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Ladue High School's student news site

Ladue Publications

Ladue High School's student news site

Ladue Publications

Sophomore writes screenplay

Sophomore+Madeline+Stoces+sits+at+a+piano+playing+music+for+her+screenplay.+%E2%80%9CSometimes+I%E2%80%99ll+get+a+tune+in+my+head+and+the+rest+will+come%2C%E2%80%9D+Stoces+said.+Makeup+and+Styling+by+Sunny+Lu
Photo by Sunny Lu
Sophomore Madeline Stoces sits at a piano playing music for her screenplay. “Sometimes I’ll get a tune in my head and the rest will come,” Stoces said. Makeup and Styling by Sunny Lu

For most writers completing a project leads to a sense of accomplishment. Madeline Stoces, sophomore, hopes to experience that satisfaction this year when she completes her screenplay and the music that goes along with it.

Stoces began writing in sixth grade and has been writing ever since. She attended an SIUE summer camp which helped her get into writing as well as give her writing more structure. For Stoces writing is an escape from reality and, it allows her to create new, alternate worlds. Stoce’s screenplay is a high fantasy and focuses on war, religion and magic but, also includes love and friendship.

“I tend not to write realistic fiction, I’m not into that,” Stoces said.

“I like doing fantasy. It’s really rewarding to be able to create something like that.”

— Madeline Stoces

Although Stoces is currently writing a screenplay it did not start out as a screenplay. Originally the screenplay was supposed to be a novel but, after watching Youtube videos about film Stoces thought a screenplay would better fit the story.

“I got into watching fan made videos on youtube and original productions,” Stoces said. “I like the idea of doing something like that because I’ve always been interested in the behind-the-scenes that you get with movies.”

Stoces is always working on improving her screenplay writing skills through watching film analysis videos. The videos help Stoces give her screenplay more structure and allow her to figure out what mistakes she is making.

“There’s a lot of things with the scenes and acts that I was getting wrong and there was a better way that I could format everything just to make it more clear and entertaining,” Stoces said.

Along with writing the screenplay by herself, Stoces is also composing the music. Stoces plays the piano and the violin but, she primarily uses the piano for composing the screenplay music.

“I normally just mess around on my computer but if I’m at the piano I can just sit there and eventually I’ll start playing something and I’ll use that if it fits the mood that I’m going for,” Stoces said.

Stoces finds herself facing the same obstacles as other writers such as lack of self-motivation, time and ideas. She handles writer’s block by waiting until ideas come to her. Sometimes she goes a week or more without writing because it’s hard to find the time or she’s having writer’s block. Stoces wanted to have her screenplay completed by the end of 2017 but, instead she is striving for summer of 2018.

“Mainly I write over the weekends and if we’re not doing anything in class I’ll just pull out my computer and start [writing],” Stoces said.

Eileen Duncan, sophomore, started writing with Stoces in eighth grade. Although Stoces doesn’t always like to share her writing with others, Duncan has read some of Stoce’s work.  

“Everything Madeline writes is really good,” Duncan said. “She’s very detailed when she writes and it feels real like it’s a real world you could actually be in.”

Stoces is uncertain what she’ll do with the screenplay once she finishes it but, Stoces knows that finishing it in its entirety will bring her satisfaction.

“If it were possible I would love to be apart of filming [the screenplay] but I would have to finish it,” Stoces said. “I can feel accomplished by completing it.”

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