Scriptiments

“Tarantino” Writing Challenge

“Tarantino” Writing Challenge

From Screenwriters Toolkit

1) Choose two businesses at random. Move two characters from Point A to
Point B by whatever means you invent. Invent a good reason for the
journey. Reveal that intent skillfully. If it’s huge, understate it. If it’s trivial,
exaggerate.

2) Pick one of the following topics and write a dialogue scene between those
two characters, exploring and disputing the topic fully.

  • Standard shift vs. automatic transmission
  • Leaf blowers
  • Teeth
  • Class seating on airplanes
  • Vegetarianism
  • Paying for cable TV
  • Burning CDs
  • Any other mundane topic in the world.

As in every good scene, use the interchange not only to explore the issue,
but in doing so, reveal who the characters are, individually and in their
relationship to each other.

3) Orchestrate part 2 into part 1 and write a sequence of scenes.

Dowload the PDF: Tarantino Exercise

“Fill in the Gaps” Writing Challenge

“Fill in the Gaps” Writing Challenge

Using the given script, write one scene that features a character that is off screen while the rest of the movie is going on.

For example, Rocky and Adrian have a scene together. Adrian leaves and we follow Rocky for a few scenes. Then we meet up with Adrian again. What did Adrian do in the meantime? Who would she talk to?

This is a chance to write with existing characters. You don’t have to do much world building. You’re focusing on writing character, but also the craft of formatting action, dialogue, description, phone calls, etc.

Download the PDF: Fill in the Gaps exercise

Download the Rocky screenplay: rocky-1976.pdf