#9 Great Endings
Edition #9 of the Lighthouse miniLetter!
You'll always get:
Three examples of great screenwriting
Two quotes about storytelling
One thing to think about
Plus some fun links at the bottom.
Three examples of great screenwriting
Children of Men
Screenplay by Alfonso Cuaron & Timothy J. Sexton
First of all this is beautiful imagery, beautifully written. But what I want to highlight is how explicit this script nails its thematic ending. There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving the audience exactly what they need to understand what you’re trying to say as an artist. Do it beautifully, and it can be incredibly powerful.
Lost (Pilot)
Written by JJ Abrams & Damon Lindelof
The last line can really be given to any of the characters, but what Abrams and Lindelof are voicing the single most important dramatic question of the show. Or is it? While there are so many questions asked in this pilot, the show’s thematic heart is crystal clear, which is part of what allows the mystery to linger unanswered for a long time. I also appreciate how well this last line connects with the title.
Homestead
Written by Lisa Jay
Good scripts create their own meaning and context. If you haven’t read this script, you don’t know what this means. But if you have, it’s meaningful and moving. That’s the power of specificity. When you do it well, you can pull it off without any characters at all. Just wonderful work here.
Two quotes about screenwriting
“Separate the processes of creating from improving. You can’t write and edit, or sculpt and polish, or make and analyze at the same time. If you do, the editor stops the creator...At the start, the creator mind must be unleashed from judgment.”
“If you need 10 of something, make 30. Then pick the best.”
One thing to think about
Is this free real estate?
Right off the top, let me say that this is not an excuse to fill up your script with unnecessary words!
First and foremost, your task is to be economical.
But…
If you’ve truly hunted down all the widows and orphans, and can’t stand to lose any more words in an action block…
You might find a few that have four, three, or maybe even two words hanging on their own line. And so just to the right of that, you can see some white space that, if filled, won't add to the length one bit.
The question is how, and if, you should use it.
Four out of five times, you probably shouldn’t. There’s a reason you trimmed it down in the first place, and it’s not just because of word count.
But every now and then, you can use this space.
That extra adverb or adjective you hated to lose.
A repeated word to really really drive your point home.
A little touch of you as an artist, nooked into a safe non-load-bearing space.
Maybe only do this when everything else is super tight, but don’t be afraid to ask:
Is this free real estate?
Have a great draft,
David Wappel