I've established the main characters and passed the set up and inciting moment and putting in the love interest in the Progress stage. The Story is protagonist, Henry goes through the motions of Post-Breakup as his former girlfriend ended it because she felt it wasn't meant to be despite how wonderful they were together. I was going to put in this love interest as a personification of the term 'there's plenty of fish in the sea'. I can't think of a conversation to get them to click and develop those feelings with each other. I want a build up to the middle of the script when all hell breaks loose and Henry sees his former girlfriend and begins to relapse (this will be around page 45). From page 25 - 45, it shows Henry getting back into life and trying to forget his former girlfriend. I'm bouncing the ideas of: Spontanous, they set a date up They're both photographers, so they start learning from each other He actually asks her out, gets rejected but later on she agrees They keep bumping into each other Thanks in advance
You are asking us to come up with a major component of your story for you. You have four ideas already. Try them out and see where they take you. You don't need other people to provide their creativity for your script. You have your own. The best way to develop it is to use it and trust it.
ditto that! 'real' writers dream up their own stories and plots... if you want to be one, you need to come up with them on your own, not ask others to do the most basic writer's job for you...
If you honestly can't think of a conversation that would make your 2 characters interested in each other, you may wanna rethink your characters! If you've created characters that are actually a good match, they would naturally gravitate towards each other. If some situation is in the way, then what you do is go back and change part of the story so that it steers your character in the direction you need it to go. All the ideas you've listed are typical - whether they come off as cheesy or natural/romantic is on how you write it.
I know when I'm getting over a break up I try to fill my time with as many activities as possible. It is just a way to keep my mind occupied rather than sitting and sulking. So perhaps I'll take a painting course or something similar (photography course??). Personally, that is how I would set up the meeting of the two. How do you handle break ups? Heavy drinking? Hanging out more with friends? Brainstorm.
500 days of summer introduced the 'plenty more fish in the sea' love interest in the last minute of the film. However, for the context of your story, what is the main goal? Will he get back with his ex by the end, or will he find love (or at least a relationship that lasts the distance of the film) with this new interest? If the former, the new fish may not be as perfect, and could be a model that he is shooting for some job. She's all looks, but he doesn't 'click' where it matters. I think the photography path, or the professional path, is the best of your options. I also like them bumping into each other all the time, but the rest all seem dull. Perhaps she works somewhere he frequents, or they catch the same bus every day. as for That's the writing bit. Screenwriting is about instinct and rules. It's about understanding the rules that work, and using your instincts in how to use or break them, how to pace scenes, and most importantly, how to write effective and meaningful dialogue. I handle heavy drinking by having my character drink heavily. Sounds obvious because it is. In Leaving Las Vegas, the character is never seen eating and always looking sick, drinking in the shower, etc. Hanging out more with friends can be handles with friends at the start feeling like they are ignored, focusing on a best friend, who then takes him out and helps him deal with point 1, the breakup. Which leads to 2, the heavy drinking and maybe even a few one night stands. That could even lead to a few fish he can have some fun with, much to the delight of his friend/s who now have an active member of their group again, not shackled to the GF. Options options options....
I was just bouncing ideas to see what would work but I see where you're all coming from Gonna change a few things in the Setup to show more of my main character's depression which will go into the inciting moment. Thanks guys
Sounds like you have read some about sp's. I recall some sp seminars where very experienced screen writers showed how most films follow a very subtle formula of pre-peaks, major-peak, post-peaks, etc, although they have various terms. Assuming your sp will run about 95-100 minutes, then a major peak like you describe around minute 45-50 is just about what the experts recommend.
spec scripts should run 110 pages generally, for all but comedy, which runs about 10 pages shorter...
