You can write a great script even if you've never heard about three-act structure, character arcs and all that lovely jazz they teach you at every film school and screenwriting seminar. That's the truth ... however, if you don't speak that screenwriting language, your great script will never become a film.
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Having the force is not enough.
You need to learn how to use it. |
If films are in your blood, if you've spent an unhealthy amount of time indoors, watching just about every film ever made - you can get to a point where screenwriting becomes natural. Where you put your story to paper and you'll intuitively do it with the flow you've experienced watching countless classics. Add to your love for film a generous helping of talent and an even greater helping of discipline and stamina - et voilà - your story idea just may end up being a great screenplay.
So why do I claim that this brilliant script won't become a film? You may argue that someone just MAY buy your spec and turn it into a great filck - it's happened before! True ... but you want to become a pro, right? Professional screenwriters don't pray for a jackpot to happen, professional screenwriters craft jackpots (or, more acturately, they craft solid stories that sometimes evolve into jackpots). Craft allows you to write professionally, on demand, on time (not just when the muse feels like kissing you). Craft allows you to make it all happen by design, not by chance.
You also need to learn the craft because of the people you'll be meeting in the business. Agents, managers, directors, producers - they all look for great stories, yes. But they look for something more - they look for the kind of comfort only a pro can give them. Craft will allow you to give them that comfort, the comfort that you're a professional. They'll want to work with you because you can show them that you know your stuff, that you can make the magic happen with every gig, that you can explain what you're doing, why you're doing it - why one thing works and another doesn't. Craft will earn you their trust.
You want to make it in this crazy business, right? I'm not talking about being an A-list superstar writer - but a prolific professional who makes a living writing scripts. Yes? Then forget about the elusive "it'll just magically appear on the page". Put in the time, read the books, take the courses, attend the seminars, join the writers' circles and keep watching and analyzing shitloads of films.
It'll take a good deal of time but it'll be worth it ... because that door into the crazy world of film just may open at some point. And when it does - you'll be ready for it.
