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There’s another side to the so-called ‘unfilmables’ argument. And that’s the fact that one line – that some class as unfilmable – can tell an actor so much more than what to do at that exact moment. Used well, they can give actors and directors information that affects the whole performance or style of a piece....
Exactly. And not just confined to actor and director, but in the first instance the reader, and the Producer giving the greenlight. Unfilmables belong in no dialogue scripts. A canny writer will use them to bridge the gap of no spoken words with information and emotion that builds depth of character and fleshes out story and theme.
Best of luck you bunch of beautiful so and so's. That was a good one, and judging by the scores I've just submitted it really was the strongest OWC in a while (obviously based on my own opinion, but I'm quite an average person so by the law of averages it should be correct).
Ta for the frights, giggles, dramatic slants and new ideas/techniques garnered from the scripts up here, oh and the reviews,
Exactly. And not just confined to actor and director, but in the first instance the reader, and the Producer giving the greenlight. Unfilmables belong in no dialogue scripts. A canny writer will use them to bridge the gap of no spoken words with information and emotion that builds depth of character and fleshes out story and theme.
Exactly. If you search for the best movie character intros of all time in scripts, most go beyond telling you what they are wearing, their exact age or how they look, they tell you about the character.
More and more often I see in pro scripts introductions like, "He moves with the stocky, stiff-legged gait of a former athlete. His peppy, upbeat demeanor just barely masks a seething sense of insecurity and frustration." - Unfilmable yes, but lets you know a lot about this character in one sentence.
It's not just character descriptions as well. A good writer knows when to add the odd unfilmable sentence to emphasis a scene or action. It's a tough balance to find but owc entries should encourage a bit of artistic flair instead of just saying, "totally unfilmable."
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Exactly. And not just confined to actor and director, but in the first instance the reader, and the Producer giving the greenlight. Unfilmables belong in no dialogue scripts. A canny writer will use them to bridge the gap of no spoken words with information and emotion that builds depth of character and fleshes out story and theme.
See nail - hit it on the head.
A script is never getting to an actor until it gets by a reader - and several of them at that.
My criteria for unfilmables and asides is that if they enhanced my read, got me to turn the page - I'm all for them. Pretty much as simple as that. And I have no scientific data on this as I have not kept track, but I would bet Jeff's left testicle that the best scripts use them.
So many times I have read technically perfect scripts that just bore me to death. It's the ones that draw outside the lines that hold my interest the most. More often than not, at least to me, they are written by people who have removed the shackles of craftsmanship and decided to become artists.
From Fargo:
Quoted Text
Lester is the type of guy that apologizes when you step on his foot.
Would be crucified by techies - no, you must show us he's that type of guy. Don't ell us. I say tel me! Let me know the type of guy I'm dealing with so I can enjoy me read.
This from Inglorious Basterds:
Quoted Text
The French farmer sits down on the stump he was previously chopping away at, pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, wipes sweat from his face, and waits for the Nazi convoy to arrive. After living for a year with the sword of Damocles suspended over his head, this may very well be the end.
Would be crucified. To long - ended a sentence with a preposition - just say a Nazi convoy approaches - the last sentence is entirely unfilmable -
I loved it and loved the script. If I was a producer, it would move to the top of the pile primarily because it was a joy to read.
Of course you should generally avoid unfilmables and asides when they are used merely to provide backstory - but when they are used for tone, to create tension, to give us an insight - intrigue us - use them all you want.
Exactly. If you search for the best movie character intros of all time in scripts, most go beyond telling you what they are wearing, their exact age or how they look, they tell you about the character.
More and more often I see in pro scripts introductions like, "He moves with the stocky, stiff-legged gait of a former athlete. His peppy, upbeat demeanor just barely masks a seething sense of insecurity and frustration." - Unfilmable yes, but lets you know a lot about this character in one sentence.
It's not just character descriptions as well. A good writer knows when to add the odd unfilmable sentence to emphasis a scene or action. It's a tough balance to find but owc entries should encourage a bit of artistic flair instead of just saying, "totally unfilmable."
Double concur. Flair and voice should be celebrated and encouraged. As long as it's any good ...
My votes are all in. Every script read and scored. It's been a trip and more time consuming than I though it might be. But honestly, I only took part because I thought the challenge a good one. So well done, Pia.
It was Pia's interesting challenge that made me write my first ever short.
The Elevator Most Belonging To Alice - Semi Final Bluecat, Runner Up Nashville Inner Journey - Page Awards Finalist - Bluecat semi final Grieving Spell - winner - London Film Awards. Third - Honolulu Ultimate Weapon - Fresh Voices - second place IMDb link... http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7062725/?ref_=tt_ov_wr