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/

---

Art, Artists and Vocation

"If you really want to upset your parents?go into the... Read More

The Healing Powers of Journaling

For the past several years, I have found joy working... Read More

Make EVERY DAY An Artist Retreat Day

What do you enjoy most about going on an Artist... Read More

We Tend To Make Up Our Own Truths: What Stories Are You Making Up?

Someone once said that man keeps looking for truth that... Read More

Five Basic Steps to Benefit from Your Creativity

The ability to exercise your creativity is even more important... Read More

Breathing Out Stage Fright

You're stepping onto the stage, amidst opening night flurry and... Read More

Take Time To Think

I recently saw a program on television wherein the participants... Read More

Creativity Myths

Sustained myths about Creativity and Innovation lead to confusion, bad... Read More

Dancing On Your Brain: The Cha-Cha Effect

My grandmother used to say that the secret to living... Read More

Learn A Life Skill TODAY!

Did you ever watch your grandma knitting?Wasn't it boring? Didn't... Read More

A Book About Faith and Love

With news about Iraq and London and even our own... Read More

How You Can Improve Your Creativity - What You Need to Know

Would you like to enhance your creativity? Do you think... Read More

Gift of a Letter

"What cannot letters inspire? They have souls; they can speak;... Read More

How To Let The Subconscious Mind Do The Creative Work

From time immemorial mankind has wished for an Aladin's lamp,... Read More

Get Creativity?

Creativity is central to the management of our individual lives,... Read More

5 Ways to Enhance Your Creativity

We're born creative. However, this innate characteristic becomes buried as... Read More

Mind Power Games

Want a fun way to tune up your brain? Why... Read More

Three Ways Journaling Can Boost Your Creativity and Your Business

I have a friend who has struggled with her creativity... Read More

Taking it Step by Step: Combining Intuition, Spiritual Purpose, and Creativity

Something I have always found helpful is taking affirmative action... Read More

How to Generate Ideas for Info-products?

Dear friends the current study shows that there are more... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Think Creatively

You may have heard of Roger von Oech's book, A... Read More

Be Creative: 10 Easy Steps To Increase Your Confidence, Creativity and Cash In The Attention Economy

How can you be more creative? How can you turn... Read More

Self-Care for Creative Artists: 10 Reasons To Care About It

1. To be more comfortable in performance situations ? performance... Read More

Creativity and Communication Lessons from Crossing the Street

Spring is in full bloom, which means it's 'get back... Read More

Connect with Your Inner Artist

In the "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, we look at the... Read More

How To Get In The Zone And Blast Your Marketing To A Higher Level

This may come as a surprise... but many marketers are... Read More

A Question of Time and Memory

I have been struck recently by a number of questions... Read More

Creativity Management and Team Size

Effective team structure is critical when managing creativity and creative... Read More

20 Ways to Keep Your Writing Inspiration and Creativity High

When stressed or blocked it is wise to make a... Read More

Macrovision

These days it's all about breaking things down into manageable... Read More

How To Increase Creativity... Set Deadlines!

Deadlines are something all of us face from time to... Read More

Sharing Our Creative Work with Others

In my "Roadblocks to Creativity" e-course, I ask the question:"What's... Read More

Be Creative to Get Money

Creativity alone can make you money and no matter what... Read More