#it's supposed to be 1 minute of screentime = 1 page of script

[chirpsythismorning]

Nick himself said that his knowledge is confined to the leaks prior to s4, the s4 scripts from his verified source (likely within a source) and basic knowledge most fans paying attention have been able to formulate about s5 based on what has been released officially/unofficially, trends from Netflix and common sense.

He is saying based on all that, he doesn’t think byler is happening. 

And if we think back to what the Duffers themselves shared in the 4x09 script, it literally implies Mike’s monologue worked, and that it was entirely genuine. This tells me that the script the Duffers released for Emmy consideration, is not that far off from what Nick saw for himself. 

I think it’s likely Nick got something that the average below the line worker might manage to get their hands on if they tried hard enough. A copy they know they have to water-down to prevent these very situations from happening.

Unfortunately for the Duffers, it just so happens that they didn’t scrub their watered down copy hard enough.

Unfortunately for Nick, he admitted that it’s possible and even likely that the production will release things that aren’t exactly accurate with the sole purpose to lead fans sleuthing astray, without realizing it may have ironically already happened to him. 

[shewhowas39]

gonna add a few thoughts tot his. like kitten, i've had a lot of writing experience, including as a writing teacher. and dialogue is easily my favorite thing to write.

1.) "Read out loud" is hands down the best advice for this topic. there's an old clip of Harrison Ford talking about telling George Lucas that just because he can write things doesn't mean they're easy to say. sometimes something you write down doesn't actually sound natural coming out of someone's mouth. to this day, I tend to speak my dialogue out loud as I write it. It makes a big difference.

2.) Re: Dialogue Tags: so let me clarify the reason you're supposed to use them sparingly. it isn't that the dialouge should speak for itself. it's more that words like "said/says" and "asked/asks" become invisible to the reader in a way. where as more elaborate tags like "exclaim" or "mumble" or "shouted" etc stand out. too many of these stand out words can become distracting. i once read a novel where it seemed like every other dialogue tag was "screamed," "exclaimed," or "shouted." i don't remember anything about this book except that i felt like the characters were constnatly yelling and it took me out of the story. that does NOT mean to never use specific tags. it just means to be intentional about it, as kitten said. do it knowing it's going to have an impact and will stand out ot your reader. do it specifically in places where the words and punctuation don't make it obvious.

2b.) Adverbs: everything i said above can also be applied to the use of adverbs in dialogue tags. so things like "says quietly" or "asks gently" etc. sometimes you'll see the advice to never use adverbs in your work. this is again an over generalization. is it true that most of the time you can go into your draft and cut about 50% or more adverbs (not just in dialogue tags) and it will read better? yes, but that's often because there's a better, more concise verb that works better. even then, though, sometimes an adverb is still the best choice. you can use them in your dialogue tags, just be sure you are doing it with intnet because, much like the stand out tags from above, they will catch a reader's attention. too many can be distracting.

3.) Dialogue In Fiction Isn't Actually Realistic: next time you have a conversation, take note of how long it takes. people tend to circle around their point, go off on tangeants, etc. a five minute conversation in ral life is pretty brief, right? in fiction, that's about 5 pages to get to what is likely a very simple point. the trick with writing dialogue is to destill the essence of it so that it *feels* real to a reader, but without all the meandering that a real conversation would have. you can do this by incorporating a lot of kitten's advice. one exercise i give my students sometimes is to eavesdrop on a conversation. afterward determine what the point behind that conversation was and try to rewrite it. Not word-for-word but the essence of the conversation, working in all the verbal ticks and such that you heard. good dialogue has the illusion of realism, because a real word for word conversation might take 10 pages to just get to the point of "what is for dinner?" (note: reading screenplays is a great way to think about this as well. these rules apply for movie dialogue because films are between 90-120 pages of script usually, with each page being 1 minute of screentime. so screenwriters have to be very concise while still writing dialogue that feels natural.)

anyway tl;dr kitten has a lot of great points here. i'm just an asshole who wanted to add my 2 cents even tho no one asked me lol

I've had a fair few people ask me how I write dialogue, and other than touting the sort-of-dismissive-feeling "I've had a lot of practice and have been doing this a long time" comment I usually make, here are a few quick tips for improving dialogue writing.

1) Listen to people talk. Like. This sounds very "no fuckin duh." But I don't mean casually overhearing conversations. I mean if you have a character with a specific background, then get some headphones and find video/audio of someone you envision them speaking like, close your eyes, and simply listen. Full immersion. Let the cadence of their voice and the vocabulary they use wash over you. Absorb it.

2) Read some screenplays and start listening to dialogue like a writer. Screenplays are a good source because film/television often relies heavily on dialogue to communicate character. The lines are intentional, they're economic, they convey ideas in a way that most of us wouldn't be able to come up with off the cuff. Consider the different ways lines can be delivered and how that can change their entire meaning.

3) Everyone has vocal tics. We all have certain ways of speaking. It's where regional accents and slang come from and it's how we express a specific image of ourselves. People SPEAK differently. Uptalk, vocal fry, pauses for emphasis, laughing to lighten the heaviness of the words, certain turns of phrase, mumbling, showmanship, whatever. Train your ear to clock those things and figure out how to use them to bring out character personality.

4) Check out some improv. If you have an improv group in your area, check them out! There's also tons of improv content online. If you're ever like "how did someone come up with that absolute fucking BANGER of a line just off the top of their head???" The answer is 1) they probably didn't just think of it, and 2) they've practiced rapid-fire back and forth, often with a comedic bent.

5) Read out loud. If you're ever like "what would a real person sound like saying this," you have the answer. Say it yourself, in the way you envision them saying it, and see where it sounds clunky and can be smoothed out. Is there a way for you to convey emphasis where it's needed?

6) Dialogue tags do in fact matter. Every once in a while you'll see the advice that you should NEVER use dialogue tags besides "says/said" because "the dialogue should speak for itself." It's mostly bullshit. Don't use them for the sake of adding a different tag to every line of dialogue, but the WAY people say things can change the meaning of the words. So use them intentionally.

7) PRACTICE. Look. I fuckin know lol. But this advice always stands. Any creative expression requires practice to improve. It's incredibly rare to have a "natural" talent for anything. So just keep on keeping on. You're doing great. And you will continue to improve.

[juniperusashei]

The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay & Diaries by Emma Thompson - 5/5

Lately I’ve been feeling deeply insecure about my own career as a filmmaker, partially brought on by a particularly unpleasant filmmaking guide but mostly a slew of rejections for Stiletto and the crushing anxiety of not knowing whether or not I will get into grad school in February. So instead of glorified self-help books, I thought the best way to improve my own craft is to read scripts from films I admire, especially because my own screenwriting ability leaves much to be desired. In college we read the obligatory Godfather and Chinatown scripts, and while I mean no disrespect to the classics I thought I’d start with something more in line with my artistic interests. Ang Lee is the only filmmaker I mentioned in my grad school application, mostly because of his Sense and Sensibility adaptation which channels the neuroses of his repressed Asian culture to an entirely unfamiliar setting.

But to call it “Ang Lee’s movie” is pretty reductive, considering he was a director-for-hire in the most literal sense. Sense and Sensibility (1995) is an anti-auteur film, truly collaborative because every major player was a different person. Lindsay Doran, the producer, brought a passion & scholarship for Austen’s works to the table, and her introduction to this book was very inspiring. Emma Thompson, who both wrote the screenplay and played Elinor, brought a unique comic sensibility to a book that I don’t much like in the first place. In fact, the biggest voice that was missing in this book was Lee’s, which is a shame because I am curious what he had to say about directing the actors. But Thompson’s production diaries were absolutely delightful to read, her voice is really funny and I would honestly read a whole novel written in this style. When she describes the Buddhist ceremony performed before shooting, it really made me miss working on film sets myself.

The screenplay portion of this book is obviously amazing, one of the few times the Academy’s decision made sense. It’s curious that Sense and Sensibility (the novel) is one of my least favorite of Jane’s, but this is one of my favorite adaptations of her work. It’s very near a perfect script; I only wish Thompson had included the scene where Willoughby shows up drunk. Elinor is still one of the most relatable characters of all time, but the reason I like the film better than the book is because Marianne’s arc is more fleshed out, especially towards the end. I was also surprised at how much was added to Margaret’s character, because in the original she’s little more than a plot device a handful of times, but in the film version she’s almost a Regency-era Yotsuba, providing much-needed comic relief.

The biggest negative about this book is in the pages themselves. The copy I read was printed on square paper, which completely negates the 1 page:1 minute of screentime rule that’s carefully baked into the margins of every screenplay ever written. I suppose it doesn’t matter much for general audiences, but if I’m trying to learn the craft of screenwriting by reading, this totally throws off the pacing.

[movetogetherau]

Move together. A Yousana AU - Chapter 1

Summary   Read it also on ao3

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Chapter 1

“What is this?!”

“Uh...the new script of your movie?”

“Don’t play with me, Agnes. Since when has my character a love interest?”

Sana loves being an actress. She loves starting new projects, getting to know the new crew and her character. However, there are things regarding her job that she does not like too much. Like last minute changes in the script that seem completely unnecessary to her. So when she finds out that they have introduced a new character and that it’s no other than a love interest, the first thing she does is storming into her agent’s office to ask for an explanation.

“It just got added. Why? What’s wrong with a love interest?”, Agnes knows that Sana doesn’t like last minute changes but still she hopes she can find a way to calm her down.

“There’s nothing wrong with a love interest, when it makes sense to the story. I don’t think that a love interest is necessary in this movie”

“Sana, I think the writers know what they’re doing.”, Sana’s agent says calmly. Someone here has to be.

“I just don’t understand why the new character can’t just be a friend. Why does it have to be a boyfriend?”

“I see your point but it’s too late to change now. They’ve already cast the role!”

“Wait, what? Who?”, Sana asks frowning, she hasn’t seen anyone new on set.

“It’s a newcomer. You might have heard of him anyway. Yousef Acar.”

“Yousef Acar? Wasn’t he a model? Does he even know how to act?” Sana can’t believe this.

“Let’s hope he does or it’s going to be a long three months of filming.”

“Great, so not only have they introduced a totally unnecessary love interest but they also casted an egocentric model who doesn’t even know how to act for it” Sana says exasperated, she’s put so much effort into this project for it to be ruined by an amateur, even if she knows everyone deserves a chance.

“Sana, don’t you think you’re being prejudiced now? You’re usually not like this.”

“I don’t have anything against models, I just don’t think that he’s ready for a big movie like this.” Is she being too harsh? She only wants the movie to turn out really good.

“So what are you saying?”, Agnes asks Sana, waiting for a clear request Sana obviously has.

“That maybe he shouldn’t have so many scenes. Most of them aren’t really necessary for the plot. When I’m searching for my long lost sister I’m not looking for a boyfriend, I’m just looking for someone that can help me find her in that foreign country.” Sana really can’t hide her annoyance in that last sentence. She loves a good romantic plot like the next person but in this movie, when it’s about sisterly love, it’s honestly not necessary.

“But Sana, if they cut those scenes, they would be cutting your scenes too. Do you realize that?”

“Yes, I do. But it’ll be better in the big picture. I’ll gladly have less scenes if that means the story doesn’t turn into a huge cliche” When she got the script to this movie Sana instantly loved it and really doesn’t want it to be ruined by something like this.

“Alright, if it means so much to you .. I’ll talk to the writers and see what we can do.” Agnes knows how Sana always tries to make every single one of her projects as great as she can. If she didn’t believe that this is the right choice, she wouldn’t be so adamant.

“Thank you Agnes, you know you’re my favorite agent”, Sana says cheerfully as she turns around and leaves the room.

“I’m your only agent!”, She hears Agnes say after her

-x-

Yousef had never thought about acting. Being completely honest, he had never thought about modeling either, that had been just his way of trying to help his parents. But he really liked his job. So when his agent told him that they were thinking about him as the love interest of a new movie he just couldn’t say no. The fact that the main character was played by the one and only Sana Bakkoush didn’t hurt either.

While the thought of working with Sana Bakkoush, on a real movie set, is exciting to him, Yousef can’t stop worrying. He’s never acted before and he really looks up to Sana. She’s from Oslo, as Yousef is, and she has managed to make a name for herself in the Hollywood industry. The last thing Yousef wants is to screw up and end up looking like a complete idiot in front of her. And of course, he wouldn’t want to see the project ruined because of his inexperience.

Yousef has been on sets before. He is a model, not only did he do photoshoots but also short advertisement in video form. However, the set for a movie like this is completely different. He is overwhelmed the first time he sets foot on the set. People running around trying to get the props perfect, adjusting lights, rolling cameras to the right position. Needless to say Yousef feels unsure of what to do.

“Who are you?”, Yousef hears from behind him and quickly spins around to be faced with a guy who looks at him skeptically.

“Uh...I’m Yousef, Yousef Acar? I play Hakan, the love interest in the movie.”, he answers, hoping that he didn’t sound unsure of that fact.

“You shouldn’t be here. The writers are waiting for you”

“Oh, where should I go, then?” Yousef wonders why they would want to see him now but decides not to ask. He would find out soon enough.

“Follow that hallway, second door to the left”

It’s not hard to find the right room. A sign on the door says ‘Writers room’. Still, why does Yousef feel like it’s the wrong room? Even when it’s painfully obvious that that’s not the case. Taking a deep breath, looking down on himself to check if he’s presentable, Yousef lifts his hand and knocks.

“Come in!”, he hears and finally opens the door.

He did not know what to expect. How could a writers room look like? Well, he’s still surprised to see three people, two men and a woman, sitting at a big table, with laptops in front of them. It’s a relatively big room and has huge windows. Why is Yousef concentrating on insignificant things like this? Because he’s too nervous to do something that could go wrong.

“You must be Yousef.”, one of the men says. Yousef knows the names of everyone in this room but right now he’s not able to remember them.

Yousef nods and steps closer to shake each person's hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

The woman smiles at him. “Likewise.”

“I’ve been told that you were waiting for me?” He attempts to sound confident and not like he has no clue of what he’s doing here.

“Yes. We wanted to welcome you into the crew.”, the younger one of the two men says with a smile.

“And also give you this, it’s the new script”, the woman adds, holding out a stack of paper to Yousef.

“New script?” The confusion is clear to be seen on his face.

“Yes. There have been a few changes.” Changes?

“Oh, okay. I got the script just yesterday evening so I thought..” Yousef had to learn quite a lot of lines since yesterday evening. They would not start filming today, at least he wouldn’t, but he needs to rehearse.

“Yes, but the main actress made a request to which we changed some things.”, the older guy says.

A request to change the script last minute? Why would that happen?

“Something I should be worried about?”

“No, just that we had to cut four of your scenes”

“For something in particular?” He just doesn’t understand why they would change things so shortly before the start of filming.

“The actress was just not comfortable with those”

Not comfortable? She’s an actress. Shouldn’t she be used to have a love interest in the movies? He probably has seen all her movies so he knows that for sure. Then what is the problem? It’s not like there was some intimate scene that could make her uncomfortable, he would’ve understood that. But that Sana made an explicit request to shorten those scenes or take them out completely gave Yousef a feeling of disappointment. He thought that Sana was the type of girl that wouldn’t let the fame get to her head. Clearly, he was wrong.He just can’t grasp it. Sana already plays the main character of the movie. Why would she want to take away from other actor’s screentime? It’s not like he cared that much about screentime. He only wants to enjoy the experience and do his job. But still. It’s his first acting job and the first thing he is told is that he’ll be in less scenes than he thought he would be in and that the reason for that is that “the actress was just not comfortable with those”. How is he supposed to not care? He can’t help but feel sad. He was really looking forward to working with Sana and learning from her. But now, he’s not so sure anymore.One of the reasons he was so excited to work on this movie was that Sana Bakkoush is playing the main character. Someone who Yousef thought was not like many other Hollywood-actors. Well, she had just proved that she’s like the rest.

“Okay...I should get going then, work on the new script and so on”, Yousef says, he really needs to get out of that room.

“Of course, go get to work”

“Thank you again for choosing me”

“We’re sure we made the right choice with you, just don’t make us be wrong about it”

Yousef leaves the room and closes the door behind him while looking at the new script in his hands. He had to read all those pages just yesterday and now he can do it all over, with ‘a few’ changes. Turning the pages Yousef tries to see which parts have been rewritten or taken out completely. He’s so focused on what he’s reading that he doesn’t see the person turning the corner at the same time he is until he bumps into them, the script almost falling to the floor.

“Oh, I’m sorr..”, he looks up from his script to see who he bumped into. His eyes land on the girl he has been thinking about in the past ten minutes. The girl that made the writers change the script last minute and take away from his scenes. He’s looking at no other than Sana Bakkoush. A script in her hand, coffee in her other hand. He thought their first meeting would have been different.

“I’m sorry.”, he finally says. “I was focused on the script and I didn’t see you”

“It’s fine, I wasn’t paying attention either”

“Hi, I’m…”

“I know who you are” Sana interrupts him “You’re the love interest”

“Well, I prefer Yousef, if you don’t mind”, He says annoyed, he’s getting tired of everyone referring to him as just the love interest.

Sana raises her eyebrows at the boy. He prefers Yousef? Well, Sana prefers a lot of things, like not having a love interest for her character when it’s not necessary, for example, and still there she is, accepting the facts. She wants to reply with a snarky comment, but she knows that wouldn’t be wise. She’ll have to spend a lot of time with that boy and the least she can do is try to be polite, even if she really doesn’t feel like doing that.

“Okay, Yousef”, She says putting emphasis on his name “I guess I’ll see you soon”

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This is the first chapter!!

We really hope you’ve liked it!

Thank you so much for reading♥