On Writing a Screenplay
I was preparing ‘Moon Rising’ for ebook publication in late October, when my film-maker friend suggested she might pitch the idea at a London conference of directors and producers.
‘It’s set in Whitby,' she said. 'Very visual. It’s about Bram Stoker and ‘Dracula’ - a great hook to get people interested…’
Far from convinced, I gave her a few pointers on content, plot, etc, and crossed my fingers for luck. To my astonishment, she arrived back with exciting news: an American producer (UK based, good track record) had shown enthusiasm.
‘But he wants to see a script. So will you write one?’
‘A film script? But I’ve never…’
‘It’s easy – you just write the dialogue and some stage directions.’
‘But the novel doesn’t have much dialogue,’ I protested.
‘Oh, you’re good at dialogue – you can make it up.’
Maybe so, but I must just say at this point: I’m very much aware that the film world is notoriously unpredictable. Film rights can be discussed, scripts written, enthusiasm garnered – but if things don’t gel, nothing happens. Back in 2000, when ‘Moon Rising’ was first published, US film people were suggesting Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Liam Neeson for the lead roles… no, really, not kidding.
A script was written – but nothing happened. Before that, the BBC even took out an option on ‘Dagger Lane’ – drama budget cut – nothing happened.
So I’m not a starry-eyed innocent – thing is, I can’t resist a challenge. And here I am, three months down the line, working on a script of ‘Moon Rising’.
After several breaks away from it, I’m halfway through the book, and I know the script is far too long already. So I’m giving myself the kind of advice seasoned writers give to novices: ‘Just get the story down – you can edit later…’
But after more than 30 years of writing, I’m very much aware that every line of dialogue should count. It needs to say something about the character, and/or carry the action forward. Ideally, even a remark on the weather should suggest something more than the obvious.
Okay, I can do that (I tell myself) but there’s another challenge. A good novel is generally based on more than one plot. What’s happening to the chief protagonists from first page to last is the drive that carries the story forward; but one or more sub-plots concerning other characters provide necessary twists and turns along the way.
‘Moon Rising’, the novel, has several threads:
Damaris Sterne is an orphan, but has a difficult relationship with her extended family (the Sternes and the Firths). A desire to be different is what drives her forward.
She lost her father at sea – so is not about to commit to any local fisherman or seafarer. She wants something/someone better.
Damaris starts working for the photographer, Jack Louvain. Through him she meets a handsome stranger – Bram Stoker. Circumstances bring them together.
And then they part – not to meet again for 20 years. By which time Stoker is a sick man, and she’s a wealthy widow.
The challenges so far identified in this attempt to make the novel into a screenplay are these:
First of all, how did Damaris Sterne and Bram Stoker meet? (In Whitby in a storm.)
What drove him back to Whitby the following summer? (Difficult to convey – it’s ‘off the page’ in the novel.)
Why did Damaris decamp from her lodgings and take up residence with Stoker? (Complicated – most notably her relationship with Bella Firth, her abused friend and cousin.)
Why did Stoker come to Whitby from London, without telling anyone where he was? (He’s teetering on the edge of a breakdown, but keeping a lot back.)
How did this intense Whitby affair affect his writing? (Fairly easy to convey.)
But what about the years between the end of the affair and their meeting again two decades later? Years in which her life moved forward into business, marriage and wealth, while he wrote ‘Dracula’ and suffered for it? (At the moment, this aspect seems insurmountable.)
So far I’ve spent half the pages written setting up the different relationships with family, employer and friends. Stoker has appeared, disappeared, and returned. He and Damaris are together for the next few weeks…
In film terms, I feel I’m just getting to the heart of this story – or in TV drama terms, the middle episode of three.
Because there’s so much more – the photographer, Jack Louvain; evil cousin Isa Firth; and handsome seafarer Jonathan Markway…
Not to mention the blackmail – and the murder...
Advice, anybody? (Please keep it clean!)
‘It’s set in Whitby,' she said. 'Very visual. It’s about Bram Stoker and ‘Dracula’ - a great hook to get people interested…’
Far from convinced, I gave her a few pointers on content, plot, etc, and crossed my fingers for luck. To my astonishment, she arrived back with exciting news: an American producer (UK based, good track record) had shown enthusiasm.
‘But he wants to see a script. So will you write one?’
‘A film script? But I’ve never…’
‘It’s easy – you just write the dialogue and some stage directions.’
‘But the novel doesn’t have much dialogue,’ I protested.
‘Oh, you’re good at dialogue – you can make it up.’
Maybe so, but I must just say at this point: I’m very much aware that the film world is notoriously unpredictable. Film rights can be discussed, scripts written, enthusiasm garnered – but if things don’t gel, nothing happens. Back in 2000, when ‘Moon Rising’ was first published, US film people were suggesting Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Liam Neeson for the lead roles… no, really, not kidding.
A script was written – but nothing happened. Before that, the BBC even took out an option on ‘Dagger Lane’ – drama budget cut – nothing happened.
So I’m not a starry-eyed innocent – thing is, I can’t resist a challenge. And here I am, three months down the line, working on a script of ‘Moon Rising’.
After several breaks away from it, I’m halfway through the book, and I know the script is far too long already. So I’m giving myself the kind of advice seasoned writers give to novices: ‘Just get the story down – you can edit later…’
But after more than 30 years of writing, I’m very much aware that every line of dialogue should count. It needs to say something about the character, and/or carry the action forward. Ideally, even a remark on the weather should suggest something more than the obvious.
Okay, I can do that (I tell myself) but there’s another challenge. A good novel is generally based on more than one plot. What’s happening to the chief protagonists from first page to last is the drive that carries the story forward; but one or more sub-plots concerning other characters provide necessary twists and turns along the way.
‘Moon Rising’, the novel, has several threads:
Damaris Sterne is an orphan, but has a difficult relationship with her extended family (the Sternes and the Firths). A desire to be different is what drives her forward.
She lost her father at sea – so is not about to commit to any local fisherman or seafarer. She wants something/someone better.
Damaris starts working for the photographer, Jack Louvain. Through him she meets a handsome stranger – Bram Stoker. Circumstances bring them together.
And then they part – not to meet again for 20 years. By which time Stoker is a sick man, and she’s a wealthy widow.
The challenges so far identified in this attempt to make the novel into a screenplay are these:
First of all, how did Damaris Sterne and Bram Stoker meet? (In Whitby in a storm.)
What drove him back to Whitby the following summer? (Difficult to convey – it’s ‘off the page’ in the novel.)
Why did Damaris decamp from her lodgings and take up residence with Stoker? (Complicated – most notably her relationship with Bella Firth, her abused friend and cousin.)
Why did Stoker come to Whitby from London, without telling anyone where he was? (He’s teetering on the edge of a breakdown, but keeping a lot back.)
How did this intense Whitby affair affect his writing? (Fairly easy to convey.)
But what about the years between the end of the affair and their meeting again two decades later? Years in which her life moved forward into business, marriage and wealth, while he wrote ‘Dracula’ and suffered for it? (At the moment, this aspect seems insurmountable.)
So far I’ve spent half the pages written setting up the different relationships with family, employer and friends. Stoker has appeared, disappeared, and returned. He and Damaris are together for the next few weeks…
In film terms, I feel I’m just getting to the heart of this story – or in TV drama terms, the middle episode of three.
Because there’s so much more – the photographer, Jack Louvain; evil cousin Isa Firth; and handsome seafarer Jonathan Markway…
Not to mention the blackmail – and the murder...
Advice, anybody? (Please keep it clean!)
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message 1:
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Giselle
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Feb 19, 2016 10:37AM
I have read your book and spent many days (and nights) wondering on how even to write a 'review'. When I read that you are writing a screenplay I said to may husband "How the h...will she get all those happenings into a screenplay!" There is so much going on, so much to absorb, so many people involved, one story within the other story, to much 'thinking' of revenge or other stuff in the heads of the players, not much dialogue, if more than one person involved in a scene - just a sideways look conveyes intentions, how is she going to do it? But then - she is Ann Victoria Roberts, if anybody, she will make it work.
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Thank you, Giselle - I appreciate your vote of confidence. In fact I'm just back from my writers' group, where we read and spoke the different parts over about 15 pages. Seems to be going in the right direction - although as ever it was the discussion afterwards that gave me the best tips. (Remember it's a love story, they said - so that may be the key.)
Still struggling with this new concept, but pressing on!
Ann - a love story, yes - with a lot of heartbreak. When I read "Moon Rising" I couldn't help but think of the chapter in my book "We Don't Talk About That" when a married man was my seducer and I, the victim had to go along with it and the affair stretched out over years, tolerating abuse and looking at a pistol pointed at me; he became a stalker and I - to get away from it - saw my only salvation in leaving the country etc. etc. You have no idea yet what happened 25 years later! (part of the sequel) I wish I could have been at that discussion of yours. So...as my little son always said: "Did doing Mom!"
Looking forward to your sequel, Giselle - hope the writing's going well!
It isn't. For some reason I keep stalling. The old adage "We Don't Talk About That." Instead I read all the Linkedin threads, add my bit if have some and think of you and how industrious you are. And wish I had a place, a hide-away, where I could go and do nothing but write. Life with its demands always gets in the way. It's Sunday and in no time there is another Sunday! And the days in-between are gone, lost. Nothing much to show for. Frustrating! But I keep thinking about Moonrise and the screenplay you are writing. I hope I will have a chance one day to read some of it!
Believe me, Giselle, I know what you're going through. Days fly - weeks disappear - and always the battle between wanting to write, and wanting to enjoy life. Never mind the essential chores, life & family problems, etc, etc, which have to be dealt with! And yes, the attempts at 'promoting' the work. I've ceased worrying about the latter, just doing what I enjoy nowadays. And if the 'new' novel is languishing on the back-burner, well, I'll get to it eventually, God willing. Now off to visit family for a few days... Re your new book - just do what you can, when you can, and try not to worry! All the best with it - Ann
