Welcome to my blog

I have recently undertaken an MA in screenwriting at Bournemouth University. This is the first blog I've ever created! This blog is meant to represent my observational research for unit 1. I have chosen to look at the Southbank, in London where the graffiti and skate park are positioned under the National Theatre. I hope you enjoy reading my comments.
Jo

Monday 8 November 2010

Formatting the story

I have had an idea for where the script is going from this research for some time but I've changed the original idea more times than I've had hot meals in the last four weeks.  I didn't intend to do this at all, it was just very much needed.  I have really struggled with the actual formatting of the script.
The original idea was 'Frank'  (its always been Frank) a young skater always at the Southbank has a gang issue with boys from Surrey coming in and using the park.  The London boys verses the Surrey boys leads to tension.  Meanwhile Frank has a disasterous home life with his stepfather regularly attacking his mother. Eventually after a severe beating Frank takes the law into his own hands and borrows a knife off a Surrey boy.  He stabs his stepfahter and has to flee London.
The problem with this idea is that it's all very stereotypical of how we view young people and that is exactly what I set out to NOT do.
Second idea, much more a documentary about the lives of the skaters but problem being I then had no story!!!  One extreme to another!
At this point I realised I needed to understand how to format the script better.  Research required I thought and turned to  Christopher Voglers 'The writers journey' and the best thing I learnt was how to apply the hero's journey more concisely.  This helped me refocus and try again.
Now the story is very different and has the most potential although I still need to make it original and less cliched.  Frank is a keen skater, the skate park is threatened by outside influences, he fights to save it but gets double crossed.  A guardian angel type character appears, helps him and makes him have some self belief.  The story is positive and hopefully the young people are not now as stereotyped as they were.  I think by making it a happier story than the first one it helps make the characters more positive and there seems more hope.  There's enough doom and gloom without making up more!!!
I've still got along way to go with this script but hopefully sooner rather than later it will improve and be original!

No comments:

Post a Comment