Scripting for Success

It's no doubt that Smallworlds has a very talented film community, with directors still making movies who joined way back in 2008. Each new filmmaker brings a level of their own unique creativity to the playing field. It's incredibly wonderful to watch people's imaginations roam free, since there's so much passion within their hearts for film.

But before you get behind the camera (or screen recorder per say), it's very important to plan a detailed storyline or even a script, as this will be the most important reference for filming. It isn't beneficial to go in and buy a bunch of stuff for a production when it's uncertain you have thought a complete story out. I have made that mistake a number of times out of excitement, and my ambitious ideas never really took off because of it.

I asked a few filmmakers for their thoughts on scripting and a few even shared some photos:

Jetaime Charm, who's been part of the Smallworlds community since 2009, had a lot to say on the organization of a script as it eases access for the potential cast.

"Before you go into production, make sure the script is detailed enough with setting, characters, and actions. Scripts look professional when simple and neat. The cast gets a better understanding of the story. I give some direction, but allow the cast to interpret the script by how they interact with the scene. From personal experience, a script with good balance between dialogue and action helps the story flow better."

And here's an example of one of her scripts:

Charm has written and directed hit series such as Courtly Encounters, Pret Tea, Wicked Magic, and her most recent, Hush. Her innovative stories and clever scripts have brought joy to Smallworlds for years, and she continues to create fabulous videos, winning both a SWOscar for best adventure and a gold award at the first annual Smallworlds Music awards just this year.

Similar to Charm, Nessie Williams, of her very own company, Camp Lakefield Productions, has created various series such as Queen Bee Killer and Misspelled. Her short-lived series, Island 365, is something Smallworlds has never seen before.

"For every script the first thing I do is write an entire summary of the series so I have a basic outline to follow and not get as lost, then I figure out who all of my main characters will be, then I start scripting!"

Though Williams sadly announced the cancellation of the series, she has already brought joy and amazing content to sw and continues to do so. Her emphasis on organizing the characters and sets allows ambitious projects to be taken on with grace.

Bryson Ryenn also has a similar sense of formatting when it comes to organization. His amazing sense for suspense has encouraged his series Brittany's Past, Bad Girls Club: On Edge, and Pageant Queens. In addition, he also racked up the Best Sound award for his movie Pernicious at this years SWOscars.

"Formatting my scripts like this help me understand what they do in each scene, when they come in and specific after-production editing notes. This way has been very effective in the way my stories are told. It makes them come to life and puts attention to detail."

Ryenn condenses his scenes in a very easy to understand way, and the actions are very clear to a reader. His obvious organization has increased the potential of his videos, since horror/mystery is such a difficult genre to master.

But the real dilemma is how a certain format pertains to you. Make it yours. The most important thing is that YOU can read and understand the message you'd like to convey in your video. It's as simple as that. Heck, my scripts are handwritten, messy because I change a lot of things. Unlike some others, I find that writing my stories on a physical piece of paper helps me organize the ideas more efficiently. It's odd you'd expect an award winner to be super proper with google docs and fancy screenwriting software: when in fact it's quite the opposite in my case.

Anyways, I wish you good luck if you're thinking of creating a movie; it's a real exciting experience and I totally recommend giving it a go. Remember, the script is the core of the story: planning makes everything come together, especially in the real world.

If you have any questions, please ask one of the talented folks I mentioned, or even myself.

Happy writing,

Eloise