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The Process: of Screenwriting
“The main difference between an early-career screenwriter and a great screenwriter is their process. Screenwriters with an effective and professional process tend to write great scripts.”
This book teaches a method called process-driven screenwriting. The process is a series of planning steps we take before writing our script.
This process works for any kind of movie. It works for Hollywood Blockbusters or experimental art-house films. As long as our intention is to create drama, the process will help us write better scripts. This book doesn’t offer a formula or plot-template. Instead, it helps screenwriters find a writing technique that works for them. At the heart of this book is a simple idea... dogma is the enemy of creativity.
This book contains a set of practical tools. Tools designed to help writers create drama and to craft great cinematic stories. This is also a book that explores the ideas behind drama, story and what it means to write cinema. Although the tools in this book are simple, the conversation about how we write movie scripts isn’t. I have not separated the conversation about writing from the discussion about the tools. That’s because the two things are connected. We need tools like this because writing cinematic drama is complicated. It’s not possible to separate the process from the challenges of screenwriting.
Process-driven screenwriting is very simple. Anyone can learn the basic steps in a short period of time. However, as with any tools, it takes time and practice to master their use. These tools can be used to create simple stories or to craft complex narratives.
So, what are these tools? What are the steps?
raw idea - our initial inspiration or idea
theme - decide what facet of human experience we’re exploring
compass logline - decide who the film is about, when and where it is set
chase our fascination to create the world of story - creating a fictional world
character development - populate the world with characters
create a plot - decide what happens and the order in which the audience finds things out
write the script - write cinematic drama in a form that is acceptable to the production team
In reality, everyone is a process-driven screenwriter whether they know it or not. Every writer has a process, even if that process is to stare at a blank page until they have an idea.
Every writer’s process is unique to them. We do what works best for us. Writers with great processes write great screenplays. In this book, we will look at ways any writer can improve their process without giving up the things that make them unique.
This book teaches a method called process-driven screenwriting. The process is a series of planning steps we take before writing our script.
This process works for any kind of movie. It works for Hollywood Blockbusters or experimental art-house films. As long as our intention is to create drama, the process will help us write better scripts. This book doesn’t offer a formula or plot-template. Instead, it helps screenwriters find a writing technique that works for them. At the heart of this book is a simple idea... dogma is the enemy of creativity.
This book contains a set of practical tools. Tools designed to help writers create drama and to craft great cinematic stories. This is also a book that explores the ideas behind drama, story and what it means to write cinema. Although the tools in this book are simple, the conversation about how we write movie scripts isn’t. I have not separated the conversation about writing from the discussion about the tools. That’s because the two things are connected. We need tools like this because writing cinematic drama is complicated. It’s not possible to separate the process from the challenges of screenwriting.
Process-driven screenwriting is very simple. Anyone can learn the basic steps in a short period of time. However, as with any tools, it takes time and practice to master their use. These tools can be used to create simple stories or to craft complex narratives.
So, what are these tools? What are the steps?
raw idea - our initial inspiration or idea
theme - decide what facet of human experience we’re exploring
compass logline - decide who the film is about, when and where it is set
chase our fascination to create the world of story - creating a fictional world
character development - populate the world with characters
create a plot - decide what happens and the order in which the audience finds things out
write the script - write cinematic drama in a form that is acceptable to the production team
In reality, everyone is a process-driven screenwriter whether they know it or not. Every writer has a process, even if that process is to stare at a blank page until they have an idea.
Every writer’s process is unique to them. We do what works best for us. Writers with great processes write great screenplays. In this book, we will look at ways any writer can improve their process without giving up the things that make them unique.
442 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 6, 2019
23 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Clive Frayne
6 books4 followersClive Frayne is a screenwriter, lecturer and author.
Alongside his work as a screenwriter and script-editor, Clive teaches process-driven screenwriting. A technique he developed during fifteen years of writing for independent film producers.
Clive started his professional writing career twenty-eight years ago. His first paid job was working in broadcast radio. He worked in one of the best writing teams in the industry. That experience taught him how to write for actors, and how to direct. His writing won industry awards, both in the UK and America. After proving he could be a successful writer, Clive moved into running writing teams. For years, he hired, managed and mentored award-winning writers.
Fifteen years ago, Clive decided to take on new writing challenges. He'd always dreamed of writing movie scripts. So, he wrote a script which was optioned by the first producer who read it. Since then he has written and directed several award-winning short films and features.
Clive currently writes scripts for independent producers and teaches screenwriting in colleges and universities in the UK and America. He also writes a column for Scriptmag, the international screenwriting magazine. His specialist subjects are process-driven screenwriting and independent cinema.
His latest book, The Process (of Screenwriting) is available on Amazon.
Alongside his work as a screenwriter and script-editor, Clive teaches process-driven screenwriting. A technique he developed during fifteen years of writing for independent film producers.
Clive started his professional writing career twenty-eight years ago. His first paid job was working in broadcast radio. He worked in one of the best writing teams in the industry. That experience taught him how to write for actors, and how to direct. His writing won industry awards, both in the UK and America. After proving he could be a successful writer, Clive moved into running writing teams. For years, he hired, managed and mentored award-winning writers.
Fifteen years ago, Clive decided to take on new writing challenges. He'd always dreamed of writing movie scripts. So, he wrote a script which was optioned by the first producer who read it. Since then he has written and directed several award-winning short films and features.
Clive currently writes scripts for independent producers and teaches screenwriting in colleges and universities in the UK and America. He also writes a column for Scriptmag, the international screenwriting magazine. His specialist subjects are process-driven screenwriting and independent cinema.
His latest book, The Process (of Screenwriting) is available on Amazon.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 2, 2019
I wrote this book. So, it isn't right for me to review it. But, it is a very good book.
July 28, 2020
An amazing book. Helps you with so many ways to overcome whatever is stopping you from moving forward. It's really the Bible of screenwriting. It has almost every theory behind it and it pushes you to be prepared for any kind of story you want to tackle. Thank u Clive for your tremendous effort writing this book.
November 24, 2020
This is an absolute must for any screenwriter looking to understand 'The Process' of starting a new script, it has massively improved my thought process when starting a new script. Brilliant!
I have so many ideas now which are just falling into place.
I have so many ideas now which are just falling into place.
August 15, 2024
I wish I had found this book earlier. There´s an industry of screenwriting publications out there, but I can´t think of a better starting-point for aspiring new writers or a refresher for experienced writers than this book. Clear, practical and provides excellent guidance. Highy recommended!
August 28, 2019
Short answer...Loved it! I admit that I'm not a screenwriter but I have watched many movies and was able to see how Clive's process might have helped to improve some of the writing. I also, as we all do, have a head full of stories and enjoyed being able to use the process to bring some alive. I particularly enjoyed the way Clive used his own examples so that it felt like we were learning together. It was a totally enjoyable read and my suggestion is to go play with The Process yourself.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews