I know what the how-to books say: writing screenplays without an outline is total insanity. Professional suicide. Artistic laziness.
Except, for many of the pros, it ain’t all about index cards and outlines. It’s about starting with character. And that goes for Simon Beaufoy (Full Monty, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours)
Carson over at scriptshadow has a great interview with Beaufoy where he talks about his process:
I am self-taught, mostly by the Landmine School of Education. I’ve never read a How To book on screenwriting. I work instinctively, from the first principle of my process (and life) that plot comes from character, not the other way round.
So interesting people do interesting things. If the story is boring, you’re at the wrong party. Sometimes I’ve found my narrative slowing up and I usually find the answer is that the main character has become passive, has stopped doing and is being done to. With some notable exceptions (can’t actually think of any right now….help!) passive main characters don’t work in films. It’s like driving with the parking brake on.
I love that. If the story is boring, you’re at the party. So change the party.
Write the same scene in ten different locations. If your characters are interesting (ie: they got something they absolutely have to do) then if you keep digging, and find a different party, you’ll find it.
