Screenwriter's Corner

Syd Field talks about “the Craft,” how to improve your screenplays and how to look for certain areas of the material so you can find a better and more effective way to achieve a dramatic value.

Syd Field, regarded by many Hollywood professionals to be the leading authority in the art and craft of screenwriting in the world today, discusses his involvement in the AFI Catalyst Workshop.

Syd Field defines the Inciting Incident, a specific incident, episode or event that dramatically impact your character’s life and literally throws them out of balance.

In all my screenwriting courses and workshops around the world, I’ve read thousands and thousands of screenplays. Exactly how many, I really don’t know. I lost count many years ago. But no matter what country or city I happen to be in, I am usually asked the same question over and over again: what do I find be the biggest and most common problem of screenwriters? Well, there are many of course: lack of the main character’s dramatic need; structural weakness in the second act, lack of a strong ending, etc, etc.? But the main problem I find is usually the same: most screenwriters tell their story in dialogue, in words, constantly explaining the thoughts, feelings and emotions of the characters.

At this moment in time, I think we’re in the middle of a screenwriting revolution, a time where screenwriters are pushing the form and craft in new directions. I firmly believe that the traditional way of “seeing things” has changed, and we’re looking for new ways to match our experiences and incorporate the new technology into our stories.

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