Vertical writing: specific examples?

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  • Vertical writing: specific examples?

    Could some more seasoned writers here list a one or more examples (script title, page# or scene) to study to get a better handle on 'vertical writing', viz proper breaking up of narrative action/description, but also to seen when not to break up narrative action/description? Or insert a sample page or scene from a produced screenplay to show good vertical writing?

  • #2
    Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

    Alien (the Walter Hill draft)

    http://www.horrorlair.com/scripts/alien.html

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    • #3
      Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

      Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
      Alien (the Walter Hill draft)

      http://www.horrorlair.com/scripts/alien.html
      I've read Alien, that is one weird vertical read, I have never seen anything like it ever since. So I wonder. But a writer friend of mine who has sold a spec also mentioned Alien and also Apollo 18 as two good examples. Apollo 18 is crazy vertical, one-line paragraphs almost the entire script!

      Any other examples anybody can think of?

      I have been told Salt is currently considered (by Hollywood) as one of the most perfectly formatted and written specs, I will take another look at Salt. But for now I am specifically looking for great examples to study for vertical writing.

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      • #4
        Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

        What kind of different writings are there?

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        • #5
          Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

          Not a seasoned writer, but I'll offer another example: the script to Wall-E, which is known for its stacking.

          http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Wall-E.html

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          • #6
            Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

            Nice article I just found (with help from a writer friend of mine who has sold-- I am getting some help from him on this issue today) on vertical writing:
            http://myothercareer.wordpress.com/2...ings-vertical/
            The blogger/author mentions Children of Men to study for vertical writing.

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            • #7
              Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

              Originally posted by SpecWriter View Post
              Could some more seasoned writers here list a one or more examples (script title, page# or scene) to study to get a better handle on 'vertical writing', viz proper breaking up of narrative action/description, but also to seen when not to break up narrative action/description? Or insert a sample page or scene from a produced screenplay to show good vertical writing?
              What you need to understand about vertical writing is that the technique is used to run the story straight down the page foe a fast read, so short concise sentences are the obvious choice.

              It" s a great trick for amping up suspense and pace as well.

              If you want to execute the technique, a good practice it to take any sentence in a any screen play and reduce it to six or less words. Only one sentence per line.

              Oh, and don't forget that it still needs to be a compelling read.

              It's sort of like taking a two page scence and reducing it to one page.

              You'll learn economy.


              Have fun with it.
              FA4
              "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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              • #8
                Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                Originally posted by finalact4 View Post
                [i][COLOR="blue"]What you need to understand about vertical writing is that the technique is used to run the story straight down the page foe a fast read, so short concise sentences are the obvious choice.

                It" s a great trick for amping up suspense and pace as well.

                If you want to execute the technique, a good practice it to take any sentence in a any screen play and reduce it to six or less words. Only one sentence per line.

                ...
                Well, I had someone from off another screenwriters forum (where I have been participating for several years, several thousand posts actually) read my script, which is written very much vertical, fast. And he blasted it for being that way, he called such writing 'black' writing and said if agents/prodcos/actors see it they might toss the script without giving it a read. But his reader has not written a feature screenplay, he is a non-union actor and part time musician living in NYC.

                I mean, just look at a page from Apollo 18, the entire script consists of short one line 'paragraphs'. And it got sold, produced.

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                • #9
                  Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                  Originally posted by SpecWriter View Post
                  Well, I had someone from off another screenwriters forum (where I have been participating for several years, several thousand posts actually) read my script, which is written very much vertical, fast. And he blasted it for being that way, he called such writing 'black' writing and said if agents/prodcos/actors see it they might toss the script without giving it a read. But his reader has not written a feature screenplay, he is a non-union actor and part time musician living in NYC.

                  I mean, just look at a page from Apollo 18, the entire script consists of short one line 'paragraphs'. And it got sold, produced.
                  Hey SpecWriter:
                  I'm not in any way saying that anyone should or shouldn't use this style/technique, I'm simply stating what I believe you should know before you use it.

                  And if I wanted to use it, I would want to make sure I optimize its impact, otherwise why do it?

                  I've read the Walter Hill's Alien script, as I recall it's too sparse for me. But it does move fast.

                  I do think that it can be used to great effect when done right.

                  You know, it might also be a good style for a writer/director who already has all the shots in his head.

                  Like anything, there are pros and cons.

                  FA4
                  "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                    I think it's a nice technique in a frantic scene to build suspense or quick action like someone said above, but I'd think an entire script would be a tough read.

                    I understand Pixar using it because they take everything to story artists who flesh out the script with visuals. The action doesn't need a lot of verbage when the storyboarder is right there drawing it as it goes.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                      THE WHITE DEVIL

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                      • #12
                        Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                        Walter Hill is a genius. Read Hard Times.

                        I think there is an obsession over vertical writing that has led to a ton of easy to read, crap scripts. But I'm a nobody so maybe it doesn't matter.

                        None of the big writers I know worry about it or write "vertically." So I assume it's not only unnecessary for success, but the trait of writers who tend to...

                        Oh, fvck it. Who cares.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                          Originally posted by SpecWriter View Post
                          Well, I had someone from off another screenwriters forum... read my script, which is written very much vertical, fast. And he blasted it for being that way, he called such writing 'black' writing and said if agents/prodcos/actors see it they might toss the script without giving it a read. But his reader has not written a feature screenplay, he is a non-union actor and part time musician living in NYC.
                          This is as far as I'll go.

                          Look, mate, it's a certain style that one either chooses to adopt or doesn't - don't stress over it! Seriously, you think good writing and story-telling will suffer because it's a few pages longer or shorter?

                          Anyway, my problem here is that you attempt to character-assassinate somebody who gave you feedback, and that's never cool.
                          You either take the bloke's advice or you don't, but don't come here complaining about how he told you something when he's not even a writer(!) and plays guitar in a rock band or some equally asinine bullsh1t.

                          You, sir, are totally NOT cool.
                          Cufk, Tish, Sips.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                            I think this illustrates the danger of taking one note as a criticism of your entire writing style. Whoever the reader was, maybe they just didn't like the script as a whole and so seized on the vertical writing thing as a way of dismissing it.

                            The thing is any examples here are so specific - the Alien script is - I believe - a redraft of a very clunky sci-fi-heavy first draft; Hill was brought in to make it more punchy. Wall-E has virtually no dialogue for the first half-hour, so it makes sense that it's presented as little beats of action because that's how the story's being told.

                            Write it how you want to write it and stop worrying. Think of something like The French Connection. For the procedural scenes you write slow, you pick out the important details of what they're doing, you show that these guys are professionals. For the chase scene you write haiku because it's a car chasing a train at 100mph during rush-hour.

                            "Calculate less"
                            My stuff

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                            • #15
                              Re: Vertical writing: specific examples?

                              I've got a theory. The "writing vertical" hang-up is from writers who haven't really completely transitioned from prose to screenplay. All screenplay writing is vertical compared to prose.

                              It goes back to the "speed of light" constant of movies: 1 page = 1 minute. And this probably feels esoteric, but that rule is the basis of all the underlying fundamentals of screenwriting. If you are imaging an action beat in slo-mo in your head as you write... you must reproduce those images in slo-mo in the reader's mind.

                              Slow = vertical.

                              It's pace control.

                              Slowing is underlining.

                              Emphasis.

                              Arresting the stream of images...

                              ...in the reader's mind...

                              So they remember it forever.

                              But also so when we snap into REAL TIME, it feels FASTER. ACCELERATED. Sharp. VIVID. Dangerous.

                              Watch a movie that you love, and follow the clock. You'll be blown away by how fast EPIC moment pass...and by how much time something like a single gunshot takes.

                              "The last pass of the screenplay is the edit." I encourage all writers to get FCP or Premiere, and/or sit through the post-production of a feature. It will fundamentally change your sense of movie time. For the better.

                              1 page = 1 minute. You can't grok it until you understand what can be done in a minute of screen time.

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