Question by gladiator: I want to become a screenwriter/director…where do I start?
I’m 16 years old and I don’t know anything about film except that I love it and I want to make my own some day. So where/how do I start? What books should I read to educate myself? What colleges should I look at? And how do I start my education/career in film RIGHT NOW. I don’t want to wait until college! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best answer:
Answer by meat
If you want to be a screenwriter, you write. You write every day. Writing is a passion and a discipline. You have to want to write. It is a solitary vocation. You need dedication and – more importantly – you need an imagination.
There are screenwriting classes offered at technical schools. I always recommend that someone that’s never taken a screenwriting class take one. Then drop out. You’ll have learned everything you can possibly learn in one semester.
You have to understand formatting. Read screenplays. They’re available online here:
www.script-o-rama.com
www.simplyscripts.com
www.imsdb.com
Pick up a copy of the Screenwriters Bible by David Trottier, it’ll answer the questions you have.
Learn the Monomyth. It’s the basis of virtually every story ever written, and was extensively written about in The Hero With A Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. There are two ways to shortcut HWATF: read the Vogler memo here:
www.skepticfiles.org/atheist2/hero.htm
And get a copy of Chris Vogler’s book A Writers Journey. You’ll learn story arc, and start to get a handle on pacing.
I’d recommend getting a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter. It’s the de-facto standard software package for formatting screenplays. It’s also pricey. If you’re not ready to make the few hundred dollar leap, then get a copy of celtx, it’s free and it’s a pretty good package. You can get it here:
www.celtx.com
You now have all the tools you need to be a screenwriter: you know format, you know Monomyth, you know pacing, and you’ve got the software to help you get everything down on paper.
A screenplay is between 90 and 120 pages.
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