How Screenplay Outlines Work - Shannan E. Johnson

Shannan E. Johnson, a native of Houston, TX, is a former creative executive at The Syfy Channel turned CEO of the first black-owned script consultancy in the entertainment industry, The Professional Pen. The Professional Pen is a writer-centered service provider helping emerging and established creatives develop their stories for the screen.
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RELATED VIDEOS
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[@AntonioSilva-ld4dq]

What? Im the first in make a commentary. This girl is amazing. Explains clearly the subjects. Good work film courage

[@filmcourage]

Cheers! Congrats on being first!

[@Kkaz-Art]

*woman that is very clearly a grown woman

[@jamesgmusic]

Agreed

[@Hoopergames]

Shout out to black writers🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@danieljackson654]

Each time she speaks here, she reveals several hints more. She truly is the Literary Shaman. Thank you for uploading this. Now, back to work.

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Daniel! This is our last segment from our second interview with Shannan. We hope to post this full interview in a couple of weeks.

[@danieljackson654]

@@filmcourage Oh; that's SO sad--the last. So sad 😞

[@filmcourage]

@@danieljackson654 At least until the next time!

[@danieljackson654]

@@filmcourage God Willing! Meanwhile I have a lot of scaffolding to construct before I get to Draft One. Every moment here furthers that goal. Thank you ever so much.

[@newharlemrenaissanceproduc943]

I ABSOLUTELY love her energy, wisdom, straightforward delivery. She is my FAVORITE guest!

[@Ramekink]

It's incredible how easy it becomes to write a script after investing a significant amount of hours studying story structure. Making diagrams, maps, character cards, counting pages, etc can help you A LOT if you're a visual learner. Also, the main benefit from viewing your project in these terms is that it forces you to step back and assume an spectator role. It lets you predict how an outsider would react to certain situation, or if they're gonna get across the point you're trying to make. It gives you clarity, which can only enrich your writing process. As usual, kudos to Shannan and the Film Courage team.

[@miraclemile837]

I love this, she explained this so easily where I can understand. Just straight to the point.

[@TamirYardenne]

@Andy Zydber question is, are paying attention? Ugh!!! Best breakdown on this channel.

[@delyseonduty]

I love her. She is a fantastic teacher and very engaging

[@igormehello]

im obssessed by how passionate and confident she seems to be on screenwriting, this is like what i want to feel someday about any thing I end up doing.

[@cstroudjones4380]

Shannan, you are amazing - you just cleared away 20 years of brain cobwebs. I am buying your course!

[@kimberlyrice482]

I wish I could take her class- she is so great at explaining this stuff...

[@osw330904]

She’s VERY insightful

[@thelovelyvalc]

This was AMAZING help for me because now I'm realizing why it's hard for me to finish my scripts. There are some pieces of my outline missing that I need to identify/clarify. Thank you so much

[@paulonius42]

Excellent video from an excellent teacher! Ms. Johnson is so clear, concise, enthusiastic, and on-topic that it feels like she's talking to each of us personally. Great advice throughout!

[@filmcourage]

Glad you enjoyed this one!

[@paulonius42]

@@filmcourage Well, I grouch about the ones I don't like, so it's only fair that I give praise for the ones I love. I'll actually share this one with several people who will benefit from Shannan's easy, friendly style. Thank you, folks!

[@dexxfilm]

My process is a weird one, I outline the basic ideas: •All of the seeds, set ups, the pay offs of where those seeds grow and connect. •The characters, huge description about them, everything about them (it may not come up in the story but it's more for me to understand who they are) Their likes/interests, what they like to eat, drink, when they were born, where they were born etc. •Basic plot beats (possibly the scenes) and a simple explanation of what the idea is and what I want to get out of the scene to move the story. •Logistics, information about the world, heavy details, may not be in the story but it's extra information for me to understand the world the characters live and act in. •Three acts and a basic explanation of what occurs in them •Themes, what themes I want to explore and how they connect to the characters. •Character arc info. Self explanatory. Now to the interesting part, the way I craft the story and scenes is actually through music. I make a Playlist of what music I think fits the vibe of the story and I listen to that music religiously. It helps me visualize the story, scenes and how it happens. Music literally writes my story for me. It's like I'm discovering the story. Maybe I'm not alone on this but thats my process. It's helped a lot. I love watching this stuff because it's always good to hear these experts perspective on things. Great interview!

[@djemonk]

I had not heard of the Pixar formula before (I'm writing novels, not screenplays). I knew about Hero's Journey & Save the Cat. I learn something new with every video from Shannan (I learn something from most @Film Courage videos, but Shannan's are extremely dense with helpful insights and advice). I'm looking forward to watching the whole interview with a notepad and a pen.

[@filmcourage]

Cheers John! Our next video with Shannan will be her full interview.

[@KayxzTarot]

LOVE THIS! Love the information. Love her presentation. Love the representation! A lovely lady from H-town who knows what the f she’s talking about AND I learned something truly valuable as well?! Instant fan. This is what I love to see! Thank you for sharing & letting me know she exist!

[@filmcourage]

Cheers! Our full interview with Shannan goes up in about 2 weeks!

[@Grimtheorist]

This lady is so captivating! Great advice, and well presented too.

[@Andrea-nom]

She always gives wonderful techniques! How to DO it. I love anecdotes don’t get me wrong but man oh man I love her!

[@avtpro]

When I first started studying writing, I had no idea about structure, beatsheets or outline. Now it's music to my ears. I love what she is saying in the first minute.

[@chrissystewart6268]

I love Shannan E. Johnson love how she teach . We need to hear more Black American about Screenwriting, directing , & producing more

[@NickRossi]

Wow, this was amazingly helpful. I feel like I can start incorporating this into my process immediately. Thank you so much, Ms. Johnson! ❤

[@filmcourage]

Great to hear!

[@djhellard7335]

this totally cracked the code! thank you for sharing!

[@filmcourage]

Great to hear! How specifically did it help you?

[@vmathew1609]

Really Good Stuff!!! Thanks Shannan👍. Thanks Film Courage👍

[@itsjanicemendes]

such a great teacher, i've learned so much just from listening to her IG posts alone

[@Thisiscinemalist]

It's very interesting to me that most of the established and upcoming filmmakers and screenwriters (like 70-75 percent) are also great teachers, coaches or gurus who teach the art and the craft of filmmaking and screenwriting.

[@hezcobar]

Shannan is amazing, such great help!

[@G360LIVE]

I just write, because if you're doing it well, the story and characters take you where they want to go. As a writer, the one thing you have to be able to do is step out of the way of the story and allow it to flow on its own. If you've created good characters with motivations of their own, they'll tell you what's going to happen. Yes, I do get a sense where the story is going when I get a ways into it, but I still allow it to breathe on its own. You should never force anything into a story or force a story to go where you think it should go. That can lead you to making mistakes like characters doing things that are logically wrong for them in terms of their behavior.

[@filmcourage]

Do you always use an outline?

[@AAOsa-sm7hq]

I always outline my stories. I started my project as an epic fantasy novel series. I am revisionist The story as a episodic series. I have completed the outline of my first season except for the finale!

[@chrislacy1990]

Yes. Dennis O’Neil’s classic outline helps me keep my stories exciting and intriguing. ACT I - The hook. - Inciting incident. - Establish the situation and conflict. (Major visual action.) ACT II - Develop and complicate the situation. (Major visual action.) ACT III - The climax. (Major visual action.) - Finale.

[@matthewjenkins7488]

Every single time. Multiple outlines

[@leekotvfilms5236]

This is very helpful...I've recently learned about how important the emotional tempo of a story is...this added another layer of sauce to my recipe...lol thank u queens

[@AngelVOPro]

Shannan is so awesome. I love watching her and the Film Courage channel. 😁

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Angel!

[@miguelfmyers]

My favorite video so far , instantly got to working on my own outline. Very helpful

[@filmcourage]

Great to hear!

[@JoeBodego]

bravo!!

[@davineuskens21]

She's so competent, I love her

[@EvilWoodenBoy]

The advice brought in the small bit, was very helpful 💯💯💯

[@robertepstein5752]

You do one hell of a good job explaining and articulating!

[@maskelahgabriel-adams2921]

This is so helpful amazing❤

[@markkhardaway1469]

Her insight is 🔥. This channel made me want to try out filmaking. All I got is the opening credits so far on my KZbin page 😂

[@filmcourage]

Don't stop there!

[@markkhardaway1469]

@@filmcourage Trust me I’m not and keep the videos coming. They are very motivational and actually very insightful for us aspiring filmmakers.

[@leofountila4467]

Thanks!

[@filmcourage]

Leo!!! Thank you so much! We appreciate you giving back and supporting this channel. Our best to you and your work!

[@pjoazure]

She has a certain positivity about the topic. Someone found their dream job.

[@lisafoadstock1452]

This chick is great! I’ve always known I was a writer at heart time for me to become disciplined in the pursuit of only which I am aligned to

[@anothercharacter]

Such valuable information. Amazing!

[@filmcourage]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jharju2352]

Can outlining be something as simple as laying out plot points that I know will happen during the story?

[@solecontent4603]

Teach me!!!

[@howardkoor2796]

Wonderful interview

[@Elassyahmed]

Absolutely love Film Courage and Shannan Johnson. Everything she says is gold. Also couldn't help but notice that you are shooting at a high frame rate (maybe 50fps), is that correct?

[@averageexcellence9306]

Yes , I'm nearly complete with my screenplay outline , sometimes referred to as the road map . ( I could KZbin video post it )

[@thebigtipowski]

She writes the same way I do. Amazing

[@TamirYardenne]

She’s the best

[@Andreopimentel]

This woman is so damn smart. If she doesn't actively work with screenwriting other than teaching I don't think I have the slightst chance

[@AnontonioTalesFromtheCrypto]

She's amazing!!! This was fantastic!!! I couldn't easily track down the pixar beat sheet. Does anyone have a link

[@filmcourage]

Maybe this one? - medium.com/swlh/pixars-secret-formula-revealed-318b79b1e77b

[@Childrenoflightprod_]

This is insightful, just trying figure out a format that I can use 😂

[@yerabbit]

holy crap that was helpful.

[@byjacquelineb]

Really good video

[@dannyjohnson3739]

Wow. I can actually follow her. That’s so hard for me. She’s step by step. . .

[@DC-sk8jr]

Where can I find your course on structure that you mentioned? Thank you.

[@byronmcdonald6613]

I think I found my new teacher.

[@mohammadalipoor7373]

Is there kinda platform that we show our story to a writer or reviewer?

[@vigorlilover]

Where can I take her class? She’s awesome. *EDITED* never mine haha she says it in the video.

[@Iyana2.0]

What is a beat sheet

[@MA-ou5qp]

Writing a series about Race in America, 10 episodes, finishing the 10th this week.... As a freelance writer, the hardest part is going to be casting actors and finding the funding.

[@krushingproductions4725]

what does she mean by Jaws of Life? is that a term screenwriters use?

[@jayashreechakravarthy4949]

I’ve done more than enough. It’s very severe, Tsugumi.

[@AVISIONMUSICTV]

Writing is not intimidating at all. Just write let your imagination go.

[@kelg.7481]

Constantly thinking, this is why we need to make sure AI doesn’t take the job of writers

[@jayashreechakravarthy4949]

Ask for help. It’s my life.

[@matthewprince9705]

She was in charge of those cheesy SyFy movies?? Should I REALLY trust her judgement?

[@deannapak]

No Sci-fi is a genre. As in science fiction type of movies. She was writing a screenplay in that genre irrelevant from the syfy channel

[@yerabbit]

Thanks!

[@filmcourage]

Thank you so much ye rabbit! Great to see you finding value in these clips with Shannan! We are hoping to have our full interview with Shannan up in two weeks.