True Story/Historical and Biopic

True Story/Historical and Biopic

We finish the series with the exciting challenges of dealing with real life in dramatic form.

True and historical stories bring their own advantages, but their special features serve as a useful reflection on the central issues of Genre as a whole and so make a very appropriate subject for summing up the series.

Truth, as every good screenwriter knows, is never enough on its own, however true stories are often deceptively attractive. Stranger than fiction - the genre can and has provided gems of cinema and TV - from Citzen Kane to La Vie en Rose, Bonnie & Clyde to The Queen.

The major problem is fitting the story into a shape that works on a cinema or TV screen without either violating the truth or disappointing your audience. In addition, many writers are unaware of the expectations that audiences bring to stories, which differ depending on whether the subject is from sports, arts, politics or many varied fields.

These expectations must be fulfilled, but also bring their own twists and surprises. We will look at some strategies for coping with these very demanding tasks.