Story and Screenplay Structure
Structure is beneficial to creative output in a number of ways. There are at least two types of structure, work processes and frameworks:
a) Work processes such as incremental production produce more output than a "do your best" approach. Writing four pages a day completes a words-on-paper first draft screenplay in one month. A "do your best" or "waiting for inspiration" approach can take months or years.
b) Work processes such as separating creative from critical thinking allow the build up of large idea pools using creative thinking and the reduction of those pools into feasible ideas using critical thinking.
c) Frameworks reduce complex problems into their component intellectual parts. For example, story structure can be reduced to three or four acts or The Hero With A Thousand Faces (Campbell, 1973). Frameworks increase output by reducing complex problems into smaller, more manageable problem solving exercises. In screenwriting, frameworks tell the writer where to start, where to finish, what to write and what should be happening at a particular stage of the story.
Additionally, a structured approach improves performance in a number of ways, including:
a) Simply being prolific improves performance. The single best creative product tends to appear at that point in the career when creator is being most prolific. Experience refines knowledge and methodology towards optimal levels.
b) Engagement in the tasks results in problem identification and triggers the mind into working on those problems at various cognitive levels. Problems incubate until answers become apparent. Increasing the incidence and frequency of problem identification increases the incidence and frequency of insight. In other words, simply engaging in the project generates good ideas, insights and inspiration, which is why screenwriters often find that their best ideas come to them when they are in the middle of writing a screenplay.
c) Increased problem identification (coupled with motivation) increases the incidence of solution seeking, through active search for stimuli and intellectual cross pollination through networks and collaboration.
A range of Screenplay and Story Structure Templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
**********************************
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com/
MORE RESOURCES:
Hull adds creative element to Dallas Stars' company line Dallas Morning News, TX - The job, to Hull, is one of creativity and ideas, and not so much contracts and the salary cap. That's the reason Stars owner Tom Hicks made it a two-man ... |
Group hopes to transform vacant building into NoDo creative center Omaha World-Herald, NE - BY CHRISTINE LAUE An artist-led group wants to transform a mostly vacant north downtown building into a creative center with studios, classrooms, ... Retail space seen as vital to linking NoDo, Old Market arts areas |
 Canoe.ca | With offensive creativity, the Buckeyes struck back, but also left ... The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com, OH - Craig Holman/Columbus DispatchFor a third straight year, Ohio State fans watched the final seconds with forlorn expressions on Monday night. ... Buckeye Comeback Goes Does Not Hold Up |
FileMaker Developers Win $1000 for Your Creativity prMac (press release), TX - [prMac.com] Richmond, VA - FMWebschool today announces an exciting competition that will put your creative genius to the test. ... |
 The Frisky | Are Creative Types Just Good For Flings? The Frisky, Georgia - Are “creative types” good for anything other than flings? “I am always attracted to creative men,” one woman writes the Guardian. ... |
Hugo Create Contest – Discover Your Creativity MediaSyndicate (press release) - Today, creative individuals are mixing their multi-disciplinary skills and talents to go beyond the traditional paths of art. ... |
Canada Amnesty International Secretary General: Cultural Show ... The Epoch Times, NY - It obviously reflects considerable hard work and talent and creativity," said Neve who is the Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. ... Filmmaker Gets Ideas, Inspiration ‘A true delight’ Says Public Official |
 BigNews.biz (press release) | Creativity and Flexibility in Custom Branded Items: BigNews.biz (press release), MA - This high level of flexibility and creativity is found across the board in the product offerings of Factory Direct Promos ... |
Learning from small town creativity and commerce Princeton Union Eagle, MN - In both cases, they’ve responded with creativity and cooperation to draw in millions of dollars, and survive, as other places declined. ... |
 Telegraph.co.uk | Lesley Garner's Life Lessons: How to be creative. Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Sometimes people write to me because they want to be more creative, but they feel timid and blocked. If you are stuck – and what artist, or indeed, ... |
Inspiration, Creativity, and Channeling - Opening Ourselves to Greatness
Channeling is much easier to do than most people suspect. As a matter of fact we have all seen people channeling and you have probably done it yourself many times, even though you may have been unaware of it or didn't know what to call it.
True Power Series Part I. Visualization: Image Production and Verbal Thought
(5 minutes a day)There is no limit to what you can visualize. The most effective visualization usually happens when emotion is connected with a strong image as, for example, when you really want something specific that you think will make you happy.
How Logic Puzzles Can Help You Become a Better Problem Solver
I have to admit that I am a confirmed puzzle-head. I love crosswords, acrostics, and cryptograms.
Mind Power Games
Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why not use some classic mind games to help you increase your brainpower and get you out of your thinking "ruts." Good mind games habituate you to using creative problem solving as a normal part of thinking about things.
How to Make Time for Art
The key to making time for art is the ability to say "NO".If you say "yes" to everything that is asked of you, you will not have time to be creative.
Self-Care for Creative Artists: 10 Reasons To Care About It
1. To be more comfortable in performance situations - performance anxiety usually stems from a variety of causes - physical, mental and emotional.
20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High
When stressed or blocked it is wise to make a change so thatwe don't stay in that place. Yet, many times we forget someof the simple things that we can do for ourselves, quicklyand easily to bring our inspiration back and increase ourcreativity.
Tap the Creative Inside You
Imagination is the source of creativity. It's a place where unlimited possibilities reside.
Mindfulness and Creativity: The Wow of Wonder
You are so creative.Don't deny it.
Top Five Journal Exercises
Keeping a journal is a form of creative expression that enhances the creativity coaching process. Keeping a journal develops emotional awareness, reinforces self-esteem and aids in problem-solving.
Get Creativity?
Creativity is central to the management of our individual lives, but in modern times few people are able to access this as a resource. Alan Watts writes in The Wisdom of Insecurity:"We have allowed brain thinking to develop and dominate our lives out of all proportion to 'instinctual wisdom'; which we are allowing to slump into atrophy.
Sharing Our Creative Work with Others
In my "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, I ask the question:"What's your first thought if someone hesitates before giving you their opinion about your creative project?"One artist wrote: "When some one hesitates before giving their opinion of my work, I think it is going to be negative; I recently showed some work to my boss and her criticism was so harsh that I now won't show her anything, but the worse part is--it made me even more conscious of showing my work to others as well. She was going through some hard stuff at the time, so my timing was way off.
How To Get In The Zone And Blast Your Marketing To A Higher Level
This may come as a surprise..
Push The Right Button
You can live a much more successful life than you think! Just push the right button and see how it opens the doors of success for you. Yes, its so simple and easy.
Art, Artists and Money
Practical money tips for people in the arts.1.
Telling It Like It Is (Or Can Be)
When you hear, "tell me a story," does your mind suddenly go blank? Don't panic. The good news is, you're already a natural storyteller! Surprised? You shouldn't be.
Achieving Limitless Creativity
There are many out there who wish to help individuals achieve limitless creativity. Such a noble endeavor to help fellow man; some creativity coaches are indeed working to set out simple principles which can help any individual get to that space.
A Quick Course in Creativity
This quick course in creativity is designed to give you a platform to stand on as we look at the various ways you can handle home, social and workplace situations, job-search details and career-path decisions.Let's examine what creativity might look like.
Innovation: Wake Up Your People's Creative Genius
Successful companies have innovation in their blood. The single most important element in an innovative company is the creativity of their people.
Break An Egg For Creativity
In 1420, the dignitaries of Florence held a competition.They offered the enormous prize of 200 gold florins to the architect whose genius could span the unfinished dome of the Florence Cathedral.
