Till now I've always written and adapted for theatre; it aids to be direct with the audience and it livens me up to work straight away into production. I wouldn't change it for the world as there's a special kind of creative freedom for us theatre practitioners.
But lately I have had this sort of inward nagging to learn the proper formatting of writing scripts for film and radio. I have no idea nor the resource to turn to as a handbook of sorts on how to write for these different mediums.
This nagging came about whenever I have a good plot for a play and find myself sometimes pulling back because the story would get ''too big'' to be staged in the theatre or street performance.
So, for knowledge's sake - and always good to learn something new - would you kindly pass me some good resources please? Be it a book or a link; though i always found books to be best resources as i made in my first comment on Stage32.
Thanks!
Marcin Ciaston Noted in your profile that you're a screenwriter. Maybe you can pass me some advice or resource please? If you've learnt for both screen and radio that would be a plus. Thanks in advance.
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save your money and get books from the Library. "screenwriter's bible" by Trottier seems to be format standard. And read scripts online. they are free. read 1000 produced scripts by Writers with track records and your brain should be able to mimic script style.
I'm actually doing the reverse. I am reading more plays and studying theater.
Dan MaxXx Thanks a bunch Max! Much appreciated.
Should you need a handbook yourself to write theatre plays i highly recommend Fraser Grace's book "Playwriting: A Writers' and Artists' Companion". Was blessed to have had two workshops with the playwright and there are some excellent advice and anecdotes from well-renowned contemporary theatre writers. Consider this my way of thanks and returning the favour.
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I can recommend a book, "The Art of Adaptation: Turning Fact And Fiction Into Film"
by Linda Seger. I found it to be a clear and concise explanation on the differences between novels, plays, other writings and screenplays. It takes your through deciding what medium your story speaks to and how to adapt it to a screenplay, if that's your journey.
@DavidTimber Thanks David. Actually i wanted to learn different mediums rather than inclining to say screenwriting so as to deliver the story that might be calling into such other mediums. But your suggested resource sounds very promising too, thank you.
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Any radio writers out there?