What are the similarities and differences between writing for stage and screen (besides the budget, special effects, etc)?
How do you write a play?
Baumski is the one to ask on this subject. I know he's had a play put on and I suspect a few other regulars have too.
Your scenes need to be longer on stage, less quick scenes, bit more dialogue. Need to keep sets/locations to a minimum as people can't be setting things up all around whilst the play is going on.
Dan
Robert McKee reckons a film script is 80% action to 20% dialogue, whereas a play is 80% dialogue to 20% action. It is certainly true to say that a lot of people writing a play neglect to think in terms of action. Action, sometimes caled business, is vital in a play - and shouldn't just be left to the director/stage manager to deal with.
Otherwise think in terms of character and act structure and they are pretty much the same. Pygmalion becomes My Fair Lady becomes Pretty Woman.
a small cast too, three/four.
The climax comes at the interval
Quote: bushbaby @ June 19 2008, 12:00 PM BSTThe climax comes at the interval
You sound like my girlfriend.
The Crafty Art of Playmaking - Alan Ayckbourn
Conversations with Ayckbourn - Ian Watson
Both published by Faber
Are very useful books on the craft of writing comedy for the theatre.
Although all you need to know is free on the interweb:
Also of course on screen you have the benefit of close-ups. Stage play actions have to be more exaggerated.
(Says an expert who has had 2 short plays performed recently - pompous idiot!)
Quote: Robin Kelly @ June 19 2008, 11:43 PM BSTAlthough all you neeed to know is free on the interweb:
Can I ask about your good self, Robin?
I regularly take a look at your blog - are you some kind of writing information god?
Quote: Seefacts @ June 19 2008, 11:57 PM BSTCan I ask about your good self, Robin?
I regularly take a look at your blog - are you some kind of writing information god?
Writing information is easy, writing is hard
Quote: Robin Kelly @ June 20 2008, 12:18 AM BSTWriting information is easy, writing is hard
Digging a hole is hard.
Quote: Marc P @ June 20 2008, 9:14 AM BSTDigging a hole is hard.
In the rain. Crying.
Carefully.
Quote: wayne lewis @ June 19 2008, 11:05 AM BSTWhat are the similarities and differences between writing for stage and screen (besides the budget, special effects, etc)?
Depending on where you are, there may be writing groups with actors attached who do rehearsed readings. Or you could even form your own group. These are great places to see both stage and screenplays in progress where an informed audience, actors and writers, gives feedback including on the technical bits. And also there's nothing to beat seeing a stage show, even the stuff that fails, to understand how theatre works! After all, would you attempt to write a screenplay without having watched a lot of TV and movies?!