3 x 5

When the short preview for Avengers Infinity War hit the Internet a couple of weeks ago there was a shot of a table with a bunch of 3x5 index cards carefully arranged in a grid. Murad emailed me and said they use index cards just like I do  (yes, they copied ME). For those of you who haven't read a single how-to screenwriting book I'll give a short(ish) reason why they are helpful and widely used.

A few years ago a book entitled Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder hit the shelves, giving a formulaic method to writing screenplays (there have been a few articles blasting this method of screenwriting for making movies seem trite and boring and predictable, however, he does provide some great tips). One thing he emphasizes is using 3x5 index cards to layout the entire script. Some screenwriters use the cards for a basic outline, but I use a card for every scene (movies have 40 to 60 scenes depending on the genre). It's a very fluid outline that can be easily changed or rearranged to accommodate the flow of a story.

For example, I have four scenes in mind: 1 Steve is walking down the street, 2 Steve encounters two bullies, 3 Steve beats up the bullies, 4 Steve takes their wallets. Now, this is a very linear set of events that might be played with by moving the cards. What if we have 4,1,2,3 or 1,4,2,3 or 2,3,4,1 or 3,4,2,1 (great, now I'm confused)? Of course, some of these sequences don't make sense, but what if that's your goal. Steve is disoriented and doesn't remember the sequence of events of his life in a linear time line. How impactful would Memento have been if it was told from point A to Z? Moving the scenes around allows you to think about the scenes from a different perspective and might keep it from coming off as trite.

I've adapted the index card method for comic book writing (as have other writers) to help me structure my story and keep the set-up and reveal pages in order (see last week's "How I Write" blog). Each issue I write has 3 acts, which is a segment of a larger story arc (3 to 5 issues or longer if necessary) that is itself a 3 act structure. It seems formulaic but it keeps the story from being either overly heavy with action or too slow with exposition. The cards give me a visual cue for pacing and the occasional 2 page spread (Murad hates when I write those). I need to see how 22 pages are going to come together and the index cards give me that picture. Scrivener has a notecard function, which is very helpful, but I can't get the corkboard to conform to the 22 page layout I need, so I still do it the old fashioned way with pen and paper.

For those who think outlines inhibit creativity or stream-of-consciousness writing, think of them like a house. While standing in the living room the foundation isn't visible, it's covered with thick, soft carpet or intricate tile, but it's there, keeping the house on an even plane. The framing inside the walls is hidden with gypsum board and colorful paint or designer wallpaper, but it's there, keeping the house upright and sturdy. The best writers (like architects) use formulas and tried and true practiced methods to tell their beautiful story, and the reader doesn't see the foundation or the framing.