I seem to always get hung up on Act one how to start the movie I know what I want the heart of the story to be. But I seem to have trouble starting it without directly jumping into the meat of the story any tip or advice ? Thanks in advance
Screenwriting : Any Advice by Ashley Byron
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Have you tried outlining? At the very least, try to identify the story's catalyst or inciting incident (which upsets the apple cart and which usually takes place about 10-15 pages into the script) as well as the plot point at the end of Act I which leads to the protagonist being called to action in some manner (roughly page 25-30). Then go write it...
Eric Thanks for the Advice
Well act 1 is usually 10-25 pages. Think of what you want the audience to know first about the story. The world that character lives in, A certain trait or attitude about your main character, or A characters daily routine. Make it attention grabbing. Make it a page Turner by starting with an inciting incident that is directly related to your story plot or theme.
Kehinde Thank You for the advice that helps .
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Ashley: Without going into anything too specific, I advise you to look at your screenplay as valuable real estate. Each page is important and don't bore your reader with overly detailed narrative like you might see in a novel. I personally don't enjoy screenplays that start slow and take a lot of time setting up the story. IMHO, economy of words is the key to the equation. When I write a script, I try to open with something big that immediately draws the reader in. You introduce your main characters and motivations and it isn't a bad thing to have your inciting incident occur by the end of the first 15 pages. Finally, if you're new at this, read some scripts from films you liked and see how those writers setup their first acts. You can find lots of scripts at www.simplyscripts.com. Scripts with lots of white space are very popular right now. And, as a reader, I like reading screenplays that are lean and economic. Upon completion, read your first act and delete scenes and dialogue that add no value and don't move the story along.
Well think about what made the story get to the point that you're already at or able to write. Maybe backtrack. What motivated the character to get to that point?
Ashley Byron Check out this video. It was shared on a blog here by RB sometime back and after watching it, my stories were much more fluent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urJDbQl5W0I
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You are doing it right. Start where it starts. Don’t add fluff.
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Sometimes I actually start at the end and work backwards. It can help the movie write itself.
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show us your protagonist - dont tell us - show us. Are they nice and kind then show us that. Are they troubled and confused, show us. Are they angry? an alcoholic? funny? surrounded by family? a loner? and naturally this may link into the heart of you story.
But agree. Starting can be hard sometimes. Just start though. Easier to steer ship when its moving.