I'm sure this isn't the first time this subject has been broached. But I think it makes for an interesting topic of discussion, so what the hell.
From my viewpoint, voice is simply what makes a script standout from the rest. Or, a script that doesn't have a voice seems like everything else someone has read. I say it fairly often about the majority of scripts, that they all feel as if they could've been written by the exact same person. They feel generic in every way.
Essentially, writing is about putting yourself on the page. Everyone has a unique confluence of life experiences and thoughts and that combination means everyone should theoretically be able to sound slightly different in their writing from others. Obviously, this is in fact rarely the case, because most people are unable to tap into that honesty. I think it's why people are always encouraged to write what they know. Because what they know should be what separates them from what their neighbor knows and is therefore written in a way that only they could write it.
Voice can reveal itself in many different ways. It can be in concept, point of view, character, plot development, etc. Ultimately, I think the best advice I can give someone trying to create a unique voice is to not do the obvious thing in their writing. If your character proposes to their fiancee, don't have them do it on the screen at a baseball game.
Another example I can think of would be the debate around energy. Everyone knows we need renewable energy. Most people agree we need green energy. So the push nation and worldwide is for electric cars and solar power and whatever else. Where the unique viewpoint could come in, is the collateral damage to an individual coal miner who has lost their job and is treated as a pariah due to all this. That's the side of the story we really hear nothing about.
Curious to hear others' take on how to define this undefinable thing.
From my viewpoint, voice is simply what makes a script standout from the rest. Or, a script that doesn't have a voice seems like everything else someone has read. I say it fairly often about the majority of scripts, that they all feel as if they could've been written by the exact same person. They feel generic in every way.
Essentially, writing is about putting yourself on the page. Everyone has a unique confluence of life experiences and thoughts and that combination means everyone should theoretically be able to sound slightly different in their writing from others. Obviously, this is in fact rarely the case, because most people are unable to tap into that honesty. I think it's why people are always encouraged to write what they know. Because what they know should be what separates them from what their neighbor knows and is therefore written in a way that only they could write it.
Voice can reveal itself in many different ways. It can be in concept, point of view, character, plot development, etc. Ultimately, I think the best advice I can give someone trying to create a unique voice is to not do the obvious thing in their writing. If your character proposes to their fiancee, don't have them do it on the screen at a baseball game.
Another example I can think of would be the debate around energy. Everyone knows we need renewable energy. Most people agree we need green energy. So the push nation and worldwide is for electric cars and solar power and whatever else. Where the unique viewpoint could come in, is the collateral damage to an individual coal miner who has lost their job and is treated as a pariah due to all this. That's the side of the story we really hear nothing about.
Curious to hear others' take on how to define this undefinable thing.
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