Blackness in my head is interrupted by glow sticks, a burning pit of bodies and even the deadly explosion in a mine field.

Screenwriting

I introduced two important characters into my ‘zombie-esque’ script yesterday. They carry a subplot on their own and of course they help to push the story forward based on the information they know. They are two Maori Natives that I use as a device to convey very important information to my main characters. One is a five year old boy who speaks English and one is his three year old sister who doesn’t really speak at all. Both have witnessed some very serious things and have survived for several days despite the danger surrounding them. I based the boy and girl on my own kids, Jake and Bella. So I can’t help but think of how they would act if they were forced in the situation that these two Marori kids are in. They, because of their age and their back-story, are now the real heroes of the story. Inspired by the ‘Newt’ character in “Aliens” and of course, Jake and Bella. I could have just used one, but both serve as a different plot device for other major characters.

After breaking the forty page count I’ve come across three major writer’s block situation while writing the script. Each time I hit that block I have written the word “BLACKNESS” on the page.

I close my eyes and think of the ‘new chapter’ of the story. I become a character and turn on the light and I try to see what the character would see and imagine what other characters might be thinking or saying to me. At page forty, each character has a lot going on in their heads, a lot they want to know, a lot they want to do, and a lot they want to leave behind. The voice that is loudest is probably where the story will lead me too. And from there, a new scene, an INT. or EXT. is written and the characters continue on with their journey.

So far this has worked with this script. A lot is on the line for each of my characters. It’s life versus death. And the question is, what would you do if faced with this situation?