1. People of letters: Screenwriting scribes through the ages

Homework

What sort of school would we be if we didn’t give you some tricky homework? Now make like a teacher’s pet and rock your first homework assignment at screenwriting school.

Watch A Trip to the Moon on YouTube.
Grab your notebook and note down what you see on screen.
You’ve just written the script for a visually oriented movie. Well done. (In your face, writer’s block! Being a screenwriter is easy!!)
Now that you have a little practice, try to find the script of your favorite film online.
Make like you’re watching Scandi Noir and read along with the movie. Make sure you have easy access to that pause button.
Make a note of what changes you see. What changes were made between the script and the shoot?
How have the actors infused their roles with humor, humanity, authenticity? Think about the other ways they could have played the characters (given the lines in the script).
Observe how the screenwriter has been able to get across the visual narrative of the movie in the fewest words possible.
Make a note of the way the director has interpreted the work of the screenwriter.
Make a note of any times you feel the director has changed the setting or interpretation of the screenplay.
Now, think about the script you have just read. What is it about the title that makes it unique? What makes it stand out? Get out your notebook and start finding adjectives that best describe the vibe of your movie.