Lesson 1

[Lenore]

WIM Module 8, Lesson 1

Lenore Bechtel’s Dialogue Structures

My vision: I want to create enough salable screenplays that an agent will want to market my work and recommend me for writing assignments.

What I learned from doing this assignment is that scenes I thought were wonderful can be made better.

Identifying my scripts scenes that could be driven by dialogue: almost all of them. I found two that could benefit from the dialogue structure techniques of this assignment.

I rewrote the scene when Heinz tells about his mother leaving him in a drawer when he was a newborn, with subtext driving the meaning and making Heinz a more sympathetic characters.

I rewrote the scene when the Major learns the Wall is going up, making his intention to help Libby’s friends escape the East a major twist and a turning point for Libby’s feelings about him.

[Margaret]

Margaret’s Dialogue Structures

Vision: To be the best faith-based screenwriter

What I learned: I thought I would not find any new opportunities to enhance my script. I was wrong. 🙂

Changed the following scenes:

Set up/Major Twist: King Loeghaire thinking his son was in chains but Lizzie talking about his marriage and freedom.

Opposite meaning: Lizzie talking about King Loeghaire’s daughter-in-law’s beauty and he thinking she was talking about his sword.

Subtext Drives: Bacrah and Patrick talking about fire, but really talking about religion.

[Lloyd Shellenberger]

Lloyd’s Dialogue Structures

What I learned from this assignment is the ability to continue elevate dialogue many times over to create more interesting characters.

Working hard every day to become the best writer I can be and as a result I do become the best writer in Hollywood.

I did go through ever line of my script. A technique promoted by Binge Worthy TV my other class. I elevated as much as I could as well as description. Stayed away from passive voice and writing on the head. I also used the techniques in the module where I could, bantering, Irony ect…. I have many more passes to go but feedback is the most valuable thing I have used. Lenore is an excellent writer who is also an excellent technician. She has been invaluable!!! Thank you Lenore!

[Brian Bull]

BRIAN BULL – Dialogue Structures

VISION!!!
My ultimate goal is to get my scripts from my hands to the SILVER SCREEN!!

“What I learned from doing this assignment is…
I love the layers dialogue can ad to my script.

The ONE THAT GOT AWAY – A Fisherman’s Tale
A fisherman is determined to catch the fish he blames for his younger brother’s death, however, in the end, it turns out the fisherman is the one who had gotten away.

[H. Vince]

H. Vince

WIM Module 8 – 2023

Lesson 1: Dialogue Structures

My Vision: I will be a professional screenwriter.

What I learned from doing this assignment is…I thought about using AI for assistance, but I just couldn’t. Especially after I typed this question into ChatGPT:

AI cannot create its own ideas. Is that correct?

The answer:

AI can generate ideas by analyzing patterns and data, but it lacks true creativity and thought. It relies on existing information and patterns in its training data.

So, I knew this to be true already that AI programs are basically only good as their programmer. Since we don’t have the time to watch all movies/shows and scan the internet for all plots, dialogue, etc. and make sure we’re not plagiarizing, I’ll rely on the original OG brain to do the work and create something new. I have them been doing that since inception of this movie idea and it’s been challenging to come up with twists, turns, dialogue and more but that is the charm of it. I have to figure out the storyline on my own without electronic help.

TITLE: DREAM VACATION

WRITTEN BY: H. Vince

GENRE: DRAMA/THRILLER

HIGH CONCEPT: When a retired couple finally take their dream vacation, the husband starts showing signs of rapid dementia and leaves his wife in distress in a foreign country.

MAJOR STORY HOOK: Imagine thinking you can trust your doctor to prescribe you something to block your anxiety and instead you become a guinea pig for a clinical trial drug that causes extreme memory loss while you’re in a foreign country on your dream vacation!?

The feedback I received in the Module 6 peer review was to add more to the intros of the characters to attract actors. I would actually be okay with attracting new actors not necessarily A list actors but I understand the purpose of this course is to elevate when at all possible. I am thinking of dramatic scene openers like the movie “Flight” since mine starts in an airport.

Should I cause a problem that has to later be solved?

Make the scene unusual?

Create an initial trick?

Reveal a protagonist’s most intriguing trait?

Create a shocking opening?

Create a contrast opening?

I already have other twists and turns in the movie that have been added since the initial outline. The only addition I can think of at the moment is to add that the wife trips and is about to fall and the husband catches her while they’re trying to run. The scene slows down to show the caring for each other.