By Margaret Maccoll
Budding scriptwriters and directors learnt from the experts last week at the Peregian Beach Digital Hub’s creative residency workshops.
Screenwriter of TV series Neighbours and Home and Away Stephen Vagg and director of film and television Louise Alston inspired participants with their knowledge and entertaining delivery.
If you’re ever struggling for a good story idea, borrow one from William Shakespeare, Vagg said.
And you’d be in good company with plenty of films, even sci-fi classic, The Forbidden Planet, based on one of Shakespeare’s plays.
Working together Vagg and Alston set out their basic rules for writing a script while workshop participants used their tips to create their own scenarios.
All stories have a beginning, middle and end and a setting, Vagg told them.
They don’t have to have a hero but they do need a protagonist that drives the action. Generally the protagonist has a goal, something prevents them from reaching the goal that they must overcome to resolve the situation.
“Think of a person and what they want most in the world,” Vagg said. “It could be world domination, to be a parent. It might be Jaws – he just wants lunch.”
“You have to know when to start the story. It’s easy if it’s James Bond – he comes in when someone is going to blow up the world.”
And the location works best in a place where the characters can’t escape – in a city, in an office, a school – think Snakes on a Plane.
“Ask yourself – who’s the main character? What do they want? Why do they want it? What’s stopping them? What happens if they can’t get it? How does it end?” Vagg said.
The wonderful thing about writing for television or film is that you are the master of your universe, you can make anything matter.
Look at Strictly Ballroom – you may have no interest in ballroom dancing but for that hour and a half nothing else mattered but ballroom dancing, Vagg said.
Vagg has been story producer, writer and script editor for serial dramas Neighbours and Home and Away, winning and AWGIE Award for one of his Neighbours scripts.
He is the author of the biography, Rod Taylor: An Aussie in LA and wrote the feature films Jucy and All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane. Writer-director Louise Alston lives and work between Australia and the US. Her film credits include The Will, Back of the Net, All My Friends are Leaving Brisbane and Jucy. She has directed productions for stage and film including Neighbours, Stage Mums and comedy series Sluts.
The residency was supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund.
