How to outline your story_sort of

Hi all,

Here are a few tricks to help you along the way to making your script. The first important step is to visualize your Doc! Like we have been talking about in the meetings -really look at your Doc, and then we'll turn it into a reality. You can take your essay and change it. Here is an example that you can follow:

Joe is doing his documentary on Bullying in school. There are a lot of ways that he can express what bullying is, who it impacts, how to overcome it, and why it happens. Joe decides that he wants the "Message" of his doc to be, "Why do they Bully and is their hope for change?". Joe hopes that by interviewing Bullies, he will find out what makes them tick (why they are mean to kids) and will hopefully help them realize that there is a better way.

Joe has a great idea but how is he going to Visualize Bullying?! I mean WHOA! There is a lot of stuff to think about! Joe is scared, but it is OK, because he is smart and is going to rough outline his Doc 1st! He outlines it in script format.

Here is what Joe's outline looks like:




"Why Bully?"
by Joe Somebody
Step Outline
02/04/08

1. EXT. SCHOOLYARD - DAY
Montage: Bullies look into the camera and act real mean. They ask for lunch money or make fun of a person directly into the camera. There is the sound of an American Indian was drum. It is scary.

2. INT. HALLWAY AT SCHOOL -DAY
The Bell rings. Kids are walking into class rooms. We still hear the American Indian Drum sound as all the kids disappear into classrooms. All the while all the Bully voices fill the air. They are all yelling mean things while we hear the drum and see and empty hallway. The sound of the Drums and the Yelling gets quiet:

V.O. (Voice-over)
"Bullying is a real problem in schools today. It makes some kids scared to even leave their houses. Why do some kids think they have power over other kids? Is their anything we can do to help them realize that their is a better way?"

CUT TO:
INT. INTERVIEW IN PRINCIPALS OFFICE - DAY
Questions to ask Principle:
1. What is Bullying?
2. What does the school do to stop Bullying?
3. Is their anyway for Bullies, and the kids they make fun, of to get along?

INT. CLASSROOM - DAY
Montage of Kids studying, talking in groups, raising their hands and working with teachers. This will go over the "Talking Head" of the principle.

INT. INTERVIEW WITH BULLY IN CLASSROOM - DAY
Questions to ask Bully:
1. Why does he (or she) Bully?
2. What is his family life like?
3. does he have friends? Who are they?
4. Do they Bully?
5. Does he ever feel bad about being a Bully?

INT. INTERVIEW WITH VICTIM OF A BULLY IN CLASSROOM - DAY
Questions to ask Victim:
1. Does being Bullied effect his schoolwork?
2. What is his personal life like?
3. What does he (or she) get made fun of for?
4. Does the victim also commit the Crime on other kids?
5. How does Bullying make him feel?

NOTES:
1. We will interview 3 Bullies and 3 victims in the same classroom.
2. We will film in the lunch room, library, and after school while kids wait for the bus in order to get extra footage to cut over the "Talking Head".

INT. HALLWAY - END OF SCHOOL DAY
The same hallway as before. The bell rings, all of the kids run out of the classrooms and file past the camera, out the doors to their buses. The hallway is empty except for one Bully and one Victim. They Look at each other... and then shake hands.

FADE TO BLACK
ROLL CREDITS





---This is a good example of a rough outline of a Doc. If you can get your idea to this point, then you can write a proper script, based on the rough outline, and then you will break your script down into its individual shots! Then we can make your Docs! Good luck. If you have questions hit us up on the blog. See you in in two weeks!


Peace,


Sean