Screenwriting Article – How to Break into the Industry with a Character Piece

Posted on November 29, 2012 | by admin

So there I was, reading this week’s screenplays, minding my own business, and it occurs to me that there’s an interesting question emerging. On Monday, I had this quirky character driven dramedy about a family of grown-up siblings who realize they’re all adopted, and on Wednesday I had a script about an unlikely friendship between an old drunk and a 12 year old geek.

There were some similarities here. Both were small independent films that put the focus on the characters. But more significantly, there was very little plot to either one of them. I’d almost say they were “plotless.” That got me thinking just how hard it is to break into the business with one of these types of scripts. I mean let’s be honest. These are the kinds of scripts that can end a logline’s career. Which REALLY depresses loglines because they live to impress people! This is likely why so few people have actually read these scripts. Even if they’re recommended, whoever got them probably said, “Errr…Why the hell would I read that??”

I remember, at one point, writing in Relativity’s review, to NEVER write a script like this if you wanted to get reads. Then two days later, I’m propping up St. Vincent like it’s the second coming. So which is it? Write’em or don’t write’em? Well, I do stand by my original statement. You shouldn’t write a script like this if you’re trying to break in. When it comes down to it, Hollywood is a numbers game. The more people you can get to read your script, the better chance you have of finding someone to buy it. And when you throw a low-concept character-driven idea out there, the amount of read requests you’re going to get is going down by 80% – AT LEAST. Not only do producers and agents avoid these things like the plague because they never make money, but as a reader, I can tell you, a bad character-driven drama is the worst kind of script to get stuck in. These things can get soooo boring soooo fast if they’re not written well. And most of the time they’re not written well.

But, I’m guessing you’re reading this, pointing your fingers at the screen and saying, “Yeah, but I’m DIFFERENT.” You Angus T. Joneses of the world want everyone to know that you’re an amazing writer and therefore don’t need to be held to these lame Hollywood standards. Your character piece is going to be that powerball winner, because it’s THAT good. Okay, okay. I know we writers didn’t come to Hollywood because we’re the smartest lot. We chose one of the riskiest professions in the world cause we’re kinda nuts. And if we’re already risking embarrassment and ridicule from our much more successful family and friends, why stop taking chances now? So if the dramatic character-piece route is the one you’re going to take, it is my duty to prepare you for it. Here are five essential elements to include to give your indie character piece the best shot at success.

A BIG INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTER A BIG ACTOR WOULD WANT TO PLAY
This is one rule that doesn’t change no matter what kind of script you’re writing, whether it be The Disciple Program or St. Vincent de Van Nuys, you still gotta nab a big actor, because the film’s gotta get financed, and you’re not going to find financing without a star, and a star isn’t going to attach himself to your script for some “sorta okay” role. So you gotta write someone intriguing, different, someone who’s going through some major internal shit, someone who does weird things or is unique or retarded or deranged or strange. Look at De Van Nuys. Vin is an asshole, says what’s on his mind, gets wasted all the time, gets to act post-stroke, is full of repressed emotions about his wife. This is a character someone’s going to want to play, something an actor would see as a challenge. With Relativity, there was craziness, but there was zero depth to the characters. It was skin deep. What actor wants to play a skin deep “wacky” character? You gotta give them more.

STAY AWAY FROM ‘QUIRK FOR QUIRK’S SAKE’
Call it the Garden State or Little Miss Sunshine effect, but after those films, lots of writers started writing things like guys dressed up in 17th century jousting armor pouring cereal in the kitchen because it was a neat quirky image! Look, I have no problem with 17th century jousting armor characters pouring milk into your script AS LONG AS IT FITS THE CHARACTER AND THE STORY. If the ONLY reason you’re putting it in there is because you think it will be cool or neato, prepare to meet some reader backlash. Readers want things to make sense. They want every choice to be organic to the story. They don’t want a bunch of random wildness that has nothing to do with anything. If your main character keeps a white tiger in his living room, he better be a failed circus trainer who got booted out of his Vegas show recently and not an average 20-something slacker who just happens to live with a tiger. “HEY! WHAT IF OUR HERO HAD A WHITE TIGER??!” “Why?” “CAUSE THAT WOULD LOOK SO COOL ONSCREEN!” “But why would he have a white tiger?” “Who cares about why! It’s quirky. It’s crazy. People will love it!”

ARC YOUR MAIN CHARACTER
If you’re writing a character piece and your main character doesn’t have a flaw that’s holding him back in life, then don’t bother writing your indie character piece because this is what writing indie character pieces is all about – exploring the flaw inside your main character and watching his journey challenge that flaw. So in De Van Nuys, Vincent has cut himself off emotionally from the world. He refuses to connect with others. That’s his flaw. But in the end he finally learns to move past his wife’s death and allow others in again. Or in American Beauty, Lester’s flaw was his need to live life without responsibility. When he rejects the opportunity to sleep with Angela in the end, he overcomes that flaw. So yeah, do some character arcing dude. Or else write something a lot bigger that has a lot better chance of getting you noticed!

ALL YOUR CHARACTERS SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON
Don’t let the term, “character piece” fool you. A better term would be “characters piece,” cause if you’re only trying to make one of your characters interesting and different and flawed, then your script is going to feel thin. The thing with character pieces is they have to have depth – there’s gotta be more going on there. That’s why we read them, because those other “big idea” specs don’t have enough going on under the surface. For this reason, ALL of your characters should be going through something, trying to get past some roadblock in life. Vincent has his whole “refuse to connect” thing. Maggie, the neighbor, is trying to move past her broken marriage and deal with the lack of time she has to spend with her son. Even Charlisse, the hooker, has to learn when it’s time to clock out and be a friend as opposed to only being there when she’s getting paid.

YOU GOTTA TAKE SOME RISKS WITH THESE SCRIPTS
There’s that word again: RISK. Here’s the thing. You’re writing something that has very little shot at being read. So don’t disappoint the reader who DOES pick up your script by giving them a boring predictable indie character piece. Take some chances. Go to some unexpected places. Alan Ball wrote a four minute scene into American Beauty with a bag blowing in the wind. The writer of De Van Nuys has his main character slap a homeless legless beggar’s coin cup out of his hands. If we’re going to take the time to read a script that we’re betting is boring, you have to make some risky choices to prove that your story ISN’T boring. Or else you’re better off writing commercial fare, where it’s easier to get away with safe choices.

In summary, I still say you stay the hell away from an indie character piece as your break-in script. I mean even De Van Nuys had some extenuating circumstances. The writer was a commercial director for the past decade. He’d been in the business for awhile. He was directing this script AS WELL as writing it, which meant he didn’t have to go through the traditional channels of getting the script read, of having to come up with a logline that excites someone enough to take a chance on you, the unknown amateur screenwriter. But I get it. You still believe in your script. And you know what? YOU SHOULD! If you don’t believe in yourself, who will? But I’ll make one last plea. If you do write one of these, try to give the script ANY kind of hook, any kind of angle that makes it stand out from the boring character piece pack. Give us a janitor who’s smarter than everyone at MIT (Good Will Hunting) or a couple who don’t know they used to be a couple because their memories were erased (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind). And then follow the guidelines I’ve laid out above. They’re going to give your indie script an actual shot at getting some attention! Good luck!

Posted in Advice, Articles, Uncategorized

Poe_Serling

Thanks, Carson… some interesting insights regarding character pieces and the indie scene.

gazrow

Love The Evil Dead – A true classic!

Poe_Serling

I just saw the new trailer for the Evil Dead remake… I’d be curious to see what they come up with.

Hey g-

By the way, I’ve you ever seen Peter Jackson’s Bad Taste… it’s another yummy, low-budget cult film, but it’s definitely an acquired ‘taste.’

“Aliens invade the fictional New Zealand village of Kaihoro to harvest humans for their intergalactic fast food franchise, where they face off against a four-man paramilitary force, of which at least one member appears to have gone insane.”

gazrow

Just checked out the new trailer for The Evil Dead remake – Looks pretty awesome. Hopefully, it’ll have a nice blend of horror and dark comedy like the original rather than a straight horror!

Seeing how you have such good taste – Bad Taste is now on my watch list!

Poe_Serling

Looking forward to your thoughts on Bad Taste — most people either love or hate it.
Marija ZombiGirl

Bad Taste – great fun :-) I love Jackson’s Braindead, as well.

After LOTR came out here in France, they released some of Jackson’s old films on DVD. The cover for Bad Taste proudly boasted “From the acclaimed director of the LOTR trilogy !”. I would’ve liked to see the faces of some of those who blindly bought it just based on that…

As for the Evil Dead remake, I think the trailer looks really good ! I do have a problem with Diablo Cody though, I think she’s hugely overrated. Jennifer’s Body could’ve and should’ve been great but it’s just so tame :-(
Poe_Serling

Hey, glad to see you back and commenting after your short hiatus… Now we know what kind of bait to use (Evil Dead and Bad Taste chitter chatter) to lure out a Zombigirl… ;-)
http://twitter.com/nobodyphilip Nobodyphilip

I don’t know. New Evil Dead trailer really lacked comedy. It looks like they’re going the Texas Chainsaw/Halloween dark, gritty, torture-porn route. Hope I’m wrong.
Poe_Serling

Yeah, the remake does seem to have its own unique visual energy and slant compared to the original…

However, I did notice that Bruce Campbell is listed as one of the producers as well as Sam Raimi who is also getting a writing credit on this new take… So it would be hard for them to say in the future that someone else ‘really screwed up the remake.’

Oh…

What’s the lastest word on Zombie Reserection? Hope it’s all good!

DarthBobTarkas

I think Dead Alive is better than Bad Taste. But I kinda love both.

Poe_Serling

Both have their share of fans that’s for sure.

RayFinkleLacesOut

What about Sleepaway Camp?!!

Poe_Serling

I’ll let Drive-in Movie Reviewer extraordinaire Joe Bob Briggs answer that one:

“…I love Sleepaway Camp. One of the truly original horror films.’

MWire

Damn I miss Joe Bob Briggs. That was some funny stuff.

Poe_Serling

Here’s an entertaining and informative article that Joe Bob just penned about being a writer in general:

http://www.joebobbriggs.com/index.php?/51091-america.html

His bottom line: Nobody can tell you how to write, but there are certain things you can do to get to a PLACE where you can write. There are three of them:

Write every day.
Write every day.
Write every day.
MWire

Nice article even though it had no dead bodies, no fu of any kind and no breasts. Check it out.
Poe_Serling

So true.

Logline_Villain

Solid article, Carson!

And there’s a related strategy to break in – take a genre where character is largely glossed over and replete with stock/cliché choices, I’ll use horror as an example – and actually imbue the characters with the depth you might expect in one of these indie pieces – and you just might produce something like SOMNIA – which is one of the best scripts I’ve read all year!

http://www.facebook.com/magclancy Maggie Clancy

Totally agree with you! I have a sort of horror/family drama/character study and I am going to use these notes to brush it up so I can send it into Amateur Friday :D

Logline_Villain

Best wishes for your script, Maggie!

ElliotMaguire

This is great when it works, and some of the most successful horror films are totally character-based: The Exorcist, Psycho, The Fly, Rosemarys Baby, they all work because equal if not more effort is put into the characters as the scares.

One way to do this, create an interesting, compelling protag, then think of what scares them most. Genre may change, but you got to go with what works.

Citizen M

I think the first rule is most important. Make your main character someone a star would want to play.

Poe_Serling

Excellent point… that’s also one of the main tenets of William Goldman’s book
Adventures in the Screen Trade.

Mb

Good article! I especially like the “all your characters should have something going on”. I can think of a lot of movies and TV where the supporting characters are just as, if not more interesting than the leads. Good acting helps, but actors need a well-written character to play to begin with. And actors like to win “best supporting” awards too..so more actor-bait in the script.

Rodney92

Good point about “something going on.” I just rewrote a character today
where nothing was going on in her life except she was quirky. I had to figure out her backstory and give her a goal.

ChadStuart

With all that said, I do think that people should stick to your original advice, i.e. don’t try to sell a character piece on spec.

The spec market it far different than either the independent film market or even the blockbuster film market. If you try to sell a script on spec in either of those games you’re more than likely going to lose. It’s called independent because the films are made independently of the studio system. The spec market primarily exists in the studio system. And the blockbuster market is not looking for new students at the moment.

As always, your best bet is to concentrate on high concept, low budget ideas. The town seems enamored with single location specs at the moment, so if you have any idea that fits that mold it’s time to brush it off and get it whipped into shape.
Somersby

I would add two thoughts: Know the tone of your script and be consistent with it throughout, and grab the reader in those first 15 pages.

The big difference between Relativity and St. Vincent, at least for me, is that St. Vincent executed both of these things really well. It was quirky, endearing and engaging from start to finish — and your would really have to be a stooge not to get hooked from that opening scene.

Relativity, on the other hand, really took some time to get going. It took a while for me to understand that it was a comedy. And the top 15 pages were as off-putting as they were quirky. That said, the writer settled in and I felt it grew into a nice story. But few readers/producers will have the patience to allow a script to grow on them.

Great article, Carson.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

I saw an Israeli movie recently in class… ‘Menatek Hamayim’, or, in English, ‘The Cutoff Man’. It was 70 minutes long. Impeccably shot, believably acted, nicely directed.

And there was no story.
I’m talking zero percent.
No inciting incident. No act breaks. No climax. And since it never starts, there’s no ending. It just stops. There were moments that could have blossomed into plot, but they never did. Conflict was always defused before it began.
All we had was a guy with the unenviable job of cutting off the water of people who haven’t paid their bills. He’s mildly unhappy, he’s poor, his family’s unhappy, he’s getting old, and the people he has to cut off don’t like him.
And that’s it. The 70 minutes felt like four hours, and all I could think was ‘who greenlit this script?’
Well, it was independent, and the director financed it and wrote it. The actors signed on because of the film’s neo-realism. It’s a critic proof movie. If you didn’t like it, you didn’t get it, or you’re heartless because this is a character piece.

Half of my classmates thought it was a boring waste of time. The other half thought it was brilliant. Some even declared their intentions to write movies like this.

Good luck to them…

If you’re not going to have your character develop, at least construct a story around him. Give him something to do or deal with. I don’t care how sophisticated you think you are. If your logline is something like ‘A man with a low paying job is mildly upset’, I don’t want to read your script.

And I see it a lot in amateur character scripts. I have a friend who’s writing one now. I asked what it was about. She said it was about a person who wants to find herself. ‘What do you mean’, I asked? ‘Oh, you know, she looks for jobs, tries to find her place’, she said. ‘What’s in her way’, I asked? ‘Well, she can’t find herself, and she’s not happy’, she said.

Character pieces are still stories. They still need conflict. An inciting incident. Some kind of antagonist. But not enough people realize that.

http://twitter.com/DoctorOddity Doctor Oddity

This is even noticed in the great art house movie of 2012 Holy Motors. even this film we see a plot and more so character arc. perhaps no GSU but that is all inside the character
.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

Good luck trying to break in this way.

ElliotMaguire

Great article, character is key in every script, the scripts I lose interest in, whether it be someone else’s or my own, are the ones where there is barely a human trait in anyone.

A technique I like to use is throwing as much pain and suffering at the characters as I can, and see how they react. I learn more about them with that than anything else, and its more fun. I am god in the world I create, and I am cruel.
http://profile.yahoo.com/2IY5PS4D4PPODS6MP265XS5VHU Melanie W

Robert McKee writes something interesting (as he occasionally does) that relates to the “all your characters should have something going on” proposition. He suggests that the supporting characters should all reflect aspects of the main character in some fashion, that their predicaments should externalize or highlight aspects of the main character and his problem(s) or flaw(s), either by comparison or contrast.

I don’t know if every great character-piece film does this, but it’s an attractive idea, and it would help to give a script organic unity, rather than having the script feel scattershot in its theme.

The one other thing I would add, following up on something that I heard in a recent Scriptnotes podcast, is to give the theme of the film some substance, some weight. Make it about an idea worth relating. Don’t make the theme something banal or trivial, or, worst of all, clichéd. Have a real idea buried there amid the entertainment that is worth some genuine reflection, so it doesn’t end up feeling like a Movie of the Week — or worse, a wannabe Movie of the Week that doesn’t even rise to that perfunctory level of quality.

Malibo Jackk

I think I’ve heard McKee says something like that before
Did he give examples of films where he thought this was done? (Star Wars?)
I need to order Jake B’s notes on the McKee seminar.

http://profile.yahoo.com/2IY5PS4D4PPODS6MP265XS5VHU Melanie W

I don’t recall him giving specific examples (he might have), but he lays the idea out in his book, Story. I’ve only read the book, never attended a seminar.

It’s an occasionally helpful book for writing dramas or character pieces of the kind under discussion in the present article. Action scripts, not so much.

Malibo Jackk

Wonder if it’s one or two of those 50 movies in Carson’s book.
(Next time I’m at the In and Out, I’ll have to ask him. Maybe get a jumbo burger to go.)

http://www.facebook.com/kevin.lenihan1 Kevin Lenihan

A similar idea is the unity of opposites. Through characters of contrary natures an essential truth is revealed. Huge fan of McKee’s Story.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=804792429 Craig Paulsen

Great info. It’s good to always be reminded of these things.
http://twitter.com/DoctorOddity Doctor Oddity

A great thing about american beauty is that also sets up a Mystery element right from the start “if i asked you to kill my dad would you?” Which goes directly to the VO of Lezter saying in less than a year he’ll be dead. A reader is now ready too see what unfolds

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

It’s a great hook.

http://twitter.com/LisaAldin Lisa Aldin

It’s too bad these scripts can’t break someone in. I love them. I plan to write one down the line too. They’re just really fun stories.

carsonreeves1

It’s not that they can’t break writers. It’s just harder!
http://twitter.com/DoctorOddity Doctor Oddity

The script you write may not break you in,but worth having in your protfolio

JanePlain

There’s one element that Carson didn’t mention that tends to make these kinds of scripts a success for him. I’ve noticed that he prefers character driven pieces that are highly sentimental.

I tend not to like movies that are highly sentimental myself. That’s why I’ve noticed his preference for sentimentality. Aside from children’s movies, in which I often admire what an efficient job the writers do in pressing my buttons, I don’t like Hallmark commercial style button pressing.

Take the 2011 movies “Shame”, “Melancholia”, and “Take Shelter”. Those are all good character driven movies. But I would guess that Carson doesn’t like them, mainly because they’re (for the most part) not sentimental.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

Instant pro tip to make your character piece look appealing to readers:
Add zombies. Everyone loves zombies.

Am I right, or am I right?

Marija ZombiGirl

You’re right.

sweetvita

Carson’s 20-something Slacker Screenwriter, “HEY! WHAT IF OUR HERO HAD A WHITE TIGER??!” Carson, “Why?” Slacker, “CAUSE THAT WOULD LOOK SO COOL ONSCREEN!” LOL- I can just see them screaming at each other. But then the calm. Carson, “But why would he have a white tiger?” Adamant Slacker who’s unable to take notes, “Who cares about why! It’s quirky. It’s crazy. People will love it!” LMSAO – not only do we get educated here at ScriptShadow, we get entertained too!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5236171 Cody Pearce

Good advice and I’d say all these aspects should be used in high-concept genre pictures as well. No need to let the indie dramas have all the fun, risky, quirky characters.

JakeBarnes12

Shhh, Cody. Not around here.

High-concept genre pictures need one-dimensional meatheads, uh, I mean, mythical archetypes.

Besides, writing fun, risky, quirky characters is hard.

ElliotMaguire

Just thought I’d mention amovie I caught recently which I would class as a character piece even though most wouldn’t, The Grey.

Yeah, its got horror, action, violence, all very for the masses. But for me the thing never became about those those things. It began and ended with Ottway. The character was so formed, rounded, sympathetic, that was who I remembred after, not the wolves.

Man, I don’t remember the last time I nearly cried watching a movie, but the scene where he gently eases the guy to his death, that was some amazing drama and character work.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

I took my little brother to see it with me. I had no idea what the movie was really going to be like.

ElliotMaguire

A lot of people I know expected the wolves to kidnap Neesons daughter and for him to do the five-knuckle-shuffle on those furry critters. They were disappointed. Bad marketing.

What did you think?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

I loved it. Especially the ending, which made my sister get up and scream obscenities at the screen.

ElliotMaguire

Yeah, I think you could split the theatre down the middle, those who loved the ending, and those who were still waiting for the wolf wrestle.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

My sister couldn’t care less about the wolf wrestle. She just hates ambiguity.
ElliotMaguire

My girlfriend was the same. We waited for the end credits to finish, and even with the extra couple of seconds, its still open-ended, she still wasn’t happy.

ff

Great article as always Carson.

The one thing I will write, and this is the thing I’ve written repeatedly more than anything else on this site is-

Screw trying to get past the reader or into hollywood. Make you own damn movie!

Seriously make it yourself and you’r life wont be determined by what someone else may or may not like. Live your own life and write what you want.
NickYarbs

My favorite of these pieces of advice is the idea that it should be called “characterS’ piece” instead of character piece. It’s a really true theory that a lot of screenwriting fail to realize. Usually there is SO SO much work and emphasis written around that one main character–giving him/her an endless amount of backstory, small details, goals, stakes, etc.–and then all the other characters seem to be just working as functionary chess pieces to help the main character achieve his/her goals.

One of the many reasons Little Miss Sunshine was great is that it allowed for audiences to pick more than just one main character to love. There was so much going on with Paul Dano’s character who wouldn’t talk and I’m sure many fans would argue that the perverted grandfather is their favorite character in the movie. You could have centered the movie around any one of these characters and it would have just been as unique, interesting and compelling.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

Do you know who’s good at this?
Joss Whedon.

NickYarbs

Great call. Probably the best screenwriter at capturing the “team”/familial dynamic. Why it was such an obvious choice he would be great for Avengers.

http://twitter.com/DoctorOddity Doctor Oddity

Something not mentioned by Carson when writing these typde of work, is knowing your audience if your’re writing for a Nichol fellowship this type of script willget you the top 10 not somuch if you’re trying to win twit pitch, unless time travel

ThomasBrownen

Yeah, this was my exact thought too. Know your audience!

EliKofo

funny how I never really thought of American Beauty, Good Will Hunting and Eternal Sunshine as character pieces.. I always got so lost in the story in these films and whenever I hear “Character Piece”, I immediately think of something like that 70-minute Israeli movie Weinberger told us about in the comments.

Character Pieces are stories, good stories! only not with the high-concept you’re usually going for.. Actually realized reading this that one of my ideas in my “idea book” is a character piece, so I guess I won’t be putting that one in ‘Top Priorities’ :P
MrTibbsLive

So you’ve managed to get a read for your character piece with a boring-ass logline… Don’t forget to come out swinging with GREAT dialogue. Make sure to open not with just good scenes but sizzling dialogue. A reader’s more likely to push pass 10 pages of a character piece if the script starts with scenes filled with sensational dialogue rather than chunky action lines (imo).

And if you’re one of the many writers that struggle with dialogue you can always read Carson’s article on writing dialogue, it’s very helpful. You can also watch movies whose best feature is dialogue. And I’m not talking about some fucking Tarantino movies! Smfh. I don’t know who anointed him Captain of the dialogue ship but he’s only a passenger. At best. He mostly gets away with his overcooked banter because someone usually gets shot in the head at the end of his scenes.

Look to movies like Michael Clayton, Notes On a Scandal, Closer, The Ides of March, etc. to strengthen your ear for good dialogue.
Xarkoprime

Particularly liked the comment on character”S” piece , pluralized. I’m working on my screenplay’s second draft right now and I think that nugget is going to push me through my 3rd and 4th rewrite because I noticed I’ve gotten some characters who are kind of just along for the ride. Thanks for the help :)

When’s that paperback coming out on amazon??? I read all my scripts on tablet screen so it would be nice to have some paper to read off of lol.
http://twitter.com/Nikyatu Nikyatu

Incendies was essentially an ensemble (character) piece. I personally tend to really enjoy well executed character pieces much more than showy sweeping thrillers and action scripts. Yes, the indie world is chock full of these stigmatized stories but hell, that’s what makes it hypothetically much more inclusive than the hollywood banality: White Male Protag (35-45) falls for drop dead gorgeous blonde chick twenty years his junior in his struggle to [insert a really cool goal here].

Every time we get a batch of scripts I immediately dart towards the smaller, intimate character pieces and HOPE they’re good. As an up and coming writer + director I feel like I have the luxury of writing such a piece as my first feature film (which I am). Glad to see you’re not completely sh*tting on these stories.
JaredW

Interesting points, Carson. Nowadays, I’m thinking the main reason these indie character pieces are getting made is mostly because they’re being made by writer/directors. Everything Must Go, Garden State, and both of Josh Radnor’s movies were all writer/director films if I remember correctly. Unfortunately, that’s what the industry seems to be like these days.

Also, when going over the article, it can be argued that all of the five points except for number two could apply to all scripts. No matter what it is, a good script ideally has a juicy role that undergoes a development while risks are also being taken to avoid cliches. It’s advice that all writers, not just those aiming for character pieces, should heed.
ThomasBrownen

“We chose one of the riskiest professions in the world cause we’re kinda nuts.”

Kinda nuts?? I think I’m well beyond “kinda” and into “definitely” territory.
CineDave

I’m really not seeing much of a difference in the advice for a character piece and that of the sort of material that is preferred here. The difference seems to be one of emphasis-what is foregrounded and that which is left as a secondary concern.

Character pieces focus on the arc-mainstream films emphasize goals. Each layers some of the other in to provide a framework or fill out the story. One could see this as more of an economic question as goal oriented enterprises favor goal oriented enterprises; art-centric efforts reinforce the more human aspects of the design elements

In terms of narrative-centric filmmaking, both styles require that similar elements be utilized as a ‘story’ is a form in itself. I do not believe that film need only be story- the human condition can be represented in a number of ways-an expression of the experience of being human right here right now can be had in a numbers of ways.

Yet, what makes for both a successfully mounted character piece and a more goal driven popcorn pic really dosen’t depend on the elements inherent to story but the ideas these elements are in service. Plot should be seen as an opportunity to explore ideas and issues that are organic to the situation of the story. Let that subtextual undercurrent flow strongly though every story and character choice. This is what is at the heart of the failure of relativity and the successful elements of Van Nuys.

A film is a system and it is the synergy of the design elements that gives it its eventual strength
A,,owing it to ultimately come together as a whole. Most of what we see have elements and moments where this occurs. Sometimes this happens frequently enough within a film where we are overall fairly satisfied with the film going experience. I contend that this synergism is either there or it isn’t at the script stage. This can’t be fixed in edit or punched up with a spitball session. This is the vision of seeking a wholly unified system with a purpose.

Butts in seats dosen’t cut it. This is what separates the girls from the women and the men from the boys. Most scripts fail because ther underlying goal is to get read and quickly become retreads of what has come before. Van Nuys felt like it was too indebted to About a Boy early on but this 3 act redemptive dramedy eventully redeemed itself by focusing its elements on the themes it chose to explore in the context of its story

I’m really not seeing much of a difference in the advice for a character piece and that of the sort of material that is preferred here. The difference seems to be one of emphasis-what is foregrounded and that which is left as a secondary concern.

Character pieces focus on the arc-mainstream films emphasize goals. Each layers some of the other in to provide a framework or fill out the story. One could see this as more of an economic question as goal oriented enterprises favor goal oriented enterprises; art-centric efforts reinforce the more human aspects of the design elements

In terms of narrative-centric filmmaking, both styles require that similar elements be utilized as a ‘story’ is a form in itself. I do not believe that film need only be story- the human condition can be represented in a number of ways-an expression of the experience of being human right here right now can be had in a numbers of ways.

Yet, what makes for both a successfully mounted character piece and a more goal driven popcorn pic really dosen’t depend on the elements inherent to story but the ideas these elements are in service. Plot should be seen as an opportunity to explore ideas and issues that are organic to the situation of the story. Let that subtextual undercurrent flow strongly though every story and character choice. This is what is at the heart of the failure of relativity and the successful elements of Van Nuys.

A film is a system and it is the synergy of the design elements that gives it its eventual strength
A,,owing it to ultimately come together as a whole. Most of what we see have elements and moments where this occurs. Sometimes this happens frequently enough within a film where we are overall fairly satisfied with the film going experience. I contend that this synergism is either there or it isn’t at the script stage. This can’t be fixed in edit or punched up with a spitball session. This is the vision of seeking a wholly unified system with a purpose.

Butts in seats dosen’t cut it. This is what separates the girls from the women and the men from the boys. Most scripts fail because ther underlying goal is to get read and quickly become retreads of what has come before. Van Nuys felt like it was too indebted to About a Boy early on but this 3 act redemptive dramedy eventully redeemed itself by focusing its elements on the themes it chose to explore in the context of its story

Citizen M

I heard you the first time ;-)

Interesting point on character vs mainstream film. In a mainstream film the character is CONSCIOUSLY TRYING TO GET something: the Ark, the bomb, a million bucks, married, revenge, whatever.

In a character piece the character is UNCONSCIOUSLY NEEDING TO BECOME something: a better human being, more loving, forgiving, accepting, outgoing, courageous, whatever.

Malibo Jackk

Damn!
I’ve been watching the wrong movies.

New_E

Great article. Every point here is important. Each main character has to have GSU.

Has to be hard breaking in with those scripts, though I’m sure the opposite is true too. Writing a spec that would cost gazillions to make is just as risky.
Llamovec

I’m not currently writing a character piece, but I definitely would like to one day. There’s something very honest about character pieces. But, it seems damn hard to find a good one. Most of the lot bore, but the good ones, are some of my fav movies.
RayFinkleLacesOut

In other news. I found something interesting on Wordplayer that seems to go against all those people complaining about Carson and saying you can learn great things from reading movies that have been made.

“I agree, but for another, more practical reason: a film you see in the theater tells you nothing about the original screenplay that propelled that film into production.
Nothing.
People (including critics) who speak about a screenplay based on the film in theaters are demonstrating their ignorance of the business. You think the script to WATERWORLD sucked? Maybe it did, maybe not. I don’t know, I haven’t read it. LAST ACTION HERO? I heard the original script was actually quite decent, but I couldn’t tell you for sure. Again — I haven’t read it.
This flies in the face of common practice, I know. People see a film and say, “The cinematography was nice, but the script sucked” and we know what they mean — the story didn’t work, and the story is the province of the writer, right? Critics will watch a film and comment, “Director Smithee struggles valiantly trying to elevate mediocre material into something worth watching.” Even film pros talk about unsatisfying endings and muddled Act Twos as if the films we see are faithful visual realizations of the written screenplay.
If only it were so. It’s become one of the mantras of the Wordplay site: you can’t tell anything about the screenplay of a film until you’ve actually read the screenplay.”

“So what does all this mean — other than you’re reading advice from someone who’s managed to get his name on several terrible movies? Just this: a screenwriter looking at just the finished product can get a skewed idea of the quality of writing necessary to get attention in Hollywood.”

sheebshag

To be fair, those Carson critics don’t say “only watch movies”. They’re against Carson reviewing in-development scripts. They have nothing against him reviewing final drafts after the movies have been released.

(I’m not one of those critics btw.)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1462007233 Avishai Weinberger

If Carson was reviewing these scripts without giving us any insight, just being a critic with a thumb up or down, I would be one of these critics. Thankfully, this endeavor actually has a point to it.
RayFinkleLacesOut

That’s the point of the article I’m talking about. What Terry Rossio was saying was that by the time a final draft of the script appears it could be a terrible version of what the original writer intended.

Premiger

Writing a character piece sounds like the hardest thing to do. Writing a high concept idea seems easier.
Paul Clarke

The biggest advantage to writing a character driven piece is that without the blockbuster set pieces they tend to cost a lot less to make. It’s more important to have good actors (not necessarily more expensive). This could be another reason why indie films tend to be more character driven. And something that could change given then continual decrease in filming cost and greater ability to CGI scenes.

On another note has anyone here seen The Intouchables? (sometimes referred to as Untouchables) A french film (those french wouldn’t know a plot if it hit them up side the head), and while the lack of a story of goal almost always bugs me, I can tell you I absolutely loved this one. Two amazing characters that were brilliantly portrayed. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to know what a good character piece looks like. Having said that, so much seemed to come from the performance. I’d love to know how the script read.
Cuesta

Nothing you haven’t said before but nice article.
Jeff Davenport

Y’know, all of this applies to Mainstream Scripts as well…
Great article, Carson. I love these Thursday posts.

carsonreeves1

thank you. it’s true, although you’re given more leeway with these things in high concept scripts, since if the concept’s good enough, they’ll be less judgmental about some of that stuff.

Poe_Serling

My favorite sight gag from that film – Bill Murray’s t-shirt ‘Don’t Hassle Me I’m Local.’
http://twitter.com/Huqleberry A H

Just started reading St. Vincent de Van Nuys… Can’t really picture anyone else but Bill Murray as Vin.
http://www.phantomlightmedia.com/ Shayla

Awesome article Carson! Thanks!
Odogg32F

Great article. I think the biggest thing is knowing how much risk to take as a newbie. Readers want something fresh, but it’s real easy to take it too far.
denisniel

Mine is different.
No, I’m kidding. This is important advice, especially concerning the finding of some uniqueness in your storytelling, whether that be a character piece or an action flick, I feel like more and more what American cinema needs are unique voices (And I say this having just come back from watching Killing Them Softly – talk about uniqueness in both writing and directing… I’m kind of anxious to know what Carson thinks of this movie)
Malibo Jackk

Here’s something interesting: Character driven action movies.

Tony Gilroy (the Bourne movies) in a podcast calls this a recent trend. My guess — he’s not just talking about the Bourne movies but possibly others like Collateral, Taken and The Grey.
(Wait… Are the Bourne movies character pieces?)
To him they seem to be. And here’s why. He begins the scripts with character.
And his process would make Robert McKee choke.

He begins by writing 400 pages of dialogue..
Moviegoer71

Five Easy Pieces (1970) is one of the best character studies of all time. The film still works because we can relate to Bobby Dupea’s (Jack Nicholson) character and his confllict: the man has all the talent in the world but doesn’t know what to do with confusion and emptiness inside him. In the end he still hasn’t found the answer. Is there a change in character? Yes. He realizes he doesn’t belong neither to his upper class classical music family in north or a working class life he has set up himself with waitress girlfriend in south. So he ends up rejecting both and wandering into..??
J.R. Kinnard

Carson, if you’ve written a small character piece, would a good strategy be to go the contest route? In other words, if your script can build a reputation as a being a ‘critical darling,’ will it make the Hollywood folks take notice?