CineFix dives into the holy grail of filmmaking in this video essay on emotion and try to pin-point three distinct ways of visually imbuing a scene with emotion.

So let this be not just a lesson in cinematography and directing, but also in screenwriting. Write around the obvious and let the emotion live in the unwritten layers.

h/t CineFix

Read them, enjoy them, save them and learn from them.

Thanks to IndieWire for compiling a running list of what’s available. Here are direct links to some of our currently available favorites:

“Hail, Caesar!” screenplay by Joel and Ethan Coen

“Captain Fantastic”  screenplay by Matt Ross

“The Secret Life of Pets” screenplay by Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio, and Brian Lynch

Academy Originals is a treasure trove of film knowledge presented documentary-style through interviews with directors, cinematographers, producers, master craftsmen, set designers, consultants, actors – anyone playing a part in creating movie magic. The videos are grouped into categories like ‘Moments That Changed Movies’ or ‘Credited As’ – each exploring the movie-making process from a different perspective.

This is truly a rabbit hole to get lost in, if you have any interest in getting behind the scenes of some of the most groundbreaking films in modern history.

Here are some of my personal favorites.

Sure, you won’t be able to find any non-fiction literature about this exact topic, but there are ways around that. You can break it down. Science already knows what would happen to earth if humans were taken out of the equation. Or the worldwide impact of a nuclear war. There are also documented cases of different species crossbreeding. Or you can research an emotionally similar situation, like a well-documented mixed-race relationship in a 1920’s segregated America. Then let your imagination do the rest. Research can give you the building blocks for any kind of script, but why is it important, when do you do it and how much is needed?

Why?

If you write about something you know nothing (or very little) about, chances are it will feel fake. Remember that interesting characters are products not just of your creative whim, but of their own situation. Their place in the world. Their lot in life. The choices they make. If these places, circumstances and choices aren’t rooted in at least their own reality, then everything that character says or does will feel fake. Similarly, if you base your post-apocalyptic love story on your own ten favorite post-apocalyptic movies, then the world you’re creating will feel like a rehash rather than a rich, deep environment.

When?

The script pros might tell you that a good script begins with a great idea. A spark, as they say. I would agree. Instead of researching your way into a good story, research your way out of it. Know the basics of what kind of trouble you want to put your character in first, then use research to truthfully and accurately get her out of said trouble. If you start researching blindly, hoping to stumble across a good story, you could be looking for a very long time. Which brings us to the final question:

How much?

There are different thoughts on this and I think it’s important to distinguish between researching the world in which you are playing out your story, and the details pertaining to your plot. Once you have decided on a time and place for your story, you will need to do your research on the social, political, cultural and technological zeitgeist. Your characters will have different motivations and make different choices based on the environment you put them in, so make sure you know enough about that environment to sustain your viewer’s suspension of disbelief. If you’re writing about an American family in the 60’s, don’t have them plan their dream vacation to Cuba. And definitely don’t have them look up flight deals on their cellphones. You get the point. The research you need to do for the world of your story should be extensive, unless you’re writing about a time and place you are already very familiar with.

If you know enough about the world your story is set in, the plot should fit right in. The research needed for your plot details will then be more of the creative kind. It can be to give your language flavor and depth, like accurately naming the kind of spear an Amazon warrior uses to wound your protagonist as she treks through the jungle, or using factual, historical events as inspiration for what might happen to a homosexual character serving in the military.

For both kinds of research, however, the experts recommend giving yourself a limited amount of time before you need to bring your attention back to actually writing the damn thing. When researching the world, you might give yourself two months. That’s two months of documentaries, non-fiction literature, novels, articles – maybe even interviews with people who have lived in the time and place you are researching for. When researching plot, you might give yourself as little as one hour to go digging for clues whenever you need the inspiration. Google searches, wikipedia, trips to the library, call a friend – then back to work.

Creating your own system

So there you have the grand thoughts about doing research – but what about the nuts and bolts? Here are some tips and tricks.

 1. Carry an idea workbook. This is a place you can jot down thoughts, facts, to-do lists and anything else that might come in handy when you sit yourself down to type. This is not so much your story bible, as it is your knowledge bank of everything you’ve gathered along the way. It’s unfiltered and full of creativity. It can be a Dropbox folder you can add to from both smartphone and laptop, or it can be – which I would personally prefer – a beautiful, leather-bound notebook.

2. Write down your overall plot summary. Then let that be your compass when doing research. If you feel yourself going down a rabbithole, return to your plot summary and ask yourself how this research benefits your plot. If it doesn’t, get back on track.

3. Set up interviews. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people you think will be able to offer an interesting perspective on the particular subject you’re researching. It’s part of the human psyche – we love talking about what we do or what we have done.

4. Know your stuff and don’t cut corners. You can use creative license, of course, but only do so when you’re doing so intentionally and not simply out of a lack of knowledge. Chances are that someone out there – a reader, a viewer, a producer, an actor – knows just as much as you, or more. Remember, you need to suspend disbelief, not create it.

And speaking of actors knowing their stuff, check out this list of 10 Actors Who Conducted Insane Research For Iconic Movie Roles.

When I watched Nerdwriter‘s video essay on the subject of intertextuality and how it’s become Hollywood’s new currency, it was with a bit of d’uh attitude; I had been thinking about this for years and I always let out a slight tsk whenever a new film throws in callback after callback to (mostly better) works that’s come before it. But what Nerdwriter does an excellent job of pointing out is that it’s not all bad. From a financial stand-point, the franchises and shared universes flooding the cinemas right now are fairly safe bets. Which is understandably important when the bet is on a 2-300 million dollars production budget. But more importantly, when it’s done right, the use of intertextuality can add humor, drama and a connection with a viewer – you feel like you’re in on an inside joke.

So after watching the video, my wheels kept spinning. Take away the big-budget financial speculation, the setting-up-for-sequals, the cheap thrills of recognizing a character or image – and what you have left is a filmmaking tool for creating familiarity and instantly eliciting certain emotions. I will, for one, be more aware of the impact of this ‘weaponized intertextuality’ in my writing and not simply brush it off as a dirty trick used by Hollywood blockbusters. Because moments of familiarity is good, especially when the material is fresh and foreign.

Watch the video essay below and be sure to subscribe to Nerdwriter’s YouTube channel.

Giving it to friends and family for feedback is not always the best way to go. I know how hard it is to give honest feedback to someone I care about because you don’t want hurt your relationship by being negative about their work. – Joe Crump, director of The Storyteller

Understanding Script Coverage

At its core, script coverage is the process of having a reader read the script, analyze it and then give a report/feedback. In the filmmaking world, script coverage is done at production companies who have stacks upon stacks of screenplays. Typically an intern or assistant will read the script and submit coverage that then determines whether the script will move up the ladder within the production company. In the screenwriting world, a writer can employ a coverage service/reader to get an outside perspective on their screenplay.

Traditionally, a script coverage report will consist of a synopsis, comments, and a recommendation.

• The Synopsis: This is the reader’s summary of your story.
• Comments: This is where the reader analyzes how well or poorly the writer communicated their story. What was the journey of the characters? What was clear? What wasn’t? Was the reader emotionally affected? Do they have any recommendations or suggestions on how the writer could solve some of their problems?
• Recommendation/Rating: This category is used by production companies and offers an opinion as to whether the screenplay should continue to be developed by said production company. There are typically four answers to this category: Pass, Consider With Reservations, Consider, or

So many options

There are countless companies/readers ready and willing to take your money in exchange for “coverage”. Do your research and ask yourself:

1. Who is this company/reader? How long have they been in business?
2. Who are their clients? Can you confirm that they’ve read and given coverage to the people/companies they claim?
3. What are the reader’s credentials? Have they read scripts in your genre? Because yes, while it’s good to get an outside eye, script coverage is supposed to offer a trained outside eye.
4. Do you know or can you get in touch with anyone who’s received coverage from this company? What was their experience?

Writer/director Joe Crump and writer/producer Rachel Noll used a unique method when seeking out their script coverage.

The place we found the most competent people for the best price has been by placing an ad on craigslist (gigs/writing). A lot of the people who responded to that ad had some pretty impressive credentials and the cost was typically between $100 and $125 per coverage. After each major rewrite, we’d find 3 or 4 people to do coverage. – Joe Crump, director of The Storyteller

Don’t want to place an ad? Here are some trusted Script Coverage companies courtesy of Stephanie Palmer and her site Good in a Room:

1. Amanda Pendolino – Packages vary (A Feature under 130 pages = $129)
2. Scriptapalooza – Packages vary, (Their Regular Package = 4-6 Pages of Coverage for $176)
3. Screenplay Readers – Packages vary, (A One-Reader Package = 6-8 Pages of Coverage for $97)

I would also like to personally recommend Maureen Green at Book an Edit. While her services don’t include a Coverage Package, she does offer Story Notes and can refer you to a professional reader.   I have used her services numerous times and have found her help invaluable.

How to deal with critical feedback

Sometimes I’d think they were hacks, sometimes they weren’t close and sometimes they were so close it was painful. Whatever they said, I always thanked them and never complained about their comments. – Joe Crump, director of The Storyteller

Even though we know a first, second or even third draft isn’t perfect, getting any kind of criticism or feedback is ALWAYS hard. The key to implementing coverage, is knowing how to listen.

They didn’t always get to the problem – sometimes they would talk around the problem and not really get it – but other times what they would said would give us ideas and a general guideline of where to go next. – Rachel Noll, producer of The Storyteller

Don’t get discouraged. Listen to Denzel!

So your script is ready, now what?

The start of a New Year brings many things: resolutions, commitments, and for writers it brings a new round of screenplay contests. There are countless contests, some are part of a larger film festival, others offer fellowships, and all of them bring a certain amount of prestige. As a filmmaker planning to produce your own film, winning a contest can bring both attention and possible funding to your project. As a writer, winning/placing in a contest can bring industry attention to not only the script you entered, but to you as a writer.

Think there are a lot of script coverage companies? There are even more screenplay contests. So, how do you decide which ones are worth entering?

I did research online and polled websites, fellow screenwriters and other resources to find the contests that had the industry clout and connections to actually help the winners advance their scripts and careers. Or prizes that were substantial or valuable. There are certainly a lot of contests to wade through, but you can pretty easily narrow them down by reading up on articles posted by other industry writers on which ones are worth your time. – Rachel Noll, producer of The Storyteller

Create a budget for how many competitions you’re going to enter and ask yourself:

1. What am I trying to achieve by entering a Screenplay Competition?
2. Are my chances of winning/placing and potential prizes worth the entry fee?
3. Does the Screenplay Competition offer any kind of feedback? Is this in addition to the entry fee?
4. Does the Screenplay Competition have a specific category for my script?

Here to Help!

Well, just as she provided a list of great Coverage Services, Former MGM Studio Executive Stephanie Palmer has also provided a list of the best 2016 Screenplay Contests on her blog Good in the Room. Here are her Top 5.

The Big Two:

1. Academy Nicholl Fellowship – This is the MOST prestigious Screenplay Competition. Even becoming a Quarter-Finalist can help to open doors.
2. Austin Screenplay Competition

Three Others:

3. Blue Cat Screenplay Competition
4. PAGE International Screenwriting Awards – you may recall that The Storyteller did VERY well this past year
5. Scriptapalooza

Which contests did The Storyteller enter?

We entered the Nicholl Fellowship, Bluecat Screenplay Competition, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards, Script Pipeline, Final Draft Big Break, AFF Screenplay Competition, Scriptapalooza, and Stage 32 Features Contest. – Rachel Noll, producer of The Storyteller

The screenplay for the 2000 film Finding Forrester earned writer Mike Rich the Nicholl Fellowship in 1998. Check out the trailer below.

Remember  your target audience

After writing an Action/Adventure screenplay, I submitted to a number of contests, including those that had an action/adventure category. These included the Breaking Walls Thriller Competition and the Film Crash Screenplay Competition. My script was a Finalist and Winner in the Action/Adventure Category respectively.

Screencraft is a GREAT resource for specific screenplay contests. They cover everything from Comedy to Action/Adventure to Short Films.

Another popular resource for script feedback – and for a few select scripts, even a road map to industry recognition – is The Black List. And no, this is not the James Spader series. Since 2005, The Black List has served as a highly respected database of the best unproduced scripts, with strong industry connections as the main selling point.

Read all about The Black List in our Do You Know: The Black List article.

I believe The Storyteller received a 7 from the person we paid for coverage. Which is quite good I’m told, but not enough to really get anything moving for us on there. We weren’t willing to pay to host the script for more than a couple of months without any organic traffic. It adds up fast. – Rachel Noll, producer of The Storyteller

The key to a great screenplay is understanding where your script is in the writing process and what you need to get it to the next stage. Getting feedback is crucial to making any script grow.  Whether Coverage, Contests or The Black List is your next stage, you should now have a better understanding of what’s involved in each stage.

Here’s the trailer for a personal favorite that was listed on the 2010 Black List report.

h/t Good In A Room and in particular this blog post for being incredibly helpful when researching this article

Image source: Nicholl Fellowship/Facebook

In 2005, Franklin Leonard, an industry executive, surveyed around 100 industry executives about their favorite unproduced screenplays from that year. He published their answers and thus The Black list was created. Since then, it has become a database where screenwriters can upload their script, pay for evaluations and get the attention of industry players. In addition, The Black List continues to publish a yearly report of the best unproduced screenplays. Past screenplays on this list have included Hanna, Argo, The King’s Speech, The Butler, and this year’s award favorite Spotlight.

So how does it work for me?

“Putting your film on The Black List” does NOT mean you are automatically included in the yearly report. You are paying The Black List to host your script on their database and make it accessible to industry executives/filmmakers. That’s it. The hosting fee for your script is $25 per month.

Similar to script coverage, The Black List offers script evaluations. Qualified readers will rank your script from 1 to 10 in a number of categories and give comments. Evaluations are a $50 one-time fee per evaluation.

Scripts that receive a “high score” (usually 8 or higher) are then labeled a “Spotlight Script.” The Black List sends a list of these Spotlight Scripts to industry members. If interested, industry members will then go to your scripts page and can choose to view/download the script. If they like it, they can then get in contact with you.

What if there’s a rewrite?

You do have the ability on The Black List to switch out versions of your script. However, you must consider this: How different is the draft? If we’re talking a page one re-write, then you might not want old evaluations and ratings associated with the new draft. It’s recommended (both by The Black List and myself) that you delete the previous entry and essentially start over.

Listen carefully, please – While The Black List does offer screenwriters an invaluable opportunity to receive industry attention, it’s really only screenplays that receive a rating of 8 or higher that get attention.

I believe The Storyteller received a 7 rating from the person we paid for coverage. Which is quite good I’m told, but not enough to really get anything moving for us on there. We weren’t willing to pay to host the script for more than a couple of months without any organic traffic. It adds up fast. – Rachel Noll, producer of The Storyteller

The key to a great screenplay is understanding where your script is in the writing process and what you need to get it to the next stage. Getting feedback is crucial to making any script grow.  Whether Coverage, Contests or The Black List is your next stage, you should know what you’re buying before you whip out your credit card. Our comprehensive article on the subject – The Storyteller Series: Script Coverage & Screenwriting Contests – will give you a head start.

Since 2012 Simon Cade has been learning about filmmaking in one of the best ways possible – by teaching others. His DSLRGuide Youtube channel has amassed almost 150.000 subscribers and about 5 million views spread out over a treasure trove of tutorial videos on anything from lighting to storytelling to camera movement to DIY tricks to color grading and so on and so forth. His output frequency (a new video every week) and quality is really quite remarkable. His guide for shooting beautiful, cinematic video with a DLSR camera and low-to-no budget should be the first place you start your research, if you’re looking to do just that.

One of my favorite things about Simon’s videos is how directly relatable they are to my own trials and errors as an amateur filmmaker. Having trouble getting the right look for your film using whatever natural light you have available? Simon has an answer for you. Unsure about how to get started with color grading? Simon will walk you through it. Wondering why your shots feel flat? Simon’s got some suggestions on where to make changes.

All that and he seems like a nice bloke.

Here is but a small selection of his many videos. Be sure to check out his many videos here and to subscribe to his channel. For more in-depth information about the gear he uses and where he gets it, visit his website.

One of the best ways to learn, in my opinion, is to read the scripts of the award-worthy films. Then watch the films, of course. And then perhaps read the script again. Things will come forth. We previously posted links to Trumbo, Inside Out, Steve Jobs, Room and more here. Since then, more scripts have surfaced, courtesy the hopeful production companies. Be sure to download these while they’re still available, which is not for long:

Spotlight

The Danish Girl

Suffragette

Concussion

The Hateful Eight

Brooklyn

Macbeth

Legend

Ex Machina

You can find a running list on No Film School, as well, with many more titles.

In the post it’s pointed out how screenwriters can learn a great deal from studying the work of their (probably more successful) peers. We obviously couldn’t agree more, but let’s take it even a step further and make these screenplays required reading for any budding filmmaker. You will not just learn about structure, story and dialogue. You’ll also find out what choices the director made, what choices the cinematographer made, how the designers made the scripted world come alive and how the actors breathed life into the written dialogue.

Study the work of others. Use it. Enjoy it. Learn from it. Download one of these scripts, break it down and make a shot list, watch the film, see what you missed or how your choices would have changed the experience. Whichever way you decide to use it, this is a great resource.

Download the screenplays for Inside Out, Room, Carol, Straight Outta Compton, Trainwreck, Trumbo – or see the complete (and continuously updated) list on IndieWire.

Not included on the list (at time of writing, at least) is Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay for Steve Jobs. Here you go.