Upon first glance, Charlie Chaplin, Napoleon Dynamite, and your
best friend may have nothing in common. But according to Frank
Cottrell Boyce, these individuals are similar in that they are
essential to a career in screenwriting.
The way of success - clocks, character, chemistry
Frank Cottrell Boyce looks to Charlie Chaplin for inspiration
when hunting for "the ticking clock" - the first element
for screenwriting. The ticking clock is the character, event,
or problem that keeps the film tense and suspenseful. It is usually
difficult to find. In fact, it took Frank Cottrell Boyce three
years and a trip to Germany before he could find the ticking clock
for his book MILLIONS. However, the search is necessary to ensure
a successful story.
Napoleon Dynamite captures characterization - the second element
to successful screenwriting. Characters are valuable because they
are who the audience connects with emotionally. For himself, Frank
Cottrell Boyce wants to write about real people with real flaws;
people, like Napoleon, who do not undergo any kind of majestic
transformation by the end of the film. These characters are "gloriously
themselves."
Your best friend is the third piece for successful screenwriting.
Or, for Frank Cottrell Boyce, it's his best friend. Working with
a team always makes the writing better but that team of people
can't be just anyone. The greatest writing occurs when working
with people you have chemistry with. In other words, for a career
in screenwriting, "Form your band."
A few more secrets
As for other words of advice, Frank Cottrell Boyce says:
• cherish the bad days of writing - they always seem to
pay off later.
• have patience - screenwriting waits for the right moment
to make its grand appearance
• just do it - get out there and try it. (As for a little
tip, he suggests bringing a new character into the story when
it's almost too late to do so. The audience is guaranteed to love
it.)
Advice from Napoleon Dynamite
Perhaps the most helpful advice of all comes from Napoleon Dynamite
himself when he tells Pedro, "Just follow your heart. That's
what I do."
Heidi Martin
