Writing Act One as a Forest Person


You may want to review our script thus far.

Let me pick up this train of thought, as a forest person:

       EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. - STREETS - DAY

       The car continues to follow the limo through city streets.


       EXT. HOSPITAL - ENTRANCE - DAY

       The limo is parked in front of a hospital.


       INT. HOSPITAL - DAY ROOM - DAY

       The First Lady is visiting patients.  Her aides move her
       along, aware that she is on a tight schedule.


       EXT. HOSPITAL - STREET - DAY

       The two men stand by their car, watching the limo across 
       the street.

                                JUAN
                 Amazing how much charity work she does, 
                 isn't it?

                                ANDRES
                 What's so amazing about it?

                                JUAN
                 She doesn't have to do this.

                                ANDRES
                 Course she does.  Makes the President look
                 good.

                                JUAN
                 Every day, three or four places like this?
                 It's a full time job.

                                ANDRES
                 What the hell else she supposed to do?  Spend 
                 the day at the beauty parlor?

                                JUAN
                 Here they come.

       
       EXT. HOSPITAL - ENTRANCE - DAY

       The First Lady and her party get back into the limo.

       The limo pulls away from the hospital and back into traffic.

       The car moves in behind the limo again.


       EXT. GAS STATION - DAY

       The limo is getting gas.

       Juan and Andres are parked down the way and watching.

       The First Lady gets out of the limo and heads for the 
       restroom, which is in the back of the building.

       Juan seizes the moment.

                                JUAN
                 Now!

       They get into their car.


       EXT. GAS STATION - RESTROOM - DAY

       The car pulls behind the gas station, near the restroom.

       Looking around carefully, Andres gets out and moves slowly 
       toward the door to the women's room.  He has his pistol at 
       the ready.

       Juan, meanwhile, is slowly backing the car toward the
       door to the restroom.

       Andres takes a position beside the door and waits.

       Juan has the car in position and parks.  He and Andres exchange
       a tense glance.

       Just then a FEMALE CUSTOMER comes around the building to the 
       restroom.  She sees Andres and then the gun - and she SCREAMS.

       In the car, Juan grimaces and gestures to Andres, "do something!"

       The restroom door opens, and the First Lady comes out.  Andres
       grabs her.

       The female customer turns and starts running for the corner of
       the building.

       Juan jumps out of the car and races to help Andres.

       Together, Juan and Andres drag and shove the First Lady into 
       the back seat of the car.  Andres gets in with her as Juan 
       slips back behind the wheel.

       An AIDE comes around the building, gun drawn, and Andres stops 
       him with one shot.

       Juan races out of the parking lot.

       The GAS STATION ATTENDANT races forward, firing a pistol at the 
       departing car.

    
       INT. CAR - DAY

       Juan is speeding through traffic.  His eyes dart up to the rearview
       mirror and back at traffic.

       In the back seat, Andres has the First Lady in quiet terror, the 
       pistol pointed at her head.

And, of course, they'll get away.

This, then, is the procedure. A tree person has an outline as anchor, though in the magic of creation new notions can occur even to the most organized writer. A forest person is winging it, trusting in the very process to guide him.

I suggest that forest people develop a brief step outline as they write in order to have a record of the developing story. Once you move into the second act, it can be tricky to keep track of everything - especially if you are fitting writing into an otherwise busy life.

So jot down the scenes as you go along and describe, in a sentence or two, what happens in each. This will help you keep your line of thought.

[BACK TO TEXT]


MODULE 5: SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting

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