As writers, we all make mistakes together. I've found that when I'm struggling with a particular aspect of screenwriting, I know I can count on my friends having been there before. That's why this recent interview with Jill Chamberlain and Film Courage caught my attention. In it, she claims that 99% of screenwriters do a certain thing...and tells us why it's wrong. So before we get into the debate, watch Jill Chamberlain, writer of The Nutshell Technique, tell Film Courage about her theory. Then we will break it down after the jump! What do 99% of screenwriters do wrong? So according to Chamberlain, 99% of screenwriters fail to tell a story; they just present a situation. In layman's terms, it means that while you have scenes with interesting characters and dialogue, they fail to fit together the way a story should. Stories need to be linked in a "because" chain of reactions. Situations are just a bunch of things happening after one another until an ending is achieved. I think this is a pretty general statement, but one we should heed. What is The Nutshell Technique? Chamberlain calls this the "Nutshell Technique," which she describes as "a method whereby writers identify eight dynamic, interconnected elements that are required to tell a story successfully." Instead of putting a number on it, I call it a "because tree" and I can explain it using the squirrel from the Ice Age movies. 'Ice Age'20th Century Fox Because the squirrel is hungry he...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Monday, 26 August, 2024