How to Use Notecards for YOUR Screenplay (One Way of Outlining Your Script)

One of the more common ways to outline your screenplay is by using notecards, but there isn't much info on HOW to do it, and this video covers when to use them, how they work, and a few other tidbits to help you when writing your script.
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What outlining method do you use? Drop your answer in the comments.
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🖋 N O T E S
0:00 Intro
0:53 There Isn't Just One Way
2:14 Should You Use Notecards?
4:58 Practical Considerations
8:08 How Do Notecards Work?
14:17 Why Use Them
17:57 Digital Cards
21:28 How I've Modified Notecards for Me
23:24 Something Else You Can Do
***
// I G N O R E
#bigredstripe #screenwritingfasttrack #screenplaynavigator

[@thefullsp]

5 Star Advice!

[@SeanEpoc]

lot of videos about this topic, but this one is definitely one of the better ones! and quite the production value, well done! should have 1000x more views !

[@BigRedStripe]

Thanks so much! And I agree with your "1000x more views" comment. :-)

[@brianpatterson7125]

this is amazingly awesome !

[@mariaalaniz719]

05:20 "...most feature films have around 70 to 100 scenes some have less but most are kind of in that ballpark..."

[@thomascrump1165]

"Finding my process" I've said I am new to this but I think I use cards without cards lol. Pen and pad and big dry erase boards. The boards was a game changer it helped me seeing it spread out better especially with one's with a lot going on. This video did help I'll probably revisit soon. I'll be spending more time studying and writing now looking forward to the back log. You've put out a lot of videos within a year cool.

[@eildonlodge]

Best advice on outlining I've seen. Glad, too, that I'm already using Fade In. Thank you

[@ChopSkullNYC]

Great video. I’m going to try this.

[@nthnymartucci]

MOST HELPFUL VID ON THIS IVE FOUND. tHANK YOU!

[@matthewlavagna6080]

I've never used cards. I just list/organise scenes in a Word document. I write the slugline for each scene and below it I explain the purpose of each scene. Once I have a story that works I write the first draft.

[@thomascrump1165]

Simple to the point,I like it. I'm sure I could adopt this if I choose to. Thanks for sharing.

[@matthewlavagna6080]

@@thomascrump1165 Once I've listed my scenes I create a copy of the document and I use it to write my first draft, including all the scene description and dialogue. I find it to be a productive way of writing because I'm just taking my scene list and fleshing it out until I have a finished screenplay.

[@thomascrump1165]

@@matthewlavagna6080 O.k. sounds good. I think my process may be similar. Without a computer lol long story. Thx.

[@michaelsix9684]

I did the same, looking back I would do cards again and learn that, Final Draft 12 now has outline features, create cards on your computer, neat tool

[@luziddr33m]

🔥 Good video!!!! Thank you. 🍿

[@davidgoodwin7002]

I am looking forward to trying it this on screenplay #3. Both of my screenplays so far have been based on books I wrote so I had already done the "heaving lifting" of creating the plot and characters and flow.

[@BigRedStripe]

It's all about finding the things that work for you. In the Navigator I talk about several other options, but you do need to plan your story as your screenplays will be immensely better.

[@ArtcampITStudios]

" ...screenwriting requires two things:1. a solid story and 2. telling it well the writing the screenplay part: what we think of as screenwriting that's actually much more about storytelling than story but when you talk about the outline and creating an outline well that's where you figure out your story and make sure it has enough legs to stand on when you get to the actual screenwriting part..."

[@michaelsix9684]

these are the best videos on KZbin for learning screenwriting, thanks for doing this

[@BigRedStripe]

Wow, thanks! Glad you find them helpful.

[@nikkinewbie6014]

When you said what if your cards get shuffled by mistake it made me think on the flip side you could put in small numbers in the corners the number of revision then a dash then the number of sequence. If you switch the order cross out the first set and re-label it accordingly. It could help to be able to rebuild the order if necessary.

[@luziddr33m]

This part got me scared. 🤘😂🤘

[@nikkinewbie6014]

@@luziddr33m 😂😂😂

[@user-jw2sr4ry6d]

You really helped me get the basis of note card writing. Thank you very much

[@BigRedStripe]

Happy to help!

[@bluesunflower1698]

I'm late but this video is really helpful

[@BigRedStripe]

A Wizard is never late... he arrives precisely when he means to. ...and I'm glad it was helpful.

[@robertcarey45]

This was helpful. I have a question, is it possible to put the list of protagonists on the top left while I put my antagonists on the top right?

[@michaelsix9684]

Final Draft 12 now has a feature lets you create cards on your computer screen, you can move them and store them

[@nikkinewbie6014]

Get a 65 inch smart tv and use it as your monitor for your laptop or pc and you should be able to see most if not all your digital cards. 😂😂. They’re very economical now especially if you get one on sale. It’s extreme I know.

[@Dolphinlaugh]

Lots of good thoughts here. Thank you. Very good video. How many scenes in general in a short movie?

[@BigRedStripe]

Movie shorts, at least the better ones, tend to be one sequence long (so 8-12 scenes, give or take). This puts the short film in the 12-18 minute range, which is the range that most festivals want for their short films. And the best sequences for short films are either sequence 2 or 4 (in a traditional structure). If you're not sure about what that means, be sure to download the free The Complete Guide to Story Structure (at least, it's free till the end of 2021). A link for that is in the description of any video on my channel.

[@energy_outlaw6679]

Quick question: do you use the Final Draft template in Fade In or do you use Fade Ins standard?

[@BigRedStripe]

I use Fade In's standard, although depending on the script, I may modify it a bit. I don't ever make the margins wider, but I do sometimes make the dialogue margins smaller, and if I'm writing a TV script, I'll bold my sluglines. Sometimes I do that for a feature script, but it just depends on the story and if I need to break things up ore on the page... so for a feature if I end up doing that, I don't do it until I'm getting close to being done with all of my revisions. So initial drafts are always just normal, and then I get it to look better on the page.

[@designerguy6257]

11:45