Since 1890 people have enjoyed movies. An audience experiences a sense of identity and fulfillment while watching stories unfold. They are drawn into the character’s world laughing, or crying, or becoming frightened and through emotions people learn to relate to the protagonist. There are four basic elements screenwriters use to entice audiences.
Conflict
Conflict is the most crucial element in progressing films. There must be conflict in every scene. Even after spending countless hours revising, there may be even more ways to add tension. Consider changing the weather like the dreary movie, Seven.
The most obvious way to add conflict is to never put characters who agree with each other in the same room. As sadistic moviegoers, people want to see the protagonist struggle and sometimes even fail to reach his or her goals. Nothing should be easy for the protagonist. When analyzing conflict, consider the worst possible things that can stand in the way of the protagonist.
Sex and Violence
Adding a tasteful amount of sex and violence are the second most important characteristics in creative screenwriting. In 27 Dresses (Aline Brosh McKenna), the protagonist, Jane (Katherine Heigl), is conflicted when she is asked to be the bridesmaid while her sister marries the man Jane is in love with. Although there is minimal (if any) violence in this film, the sex appeal is elegant - Jane is in love. In Sleeping Beauty, princess Aurora is waiting for true love's first kiss.
Scarface, The Godfather, Dracula and Bride of Frankenstein share horrific scenes of animated corpses and gruesome showdowns. James Cameron's Titanic was shocking and emotional because of the tightly woven love story balanced with the violence of a great tragedy.
Other films are branded pornographic by some critics because they showcase explicit scenes of sex, however, they still remain artistic and tasteful. Otto; or Up With Dead People (Bruce LaBruce) and Shortbus, (John Cameron Mitchel), won multiple prestigious awards in more than 25 countries for their daring exploits of the bohemian lifestyle.
Act Breaks
Act breaks are a way for the audience to transition and grow with the protagonist as he/she adjusts to the developing plot. Every script must have a beginning (Act I), middle (Act II), and end (Act III). The industry standard for a feature screenplay is 120 pages. The acts are broken down as follows:
ACT I: 1-30 pages
ACT II: 31-90 pages
ACT III: 91-120 pages
In Act I the audience needs to know the most important aspects of the protagonist. This includes finding a special moment where the audience can understand and relate to the main character. Before the end of Act I, between pages 15 and 25, the protagonist and audience should be engulfed by plot. Any longer than 20 pages and the audience may loose interest. In Romancing the Stone, Act I ends when Joan Wilder (Kathleen Turner) arrives in the jungles of Columbia.
Act II is the “meat” of every script. Here is where all the events that continue motivating the plot help define the protagonist’s character. In I Know What You Did Last Summer (Kevin Wiliamson), Act II is where the Killer terrorizes the protagonist (Jennifer Love Hewitt) and her friends.
Act III is the climax of all screenplays. If you’ve added enough conflict, the character must be in pretty bad shape and as close to death as possible. Here, all hope is lost and the protagonist must be farthest from his or her goals. In The Wizard of Oz, Act III is when Dorothy meets the wizard to discover he doesn’t have the power to get her home.
Audio and Video
The fourth characteristic of successful screenplays is remembering that the screenwriter is writing a movie and not a book. In a book anyone can write emotion and thoughts but audiences at the movies are restricted to only audio and video. They can hear and see what the protagonist is hearing and seeing, but not what the protagonist is thinking. Avoid writing lines in your screenplay like this:
He sat by the well reminiscing. This is where he had his first kiss. Those days are long gone now.
Lines like that are best used for books. If the audience can’t see it or hear it, don’t write it.
Applying these elements to any creative works in progress will greatly improve quality and demonstrate professional experience for any screenwriter wishing to sell projects or anyone just wishing to enhance their creative skills.
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