Oral Presentations - Session 1F: UC 333
Skeletons: A Short Screenplay
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Sean O'Brien
Faculty Mentor’s Department
English
Abstract / Artist's Statement
In today’s fast-paced film industry, short screenplays can help new screenwriters garner attention from agents and producers. As part of my “calling card” I have written Skeletons, a short screenplay inspired by events in my hometown of Carlsbad, NM. The story follows Ian, a nervous college student who agrees to clean out the home of his friend Melanie’s deceased grandmother. However, Ian’s hopes of getting romantically close to Melanie are dashed when he discovers the corpse of her missing grandfather in a freezer chest.
This project explores the writing and filming of the short screenplay to expected industry standards. As part of my pre-writing process, I employed different methodologies from screenwriting critics in order to structure the pacing of the narrative in under 30 pages. During and after my writing sessions, I drew from the most useful tips, synthesizing my own methodology for writing and revising short screenplays. While most new screenwriters often focus on the craft of writing, revision should hold as much, if not more, importance in producing a professional, well-developed final draft to potentially be filmed. Furthermore, I have shot and edited a scene which I will present in conjunction with my analysis. By focusing on the construction of the short screenplay, new screenwriters can better mold their ideas into an eye-catching form, thereby increase their chances of selling their script.
Category
Humanities
Skeletons: A Short Screenplay
UC 333
In today’s fast-paced film industry, short screenplays can help new screenwriters garner attention from agents and producers. As part of my “calling card” I have written Skeletons, a short screenplay inspired by events in my hometown of Carlsbad, NM. The story follows Ian, a nervous college student who agrees to clean out the home of his friend Melanie’s deceased grandmother. However, Ian’s hopes of getting romantically close to Melanie are dashed when he discovers the corpse of her missing grandfather in a freezer chest.
This project explores the writing and filming of the short screenplay to expected industry standards. As part of my pre-writing process, I employed different methodologies from screenwriting critics in order to structure the pacing of the narrative in under 30 pages. During and after my writing sessions, I drew from the most useful tips, synthesizing my own methodology for writing and revising short screenplays. While most new screenwriters often focus on the craft of writing, revision should hold as much, if not more, importance in producing a professional, well-developed final draft to potentially be filmed. Furthermore, I have shot and edited a scene which I will present in conjunction with my analysis. By focusing on the construction of the short screenplay, new screenwriters can better mold their ideas into an eye-catching form, thereby increase their chances of selling their script.