While true... a beginning is a most precious and vital part of the opening of any story, especially those pivotal 10 pages of a screenplay so widely proclaimed, but my intense problem is I simply can't decide on the proper scene to get that going - or at least, making the right decision and approach. I want to just write and throw caution to the wind, but then I just become frustrated that I'm leaving out all the other things that perhaps should come first. So, what comes first is my trouble!
I have a story, that was once written out as a WIP novella, hardly finished, but a good meaty outline it works as. But this story - that I want to develop as a television series - is full of multiple storylines. I've started it ten thousand ways and each time, I scrub it - only to restart again, trying to find that magical opening to capture the story, the feel, the genre. I do have so many scenes written - and now for me, it has become one huge giant jigsaw puzzle to place them right and accordingly. BUT I just simply can't find the right scene to get things out the starting gate.
I'm not being overly critical, nor am I allowing my inner critic to take over, or have certain rules to handcuff me, at least, not for the most part. But when I have this story with multiple storylines, with several main characters, what is the best approach on what should be the best opening? I have started and stopped so many times in utter frustration, that it has become a major problem in writing the entire story, and I won't or can't allow myself to write beyond it. Obviously an opening should project as much info, as even a teaser, about the genre, the very main character, and or villain(s). But that's what I have. A few viewpoints from two strong MC's, as well as villains, and I've even opened with the B story. Even now, I seem to be rambling, and I do apologize. How can I settle on a proper opening that tackles my frustration, multiple perspectives, and get on with it --
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Jerry Hapeman. There are no rules. Personally I just try to write the first ten pages as well as I can and draw the audience into the story. Sometimes it helps me to pretend I am sitting inside a theater watching it unfold to see if I want to watch the rest or not. If not then I know I need to fix it. Also, some people believe the ending is the most important part so who knows anything:)
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Jerry Hapeman if your auto mechanic asked you, "Should I start with the oil filter or the brake pads?" you might say, "Doesn't matter to me as long as everything gets done."
Put on your construction hardhat and sometimes scene 1 gets discovered on page 73, you will want to give yourself the flexibility of trying many different scenes and sequences in various parts of overall story structure.
There is no one opening scene, that idea is for the 15th full draft, just keep working and creating more scenes! Keep up the good work!
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Have you tried watching your top 3 films to study the opening? What about that opening do you love? If you could create something similar, what would it look like? How can you inspire yourself by the films you would watch over and over?
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Death seems to be popular.
Chernobyl has a man hang himself and find out why hours later. Desperate Housewives starts with a character shooting herself in front of the family.
The cold open is the standard these days. So that is probably what will happen in production.
I am a fan of the Better Call Saul “unrelated image” that start every episode.
Just make it gripping. The alternative “slow burn” is in my opinion and polite way of saying boring.
So grab the most exiting moment in the entire story and show that as a flash forward. Or give an example of it, so the audience makes the connection when they finally see it in your story.
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There are SO MANY movies that the first ten pages are just a sort of “day in the life” and something goes wrong and the protagonist leans on their core wound or habit to get things back to normal so that when they wake up the next day it looks the same as the day before with nothing out of the ordinary hanging over their head. It’s almost a short film. I often think of the openings of “Stripes” (which is also inspo for half of Judd Apatow’s movies) and “Clueless,” but it doesn’t have to be a comedy to do this. “The Conversation” with Gene Hackman also does something like this very well. So i would just write a “day in the life,” and if you don’t need all of it, no problem, you can edit it down later.
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Thank you all for your insightful thoughts. It still sort of leaves me where I was. A choice between which storyline to reveal first. Perhaps, it is just that at the moment - that I am overthinking it a bit. I appreciate all your suggestions to simplify the process. I guess in the mechanic's perspective, before I can even get the car there, I have to put in gas, so basics first before the major work, or overhaul of edits I suppose. And yes, I have exhausted my looks and appreciation of various screenplays and series, films, that I do like how they start, but was always still perplexed in which storyline to begin with. So, with that, since I was seeing this as a sort of 'Dark Crystal" or other live action puppetry and or animation, I just simply started it with what I have been avoiding like the plague, and used narration voice over. It's pretty common in these features, so I thought that may be the best attack - for now. I really wanted to give it that more eerie feeling with just visuals and let it unfold, but maybe the narration is a good step to aid the viewer.
Thank you very much, each and every one of you - Your kindness means alot!
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Keep us posted on the opening scene/pages, Jerry Hapeman, so we can give feedback and help you pick the right way to open your screenplay.
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To open hot, or not - that seems to be the basic question. The one absolute is that you must never bore the audience, Which storyline to open with? Open with the A story line and your primary character. Establish that character, conflict and need - then intertwine the B, C & other sub plots to increase the conflict - directly or indirectly. Start by asking yourself 'what's the story about' and start from that point of view.
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I do this for my features, but there's no reason it can't help your TV writing:
- Watch and break down at least three shows in the same genre. Summarize each scene, note where it lands on the timeline, and highlight the major plot points. Then compare and contrast your notes. I find this puts me in the right headspace to organize the introduction of my plot, characters, and thematic argument. Best of luck!
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Somewhat true, but overhyped within the "hope selling" industry...if ure doing spec, you wanna leave impression, but not only on the first 10 pages...
My script got optioned on a VM at page 1 then two characters discussing it while driving the next 5-6 pages...
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So, is the idea of a voice-over narration not a good approach? Just about every animation, Disney flick, and even many fantasy-driven stories use that device. While I struggle against it, I still like that format - but I am trying to tell the story, yet my initial struggle remains. I thought perhaps it may help, but it may be just too much talking. I will say this - I am opening with one of the villains in this case - and she is not necessarily the main antagonist. It's just her story and life is important in what happens throughout the story to put the pieces together - not revealing all, but just enough.
Best way to describe it is - since I am going with the TV series format (HBO/Netflix), I think in terms of Game of Thrones (which opens with the villains and secondary characters), as well as Westworld (even though that opens with the MC's), but with GoT and WW, both have multiple characters and storylines to filter through - and is similar to what I like in terms of story structure of multiple scenarios and MCs.
To describe the story-style would be as in the series Watership Down (one of my fav books), Arcane, Animal Farm, and Dark Crystal - in the world of HR PufnStuf, The Borgias, and Kingdom - with the very heavy atmosphere doom and gloom of Chernobyl (I know, odd and way too many, but I hope u get the idea of the power struggle) if that makes any sense. Essentially, the main points of view come from the animals with a smattering of existing humans - the opening, my struggle, tells or shows the tale of the first peoples and their disappearance. It's that, or I refer to that another time, or open with the far, distant future where the story takes place with animals being introduced to the audience and hunted again for the first time in thousands of years. I thought for the opening of the first peoples that perhaps that could told in a sort of flashback as it is being retold in a story to someone, but I wanted to avoid that FB scenario as well. I've even gone as far as to 'kill my darling' and not write about the first peoples (the villain within) at all, but she is vital. I guess someday I should just workshop it with fellow writers to get feedback. Thanks again one and all. The struggle continues...
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Hi Jerry, I have read your posts a couple of times because it struck a chord and made me think of my attempts for the opening ten pages of various projects. I'm curently doing a rewrite of a spec script where over the last two years there have been four phases (this being phase four). Phase one was a complete mess but the important thing was I finished it. Phase two and three were improvements, some new ideas, even different endings. But I was still a bit 'so what' (the inner critic you mention). I'm not saying my script is going to win contests etc. but I now have an opening scene I love and a different dynamic to the script, the core of the story is the same, some scenes have been discarded others retained. This is the script I've probaby always wanted to write but I needed the journey of the previous phases to get to this point.
My 50 cents on this topic is for you to look at your various selections of opening ten pages, choose the 10 pages you like the best, go with the flow and just write. It's clear this means a lot to you and that passion will carry you through. Good writing!
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I agree with Mark, Jerry Hapeman.
Jerry, you said, "Essentially, the main points of view come from the animals with a smattering of existing humans - the opening, my struggle, tells or shows the tale of the first peoples and their disappearance. It's that, or I refer to that another time, or open with the far, distant future where the story takes place with animals being introduced to the audience and hunted again for the first time in thousands of years. I thought for the opening of the first peoples that perhaps that could told in a sort of flashback as it is being retold in a story to someone..." I think that would be an interesting way to open your pilot. A flashback is more powerful than a voiceover, but if opening the pilot with the villain serves the story/pilot/series better, use that opening.
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Jerry Hapeman, your issue is very relatable. I think a lot of people struggle with the beginnings of things, and the perfectionism of getting it "just right". It sounds like you could really benefit from tangible, specific feedback. Depending on where you're at, the First 10 Pages Review Script Service may be very beneficial for you. You can find it here https://www.stage32.com/scriptservices/coverage/buy?id=20. I'd suggest reaching out to Jason Mirch, j.mirch@stage32.com, as he's great at helping find the right tracks for solutions.