I don't suppose it's ever ok to draw doodles in a screenplay?

Same general answer

Aldenard said:

I know the answer to that will be 'no' because it would be horribly unproffessional to do so, but I'm simply have a little difficulty with the project I'm currently working on. I realize the goal of a writer is to do just that: place visual images and actions into the written word, so the reader has a clear visual image in his mind of what is going on. For some reason though, my skill with the English language is failing me miserably with the screenplay I'm currently working on.

Part of the problem is that the vast majority of the screenplay is entirely abstract and contains many things not even remotly found in this world. I have the image of them in my head, but it is tricky getting them to sound right on paper. Imagine Eraserhead meets Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, mixed with a little bit of Clockwork Orange.

Maybe I'm simply far too inexperienced to write something of this magnitude. But I've had this vision in my head for some time, of this world, this place, and how the characters do the things they do there, and I would love to see it placed in a visual medium. So how do you all get around writing things that may be fairly abstract?

Click to expand...

Your right - it does take a skilled writer to write such images but how will you ever know if you have that talent until you try.

par duex - the same general answer I give most people is to read more scipts and Im sure people are tired of seeing that. Many good films have been pretty out there. Find the script and pirate ideas and concepts.

trios- Imagine the the challenges George Lucus faced.

So how are your drawing skills? Could you draw yourself a storyboard, a shot-by-shot/frame-by-frame breakdown of what you're trying to describe -- and then analyze the pictures so you can turn them into words? Breaking the complicated subject down into individual elements that are much easier to describe than the grand concept, might get you something. Also, consider using Google searches for words or phrases that could link you to images or descriptions that may help you picture what you want to write.

If your story is unusual/weird then reading unusual/weird scripts might help. I think I mentioned somewhere that I'd read a couple of Hellraiser scripts I found on www.imsdb.com -- not my usual reading fare, and I didn't like the films at all, but the writing style interested me, there's a surreal vibe going on that you might find interesting too. What else did I read lately that gave me a surreal vibe... oh yeah, Lynch's LOST HORIZON. And everything else of his you can find (if you haven't already).

Don't think you have to make things sound complicated in order to achieve an unusual effect that likely won't make it to the screen anyway. Step back and ask yourself, what's the simplest way you can describe this scene, this location, this prop, this action, this character? Less is more. Focus only on the small important things and let them form the bigger, more complicated picture by themselves.

Or, I could be talking BS. You get to decide.

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies.
Take the critiques you get with a grain of salt. Invariably, some of the critics will be kooks, bitter curmudgeons, or complete fools. ~odocoileus

Use Similes.

What ever it is you need to describe compare it to something that is known.

The ship crouches like a giant spider.
The bridge was humped and spiked like a stegosauraus.

I don't know, something that gives us a clear image.
Just don't over do it or get really kooky with it.

All you have to do is get the setting close enough to work the story around it.
The concept artists will then come in and run through a bunch of drawings until they get ones the director likes.

Doing a storyboard could help if you are a decent enough artist.
It's a good suggestion D. I could never do it, I stink at drawing.

Also remember, you only need to write what is vital to the plot points and enough to set the tone.

A script tells a visual story with words. The final images, however, belongs to the director/the people who are actually filmming it. If you need to describe the out-of-the-world objects than do so, but do it briefly so you're not bogged down with unnecessary descriptions. The best way to learn is read scripts: sci-fi and fantasy movies are the best for your purpose.