"Plotting is hardwork"

"It's like roller-coaster - keep inching your audience up, up and up through plot and character devices."

Sounds easy, but REALLY hard to achieve. I have just experienced it.
I had a hard time trying to expand my story from my previous one-liner. Except from that little long-lost-brother-surprise, I can't seem to deliver any other elements to make the film interesting, like what Christine said in the lecture - "like roller-coaster". And because the previous idea sounds a little too unbelievable (a lot of my friends love it though), I have decided to change my story - from going-to-marry to just-married; and long-lost-brother to cheating-husband. Very very very, extremely, awfully cliche. sigh.

However, since Christine said that we should give our characters some extraordinary traits, the wife is a psychotic woman who sharpens the knife when she thinks her husband is cheating on her - the film does not quite focus on that, but still.
As for character's 'WANT' and 'NEED', I guess Sarah needs her husband to be loyal to her? and she wants to find out if he is really cheating on her?


Well, my verdict after half of the screenwriting process:
I can come out with a little bit of surprising elements here and there. But, I'm not someone who can deal with screenwriting very well.


My synopsis (vomit.):

Should be up to 250 words with more detailed descriptions of character, story, location and style.

The happy newlywed has just gone back from the honeymoon. Situated in their lovely home, Sarah (wife, 25) prepares breakfast for David (husband, 26) while he gets ready for work. David then grabs a sandwich on the table and rush out in a hurry, with a kiss from his wife. After Sarah finishes her breakfast, she decides to unpack the messy luggage in the room. As she tidies up the room and unpacks the luggage, she discovers a gift box resting under the bed. In amazement, Sarah opens to find a set of matching lingerie in it. Sarah delightedly thinks that it is a surprise gift for her. But when she takes it out of the box; she realizes that the size does not match hers. Sarah is immediately stunned. She is totally stroked by the thought of her husband cheating on her. At that very moment, Lovey, Sarah’s best friend calls. In tears, Sarah brokenheartedly describes the incident. Lovey then comforts her and suggests her to confront David. Sound of knife being sharpened can be heard after the phone call.

That evening when David steps into the house, the whole house is in dark. As David switches on the light, he realizes that Sarah is sitting on the dining table (facing the front door) waiting for him. Sarah starts to question him. David explains that the set of lingerie is actually a gift for Sarah and that he has also bought a boobs-enlargement-massage-oil for her.

Little did Sarah know that David has a guilty but relieve smile at the same time as she joyfully hugs her husband.
(I love giving audiences surprises at the end of film :D)



Rogers, Christine, “Film & TV.” RMIT University. 16 March 2010.