Method Screenwriting and the art of jumping and walking in your characters shoes!

Improving your screenplay.

One of the most amazing things to watch during a writing workshop -- seeing a screenwriter and a few actors attempt to write and test dialogues on the fly as they jump in and out of character. This performance can be demanding and revealing.

But when life's personal deadlines get in the way -- juggling such a workshop with a tight budget and time restraint, can give you a mild case of schizoid-cidic fever. In fact, it is exactly this kind of stress that is needed to write better dialogues.

Let's take an example, for one of my screenplay "Marcus and Faith". As lead creative, I found that in order for the actors and myself to go into character, I must have background music, rediscover my bachelor life, eliminate parenthood, get rid of all the bosses breathing down my neck, pay all my bills and my rent/mortgage in advance. And not to forget the weekly meetings with my private psychiatrist who's losing money taking on my file. Now only if all of this was possible.

Exactly. By learning to appreciate the joy of stress, without distress, we escape life temporarily and go into character - which you, the screenwriter, must control as a servant to your imagination.

One last crucial point here, before you get started, create a BIO for each of your character, to serve as rules to follow and to get psyched up. The actors will love you for this.

Here is an example of the BIO for my script "Marcus and Faith"--

BIO:

FAITH: Trapped in a shady underworld, exploited for her beauty but has dreams of escaping this world to become a dancer on Broadway. Faith becomes hardened and damaged by her oppressive lifestyle. Carefree and playing the role she's been forced into - that of a promiscuous, flirtatious girl whose job it is to please men. As her relationship with Marcus blossoms, these perversions of her true self fall away and she can be herself with him, as she slowly learns that there is more to life than sexual and emotional oppression and exploitation. Like Marcus' kindred spirit , she also has a deep center of good beneath her wild and free-spirited exterior.

MARCUS: Abused as a child, grew up in dire straits but, deep down, remains a strong-willed man with a positive kernal of goodness beneath his cheeky, nonchalant façade. Addicted to prescription drugs, Marcus Anderson is a stand-up shock-comedian. Bold despite his weaknesses and, when fighting for something he truly cares about, he is relentless, fearless, and persistent. Considering Marcus' life and situation, he is an empathetic guy; keeping afloat in a sea of filth, ultimately striving for a brighter future.

ADAM: The cruel and sadistic owner of Kama-Sin, a mogul of black market industries (prostitution, sex slave trafficking, and more). He is Faith's father. He promises that he will make her dreams of becoming a dancer a reality - one day. But his promise of a better future is empty, only allowing him to fully exploit Faith for his own purposes. An evil businessman at his core, innovating in the underground adult entertainment world, willing to do anything to please his clients - including giving up his own daughter.

FERNANDO: Marcus' friend since high school, provides a safe haven for Marcus and Faith. He suppressed his gang lifestyle to become a family man, struggling against the odds to give his wife and daughter a brighter future. He is a strong ally to Marcus, going beyond the call of duty to help him.

SYLVIA: Fernando's wife, kindhearted but hates Marcus and his lifestyle, concerned about his negative influence on her husband and daughter.

DELMAR: Bully to Marcus in high school, now a successful "businessman"; a loan shark to whom Marcus is in debt.

JOSEPHINE: Employee of Kama-Sin who remains in the job for the good money to support her child. She's Faith's best friend and helps her along the way.

OSCAR and JAMES: Adam's tough-as-nails thugs who roll with a "good cop/bad cop" dynamic except they're never good and always bad, assigned to track down the runaway Faith.

SADAK: An equally-sadistic corrupt cop whose position of authority allows him to sell his integrity to the highest bidder - which, of course, is Adam.