Blog #13

• When we first talked about this project, I was skeptical, I have never been a fan of writing, merely reading what others have written for me! I am also not a very creative, and I was worried about coming up with a worthwhile plot/story. I was not excited about it to say the least.
• I feel like it has widened my horizons. I did not particularly like working on the same thing for so long, but I can say that I have written a script now! I have given it a try, and it has helped me to at least appreciate the movies that I watch more! i have used script writing software as well, which I found very interesting.
• The part of the script frenzy workbook that I found most helpful was the section where the writer was supposed to flesh out the characters an give then character traits! Authors often describe how the characters in their stories take over the writing, and they are merely recording their actions on a page. This really began to happen to me a few pages into the story, and this would not have been possible if I had not though long and hard about my characters. I did not find the climax and falling action page to be helpful. I already knew the climax that I was going to employ, and the falling action was to far in the future to worry about. I wasnt sure who I was going to kill off, and I didn't know who I wanted to end up with who, I was intending to figure that out once I had actually reached the falling action.
• I learned that I am a procrastinator, and that if I have a month to do something, it seems like forever! Having so many distractions so close at hand..it was difficult to focus, which is why I had to get the program at home, when I could work on the project on my own time, at the time of day I wanted ( NOT 7:30 in the morning). Big projects are meant for home, that is what my brain is wired to think.
• My final script was 30 pages. I did manage my time to fit in at least that much (I wasn't cramming on the last night) but my goal was 75 pages. So I did not budget my time correctly, though it was budgeted. I finished my story in the 30 pages I wrote, so that tells me that my story must need a lot of revisions, or should just be a digital short instead of a full length feature film. I could have had a set page limit per day to make sure such a page goal was achieves, while I was writing my goal was really just to put at least a paragraph on the page per day. This approach was clearly not strict enough to keep me on track an achieve 75 pages. I should calculate it out exactly next time.
• The strength of my script was definitely the humor. My strategy was to distract everyone from the horribleness of my plot with witty banter between the characters. even though I did end up liking my plot, it was a moment of brilliance that came out of nowhere, and the fact that I actually cared about the content of the script made it that much better.
• my script was a tad short, which was definitely a weakness. Since I finished my plot in a mere 30 pages, I could clearly have elaborated on the scene, and dialogue. The climax was also rather short. I could have built up the tension, and extended Malificent's monologue. Bad guys always monologue right?
• I would focus most of my time on improving the relationship/dialogue between Phil and Rose. I feel like there is not enough substance there to really believe that the two are in love. I would also improve upon the scene where Rose confronts Malificent. It is over too quickly for a moment that Rose has been training and preparing for her entire life.

Blog#12

• I was told that the strengths of my script included humor, and good character interaction. My peers also expressed that I really gave my characters a 3-D feel, in that I fleshed out their personalities through dialogue. They also liked my plot choice, which was a spin on a classic fairy tale (Sleeping Beauty).
• They thought that one weakness found in the script was the relationships between the characters. While their personalities were apparent, the relationships between characters, such as Rose an her father, were not as apparent as desirable.
• If I could re-write this scene, I would lengthen the conversation between rose and her father, so the relationship between them (strained but loving) becomes apparent. She has not seen this man for 10 years, but the fact that they have just re-united is not quite apparent in my script conversation right now.

Blog #11

ROSE and PHIL enter the kitchen looking about for napkins to clean up PHIL's punch mishap. ROSE walks straight in without hesitation, while PHIL slinks in, looking embarrassed and worried.

 Phil

(looks embarrassed) So......where do you think the napkins are? (he has a worried afterthought)  Do you think there are spiders in here?????

Rose

(looking impatient) Well yes, I imagine there are. So who are you exactly?

Phil

(he looks worried) You...you don't recognize me? (he jumps) was that a spider?!

Rose

(very confused) all I know is that you are the clutz who spilled punch all over this horrid dress, I should bake you a cake! No, that wasn't a spider.......

Phil

(looking relieved) oh...okay. Well I'm Phil! Phil Charming....(he holds out his hand, and then looks worried as she still doesn't recognize him)The  one...erm, the one who...
Rose
(she looks stunned) Oh crap. YOU? I have to marry YOU? um, not that you aren't great or anything I just...uhhh (she thinks quickly and then runs to the corner pointing at something) SPIDER!
(Phil jumps a foot and scrambles to get a spoon. He bravely waves it around)
Phil
Don't worry! It is my duty and my honor...
Rose
( she walks from behind him and walks briskly, searching the cupboards) yes do shut up about that please we came to get napkins.
Phil
(he stutters)Quite, Quite right. yes. of course. well what's that in the corner? It looks like a pile of rags, that might do!(he warily approaches the pile of cloth)

Rose

Yes I suppose this will do...OW! Crapsicles!(she draws back the cloth, revealing a spinning wheel and pricks her finger)

(Phil hesitates, lookes confusedly at her, and slumps to the ground, and Rose stares, confused)

Rose

(standing over Phil who is clearly still breathing) Oh drat.

blog #10 Dialogue moving forward

Rose

And then, WHAM! he was down! What happened?

Flora

(looking uncomfortable) well.......do you remember that charm bracelet that your other Aunts and I gave to you on your 2nd birthday......?

Rose

What this thing? (looking at the bracelet suspiciously)

Flora

Well yes! That's a charm reversal bracelet. So...

Rose

(looking incredulous) Since that curse was meant for me, it rebounded and hit Phil??

Flora

I'm afraid so dear.

blog # 9 Dialogue

Phil

(embarassed) So......where do you think the napkins are? (worried afterthought)  Do you think there are spiders in here?????

Rose

(impatient) Well yes, I imagine there are. So who are you exactly?

Phil

(worried) You...you don't recognize me? (jumps) was that a spider?!

Rose

(confused) all I know is that you are the clutz who spilled punch all over this horrid dress, I should bake you a cake! No, that wasn't a spider.......

Phil

(relieved) oh...okay. Well I'm Phil! Phil Charming....(he holds out his hand, and then looks worried as she still doesn't recognize him)The  one...erm, the one who...
Rose
Oh crap. YOU? I have to marry YOU? um, not that you aren't great or anything I just...uhhh (thinking quickly) SPIDER!
(Phil jumps a foot and scrambles to get a spoon. He bravely waves it around)
Phil
Don't worry! It is my duty and my honor...
Rose
yes do shut up about that please we came to get napkins.
Phil
(stuttering)Quite, Quite right. yes. of course. well what's that in the corner? It looks like a pile of rags, that might do!

Rose

Yes I suppose this will do...OW! Crapsicles!(she draws back the cloth, revealing a spinning wheel and pricking her finger)

(Phil hesitates, cookes confusedly at her, and slumps to the ground, and Rose stares, confused)

Rose

(standing over Phil who is clearly still breathing) Oh drat. 

Facts about Dialogue

1. The dialogue in a story should move the plot forward. Meaningless dialogue can slow the story down, or lose the reader. (witticisms always help as well, they are needed more with a short film)
2. Dialogue shows the relationship between charaters, and implies information about the speaker's past, present and future.
3. Good dialogue reflects the speaker's personality. For instance, if the speakaer is a generally hostile person, he would not be going around saying "I love you man".  If the charater has an accent, that is also an important part of the dialogue. Is the speaker a foreigner? a native?

Hollywood Formula

OPENING SCENE:
Rose is in  the final battle with Maleficent, the evil witch she has sworn to destroy to revenge her mother's death (she died when a pile of spinning wheels fell on her). During the confrontation, Malificent has made Rose feel sorry for her by expounding on how she was an outcast, Rose, a fellow outcast, knows how this feels, and experiences empathy. However, then she flashes back to the day Malificent curses her, and the Story begins. the point, is that Rose remembers all of the horrible things Malificent has done, and that, outcast or not, she must be made to pay.
INCITING INCIDENT:
There are actually two. The forst is the freak death of Rose's mother.  Since she was crushed to death beneath a pile of spinning wheels, her death is ultimately Malificent' fault because she cursed Rose in the first place. This fuels in Rose a sense of vengeance. This is why she wants to become queen. The second is the Accidental nap of Prince Phillip. his sleep may mean that Rose never becomes Queen, which will never allow her to track down Malificent. Therefore Rose sets out on a Quest to cure Phil, whatever the cost.
SUBPLOT: Malificent is a mean, bitter old witch. Why? What happened? Well Malificent once went to the same finishing school as Phil's mother and Rose's mother (that's why the two are betrothed. Their mothers are friends). Naturally while the two girls are quite popular, Malificent is not. Thus she becomes embittered against the ladies an their kin. Classic bullying and self esteem problems. unfortunately, Malifecent can use magic, thus all their problems have begun.