Writing, Scripting and finding inspiration... how do you do it?

[Daniel Rutter]

Hey guys;

As you may know, I'm in the process of trying to pen a script for a feature film. I've set myself a goal already to have a script finished by November, and all I need to do is write a treatment and get the film ideas "on paper" from beginning to end.

The problem is... I'm lacking inspiration. You could call it writers block, but thats just a lazy mans term for "can't be f*cked"... and I really need some ideas to start floating in my head so writing them doesn't become such a chore.

I guess I'm asking all of those people here that write daily, have written scripts before or even currently are working on a script or feature film that they've written. When you're writing, where do you go for inspiration... and how to you keep the ideas fresh in your mind? How do you keep your mind on the task at hand, rather than distract yourself with other ideas?

Any advice is appreciated, but can we keep it serious?

[MrMicah]

Hi Daniel. I don't write daily but I have written some quick scripts, short stories and other 'stuff'.

I find that I will sometimes get ideas when I'm not 'trying' to get them, so I'll throw them into a notebook. Even just a paragraph or two sketch. Reviewing the book months later when I need an 'idea' can be helpful. (This may not help you from where you are at the moment)

Every successfu writer I have spoken to says that its a job and if you are writing you 'go to work' and have a work-day pattern. 9.00 - 11.00; 11.30 - 1.30; 2.30 - 3.30; 4.00 - 5.00 type of thing.

When I am trying to think of where to start, I tend to think 'global', then look for a dimension or two I want to explore (either something not done before, or a new treatment of a perspective), then think of the human (emotional, inter-personal elements, then think in terms of the physical circumstances, then start transalating it to my abilities / resouces in terms of cameras, editing skills, props, locations ....

A really quick way at which I might brain-storm a 'robbery' story, might go like:

Basic idea: A robbery story.

So why is he / she / they robbing a (bank?) .... thinking ... thinking ...... thinking ..... To get money for an operation.

It might go like....

What if a guy had to rob a bank to get the funds for a life saving operation?
(There are all of the options to show the reason why, the emotional drama of finding out about the medical condition /need, the planning of the robbery job, the organising of helpers etc)

Maybe the operation has to be a different country; or the stolen money needs to be laundered?
(Hazardous dealings with 'escape', extradition or criminal money laundering types. The clock is ticking on how soon the operation needs to be done?)

Is there a love interest or other interest? Is the operation for the robber, his lover, his child, or something else?

Is there a chase / escape from police scene?

Is there a medical operation scene? (Maybe he flatlines in surgery, sees the other side and repents his actions of the robbery?)

What is the resolution? The hero gets his operation? It all goes wrong and he dies (crime doesn't pay?) Its all a big con to convince the helpers to help and there is no operation but the 'baddy' takes the loot and runs? He gets caught, it switches to a court-room drama and he tell hiis story of being failed by the 'system' in the evidence, and the moral story of there needs to be a 'better way'

Then I'll start sifting through the pathways I want to (or can afford to) follow to create the overall story.

[cgbier]

Inspiration? I don't know. However, MrMicah is right. If you are blocked, make a fixed schedule. Just write anything that comes to your mind - ANYTHING. Don't throw it away though. You might need some of that nonsense later.

I don't do story telling per se. In my line of work the creative part is rather how to phrase scientific facts in lay men's terms. That gray jello in me head is constantly working. Oftentimes I have a thought that is gone within seconds. My tools to at least memorize a tiny amount of my ideas are: the voice recorder feature in my cell phone, a simple note pad, Evernote, sometimes a napkin, the text editor in your PC (staring up the "real" word processor takes too long)..... Have anything around with you that enables quick note taking.

Even a banana leaf and charcoal does the trick in emergencies - use the backside of the leaf

Important is to note down everything that goes through your mind. When you sort that stuff out, you might find enough material for more shorts than you actually can produce in your life

[Almohada]

I don't know why really but seems like you've started a thread like this 50 times already haha. Don't force yourself.... I usually write with a friend and it takes us forever to find a day we're both free. Sometimes we don't do anything at all but when we're inspired, we are on FIRE! Just don't force it... It'll come to you. Throw some ideas around and if you're feeling good then you'll find yourself working.

[Dr. Benway]

use the backside of the leaf

Also useful for... ahem.

But seriously, set yourself a huge goal and spend a year doing it. Like the final year at art school where you get to do one major work that is assessed and exhibited; you have a deadline. It takes a long time to explain the conceptual process but start by thinking hard about what you'd like to make and keep clear notes. Build upon it and build upon it and build upon it until you are busting to shoot your first scene. Be ruthless, be critical, let your mind wander with or without some acid, but either way with a happy, reckless mind. Think about what would blow people away in terms of story, gritty, sexy - as in having your actors screw - don't be shy, whatever you like.

Or you could just rent Michael Bay DVDs and not bother.

[Almohada]

Also useful for... ahem.

Have not had the need to try that... yet!

[Daniel Rutter]

Nope, I don't believe I have started other threads like this. Could be wrong though, I do have a horrible memory.

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'm just looking at the general consensus on how everyone else comes up with ideas. Figuring out what works best for me will come with applying ideas from the rest of you... but this thread is for everyone and anyway to take from.

[cgbier]

Have not had the need to try that... yet!

Bananas grow nearly everywhere in our place. We never need to carry tissue or plates with us when we go camping

Daniel, a clear mind is the best help. The more you stress yourself with getting ideas, the less ideas you actually have. Ever happened to to wake up at 3am with a huge heureka? That's because your mind is resting during sleep***.

***Well, sleep also defrags the hard drive in your head and cleans up the Registry.

[Janke]

***Well, sleep also defrags the hard drive in your head and cleans up the Registry.

I didn't think your brain was running Windoze...

[cgbier]

Ok, for a Mac user sleep cleans up Journal page and temp logs and repairs Permissions

[Playing]

What the Antman's contest taught me is that it is easier if there is a focus.
To come up with an idea that has to involve a cogwheel gets my creativity working better than just thinking about making a video. Maybe just stab a knife into a dictionary a few times and see what you can do with what comes up.

[drapeama]

What the Antman's contest taught me is that it is easier if there is a focus.

What I've done for every earlier contests was to get the idea, and decide on the way. I never wrote a script for the previous contest, or simple the headlines of it.

Now, as we're talking about :

a script for a feature film

What I've done so far was to bring a notebook at the local coffee shop and just relax and write, like cgbier said...everything. Then I was trying to assemble the story with these ideas. It's not an easy task, and when you brain doesn't want to cooperate, it's frustrating. I know, I'm living the same situation here. I haven't touched my script since a couple months.

[Daniel Rutter]

I know, I'm living the same situation here. I haven't touched my script since a couple months.

Me either. All I seem to have added is a fight scene and added more ideas to how I want to stylize my film. When it comes to how to shoot things, I can work it out. What to shoot? Different story. It's the damn cameraman in me that makes it hard to be a writer :-/

I've finished scripts before, so I know I can do it... I just have to motivate myself. It's as if I don't want to finish it and finally do something this town can take notice of. Writing with limits is probably another thing that frustrates me most. I can't write anything requiring many actors and extras... as the kind of people I have in my town to choose from would most likely rob me of my gear rather than be apart of a film. Obviously, I could go elsewhere with my script... but most of what I've written is set in many locations around here I've grown to like, it'd be hard to let go of that.

Anyway, it's just the long unflattering task of being a wannabe-film maker that drives me, so if I want to succeed I gotta soldier through it.

Thanks to everyone who has shared, I appreciate your input

[Krane]

I've finished scripts before, so I know I can do it...

Finishing it yes; doing it well is a different story.

Sid Fields says come up with a good idea, situation, or character. Then decide on your ending. He likens it to knowing what your destination is before you leave home: If you don't know where you're going, then how will you know when you get there? One more thing, keep it simple and avoid too much dialogue. Unless you're a word master, it best to just keep the action going. Good luck

[cgbier]

...and don't forget that writing a script is not everything. It also depends what you make out of it.

[Bertzie]

I'm mentally unstable. That tends to help a bit.

[Erik Bien]

I don't know if anyone has posted it here yet, but I just ran across this List of Story Rules from some of the best storytellers in today's movie business, Pixar (there's also a cute Lego-ized version of some of them). Lots of great screenwriting advice packed into short, twitter-sized bites.

[Krane]

I don't know if anyone has posted it here yet, but I just ran across this List of Story Rules from some of the best storytellers in today's movie business, Pixar (there's also a cute Lego-ized version of some of them). Lots of great screenwriting advice packed into short, twitter-sized bites.

Got this the other day from production management instructor. Only problem I have is with the wording of #7: Come up with your ending before you figure out your middle. Seriously. Endings are hard, get yours working up front.

According to Sid Field's rendition, he says simply come up with your ending first. His rational is, that you have to know what your destination is before you begin your journey. A small factor in the wording I know, but sometimes there's clarity hidden in the smallest details. Thank you for this.

[drapeama]

...and don't forget that writing a script is not everything. It also depends what you make out of it.

I'd be interested to see what I could make out of someone else' script.

[cgbier]

I don't know if it is still the case, but there were a lot of scripts available on the celtx website.

[drapeama]

I don't know if it is still the case, but there were a lot of scripts available on the celtx website.

Thanks for the tip. I'll check that.

[Bertzie]

Writing is easy. Writing WELL is hard. Just put down everything that pops into your head and weed out the crap later.

At least that's how I do things

[drapeama]

Writing is easy. Writing WELL is hard.

Then,
a) not for me!
b) definitively NOT for me!

I usually think of the headlines, but when comes the time to "polish" the story with details, I stop thinking.

[MalfunctioningHuman]

Drape, what genre are you thinking about? I have some things, but I don't think they would make easy shorts for different reasons. I'd really like to start writing again though. Any ideas in particular?

[drapeama]

Drape, what genre are you thinking about? I have some things, but I don't think they would make easy shorts for different reasons. I'd really like to start writing again though. Any ideas in particular?

Well, something that doesn't requires a lot of actors. Set are more or less of a problems. What I like, and what's "easy" to me, my comfort zone, is the Cop/Police genre. Something I'd really like to do would be something like Se7en (the mood, the pace, the feeling of the movie). But I'm open to any of your ideas.
You might post your "scripts" in new thread, free for others to produce their takes on it !? Might be interesting to see multiple visions of the same story I think.

Edit: something with dialog (I mean more than three lines and ideally between 2 characters) would be my next challenge.