Section III - Influences

Sorry I haven't been posting recently as I've been battling against a nasty bug over the past few days.

Normally when writing a script, my influences would often come from sources and genres that I am normally familiar with and can comfortably work from. An example from the script I wrote for my Screenplay Module from the previous semester was using the time-travel plotline from the TimeSplitters video game series as a model for the story I was working on, since it used time travel as a plot device.

The influences for dialogue-writing can even come from characters you know from either reality or fiction. Such an example includes Timothy Dalton's portrayal of James Bond; when writing a piece of dialogue in one of the scenes, I used a line from the film Licence to Kill as both a model and a trigger in order to achieve the effect that I wanted.

Authors and creators such as George Lucas and Douglas Adams are also examples of people who I like up to when I'm writing a story.

Using models and triggers from things you know and enjoy are a useful way in helping you write a script, as well as coming up with strategies as to how character and location portrayal should be shown.

When writing the script for the drama however, it was a completely new challenge to me as to how I should execute the story ideas. Therefore it is one of the occasions where I'm forced to 'leave my comfort zone' when writing such things. I didn't use any reference models this time round and focused on whatever came to my head as I wrote the story.

I was expecting to be challenged, so I was glad when the flaws and such were pointed out. It helped me to redraft efficiently.

Section II - Myself as a Scriptwriter

So, my place in 'Light, Camera, Cut' is centred around writing up the script for our drama film 'My Letter To You'.

Because I had received very enthusiastic feedback for a script I wrote for an assignment in December, I chose to take up that position for our drama project since felt more confident in my script writing abilities.

Since the story of our film mainly focused on character development, it proved to be fairly challenging for my part as I am normally comfortable in writing something related to humour, science fiction and action. With the help of my colleagues however I was able to come up with a decent draft ready for our film.

Not only did I expect myself to be challenged, but I wanted to be challenged as well. It's knowing what the flaws of what you've written are as well as the positive points of it. If enable someone to challenge you and help you out on what you're writing, the chances are you will come up with a good script that will go down well with audiences aside from yourself.

The paragraph above here is, in a way, a piece of advice that I would give to those who are interested in script writing. It's best to know what you are doing rather than 'take the plunge' or rush yourself about too quickly.

Section I - Introduction

So, who am I? And where am I? And what am I doing?

Well, here is my answer:

I am Hugh Maughan, member of a Film Production group known as 'Light, Camera, Cut', and we are situated in the city of Winchester, Hampshire, England.

My primary responsibility for the production of our drama film, 'My Letter To You', was to write up the script and the ideas that were accompanied along with the story.

Film interests include Star Wars, James Bond, The Terminator, Pixar features such as Toy Story and The Incredibles, and various Studio Ghibli features including Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle. Outside film however I enjoy playing video games and watching television programmes such as French and Saunders, Doctor Who and Thunderbirds.