Hello everyone, I stuck in the middle of my screenplay. And I mean in the middle, I have beginning, I have the end but I don't have middle. Now two weeks I can not write a word in there. Strange things happen. I have twelve days left until deadline. How do you pass this situation of being almost there?

Does the middle of your screenplay have a character going after a goal or is he/she just wandering around in the second Act?

There's a couple ways I've approached this.

I've looked at each act as it's own little story with beginnings, middles, and ends. of course they connect to each other but giving each act its own arc helps keep the story moving helps me compartmentalize what I want to do.

Another way I've approached middles is to think of them as bowling pins. I spend the a lot of the middle setting things up meticulously so in the third act I can knock them all down. Sometimes setting up the pins gives me ideas on interesting things to do or helps we make more connections in my story, thus it becomes stronger and more interesting.

Another way of looking at it is to think of your story as a roller coaster. You want a constant ride of peaks and valleys. Ups and downs. Too many constant highs and the movie become repetitive and draining. Plus you are always forced with having to ratchet up the pressure and stakes which makes things harder for you as the writer. Too many lows and the film becomes boring and goes nowhere. But a plot that constantly shifts gears is exciting and keeps things moving.

Don't worry as it's generally accepted that middles are by far the hardest part of a story. That said, it would help if we had some basic information on your script.

Quoted from dead by dawn Does the middle of your screenplay have a character going after a goal or is he/she just wandering around in the second Act?

There is a specific goal. But the problem is that I can not make it entertaining enough since it takes place in a room basically for all film.

Quoted from CameronD There's a couple ways I've approached this. I've looked at each act as it's own little story with beginnings, middles, and ends. of course they connect to each other but giving each act its own arc helps keep the story moving helps me compartmentalize what I want to do. Another way I've approached middles is to think of them as bowling pins. I spend the a lot of the middle setting things up meticulously so in the third act I can knock them all down. Sometimes setting up the pins gives me ideas on interesting things to do or helps we make more connections in my story, thus it becomes stronger and more interesting. Another way of looking at it is to think of your story as a roller coaster. You want a constant ride of peaks and valleys. Ups and downs. Too many constant highs and the movie become repetitive and draining. Plus you are always forced with having to ratchet up the pressure and stakes which makes things harder for you as the writer. Too many lows and the film becomes boring and goes nowhere. But a plot that constantly shifts gears is exciting and keeps things moving. Don't worry as it's generally accepted that middles are by far the hardest part of a story. That said, it would help if we had some basic information on your script.

Good tips. Well, in short it's a story about three men locked in a room without way out. I'm not a writer myself, I'm a cinematographer who tries to make his first feature and it's extremely hard for me to write.  

In that case I'd go back and look at your beginning. Did you introduce enough early on to keep the film interesting for its entire length? make the room more interesting so they have more to do in there. Add more outside forces to complicate matters. Hell, give one guy the flu so he gets sick later on.

Movies set in one room can still be interesting. Look at 12 Angry Men.

Quoted from CameronD Movies set in one room can still be interesting. Look at 12 Angry Men.

Hell yeah they are interesting, but It'd take a lot to make it good.

Quoted from Vadim Joy Good tips. Well, in short it's a story about three men locked in a room without way out. I'm not a writer myself, I'm a cinematographer who tries to make his first feature and it's extremely hard for me to write.

The stuck in a room story can be quite good. In this case (link below) the room is shrinking, so they need to think fast - stakes are high.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016301/

Also: Stuck in an elevator and one of them is the devil in the example below. Not bad either imh.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1314655/

You need to think about why these people are stuck in the room, what will happen if they don't get out etc. Up the stakes for your characters, give them incentives and consequences.

Buried - as in buried alive - one of my favs.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1462758/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Finally this one:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1603257/

Also written by Chris Sparling
Bit different in that being stuck in a room in this case is preferable to what lurks outside.

Hope this helps with a little inspiration.

Find a writer. You will fail.

Quoted from LC The stuck in a room story can be quite good.

Yeah, but that all depends on the writer.  
Contained scripts get boring real fast if things aren't constantly happening and changing and switching up.  

The situation needs to escalate, the stakes need to keep getting higher and higher, and we must feel like we're moving forward and not remaining put with the same for the next X amount of pages.  Misery is a pretty good example to watch.