A Few Screenwriting (and Roller Coaster) Tips From Ian Miller
The deadline to submit short films for “The Film Lounge” is coming right up, on June 1. So enter already!
Along with the chance to you see your project aired on Iowa Public Television, you could also earn $500 from Produce Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council. (There are usually 10 or more winners each season, so your odds are pretty good!) Plus, you don’t need any special credentials or qualifications, so don’t let anything hold you back.
But just in case you need a little extra encouragement, read the following note from Ian Miller, a local filmmaker who has a few words of advice . . .
Since I grew up during the 8-bit revolution, in the crosshairs of Nintendo’s 1985 target demographic, I will always claim a certain a pizza-slinging plumber named Mario as my imaginary uncle. That said, I also grew up with VHS technology as the most compact form of DIY filmmaking — which was about as high-def as it was compact.
I remember well the fateful night I smuggled my family’s Panasonic video recorder out the basement door in an attempt to film my friends’ hijinks. Even clearer is my memory of the two-months’ grounding I received when I finally admitting the camera had been destroyed in a Little Caesars dishwasher incident. (It’s a long story.)
But things are easier now. We all have cameras in our pockets that have resolution-capturing power that is equal and often better than the pro-grade equipment of the 1980s.
There is nothing to stop any one of us from generating premium entertainment and uploading it within hours of creation.
(Cue the “Stranger Things” theme music.)
All you need is your phone, a free or cheap editing program like Filmic Pro ($10) and . . . a good story.
If you need help getting started, think of a roller coaster ride.
All aboard!
- The beginning (also called the exposition).
- Everybody gets on.
- We learn the name of the coaster and meet the riders.
Up the Big Hill
- The development.
- Rising action.
- The seat belts come loose!
Top of the Hill
- The climax.
- Everybody freaks out only to realize moments before the plummet, the seat belts were never disconnected!
- Everyone survives.
The Fall
- The resolution.
- Falling action.
- Everybody screams in descent.
The Return
- The conclusion (also called the denouement).
- The coaster returns to the station.
- Group hug.
The End
See? That wasn’t so hard now, was it? Hopefully, this gets your creative juices flowing and you’ll submit something to “The Film Lounge” by the June 1 deadline.
Meantime, check out this great article with useful tips on “How to Film a Hollywood-Worthy Movie on Your Smart iPhone.”
Good luck!
Ian Miller is an Iowa filmmaker, artist, entertainer and prop maker who lives in Des Moines. He also may have scared you at his immersive entertainment company, The Slaughterhouse.
