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#Scriptchat Transcript with Tom Vaughan @tomvaughan - August 28, 2016
Tom Vaughan @tomvaughan - screenwriter of thriller Winchester, starring Helen Mirren - talked about character's relationship with story structure. Great chat with Zac Sanford @zacsanford moderating. Enjoy!
- Hello all you happy people. #scriptchat
- IT’S #SCRIPTCHAT O'CLOCK w/ @tomvaughan - screenwriter of Winchester, starring Helen Mirren TOPIC: Character's relationship w/ structure.
- and voila! Hello everybody! So glad to be here this evening. #scriptchat
- Running a couple minutes behind to host #scriptchat see y'all in a few.
- Allo @tomvaughan thanks for taking the time to talk with us tonight #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Thank you! Glad to be here. #scriptchat
- So, character relationships and story structure. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 I genuinely enjoy this sort of thing. Love talking about this stuff. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan hi Tom, welcome to #scriptchat!
- @SarahAlexis4 Sure! I started out as an actor and switched to playwriting. From there moved to screenwriting. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Feature films has been my main focus since then. #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 Stage. I was a well trained actor as a yut. But didn't understand casting back then and hated my roles. #scriptchat
- @Al_1701 It was after I started casting my own play that I discovered I was a character actor and not Brad Pitt. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 I still read as actor. I still hear it as dialogue rather than writing. Makes a huge difference. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 READ YOUR PAGES OUT LOUD. You will hear so much. You must do it. Both dialogue and action lines. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Q: Had you written anything prior to moving to LA, or did you wait until after you had some roles under your belt? #scriptchat
- Hello all... sorry for the delay. Major traffic coming back from LBC and then my Windows decided to update unannounced. :) #scriptchat
- Q: As an actor what is most enticing in an initial character introduction? #scriptchat
- And as always, thanks to @SarahAlexis4 for jumping in with some awesome questions. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford I was unusually fortunate. I was a produced playwright when my agent and a producer talked me into movie to LA. #scriptchat
- Everyone asking all the good questions. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford So I was a working screenwriter by the time I got here. Poor, but paying the rent. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Always helpful to have some sort of success in another form of writing to make the leap. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford It's what got me my agent. But even that was lucky. You need luck. It could have gone different easily. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Aspiring writers never believe how much luck plays into launching their career. You need talent & luck & contacts. #scriptchat
- Q: Do you have a process for coming up with characters? #scriptchat
- @zacsanford And you need luck to keep going too. Relationships, skills, God so much. Gratitude helps a lot too. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Q RT @SamSquamchman: Q: Do you have a process for coming up with characters? #scriptchat
- @zacsanford A lot of up and down years My gratitude was always a leading indicator of where my career was going. . #scriptchat
- @zacsanford @SamSquamchman I don't really. There is initial interest in something and then decisive choices. #scriptchat
- Would you recommend aspiring writers to take acting classes to see how the script form is handled from teh other side? #scriptchat
- Q: How much do you let structure dictate the pace at which the story proceeds/character arc occurs? #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 The Speirigs deserve credit for that. If she didn't want to work with them it would bot have mattered. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 I focus on a few things, 1) What they want and 2) What they're willing to do to get it. This is defining. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 And the POV. How they see the world. And I try to focus on what interests me personally about them. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 1) What interest me about them 2) How are they universal 3) How are they unique. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 If I am satisfied with that then I think I can move forward. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 But it matters whether you start with concept/plot or start with character. Because they are unified. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Thank you for your detailed answers and not confining every one to a single tweet. Very appreciated. #scriptchat
- Q: Do you do full back stories for all your major characters before you start writing? #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 If I start with the concept and story I want a character that will be the most affected by that. Reverse it true. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 If I start with character, I want a physical story that is going to shake their world the most. #scriptchat
- But the character transformation is BUILT INTO the structure. It is not tacked on. It's why I avoid using the term "arc." #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman I personally do not. I am only interested in what they want and what they're willing to do to get it. #scriptchat
- If your question is missed, please wait a moment before asking again, as Tom is giving detailed answers to most Qs. #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Sometime if a back story helps with that I will reveal it but it's usually a VITAL point rather than full story. #scriptchat
- Never use as exposition what will be more powerful as a reveal. #scriptchat
- Great advice. RT @tomvaughan: Never use as exposition what will be more powerful as a reveal. #scriptchat
- Q: How much do you outline/plan before you start writing? #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Just about everything. I have never wished I outlined less. Not once. #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman But there are ALWAYS surprises. Always. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Q: Would you recommend aspiring writers take acting classes to see the process from another side? #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan @SamSquamchman I love a good, detailed outline. Seeing how everything ties in together. #scriptchat
- Q: What are your thoughts on structure itself? Is it a simple 3-Act? Blake Snyder's STC or the Hero's Journey? Something else? #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Two goals to structure: 1) Dramatic Momentum 2) Emotional Resonance. If you have those, you are well structured. #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman You can ignore all principles and if you have those two things you knocked the structure our of the park. #scriptchat
- @blueneumann @tomvaughan @SamSquamchman Agreed -- see any problems before you proceed into the drafting #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman I write in 4 acts and 8 sequences. #scriptchat
- We're over the halfway point with guest @tomvaughan, so get those questions in before time runs out. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan @SamSquamchman I like it. 100 pages, 25 per act, you know where you should be the whole time #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Big question. So many strategies. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 The stakes are probably more important than the character I think. The lower the stakes more character matters. #scriptchat
- High enough stakes and that gives you time to build empathy more naturally. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Or cast Cary Grant and not worry about it. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 If characters CARE about what they're doing and act like it, make smart choices, we will tend to follow. #scriptchat
- That is an idea for a modern horror or scifi. RT @tomvaughan: @SarahAlexis4 Or cast Cary Grant and not worry about it. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Characters that want something we don't care about are the toughest. We usually need another character that 1/2 #scriptchat
- @zacsanford @tomvaughan @SarahAlexis4 Zombie celebrities attack! "Night Of A Thousand Stars" #scriptchat
- I can only imagine a reanimated corpse of Grant bumbling around this world. Or maybe I'm exhausted and this idea wouldn't work. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 cares about what we care about. 2/2 #scriptchat
- @zacsanford It would be a great showcase for impressionists. Think the Vincent Price sketch from SNL extended into a film. #scriptchat
- The most likable person in the world pursuing something we don't care about will still bore an audience. #scriptchat
- Q @tomvaughan what are some of the pros and cons of screenwriting vs playwriting? #scriptchat
- @zacsanford The paycheck. #scriptchat
- Make sure the audience understands early in the story *why* the character cares about their goal, so we can be involved. #scriptchat
- Q: What are some tricks for introducing characters for the first time that will entice an actor to want the role? #scriptchat
- Though a hit like Hamilton can pay out a lot over time for the writer, right? RT @tomvaughan: The paycheck. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford Plays you can produce next week. That is no small thing. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford Ha! Yes. Fair point. #scriptchat
- I try like hell to make sure every scene has a "get to." "This is the scene where we get to..." instead of "have to." #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Though there are far more smaller plays than juggernauts like Hamilton, so I get your first point. :) #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Great lines help. Always. Make them unique. What makes this character fun to play? #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Again, read the scenes out loud. Imagine someone asking themselves if they want people to see them doing that? #scriptchat
- Know where your fun is. This is usually defined by the genre. The fun of horror is different than fun of slapstick. #scriptchat
- Hey guys! *waves* Just thought I'd check in. #scriptchat
- That's insane if true. But hit plays can make you richer than rich. #scriptchat https://twitter.com/jlalliwriter/status/770058491482562560 …
- The fun of action is different than the fun of drama. But we are selling emotion. That is out currency. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Welcome Tom! *waves* Thanks to @jeannevb and @SarahAlexis4 for having him on, and thanks for joining us! #scriptchat
- Q: How would you approach character development in a short film or webisode? #scriptchat
- You deliver on the emotion (and every story has its own integrity) people will be attracted to the material. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Drives me crazy when I watch dramas that don't have the "fun" of dramas. Great dramas are fun their own way. #scriptchat
- I wrote a short film a while back, but I want to develop the main characters more, including references to backstory, change #scriptchat
- Last 15 minutes. @tomvaughan is killing it with his advice, so get those questions in. #scriptchat
- I call "fun" the "juice" - every genre has its own type of juice defined by the genre. We like the juice! #scriptchat
- @filmwritr4 It's not my area unfortunately. Feature films are about transformation. They are about change. Different with we. #scriptchat
- @wcmartell (quoting Lucille Bluth) GIVE MY SON THE JUICE! #scriptchat
- Truth. RT @wcmartell: I call "fun" the "juice" - every genre has its own type defined by the genre. We like the juice! #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan I see. Understood. Thanks! #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan @filmwritr4 Short films might just have time for the idea of a change, the potential for transformation #scriptchat
- @filmwritr4 Ah shucks, but no kudos needed to me. As the ladies are the ones who booked Tom. I have the easy job tonight. #scriptchat
- A key thing to remember: no one cares about plot. They care about the emotional reaction to the plot. #scriptchat
- @blueneumann @tomvaughan I see. As for backstory references, I wonder if visuals would be more efficient in a short... #scriptchat
- @blueneumann Yes. Smaller. But it should be there. Otherwise whats the point. #scriptchat
- Q: Do you ever start with the beginning and ending points for a character and then fill in the middle? #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman That is how I do it every time. It is the MOST IMPORTANT decision I make. #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Who are they at the beginning, who are they at the end. They have to make that transformation... 1/2 #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan @SamSquamchman I seem to be the opposite, my characters always come to me in the middle of things. #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman in order to answer the dramatic question to the audience's satisfaction 2/2 #scriptchat
- The whole point of the 2nd act is 4 the hero to earn the tools to answer the dramatic question to the audiences's satisfaction. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Q: As a writer, what is your favorite movie, book or play? What can be learned from it to hone one's craft? #scriptchat
- @zacsanford Honestly, I have noticed the thing that has influenced me the most are songwriters. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford They taught me to be more honest and emotional in my work. That was a huge leap for me when I started. #scriptchat
- Great answer. RT @tomvaughan: Honestly, I have noticed the thing that has influenced me the most are songwriters. #scriptchat
- There are also stories where the hero remains steadfast and changes little, but in doing so changes those around them. #scriptchat
- F5: THE BOURNE MOVIES: suspense and paranoid chase thrillers! 276 pages. Only $2.99 until Oct 1st. https://www.amazon.com/Bourne-Movies-Story-Action-Book-ebook/dp/B01L1R0ILQ/secretsofactions … #scriptchat
- But I have gone as far as defining story as "the transformational journey of a human being." #scriptchat
- BTW, @wcmartell's books are very good. You should try one if you haven't already. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan Are there favorite ways you've found that work to subvert/change the traditional narrative structure? #scriptchat
- Everyone's been asking os many great questions, as always. #scriptchat
- Q: Are there any movies/shows you've seen recently with really great characters that we should look to as examples? #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Usually structural choices are the biggest mistakes we make. Not decisively defining our story and structuring it. #scriptchat
- @SarahAlexis4 Weak, indecisive choices make bad drama. Be decisive up top, and let those decisions be your criteria for evrythin #scriptchat
- I would like to thank our guest @tomvaughan for being here tonight and giving so many great answers. Give him a follow! #scriptchat
- @SamSquamchman Arrrggh. I always blank at these questions. The Nice Guys have great intros to their characters. #scriptchat
- And thanks to all you awesome #scriptchat peeps for asking questions or lurking and gaining some knowledge!
- No #scriptchat next week due to Labor Day!
- That didn't last long at all! #scriptchat
- (And thank you for all of the great answers!) #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan @SamSquamchman Maybe if the characters are real strong, it's easier to forget how you met them. #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan thanks so much! wonderful chat and I learned a lot from you. #scriptchat
- Thank you so much to @tomvaughan for sharing your wisdom with us! Also thanks to @zacsanford for hosting! Happy writing everyone #scriptchat
- @tomvaughan It always breezes by for the guests. #scriptchat
- *Blows a kiss* Goodnight everybody. #scriptchat
- @zacsanford thanks Zac this was great! #scriptchat
- @blueneumann I would think so, yes. #scriptchat
- Glad I found this chat. Thank you @tomvaughan for your time! Thank you @zacsanford and @SarahAlexis4 for hosting! #scriptchat
- Since I still don't know how to post a transcript (I know --horrible horrible), this will be posted later tonight/tomorrow. #scriptchat
