.sina.com.tw/movieseeds/article.php?pbgid=122285&entryid=628764

CINEMA LANGUAGE

SCRIPT

Idea
(High-Concept or Low-Concept)

Theme
(Genre, Sub-Genre, Sub-Sub-Genre; Target Audience)

Points and Goal
(Communicating to Audience)

Style
(Art, Entertainment; Entertaining Art, Artistic Entertainment)

Plot
(Main Story, Story Details)

Subplots
(Linked to Main Plot, Not Linked to Main Plot)

Storytelling
(Direct, Indirect; Clear, Suggested; Surprises, Twists)

Structure 
(Linear Timeline, Non-Linear; Memories, Flashbacks, Dreams)

Pacing
(Smooth, Fragmented, Tension; Small and Big Climaxes, Ending)

GENRES & SUB-GENRES

Stories can have 1 or 2, even 3 different genres, but if you use too many genres, the audience will be confused and not like the film.  These genres are generalized, flexible, and cross over into other genres. Remember, there are no RULES in filmmaking or art…..

DRAMA:  real life, tragedy, murder/violence/rape, biography, period (history), costume, docudrama.

MELODRAMA:  very emotional, larger than life, soap opera.

ROMANCE:  classic, adult, teen, love, romantic-comedy.

COMEDY:  slapstick, physical, language (jokes/puns), satire, broad, dry, manic, teen gross-out.

ACTION:  war, violence, police, gangster, robbery, chase, martial arts, special effects, comic book, animé.

ADVENTURE:  travel, road movie, exotic, romantic-adventure, comedy-adventure, action-adventure.

FANTASY:  romantic fantasy, sci-fi fantasy, fantasy-adventure. (Tim Burton, Terry Gilliam.)

SCIENCE FICTION (SCI-FI):  hi-tech, lo-tech, apocalyptic, disaster, disease, alien, monster, time machine.

HORROR:  classic, ghost, vampire, werewolf, mummy, zombie, psycho, body parts, buckets of blood.

MYSTERY:  detective, mystery-suspense, courtroom, supernatural, film noir.

SUSPENSE/THRILLER:  political, murder, spy. (More tense than scary, many twists and surprises.)

MUSICAL:  singing, dancing, classical (MGM), rock, jazz, big bands, swimming (Esther Williams).

WESTERN/SAMURAI:  classic, revisionist (modern), end of the Wild West, end of the Samurai.

SCRIPT PROCESS

There are NO rules in scriptwriting, filmmaking, or art.

Art is not science, mathematics, technology, or academic theory.

(Even in science, mathematics, technology, and academic theory, rules always change.)

Art (including film) comes from the always-changing human spirit and heart.

Books and teachers only give you opinions.

Sometimes the opinions are stated very strongly, and you may feel intimidated.

Think deeply about the opinions, use the opinions that are useful, and forget the rest.

The following are not rules, but only suggestions.

These suggestions are based on my personal experience, and that of other professionals.

They can be very useful.

IMPORTANT:

Give your imagination complete freedom.

Do not try to judge your own work.

Artists are usually the worst judge of their own work. They are too emotionally close to it.

Do not show your script drafts to anyone (except good teachers)….

Normal people do not know how to read scripts, or how the films will look.

Classmates opinions may be too limited, or they may feel jealous.

Friends don’t want to hurt you.

Parents want you to quit being a writer and get a good job.

Bad teachers want to prove they are smarter than you.

Do not edit your script until after the Rough Draft is completely written.

Show the Final Draft of your script to carefully selected people whose opinions you respect.

CHARACTERS

Every major and minor character in your script should be a real human being, with a past and a childhood.  (Even animals and animated characters should be real in their own worlds.)

It is very important that YOU know these things about your characters, even if it is not used in the script.

Create a short history for each of your characters.  It may seem like a lot of work, but I promise that your script will be MUCH better if you do this. Use these ideas as a guide……..

TARGET AUDIENCES

KEY TARGET AUDIENCE: 16-25

Child:  5-9

Pre-Teen:  9-12

Teen:  13-19

College:  18-25

Young Adult:  25-35

Middle-Age:  45-60

Senior Citizens:  60+

Adult (XXX):  21+

Guy Movie:  Action, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense, Cop, Martial Arts, War.

Girl Movie:  Romance, Soap Opera.

Date Movie:  Comedy, Drama, Romance, Horror.

Family Movie:  G or PG-rating (Disney, etc.)

MOMENTO

One of the most complex film scripts written. Creative filmmakers were thrilled when Momento came out. No one had made a film like that before....and it’s hard to make a completely different film, because everything has been done many times. It is such a difficult film for audiences to understand, but it still earned $40-million, so audiences are NOT stupid, like some producers and studios believe.

The real editor is the Writer/Director, who is unique in cinema, like all great directors are. No one makes films like Christopher Nolan, from England. He studied English Literature, which is why his scripts are so intellectual AND smart.

He started making movies as a boy, with a Super-8mm home film camera. This is the passion needed to become a good filmmaker.

SCRIPT

DESIRE

REVOLT OF THE DOGS, CHICKENS AND DUCKS  

Final Scene

Copyright © 2012 

Reg. Pend. WGAW - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

INT. BEDROOM - night

[Note: This scene is described in great visual and audio detail, to capture and make clear the intended intensity.]

Moonlit shadows.

CU: Jackson Pollack abstract flurry of many-colored fabrics sensually cascading into the frame, up, down, crumpled on the floor.

SND: Exaggerated. Complex solos and symphonies of swishing, crinkling, metal… Cotton, synthetics, alpaca wool, silk, rubber, snaps, buckles, heavy, feather light.