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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 21, 2009 14:12:13 GMT -5
I will be posting my outline and notes to the script in this thread along with some odd bits of stuff that are related.
Thanks,
G.
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 22, 2009 10:49:12 GMT -5
This is a break down of how I constructed the FOTN G-Version script. I'm posting it so those who have read the script can gain insight on how or why I went a certain way with it. This may be boring to many but it will help me and those involved improve the existing G-Version script and hopefully help in the future concerning the other scripts that have been written or will be written.
Firstly, I relied heavily on two types of story structure. Mainly I used Dramatica's Act Structure and secondarily, Michael Hauge's "Six Stage Plot Structure". I also referred to Linda Seger's "Story Spine" in a few places.
What's the big deal with all of this structure and plot formats? Well, never attempted something this big. I had done a treatment for a stage play called "The Malefactors" about 10 years ago but that was about 5 pages long. I also attempted a script call "The Paperboy" but it was never completed. My experience is mostly with short narrative story and I write intuitively with no great format or structure in mind.
Upon doing my version of the FOTN script, I wanted some concrete direction because I felt that I could easily get lost in the mechanics of it all. The FOTN story has a lot of dynamics, twist, drama, tragedy, information, etc. that need to be displayed, so while I did still write much of it intuitively, I had these constructs to keep me from going too far off of the road. So, now we will begin. ;D
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 22, 2009 12:00:59 GMT -5
Setup of Plot Points & Story Dynamics
This is the start of the "first journey (Journey 1)", which consist of the Stage 1 (setup) and the Stage 2 (new situation) in the first Act. I used the "four" Act format of Dramatica but I also incorporated the "turning point" and "stage" processes in each individual scenes from Hauge's format.
There are four levels or through lines that I tried to keep through out the script. These are the "Big Picture", "Main Character Arc", "Opposition Character Arc", and the "Relationship-Relationship Growth line".
The Big Picture: Pursuit of the story goal
This is the Main purpose and through line that connects everything. Of course there is a Main Plot Through-line for the entire story but here we are concerned and focused on the main line for Act 1.
The pursuit of peace with Melkor's release; his lies and eluding about Middle-earth. The curiosity of the elves about Middle-earth and (whispered rumors about men).
The Act ends with a (sign post). This is an issue that give an indication that the line of action will change...a turning point in a sense but also a point of interest that will over lap into the next Act. The sign post for the Big Picture is the rumors about Middle-earth and about men.
Main Character: Personal
The main character is Feanor. His through line is trying to please his father; keeping his loathing of his brothers some what controlled to keep up appearances; the emergence of a thought that maybe (he can resolve all issues through something that he can create himself.)
Impact Character: Opposition
This person or thing is not an enemy or the antagonist. Rather they are the character that challenges the main character to either change or remain steadfast. Examples of this are Obi Won in "Star Wars", Morpheus in "The Matrix" and Alfred in "The Dark Knight". They confront the main character and force them to "look in the mirror". In the Act 1, I chose Nerdanel to be the impact character but as the story moves along, that role shifts to other characters.
Nerdanel gathers her sons so they can help with the feast of Finwe. She confronts Feanor and challenges him to be more responsive to his family. She (hopes that the feast/celebration will be an opportunity to make things right.)
Relationship - Relationship Growth
This is a combined through line of the main and impact characters.
Nerdanel and Feanor Discuss family and work. Both agree that the feast/celebration may provide opportunity to work somethings out.
I tried to follow the above but I didn't stick hard to it. Again, I used it as a guide to help me when I got stuck. Somethings in the individual scenes in Act 1, I changed on the fly. Next I will post the outlines for each scene in Act 1 and compare them to the story structure above. Stay tuned, I hope to start this weekend on that. ;D
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 26, 2009 11:27:48 GMT -5
Sorry, I could not locate my folder over the weekend. I will try to find it today to post the outlines for the first couple of scenes.
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Post by tamitha on Jan 26, 2009 20:59:51 GMT -5
No apology necessary. I am tuning in because I have never written a script before. BTW I watched that magician movie that you recommended to me, sorry, I can't think of the name of it right off hand, but yes it was a very good movie and I watched a couple of times and I also recommended it to some friends of mine. Anyway I also found the script for it on-line and actually was spending time reading that script before my job ended and I moved home. I was trying to get a feel for what a script looked like and felt like. Truthfully it was pretty sketchy and focused mostly on the dialog. There were some directions and I could fill in the blanks having seen the movie. I'm really busy right now getting settled in, helping my Mom, looking for a job and keeping up with homework, so it maybe a little bit before I can get round to working on a dialog for scene 2 as discussed. Perhaps that is for the best right now as I can look over your outlines and notes and get a feel for what you were thinking. I truly do want to be an asset to you. I am in hopes that together we can produce an awesome script that we can both be proud of. Whenever you can get round to posting the outlines will be fine. No rush. I am here, just really super busy right now.
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 27, 2009 10:57:10 GMT -5
I believe that the movie was "The Prestige", which was directed by Christopher Nolan and starred Christian Bale, both of Batman fame. It is a very well made movie...the kind that you have to see a couple of times to get it all, which shows the skill of all who were involved. I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I haven't looked at the script for it. That would be interesting. I have looked at a few on-line scripts before doing this one (FOTR, Gladiator, The Matrix). You are correct on the bland, lack of details in most. It is the job of the director, cinematographer, assistance director, and maybe the location/set design guy to put in the detail in order to make it a "shooting" script. A lot of the "extra" stuff in the FOTN G-Version script would not be there in the original approved script. The focus would be on dialog, pacing, character development, and plot points. Only after that was done, the location and camera elements would be added and even then there may not be much in order to have flexibility on the shoot. I moved a lot of my binders and folders out of my room ( someone told me that was junking up the room )and put them into plastic tubs in the garage. I just have to go through them without junking up the garage . I think at least by Thursday, the first one should be up. ;D
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Post by tamitha on Jan 27, 2009 22:25:59 GMT -5
Yes, I have some on telling me about junking up the place too. You wouldn't believe things that I have thrown out over the last two weeks. Legal notebooks, and binders and projects that I spent hours on and will I ever use them again? very questionable, but they were my work and spent hours on them and I had high grades and yeah it was just junk cluttering up needed space just because I was proud of what I had accomplished. It was something to show off to friends and family and grandchildren down the road-but pride goeth before a fall and so it's all in the trash now. I kept a few things that were extra special and that I thought I might actually need in the future. I'll keep checking in. Be sure you don't junk up the garage now and if you do blame it on your Sam for loosing the lembas bread way up high on a cliff.
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 28, 2009 11:49:18 GMT -5
Still looking. While I've been looking for the outlines, I have been thinking about the prologue. I've posted a less detailed version in the Editing thread. I'm also reminded that when I became interested in doing a project about the Silmarillion, I had the narrator remaining unknown until the end of the stories. My "prestige" (watch the movie 'The Prestige' to know where I'm coming from...at least the ending) would be the reveal of the narrator and to whom they were narrating to (also the time...past/present/future).
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 30, 2009 13:06:39 GMT -5
Well Alright! I found the folder! ;D
Looking through the folder, I have discovered the over all plot point outline to the screenplay. I will post both the prologue's and scene one's outlines today. In addition, I have the scene chart that I used to determine how many scenes were needed and how long the film would be. I will post that after the plot outline.
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 30, 2009 13:08:07 GMT -5
I posted earlier that I used Dramatica and Michael Hauge's plot structure to help me build the script. I posted the Dramatica version with the four through lines and four act outline. Now I will post Hauge's break down. Mr. Hauge's structure and Dramatica's are very similar. The major different is that he uses a 3 act structure and Dramatica uses 4 acts. He also does not break it down into the sub-through lines like Dramatica. I used both structures as a guide but I deviated in spots where the story didn't nicely fit the patterns or structures. It could be that I just was not skilled or disciplined enough to stay the course in either one. Nonetheless, we shall proceed.
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 30, 2009 13:25:31 GMT -5
In the chart posted above ^ at the bottom of the last post, you can see the complete structure of Hauge's (or Hague's) plot outline. This is how I placed the FOTN plot into that structure.
The Silmarillion: Fall of the Noldor
Setup
A. Establish the "Blessed Realm" with it's beauty and bliss. B. Expose Feanor's attitude toward family and his crafting. C. Reveal the genesis of Feanor's idea of creating something great to please his father.
New Situation
A. Feanor whole-heartedly commits himself to a secret work (silmarils) to impress his father and now also to put his younger brothers in their places. He sacrifices more and more in this effort and alienates those around him.
Turning Point / Change of Plans
A. Feanor does not think the reaction to this past achievements is enough (even the silmarils) to keep his father from giving his inheritance to his brothers. He now displaces some of his care for family to the jewels (silmarils) that he created. He then resorts to violence to keep his brothers down.
Progress
A. Feanor builds a secret forge for weapons making. He starts to keep the silmarils to himself. He speaks out openly about going to Middle-earth. He threatens his brother with violence and is banned from Tirion.
Turning Point / Point of no Return
A. Feanor is summoned to the ring of doom. The two trees are killed and Feanor will not give up the silmarils to bring them back to life. News of his father's murder and the stealing of the silmarils comes to him. He then takes up the kingship and a quest to recover the silmarils. B. He rallies the Noldor to follow him and he and his sons take a forbidden oath.
C. All of this events leads to a confrontation at the city of Alqualonde. He is desperate to continue the quest despite the opposition.
Turning Point / Major Setback (story 75% complete)
A. The Kin-slaying B. Prophesy of the North C. The Helcarxar
Final Push A. Ship burning B. Battle at Drengist
Turning Point / The Climax
A. The death of Feanor
Aftermath
A. Capture and rescue of Maedhros B. Crowning of Fingolfin
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 30, 2009 13:31:04 GMT -5
Toward the end of the outline, I stopped going into as much detail as did in the beginning. I felt it was not necessary since everything was well established at that point and I had a good feel on the flow by that point. You will also see the same thing happen on the outlines of the individual scenes. The last five or six outlines have way less info than the first ten to fifteen. I even skipped doing outlines on a few scenes (for the better or worse of them). The following is the original scene list that I came up with after I completed the Dramatica and Hauge outlines. (a few of scenes and structure were graphed from the original FOTN script (maybe 3 scenes) )
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Post by Glorfindel on Jan 30, 2009 14:13:21 GMT -5
The Silmarillion: Fall of the Noldor
Scene List
Prologue
Scenes:
1. Coming of the Valar 2. Ring of Doom 3. Father, Son and the two trees 4. Kids will be kids 5. Feanor's Forge 6. Aule's Forge 7. Finwe at home 8. Round up the twins 9. Finrod and his love meet Melkor 10. Feanor makes a wonder 11. Melkor shunned and silmaril lust 12. Finwe's Party 13. Aule talks to Feanor 14. Melkor and Mahtan 15. The Hollowing of the Silmarils 16. Feanor and Nerdanel Ended 17. Arms Race 18. Council Called by Finwe 19. Threaten thy brother? 20. Ring of Doom, Banishment 21. Melkor and Feanor 22. Feanor on soapbox 23. Melkor and Ungoliant 24. Cousins Curt 25. Times Up! 26. Death of the trees 27. Valar and Feanor speak 28. Chase of the Valar 29. Feanor's big speach 30. Kin-Slaying 31. Doom of the North 32. Leave them! 33. Burn the ships 34. They left us! 35. Battle Orcs 36. Feanor's Death 37. Morgoth's treaty 38. Ambushed and fight 39. Maedhros Captured 40. Fingolfin crosses the ice 41. Sun and moon 42. Thingol gets news 43. Fingon to the rescue 44. Maedhros crowns Fingolfin
End Credits
Some scenes were moved, merged, or deleted as I started to write but that is what I set out with. I also created a few that are not on the list like "The Summons".
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Post by Glorfindel on Feb 3, 2009 8:39:51 GMT -5
Hello, I'm finally going to post the outlines after much delay. I tried to start posting them on Friday but got an error in the preview window and it deleted the post. I will start with the prologue and scene 1. Even though the prologue is not necessarily a "scene", it still functions like one so I did an outline for it as if it were a scene. Each outline is broken into 4 parts. - The first part is a basic overview of the action. - The second part is the main "turning point" highlight or lowlight of the scene. - The third part is the actual "change that happens in the scene, i.e. a issue is resolved, a problem is escalated, a character changes his/her mind about something, something begins, something ends, etc, etc, etc. - The fourth parts are the "beats" which are segments that control dialog rhythm and scene pacing. All of this is sort of based on Hauge's format but there were other writers that had similar scene structures. I also scribbled an approximate page number to help me keep the scenes short Anyway, here we go. Prologue: approx 3 pages - Voice over narrative by Galadriel about the Silmarils, Feanor, Melkor, and the creation of Arda. <|> The marring of Arda by Melkor with the Valar going to Aman <|> *Change* Perfection of the Silmarils and the creation of Arda is contrasted by the lust of Melkor and his marring of Middle-earth. Light and dark; Beauty of Aman juxtaposed to Melkor's evil and capture. "BEATS" 1. Information about the Silmarils 2. Intro to Feanor 3. Brief description about the creation of Arda. 4. Marring of Middle-earth by Melkor 5. Capture of Melkor Total pages: approx 3
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Post by Glorfindel on Feb 3, 2009 8:56:26 GMT -5
Scene 1
The Summons: approx 1 page
- The Herald of Manwe ask for Melkor to be brought to the Ring of Doom but Mandos seems hesitant. He is prodded by his sister to comply and does so eventually.
<|> Glances at the large tapestry on the wall showing all the evil that Melkor has done in the past.<|>
*Change* Mandos does not seem willing to let Melkor go at first, but does comply without any trouble.
"BEATS" 1. Request for Melkor's release 2. Mandos hesitate 3. Sister encourages Mandos to comply 4. Mandos complies
Total pages: approx 4
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