Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

By Chas Fisher and Stuart WillisTV & Film Arts Performing Arts

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast episodes

October 22, 2014DZ-14: Writing For Actors with Succession's Sarah Snook
Listen to understand how writers can craft more compelling material for actors (and how they approach scripts)
In this episode, Chas and Stu are joined by a very special guest, SARAH SNOOK - star of Succession, Predestination, Jessabelle, and Oddball, amongst many others - to discuss ACTING and it's relationship with WRITING.
We focus our analysis on two scenes from AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY, a screenplay that started life as a Pulitzer Prize winning play, and whose writer - Tracy Letts - is a successful actor in his own right. But, as usual, we ice-skate between a whole range of topics, including what attracts actors to a script, writing realistic characters, how actors analyse scenes, character spines & objectives, and the importance of hugs.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
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Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
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FILMS
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013) — (w) Tracy Letts (d) John Wells
PREDESTINATION (2014) — (w) Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
SCRIPTS
Study the script: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY (2013) — Tracy Letts
LINKS
IMDB: Sarah Snook
IMDB: PREDESTINATION
YouTube: USC School of Cinematic Arts: James L. Brooks and Larry Moss at USC (YouTube)
Read: Wikipedia: Practical Aesthetics
Read: Wikipedia: The GOTE Method
Read: Directing Actors by Judith Weston
Read: The Film Director's Intuition: Script Analysis and Rehearsal Techniques by Judith Weston
Read: Goodreads: ACTIONS: The Actors Thesauraus by Marina Caldarone & Maggie Lloyd-Williams
Listen: ScriptNotes: Ep 134 - So Many Questions & transcript (discussed John Ridley & 12 Years A Slave)
Read: ScriptNotes: Ep 134 - So Many Questions & transcript (discussed John Ridley & 12 Years A Slave)
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More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-14/
1 hr 17 min
October 05, 2014DZ-13: True That - Tips from Tarantino
Listen to steal Tarantino's technique for planting details that detonate as payoffs three scenes later.
Chapter 1: Of Milk and Men
Tarantino is widely heralded as one of the great writer/directors. Yet new writers are advised to avoid emulating Tarantino because his voice is so strong. Only Tarantino can get away with being Tarantino. Or so the theory goes.
But if Tarantino is that good, why shouldn't we look under the hood and analyse his screenwriting? You don't have to want to emulate his voice to want to understand why his craft is so good.
Chapter 2: The Bloodied Purpose
To that bloodied end, Chas and Stu look at three scripts from distinct phases of QT's career: TRUE ROMANCE, KILL BILL (Volume 1), and INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. Stu and Chas break down QT's use of structure, detail and - in particular - dramatic irony in an attempt to understand how Tarantino's films are just that good.
Chapter 3: Epilogue, or, Links To Things We Talk About
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
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Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
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FILMS
TRUE ROMANCE (1993) — (w) Quentin Tarantino (d) Tony Scott
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — (w) Quentin Tarantino
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (2011) — (w) Quentin Tarantino
KILL BILL: VOL. 1 (2003) — (w) Quentin Tarantino
KILL BILL: VOL. 2 (2004) — (w) Quentin Tarantino
SCRIPTS
Study the script: TRUE ROMANCE (1993) — Quentin Tarantino
Study the script: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — Quentin Tarantino
Study the script: KILL BILL: VOL. 1 (2003) — Quentin Tarantino
Study the script: KILL BILL: VOL. 2 (2004) — Quentin Tarantino
LINKS
YouTube: USC School of Cinematic Arts: James L. Brooks and Larry Moss at USC (YouTube)
Read: The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith: Writing for Tony Scott: A Quentin Tarantino & Richard Kelly Q&A
YouTube: The Dice Tower: Dominion Review (YouTube)
YouTube: The Dice Tower: Dominion Intrigue Review (YouTube)
EPISODES IN THE FILMMAKER SPOTLIGHT SERIES
DZ-18: Michael Bay - F*ing the Frame and P*ing the Page
DZ-76: Spotlight on Sofia Coppola
DZ-13: True That - Tips from Tarantino
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-05: Shifting audience point of view and heightened emotions
DZ-08: Status Transactions
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-13/
1 hr 26 min
September 16, 2014DZ-12: Craft, Career and Coffins
Listen if you're navigating multiple creative disciplines and wondering how to build a sustainable career across them.
Well, half of us is... Chas (sans Stu) is joined by a very special guest - Natasha Pincus. As a screenwriter, Tash's feature CLIVE was on the 2012 Black List. As a director, her music video for Goyte's Someone I Used To Know was nominated for an MTV Music Video Award. And at the time of this recording, her debut feature as a screenwriter FELL was weeks away from opening night.
In other words, Tash has great experience behind the keyboard, behind the camera, and - as it turns out - in front of the camera. Experience that she is only happy to share with Chas as they discuss career, craft and process.
Stu wasn't around to bring up STAR WARS but he feels that linking to The Star Wars I Used To Know parody video will suffice.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
FELL (2014) — (w) Natasha Pincus (d) Kasimir Burgess
LINKS
Read: Stark Raving Productions
IMDB: IMDB and
IMDB: FELL by Natasha Pincus
Read: CLIVE was on the 2012 Black List.
YouTube: The Star Wars I Used To Know
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-12/
1 hr 2 min
July 31, 2014DZ-11: Adventure for the MacGuffin!
Listen to discover why the MacGuffin's emotional weight--not its function--determines whether your audience cares enough to follow the entire adventure.
Stu and Chas are joined by a special guest - Scriptmag contributor Brad Johnson - to discuss how the choice of the MacGuffin can impact on the quality of an action/adventure film. To test this thesis, our heroes compare the auspicious originals of two iconic franchise with their, um, less-than-auspicious 4th instalments (in other words we compare RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK with KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL and THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL with ON STRANGER TIDES) as well as look at two recent & original entries into the genre, namely NATIONAL TREASURE and PRINCE OF PERSIA.
Our heroes uncover how key the relationship between the protagonist and the MacGuffin is and how this can impact on writing in any genre, not just action/adventure. Suprisingly, Brad brings up STAR WARS before Stu does...
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Intro: Adventure for the MacGuffin!
00:01:27 – What is a MacGuffin?
00:06:14 – Raiders of the Lost Ark
00:11:59 – Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Cystal Skull
00:26:38 – Pirates of the Carribean: Curse of the Black Pearl
00:41:24 – Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides
00:55:00 – National Treasure
01:17:00 – Princes of Persa: The Sands of Time
01:37:00 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings
FILMS
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) — (w) Philip Kaufman, George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan (d) Steven Spielberg
INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008) — (w) George Lucas, David Koepp, Jeff Nathanson (d) Steven Spielberg
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) — (w) Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott (d) Gore Verbinski
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (2011) — (w) Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott, Tim Powers (d) Rob Marshall
NATIONAL TREASURE (2004) — (w) Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley, Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, Charles Segars (d) Jon Turteltaub
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME (2010) — (w) Boaz Yakin, Doug Miro, Carlo Bernard (d) Mike Newell
SCRIPTS
Study the script: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) — Philip Kaufman, George Lucas, Lawrence Kasdan
Study the script: INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL (2008) — George Lucas, David Koepp, Jeff Nathanson
Study the script: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003) — Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott
Study the script: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES (2011) — Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott, Tim Powers
Study the script: NATIONAL TREASURE (2004) — Jim Kouf, Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley, Jim Kouf, Oren Aviv, Charles Segars
LINKS
Read: You can find Brad Johnson on Twitter or at www.ReadWatchWrite.com
Website: Specs & The City: MacGuffins and 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'
YouTube: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - The Greek Chorus/Exposition Scene
YouTube: RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - Showing protagonist's desire for the MacGuffin
Read: The Complete Making of Indiana Jones by Rinzler and Bouzereau
YouTube: How Indy 4 should have ended
YouTube: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL - Visualising and explaining the MacGuffin
YouTube: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES - Where the protagonist says that they do not want the MacGuffin in the middle of the film
YouTube: NATIONAL TREASURE - Where the MacGuffin itself actually tells the protagonist to take action
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More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-11/
1 hr 50 min
July 08, 2014DZ-10: Midpoint Reversals and The Ride
Listen when your second act sags and you need a structural jolt to accelerate audience engagement.
Stu and Chas embark on the first of a series of explorations into the dreaded Second Act. Their first stop is midpoint reversals or shifts, a plot point bang in the middle of ACT II that changes the protagonist's goal, raises the stakes and potentially leaves your audience leaning forward and asking "How the hell is this going to end?".
To get to the bottom of what makes a good midpoint shift (and whether your story needs one or not), Stu and Chas ride through DEATH AT A FUNERAL, PRISONERS, SHORT TERM 12, ALIEN, ALIENS and UP. We also drift across FULL METAL JACKET, PHILOMENA, HOW I LIVE NOW, ELYSIUM, DIE HARD and STAR WARS. Of course. Stu couldn't resist. It's not even funny anymore, is it?
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
DEATH AT A FUNERAL (2007) — (w) Dean Craig (d) Frank Oz
PRISONERS (2013) — (w) Aaron Guzikowski (d) Denis Villeneuve
SHORT TERM 12 (2013) — (w) Destin Daniel Cretton
ALIEN (1979) — (w) Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett (d) Ridley Scott
ALIENS (1986) — (w) James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill, James Cameron (d) James Cameron
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — (w) Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy (d) Paul Greengrass
FULL METAL JACKET (1987) — (w) Gustav Hasford, Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr, Gustav Hasford (d) Stanley Kubrick
PHILOMENA (2013) — (w) Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Martin Sixsmith (d) Stephen Frears
HOW I LIVE NOW (2013) — (w) Meg Rosoff, Jeremy Brock, Penelope Skinner, Tony Grisoni (d) Kevin Macdonald
ELYSIUM (2013) — (w) Neill Blomkamp
DIE HARD (1988) — (w) Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza (d) John Mctiernan
STAR WARS (1977) — (w) George Lucas
SCRIPTS
Study the script: DEATH AT A FUNERAL (2007) — Dean Craig
Study the script: PRISONERS (2013) — Aaron Guzikowski
Study the script: SHORT TERM 12 (2013) — Destin Daniel Cretton
Study the script: ALIEN (1979) — Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett
Study the script: ALIENS (1986) — James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill, James Cameron
Study the script: THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy
Study the script: FULL METAL JACKET (1987) — Gustav Hasford, Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr, Gustav Hasford
Study the script: PHILOMENA (2013) — Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Martin Sixsmith
Study the script: ELYSIUM (2013) — Neill Blomkamp
Study the script: DIE HARD (1988) — Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza
SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES
ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 3) - Framing Ripley
ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 2) - The Ensemble
ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 1) - The Visual Strategies
▶ How does Ripley take control in Alien?
▶ Ripley invades Ash's space in Alien
▶ Facehugger attacks Ripley in Alien
DIE HARD: integrating inserts in the action
Character Introductions 002: Hans Gruber
LINKS
Read: Scriptshadow: GSU!!!
YouTube: Midpoint from HOW I LIVE NOW
YouTube: DEATH AT A FUNERAL trailer
Read: Bruce Block's The Visual Story: Creating the Visual Structure of Film, TV and Digital Media
Read: Restoration
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-01: Do Screenplay Gurus win you Oscars?
DZ-07: On Rewriting - How much Bull is left in the Hustle?
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-10/
1 hr 20 min
June 23, 2014DZ-09: Characterising Introductions
Listen if you want your character introductions to pop!
Stu and Chas argue about different techniques for introducing characters and whether character descriptions are even necessary. This is important for writers, as we only have words to compensate for the whole range of cinematic expression. And so Chas and Stu explore techniques like introducing characters through action, having other people discuss the character first, ensuring the introduction represents the character's goal/flaw/theme, and many more.
The scripts Stu and Chas tackle are... [takes a deep breath]... PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, BLADE, THE DARK KNIGHT, the BREAKING BAD pilot, GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, BLADE RUNNER, CHILDREN OF MEN, THE WRESTLER, THE SIXTH SENSE, MISS CONGENIALITY, LOCK STOCK & TWO SMOKING BARRELS, AMELIE, THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, FIGHT CLUB, ROCKY, JAWS, CABIN IN THE WOODS, and (mutters under breath) STAR WARS.
Is that it? Probably missed some. Bugger. Oh well. Have a listen and let us know.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
LINKS
YouTube: Captain Jack Sparrow's intro
YouTube: Blade Opening Scene
YouTube: The Dark Knight Bank Robbery Scene
YouTube: Miss Congeniality Opening
YouTube: Children of Men Opening
YouTube: The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Thing
YouTube: Introduction of Amelie's parents (in French, no subtitles)
Read: Jane Espenson: That's 'jack-assity', not Jack Cassidy
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-09/
1 hr 23 min
June 10, 2014DZ-08: Status Transactions
Listen to make your character relatinships more dynamic.
Stu and Chas explore an idea they both came across studying theatre: status and by extension (or juxtaposition) power. Is a story where a character changes status or experiences loss (or gains) in power more compelling?
In order to explore this source of drama, Stu and Chas limit themselves to scenes where the status or power of a character shifts without the writer resorting to violence or revelation or plot.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
THE KING'S SPEECH (2010) — (w) David Seidler (d) Tom Hooper
THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) — (w) William Goldman, William Goldman (d) Rob Reiner
THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) — (w) Aaron Sorkin (d) David Fincher
TRUE GRIT (2010) — (w) Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Charles Portis (d) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
SCRIPTS
Study the script: THE KING'S SPEECH (2010) — David Seidler
Study the script: THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987) — William Goldman, William Goldman
Study the script: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) — Aaron Sorkin
Study the script: TRUE GRIT (2010) — Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Charles Portis
LINKS
Read: People Triggers: Keith Johnstone's Status Transaction
Read: People Triggers: Status Transactions and the Actor
Read: Taking Stock - The Theatre of Max Stafford-Clark
YouTube: Battle of Wits from THE PRINCESS BRIDE
YouTube: Sean Parker restaurant scene from THE SOCIAL NETWORK
YouTube: The Art of Negotiating a Dispute from TRUE GRIT
YouTube: Cypher's Death in THE MATRIX
YouTube: Agent Kujan realises the truth in THE USUAL SUSPECTS
YouTube: Get Busy Livin' scene from THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
YouTube: Joey tries to make peace in A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
YouTube: Santa's Little Helpers scene in COLLATERAL
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-08/
1 hr 33 min
May 25, 2014DZ-07: On Rewriting - How much Bull is left in the Hustle?
Listen to learn how impactful rewriting can be.
Stu and Chas look at AMERICAN BULLSHIT (the 2010 Black List spec script by Eric Warren Singer) and the film it became… AMERICAN HUSTLE (co-written and directed by David O'Russell), which garnered 10 Oscar nominations in 2014.
With both Singer and O'Russell credited on HUSTLE, Stu and Chas explore what O'Russell changed and what stayed the same from BULLSHIT. By comparing the spec with the eventual on-screen product, Stu and Chas gain valuable insights into the re-writing process: character, theme, voice over, back story and more.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013) — (w) David O Russell, Eric Warren Singer (d) David O Russell
SCRIPTS
Study the script: AMERICAN HUSTLE (2013) — David O Russell, Eric Warren Singer
LINKS
Script: AMERICAN BULLSHIT by Eric Warren Singer
Read: The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith: 7th Annual Screenwriting Nominees Q&A
Read: The 2010 BLACK LIST - AMERICAN BULLSHIT is 8th, in between MARGIN CALL and ARGO
YouTube: American Hustle - Science Oven*
Read: Line by Line: No passive verbs! by Khrob Edmonds
Read: DGA Quarterly: Picturing Life with David O Russell
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-07/
56 min
May 11, 2014DZ-06: Key Scenes and Unlocking the Story
Listen if you want to understand how a single key scene between protagonist and antagonist can unlock the entire structure of your story!
Can one scene be the key to unlocking the whole story?
Stu and Chas are joined once again by the inestimable Stephen Cleary to explore his idea of 'key scenes'. Scenes like the diner scene in HEAT. Or the boardroom showdown in MARGIN CALL. These scenes are not only key to a film, they can also be key to developing a story. Why? Stephen's observation is that if you put your protagonist and antagonist in a scene together for a period of time and they will instinctively play out the beats of your whole story... if you have the characters figured out.
An interesting theory and one we put to the test. In addition to HEAT and MARGIN CALL, we look at scenes and sequences from THE GODFATHER, NOTTING HILL, THE DARK KNIGHT, THE RAID 2: BERANDAL and Stu avoids mentioning STAR WARS by working in EMPIRE STRIKES BACK instead.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
HEAT (1995) — (w) Michael Mann
MARGIN CALL (2011) — (w) Jc Chandor
SCRIPTS
Study the script: HEAT (1995) — Michael Mann
Study the script: MARGIN CALL (2011) — Jc Chandor
SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES
▶ Why the fight choreography of Arnie's TOTAL RECALL is so good (and so brutal).
LINKS
YouTube: The Dark knight: The Joker's interrogation
Read:
YouTube: The Godfather: Corleone Family Flashback
Read: Michael Mann's Heat: How Research Created a Classic Thriller
YouTube: Mann Made From LA Takedown To Heat Part 1
YouTube: Margin Call - Be First, Be Smarter or Cheat
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-06/
1 hr 19 min
April 27, 2014DZ-05: Shifting audience point of view and heightened emotions
Listen to learn about the most powerful tool in screenwriting: narrative POV.
Stu and Chas delve into audience point of view - not character point of view! Does your audience know more, less or the same as your characters? And does changing this within a scene trigger or heighten the desired emotional response?
To test this theory, we look to the genre that changes the audience's point of view the most: thrillers. So we analyse scenes and sequences from THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, ZERO DARK THIRTY and ARGO. As usual though, we can't help ourselves and also consider scenes from GROUNDHOG DAY, PHILOMENA and - of course - Stu refers to STAR WARS.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
LIKE THIS EPISODE?
Send us feedback.
Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.
———
FILMS
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — (w) Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy (d) Paul Greengrass
ZERO DARK THIRTY (2012) — (w) Mark Boal (d) Kathryn Bigelow
ARGO (2012) — (w) Chris Terrio (d) Ben Affleck
SCRIPTS
Study the script: THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy
Study the script: ZERO DARK THIRTY (2012) — Mark Boal
Study the script: ARGO (2012) — Chris Terrio
LINKS
YouTube: Hitchcock on Mastering Cinematic Tension
Read: Lumina: New Thoughts in Screenwriting Prompted by the Thriller by Stephen Cleary
YouTube: Beach and Goa car chase from THE BOURNE SUPREMACY
YouTube: The bomb goes off from ZERO DARK THIRTY
YouTube: Third checkpoint from ARGO airport sequence
———
More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.
If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.
We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.
Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2014/dz-05/
1 hr 30 min

About Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

From the publisher's feed

Two emerging screenwriters – Chas Fisher and Stuart Willis – try to work out what makes great screenplays work. Discovering what it takes by analysing what successful writers put on the page.