Beginning Screenwriting Essay Prompt
Beginning Screenwriting Essay Prompt
The Unexpected Guest Scene
Instructions: Write a short creative essay (no more than 500 words) describing an idea for a scene based on the following prompt:
The main character for this scene is preparing for the arrival of a specific/known guest. The plan for this guest must be apparent in the preparation. Suddenly, an unexpected guest arrives (and will not leave!). The main character must get rid of this unexpected guest before the arrival of the known guest. What happens? The scene must end with the arrival of the known guest.
Tips for getting started:
- Be creative!
- Know your characters and understand their circumstances.
- Know the prior relationships that increase the drama, the stakes, and the conflict of the scene.
- Who is the main character expecting and why would it be terrible for the unexpected guest to learn the truth?
- Does the main character do enough to get rid of the unexpected guest?
- Why is the unexpected guest there and what does s/he want from our main character?
- Give the unexpected guest a strong circumstance to increase the pressure.