[Watch the video interview on Youtube here]
Film Courage: What are the three worst ways to start a story?
Steve Douglas-Craig, Owner/Teacher at The New Screenwriter, Financier, Screenwriter and Producer: I think one of them is not identifying a main point of view or a main character. I’ve have seen it where you linger for 10 to 15 pages of the setup before I even meet the main character. I think that’s hard to pull off, not saying it’s impossible, but I think that’s one area where starting a story without introducing our main character can be really fraught with danger.
I think writing too big an action sequence in the beginning, you leave yourself nowhere to go. I know a lot of action movies do start that way. I think also if I was to identify another bad way to start a story is with too many characters. I see that quite often it’s very hard for me to discern who the main character if in the first 10 pages you’ve introduced 10 to 15 characters, it’s like I don’t know who I’m following? Whose story is this? It becomes muddy. I think that starting a story off with too many characters who have too many things to say (especially minor characters) can be confusing and really takes us away from Okay, who are we following? Who am I going to empathize with and join on this journey? I think that’s one way you wouldn’t want to start a story.
I think another way is if it’s a horror movie, starting it with some kind of…(Watch the video interview on Youtube here).
About:
After graduating from the AFI, Steve Douglas-Craig was recruited by Sony Pictures Entertainment to work as a Story Editor & Acquisitions Executive for the Worldwide Acquisitions team in Los Angeles where he received an induction into story & business development, feature film packaging, domestic & international distribution, theatrical marketing & product acquisition. He helped develop & shepherd film titles including Terminator: Salvation, The Book of Eli, Django Unchained, War Room, Don’t Breathe (Sequel current in post-production), the Insidious horror movie franchise, Manchester By The Sea, The Grudge (reboot), Searching, Arrival, Whiplash, The Call, Attack The Block & many others (including TV releases – The Tudors, House of Cards). Steve’s tenure at Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions was followed with a promotion to Senior Story Editor & Creative Executive at Screen Gems where he was involved in the development & release of theatrical titles like the recent releases of Monster Hunter & the adaptation of James Herbert’s novel – The Unholy. Before that he helped shepherd Black & Blue, The Intruder, Possession of Hannah Grace, Brightburn, & Slender Man. He was also heavily involved in developing content strategies that attracted financiers & talent to specific projects for the studio. Steve is also a professional screenwriter having worked as a freelance staff writer for the hit CBS TV series Hawaii Five-O over a number of seasons & currently has a pilot & several feature films (including a creature feature) going out through his literary managers in Los Angeles.
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