How Streaming Platforms have Changed the art of Screenwriting
The burgeoning demand for web series on OTT platforms has changed the way screenwriting and writers are part of the process.
In the last six years, the business of screenwriting has
changed phenomenally, driven largely by a change in how we consume our visual
media.
We no longer watch things, we “binge” watch them, pouring
ourselves into these long commitments, dare I say relationships almost, with
stories and characters on our device screens.
This burgeoning demand for web series on OTT platforms has
changed the way screenwriting and writers are part of the process.
As a result, more writers of fiction have the opportunity to
engage with the fascinating world of visual content, either when their books
are optioned for development for the screen or when they are pulled into Professional writers rooms to work on ideas from scratch.
But what does it take to make it in this exciting and quickly
changing world of screenwriting? Here are five things that I’ve learnt the hard
way:
Enjoy the journey
If, like I was, you might be reluctant to make the shift
from writing novels to writing for the screen. Rest assured, the value of
stories and storytellers is now indisputable.
The amount of content — storyline, screenplay, and dialogues
— involved in a web series tends to be more intensive.
In a typical movie, while the main idea is critical, almost
50 percent of the screen time is taken up by songs and fight sequences, where
the writers may have a lesser or limited role.
With limited budgets and more screen time, the
responsibility for engaging viewers falls strongly on the writers who need to
create multiple, inter-woven plots that can keep the viewers enticed over a
longer time.
In short, the story is queen (king, if you prefer the older
version of the bromide), and the writer is the queen-maker.
Learn the craft
Screenwriting is a specialised profession. While novel writers have much to bring from their skills and experience in crafting complex plots and creating unforgettable characters, it takes the effort of an entire team to bring these stories to life on a visual medium.
The craft of scriptwriting involves communicating with the
team — from directors to graphic artists to actors, and a whole host of others,
through the medium of the script and screenplay.
The standard terms are an integral part of the communication
process, and especially important, if you are working with international teams.
It’s also a sign of true professionalism and even a deep
passion for the craft — a fiction writer can converse and communicate in terms
of season arcs, beat sheets, transitions, and themes.
Besides, I’ve also found thinking of a story, along with
these parameters and taking into account the possibilities and challenges of
working visually, has also enriched my own fiction writing in many ways.
Be prepared to run a marathon
In the parlance of a race, if movies are a 100-metre sprint,
a web series is like running a marathon, which does not mean the storyline of a
series should be at a medium pace initially and blast the last mile. This is
not about the speed, it is about stamina.
Like with books, when you are asking the audience to invest
time and emotion into the story, the plots need to be complex yet intriguing,
characters need to be nuanced but relatable, and dialogues need to feel real
but also dramatic.
This takes layering, with multiple plots, side characters
that people are ready to form cults around, and a constant sense of being
surprised even if you know exactly what is going to happen next.
Stories like that need to be lived inside the writer’s head
before they take form on the screen.
Leave your ego at the door
Writing novels is a solo act. Making visual content is a
team effort. It is essential to respect the creativity of various players,
different teams, and what they do — which can be all the more difficult to do
since the first step of the process is the story.
Never forget that each person who disagrees with you, who
collaborates with you, and who adds on to your typed words is not taking away
from your creativity but adding value to it.
Being a team player — someone who is willing to work towards
a common vision — while staying true to your own is essential to becoming
successful and happy with the work you do in this field.
Don’t give up hope
It’s not all hard work; it’s a ton of patience too. I’m
tempted to add “luck” into the mix, but I have a dysfunctional relationship
with the notion of fate, so let’s leave that aside, please.
Your personal emotional and rational stamina matter as much
as your professional stamina. The process of going from a story to a final
product on screen is a long one, and for many reasons, it can get dropped on
the way.
Every novel of mine has been optioned, but some never made it past that stage, others are still swirling around “development hell” — a situation that many writers find themselves in this field.
While this can be disheartening, it is par for the course
and also a tremendous learning opportunity.
Being a novelist is my childhood dream come. Becoming a
screenwriter was a happy accident, one that has left me the better for it.
Whether your journey into the world of screenwriting is a
deliberate choice or the result of a series of fortunate incidents, it will
surely be a delightful experience. All in all, it’s a great time to be a
screenwriter.
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