Shaping True Story into Screenplay
Are you interested in writing screenplays based on personal experience? I've been helping people turn true stories into scripts for twenty-five years, and I've recently decided to share my passion through articles, workshops, seminars, and a book, Shaping True Story into Screenplay.
In my work as a story analyst, I often come across scripts based on real people and real lives. Only rarely do these scripts manage to take imaginative leaps, create memorable characters, and weave complex storylines into cohesive drama. This is because it's tough to achieve the necessary distance when transforming reality into story.
Using a methodical, yet intuitive approach, you can achieve that distance by focusing on the themes of your story and letting that serve as a springboard for plot and character. Sometimes, this also means letting go of some of the "facts" in order to find the "truth."
In my work as a story analyst, I often come across scripts based on real people and real lives. Only rarely do these scripts manage to take imaginative leaps, create memorable characters, and weave complex storylines into cohesive drama. This is because it's tough to achieve the necessary distance when transforming reality into story.
Using a methodical, yet intuitive approach, you can achieve that distance by focusing on the themes of your story and letting that serve as a springboard for plot and character. Sometimes, this also means letting go of some of the "facts" in order to find the "truth."