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AndresAngelPortilla English1A ProfessorRivasGomez 16April2014 LivingtheScript GrowingupIhavealwaysbeenfascinatedwiththeideaofstorytelling.ThefirstfantasyIcan rememberbeingtoldisLittleRedRidingHood.Mygrandmotherwouldalwaysgetmetoeatbyreciting iteverytimemyappetitewasntemphaticenough.Shewouldtellmethewolfwouldcomeandeatme tooifIwasntstrongenoughtodefendmyselfthatheonlypreyedontheweakandthatifIdidnteatI wouldnthavethestrengthtofightback.EverytimeIwouldexpandastepfurtherthanmygrandmother expectedmetoandflipthestoryaroundwithalterationsofwhatwouldhappeninsteadlikethatIdset upboobytrapsorfeedhimthefoodIdidnotwanttoeat.ThiswasthefirsttimeIthinkmytruethirst forcreatingstoriesofmyownmanifested. Duringmylastfewyearsinelementaryschoolmycousin,Federico,gotajobatamovietheatre andworkedhiswayuptomanagerialposition.Withhisnewtitlehewasgiventheprivilegeofadmitting guestsofhischoiceintothetheatersmoviesforfree.Sincemydadwaspracticallyasecondfatherto himgrowingup,hefeltaclosebondtomyfamilyandwewereoftentheguestshehandedhisprivilege downto.EveryweekendmyfamilyandIwouldgotothetheaterandwatchthelatestfilm.Wewould discussthemovieafterwardandanalyzewhichelementsinthemovieweenjoyedandwhichwefelt shouldhavebeendifferent.Mycommentaryusuallyconcernedtheendingorthedialoguewithinthe movie.Iwouldoftencreateanalternatefinalityofmyownandtrytoimpressmyparents.This continuedforaboutroughly3years,andwithitgrewmyabilitytoanalyzeandmentallymodifyfilms

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accordingtomypersonaldesire,untilmycousindecidedtodedicatemoretimetoschoolpursuinga collegedegreeasafulltimestudent. InschoolIwastaughttowriteabouttheadventuresmymindcreated.Onetimeineighthgrade myenglishteacherassignedustowriteanadventurestorythatusedpersonificationinonewayor another.Minewasaboutabreedoftigerswhohadspecialabilitiesandhowtheycouldactually sometimesbeattributesthatwouldthreatentheirlives.Atraitcarriedinoneofthetigerswasrare beauty.Iwroteabouthowitsfurreflectedashinethatwouldattractothers,evenhunterswhowanted toprofitfromtheircoats.IthinkatthetimeIwassubtlytryingtoconveytheideathatitiswrongtohunt rarespeciesfortheirfurandthatswhatIlovedaboutstorytellingIcouldsendamessagetomy audience.Myteachertoldtheclasshewouldreadoverourstoriesandrewardtheauthorofhisfavorite story.HechosethreestudentsthefollowingweektostandupinfrontoftheclassandtomysurpriseI wasoneofthem.Hereadallthreestories,maintainingouranonymitiestoeachpertainingstory.I remembertheexcitedandapprehensiveexpressionsonmyclassmatesfaces.Igainedelationinmy workwatchingwhatitwasIcouldgivethemthroughthemediumofwriting.Themajorityoftheclass votedformystoryandthiswaswhenIrealizedthepotentialnatureofmystorytelling. Myloveforcreatingstoriestookabrieftollofsilence,butinmyjunioryearofhighschoolmy cravingignitedoncemore.IenrolledinanafterschoolROPfilmclass,whichisaprofessionalcareer basedcoursethatincorporatesahandsonapproachtofamiliarizestudentswiththeproductionoffilm.I graduallybeganlearningthevariousdifferentrolesvitaltosuccessfulfilmmaking.Everyweeklyshort filmwasanopportunitytotestoutdifferentrolesasdirector,scriptwriter,filmeditor,producer,audio manager,andcinematographer.Afewstoodouttomeprominently.Ienjoyedalltasks,butIfeltmost powerfulwhenscriptwriting.IwascommendedbymyteammemberseverytimeIwroteascriptand

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theywouldmostoftenchoosemystoriestofilm.Itwasasifmyexperiencesandpracticedability growingupforeshadowedthisfate.Ihadfinallyfoundmycalling. AfterhighschoolIdecidedwhatIwantedtopursuewasscreenwriting.MyfriendAndrew Reyesisatruefanofreadingandwritingscriptsandhispassionalsoreinforcedmyloveforthedialogue infilm.HeandIwouldmeetupeverysooften,andstilltothisdaydo,totalkaboutfilmideasweboth hadordiscusshowmuchweadmiredthedialogueinmovieswebothhadagreatloveforlikeoneof ourfavorites,PulpFiction.Ihonestlyfeelthatthemovieseachofusfavorindividuallysaysalotabout thewayweareandthemannerinwhichwespeakorthink.Whetherthisisacauseofthemovieswe findinterestinorareflectionofthemisnotcertaintomeIdliketothinkmaybeitsabitofboth.One thingiscertainthough:filmdefinitelyimpactstheviewerbyopeningthedoortodimensionsfrom anothersimagination. Thereissomuchpowerintheabilitytoinfluenceotherstowardsrealizationsofhowtheirown livescanlearnfromfilm.Filmlivesinarealmofcaptivatingimaginativestoryandservesasamediumto shifttheperspectiveofothersaswellasonesownasascreenwriter.Scriptwritingisaformofliterature thathastheabilitytochangetheviewers,thusthepopulationsperspectiveasawhole.MaryPipher writesinherbookWritingtoChangeTheWorld,Writingtoconnectischangewriting,which,like goodtherapy,createstheconditionsthatallowpeopletobetransformed(8).Writinghasthecapability tochangetheconsciousmentalperspectivesofthepertainingaudience,howeverwritingscreenplaysare generallyamaskedpartoftheprocessbecauseessentiallytheaudiencesarenotnecessarilyreaders, rathertheyaremovieorT.V.viewers.Thismakesscreenwritingsomuchmorepowerfulasitdevelops frompapertoactionandeventuallytorecordedvisualsforawholepopulationtowatch. Developingagoodscreenplaytakesmuchpracticeandediting.Therearemanydifferentways

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ofevolvingoneswritingabilitythroughpractice.Itisnotraretohearfromvariousscreenplayauthors thattheyarealsoinvolvedinanotherformofwriting.Screenplaywritersarenotonlyscreenplaywriters theyoftengaininspirationfromtheirpracticeinotherformsofwork.Screenwriterscanreapthebenefits fromtheirinvolvementinotherformsofliteraturesuchaswritingpoetry,graphicnovels,orevensong lyricstogetoutofonesownheadandintoanunfamiliardimensionincomparisontootherscreenplay writers(Beeber2014).Anyformoffreewritinginwhichthoughtshavemoreleewaytoescapetheir subconsciousprisonintotheconsciousmindforaccessibleelaborationwillprovidetoolsforones writing.Engagementinvariousformsofliteraturecanhelpdevelopone'sindividualvoiceasanauthorof film(McBride,90).Onesstrengthinscreenwritingcandramaticallybenefitifpracticedbyotherliterary activitiesoveraperiodoftime. Ihavelearnedthatexploringoutsideofonesowncurrentboxofknowledgeisextremely importantinwritingforfilmitkeepsmaterialfresh.Withnewappreciationandunderstandingofnew subjectmatter,onehasmoreoptionsforwritingmaterial.Personalresearchisrequiredtoeffectively familiarizeonesperceptionofagenreorunderstandthesubjectoneswritingpertainsto(Meloccaro). Strenuoussaturationoftextsisalsoademandthisprofessioncallsfor().Ifascreenwriterwantstowrite afantasyscriptliketheoneforGameOfThrones,theymustresearchandreadbooksorevengraphic novelsthatwillprovideinsightaboutthebehaviorssuitabletospecificmythicalcharactersthesealso reflecthoweachelementwouldinfluencetheirpersonalitytraits,reactionsandexternalbattleswhich reflecttheirinternalissues(Frank,89).Oftentheresearchforthisisnotonlyreadingonlinearticles, books,ormagazines,butitisalsotheselfapplicationofnewactivities.Forexampleatechniqueusedto conditionascreenwritersabilitytocomeupwithnewmaterialisalteringanothersscript(Bedard).Just asyouwouldputyourselfinyourcharactersshoes,youmustalsoapplyyourselftotheircultureand

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attendeventslikeexposoryogaclassestolearntocontributetotheircharacterdevelopmentandyour understandingoftheirpersonalityasawriter.Thiswillhelpcatalyzenewperspectivesanddrivethe desiretoopenascreenwriterseyestounfamiliarterritories. Filmscriptsshouldfollowthescreenplayformat.Althoughtheymaydifferduetoslight variationsofpreferencesuchasthechosenfont,thegenerallayoutofscreenplaysmustsimilarlyfollow thepopulartemplate.Ifascreenplaydoesnotfollowthisformatitmaybedifficulttoread,especiallyfor theactorsmanifestingthescriptthismayreducethequalityoftheirperformanceandasaresult deterioratetheconditionoftheproduction(Meloccaro).Withoutaclearorganizedscriptformat, readersmayfindthetextdifficulttoimagineorevenfollow.Itisarelativelyfairtemplatetofollowand mostscreenwriteractuallyfindthisbeneficialtotheproductionoftheirworkasitmaintainsaclear organizationofchronologicalsequences. Inthefieldorscreenwritingtherearevariousdifferentformatsonemaytakeintoaccountwhen developingastory.Onecommonlyusedtemplateforthedevelopmentofascriptisthesequence method."Professionalwritersunderstandthatallscenescount.Andthereisnoroomforfillerorbridges whentrueexcellenceacrosstheboardisthestandard.Eachsceneshouldhaveitsownmagic,raison d'tre,veracityandpower"(Pitts,63).Eventhesmallestdetailmattersbecauseitreflectsanunderlying messageaboutthestorylineorcharacter(Frank,89).Thesequencemethodisconsiderateofthisidea thateverythingshouldhaveanunderlyingmeaningbehinditandbreaksdowntheanalysisofones characterdevelopmentsothatonecanfullyunderstandthecoremotivethecharacterisdrivenby. Whenwritingascreenplay,onehastoanalyzeindepthwhatthecharactersreactionwouldbetoa givensituationonehastoputthemselvesinhisorhershoesandpretendtobethecharacterto effectivelycapturetheiressence(Beeber2014).Usingthesequencemethodformatcanmost

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accuratelyhelpdevelopthecharacteraswellastheirreactionstotheirsurroundingstimulus. Collaborationisessential.emphasizesDanielleBeeber,aformerscreenplayeditor. Collaborationprovidesthevitalcritiqueofotherstobetteronesscreenplay.Asuggestedmentalityto approachcollaborationwithistodeclaremostofyourworkasgarbageandaskotherswhatthe nuggetofyourpieceis(Beeber2014).Thiswayyoucanextensivelyusethemostvaluable informationinyourscreenplaytodevelopamoreinterestingstorylineandkeepapersistentflowof captivatingideaswithinyourscript.Incollaboratingwithothersaneffectivescreenwritercanbenefit frommultipleperspectivesandanalyzehowtheirmaterialmaybeperceivedbyothersinvolvedinthe productionandessentiallythepossiblyoutcomeofthework(Pitts,64).Thisisaprominentand perpetualnotionIhavewitnessedmyselfintheshortspanIwascreatingshortfilmsinhighschool.You simplycannotsucceedmerelyonyourown.Othersinputandsuggestionsarejustasimportant(ifnot more)asyourown,becauseyouneedtobroadenthepossibleperceptionstheaudiencewillapproach yourwritingwith(Meloccaro). ThroughoutthepastyearIhavereceivedaffirmationstyingmebacktomydreamprofessionas ascriptwriter.Ihavegottenmuchmoreinvolvedinpoetryandstorytelling,especiallywithmy freewritingjournalasamedium,whichhashelpedmedevelopmyownvoiceasanauthorWiththis developingvoiceIhaveandwillcontinuetoevolveasascriptwriter.Thissemesterandtheoneprior havebeguntopreparemeforthisprofessionasIhaveexercisedteamworkandtheabilitytoresearch varioussubjectsusingdifferentdatabases,askillvitaltowritingeffectivescreenplays. AtPasadenaCityCollegeIcanhonestlysayIhavepracticedworkingingroupsinmorethan oneclass.Itisahighlightedconceptincollegethatoneneedstocollaboratewithotherstoeffectively establishotherindividualsperceptionstowardsyourwork.ThroughprojectsprimarilyinmyEnglish

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andSpeechcourses,Ihavegarneredthebenefitsofcollaborativeworkandcontinuetoasacollege student.Ihavelearnedtoplaydevilsadvocate,contributor,andcollaborator. Collegeexperienceshavealsotaughtmehowtoeffectivelyresearchandcollectmaterialneeded toproduceproject,similartowhatIwillhavetodoasascreenwriter.Throughoutmyexperience,my researchpapershavehelpedmoldmetowardsabrighterfuture.ItrulyfeellikeIcanadequately researchtheinformationnecessarytowriteaboutaspecificculturebeitmytaskoneday.AlthoughI haveyettoapplymyselfphysicallyinactivitiesthatcaptivatemyinterestsoIcanwriteascriptaboutthe subjectmatter,myjourneystillhasafarvoyageaheadandtheapplicationofmyaccumulated knowledgehasmerelybegun. ThestorytellingchildIwashasallowedfortheexpansionofmygreatinteresttocreateaworld unknowntoother.MyhighschoolexperienceinanROPfilmclasshasonlyexpandedmypassionto touchtheheartsofapopulation.Mycollegeexperienceshaveprovidedmewiththeskillsandpracticed writingtodevelopingmyvoiceanddevelopanelaboratescript.Notonlydoestheknowledgeaboutmy dreamprofessionexpandwitheveryyear,butwithitmythirsttoexpressthestoriesmymindcreates throughthemediumoffilmgrowswitheveryyear. WorksCited Bedard,Carol,andCharlesFuhrken."EverybodyWantsSomebodytoHearTheirStory:HighSchool StudentsWritingScreenplays."EnglishJournal.100.1(2010):4752.Web.21Apr.2014. <http://www.ncte.org/journals/ej/issues/v1001>. Beeber,Danielle.PersonalInterview.28April20014 Frank,Sandy,andJosephMcBride."InnerGameofScreenwriting."JournalOfFilmandVideo. 65.12(2013):8890.Web.23Apr.2014.

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<http://www.scribd.com/doc/125421415/InnerGameofScreenwritingREVIEW>. Meloccaro,Marcello.PersonalInterview.26April.2014 Pipher,MaryBray.WritingtoChangetheWorld.NewYork:Riverhead,2006.Print. Pitts,Virginia."Writingfromthebody:Kinestheticsandentrainmentincollaborativescreenplay development.."JournalofMediaPractice.14.1(2013):6178.Web.28Apr.2014. <http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezp.pasadena.edu/ehost/detail?vid=5&sid=0843f02aca7a4755 8788305268745ee0@sessionmgr113&hid=103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ=> Appendix Document1:ScriptExamplefrom http://www.scriptologist.com/Magazine/Formatting/formatting.html
INT.HOSPITALEMERGENCYROOMNIGHT Acrowdedhospitalemergencywaitingroom.Cleanbutcheerless. Sickandinjuredpeoplesitinplasticchairslinedupinrows.ATV ceilingBLARESasitcom.Nooneiswatching. mountednearthe

Amanmoanssoftlyashepressesabloodygauzepadagainsthisforehead.Awoman cradlesalistlessinfantinherarms. CATHYsitsattheendofthefirstrowofplasticchairs.Herheadisbentover,andshe staresintentlyatthefloor. Sheraisesherheadslowly,brushesherlong,silkyhairawayfromherface. Weseefearinhereyesastheyfocusonaclockthathangsabovethefrontdesk.Shetwists atissuebetweenherfingersandisunawarethatbitsofitarefallingonthefloor. Thedoortotheemergencytreatmentroomopens,andamiddleaged DOCTORdressed inhospitalgreenwalksthroughthedoortowardCathy,whoboltsoutofthechairandhurries towardhim. DOCTOR (apologetically) Wedideverythingpossible. CATHY (gasps)

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Whatareyousaying? DOCTOR I'msorry CATHY (screaming) No! AlleyesinthewaitingroomarerivetedonCathyandtheDoctor.CathylungesattheDoctor, beatingherfistsagainsthischest. CATHY(CONT'D) (shouting) Youkilledhim!

Document2:ExcerptfromHeathersScreenplay
FADEIN:EXT.SAWYER'SBACKYARDDAWN ElegiacmusicmurmursasthreefemaleandbarefootPAIRSOF LEGSinskirtsbreakfromtableautogentlyengageinCroquet. Abluemallethitsablueballthroughawicket,agreen malletknocksagreenball,andayellowmalletpushesforward ayellowball,allinenticingsyncopation. Suddenlyaredballrocketsthroughthedewcoveredgrassand hitsthegreenball.TheLEGSallstopmovingasaFOURTHPAIR OFLEGS,thisoneinstylishshoesandstockings,marchesto theredballandstepsonit.Aredmalletisbroughtdown hardontheredballcausingtheadjacentgreenballto thunderoutofview.ThePairofLegsmanueveringthegreen balldeparts.Thisprocessofeliminationisgrimly repeatedwiththeyellowballandyetagainwiththeblue ball. However,whentheBLUEMALLETEDPLAYERmakeshersadexit, theviewer'sviewpointglidesalongwiththisparticularPair ofLegs.Aredballwhizzesby.TheLegsstop.Anotherred ballmalevolentlysailspasttheLegs.Thenyetanotherred ball.AfourthredballmakesbrutalcontactwiththeLegs causingthePlayertofalltoherkneesandintotheframe.The PlayerisVERONICASAWYER. INT.VERONICA'SBEDROOMDAY VERONICASAWYER,asullenseventeenyearoldbeauty,liesatop herbeddressedinachicbutunderstatedensemble,hereyes glazedopeninamorningreverie.Sheblowsupatherbangs

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thenslidesoffherbed,launchingintovoiceovernarration overtheemptybed. VERONICA(V.O.) Heathertoldmesheteachespeople RealLife. INT.HIGHSCHOOLHALLWAYDAY Continuinghernarration,VERONICAglidesthroughabustling highschoolhallwaywithafrozensmile.

Document3:Articleonfilmelements
FallintoEvil Insomestories,acharacterbeginsasa"goodguy"andgraduallybecomesa"badguy",untilattheend, s/hehascompletelytransformedintoavillain.Thesestoriesareusuallytragedies. ConsiderTheGodfather.Inthisnovel(andfilm),Michaelbeginsasawarherowhowantsnothingtodo withthefamilybusiness.Gradually,wewatchhimlosehismorals.HemistreatsKay,becomesinvolvedin thefamilywars,andbytheendhasbecomemoreruthlessthanhisfather.TheGodfatherisaboutthe moralfallofMichael. Therearemanyotherexamples,fromMacBethtotheStarWarsprequels. Redemption Anoppositecaseiswhenacharacterbeginsasa"badguy"andbecomes"good".TheoriginalStarWars moviesfollowthisformatDarthVadergoesfrombeingpureeviltofindinghislostgoodness. KhaledHosseini'sTheKiteRunnerisanotherexample.Wedon'tlikeAmirverymuchatfirst.Hedoes somehorriblethings,ishauntedbythem,andeventuallymustredeemhimself. Inothercases,thecharacterdoesn'tbeginasbeingatruevillain,butisflawedinsomeway,andinthe courseofthestory,learnstoovercomethoseflaws.YoucanevenseethisinthefirstNinjaTurtlesmovie theturtleslearntoovercometheirangerandworkasateam. (Don'tyouloveitwhenawritingguidebringsyouexamplesfrombothShakespeareandtheNinjaTurtles?) ComingofAge "ComingofAge"storiesareoftenaboutfindinginnerstrength.Examplesabound,fromKarateKidto JudithGuest'sOrdinaryPeople.Attheendofsuchastory,thecharacterisstronger,wiser,andmore readytodealwiththeworld. Thereare,ofcourse,manyothertypesofcharacterdevelopment.Theyallhaveonethingincommon.The plotcausesthechange.Thecharacterchangesasadirectresultofthestory'sconflict,andthestory becomesaboutthechange.

Document4:ResearchArticleAboutVampireCulture
OneofthelessonsLaycockhaslearnedisthatpeoplespreoccupationwithvampiresisbothwidespread andenduring.Itwouldseemthatonsomelevelhumansneedvampiresasmuchasvampiresneedblood. RepresentationsofvampirescrossmanyculturesandareevidentfromtheBronzeAgetotoday,withTV showslikeTrueBloodandbooksandmoviesliketheTwilightseries,hesays. Infact,LaycockseesTwilightasjustthelatestexampleofhowvampiresshapeshift.Notonlydothey

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transformthemselvesintobatsandothercreatures,buttheyaltertheirdress,demeanorandethicsto reflecteachnewculturetheyencounteroverthecenturies.Vampireschangebecausewechange,he says. Vampiresoriginalroleinfolklorewasthatofthescapegoat.Thevampirewasoutsidesociety,says Laycock.InEasternEuropeanfolktalesfeaturingvampires,villagerssharedacommonidentity,wrapped upintheirworkandreligion,andthevampirefunctionedasanexemplarofallthatwasforbidden,the sourceoftroubles. Inthe21stcentury,bycontrast,wecanseethevampireasaromantichero.Whatsinterestingisthatthe currentTwilightseriesisthemostpositiveportrayalofvampirestherehaseverbeen,saysLaycock.It wasonlybeginninginthe1960sthatwehadthisfigureofthereluctantvampire,whofeelsveryguilty.But withEdwardCullen,theleadvampireintheTwilightseries,wedontreallyevenhavethat,because Edwardhasneverkilledanyone.Heisatotalinnocenthesjustdifferent. Onereasonforthevampiresnewappealisthatthestarkcontrastbetweentheoutsiderandthe mainstreamdoesntholdasmuchpowernow.Medievalvillagerswouldneverhavehadtoworryabout questionslike,Whydoesnooneunderstandme?whichareraisedinTwilight,Laycocksays.Nowwe seethevampireverysympathetically.Itsnolongeranoutsiderfigure.Werelatetoit,sinceweareall outsidersofakind. Undersuchconditions,itmaynotseemsostrangethatsomepeople,likethoseparticipatingintheAtlanta VampireAllianceresearch,wouldactuallydescribethemselvesasvampires.Thisisforthemanidentity, notareligion,Laycocksays.IappliedthesameethnologicalmethodsIwouldhaveusedwithanygroup. Selfidentifiedvampiresaresurprisinglynormalpeople.Themostcommonageislateteensandearly20s, butImetgrandmothersandpeopleofallages. Yetevenwhenwethinkofvampiresasregularfolks,theyretainaspecialaura.Theytapintosomeof ourlarge,universalissues:themysteryofdeath,theinstinctualpowerofourlibidoandthelifeforce symbolizedbyblood. Andbythesametoken,vampireshavelongplayedaroleineverydaylife,evenduringtimesinhistory whentheywereuniversallyhatedandfeared.Laycockexplainsthatinmedievalvillages,widowswould occasionallybecomepregnantapotentialscandalgiventhattheywereexpectedtoremaincelibateafter thedeathoftheirhusbands.Butaslongaseveryonebelievedinvampires,thesewomenhadanout:they couldtellthetownfathers,Oh,thatwasmyhusbandwhocamebackfromthedead.Hesavampire.