Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

By Chas Fisher and Stuart WillisTV & Film Arts Performing Arts

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast episodes

August 31, 2023DZ-102: Game of the Scene - Bluey, John Wick 4
Listen to make your scene writing more dynamic (by looking at the underlying game)
Stu and Chas turn their attention to a topic that has long eluded them: the game of the scene. We look at how considering the game that characters are playing — its rules, arenas, players, referees, and win conditions — can help you write more dynamic scenes.
This will be a two-parter, and for this half, we talk BLUEY, “The Quiet Game” (from Season 2) and “Phones” (from Season 3), and JOHN WICK 4. We also touch on GAME NIGHT and LIFE OF BRIAN.
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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 Lily, Alexandre, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
"So I think there's the referees, there's the arena, the victory conditions important and it leads into this other idea, speaking of board games, of like the path to victory." — Stu Willis @ 00:09:44
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:18 – Sponsor: ScriptUp
00:01:52 – Intro: What do we mean by Game of the Scene?
00:15:06 – THE LIFE OF BRIAN: "WHAT HAVE THE ROMANS EVER DONE FOR US?"
00:20:03 – BLUEY
00:23:22 – › How the quiet game's rules create scene power dynamics
00:29:33 – › PHONES: learning the rules to change the game
00:35:08 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro
00:37:56 – JOHN WICK 4
00:43:16 – › Rules as the engine of satisfying action scenes
00:47:14 – › Scene breakdown: the Osaka Continental negotiation
00:56:14 – › Scene breakdown: poker table reveals who can break the rules
01:00:07 – › The staircase duel and adhering to rules as victory strategy
01:04:04 – › Scene breakdown: the church as a game of seeking peace
01:14:34 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings
01:17:41 – › Win conditions, character decisions, and the GOAT framework
01:22:17 – Many thanks to our Patreons
FILMS
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 (2023) — (w) Shay Hatten, Michael Finch (d) Chad Stahelski
SHOWS
BLUEY 2x37 — (w) Joe Brumm
BLUEY 3x16 "Phones" — Joe Brumm (w)
SCRIPTS
Study the script: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 (2023) — Shay Hatten, Michael Finch
LINKS
Read: Shot Zero on Game Night's Hot Potato Sequence
EPISODES IN THE GAME OF THE SCENE SERIES
DZ-102: Game of the Scene - Bluey, John Wick 4
DZ-103: Game of the Scene 2 - Triangle of Sadness, The Favourite
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-40: Tactics and Scenes
DZ-99: Scene Questions
DZ-100: Scenes through Swords
———
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/2023/dz-102/
1 hr 24 min
July 03, 2023DZ-101: Oners - Creating Immediacy & Anchoring Action on the Page
Listen to understand how screenwriters direct the camera without calling shots.
Chas, Stu and Mel reunite to talk about writing the feel of camerawork in screenplays. We use “oners” — a long-playing continuous take — as a lens to talk about how some writers have “directed” from the page. We talk immediacy, camera positions, handovers, and anchoring action and more.
We breakdown the famous Copacabana shot from GOODFELLAS, the awe-inspiring chase sequence from THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, and the heart pounding ‘Zed attack’ from CHILDREN OF MEN. We also briefly discuss THE BOURNE IDENTITY, HEREDITARY, THE BEAR, ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN and TOUCH OF EVIL.
And we do this breakdown by closely reading the actual words on the page!
So thanks to Meegan May (of Starship Q Star) for performing the big print / action lines. Script Pages available on our Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/posts/dz-99-scene-82312058
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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.
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
"You're meant to be swept along with this action. In Children of Men, the script's... just bang, bang, bang. You can almost tell that it's happening simultaneously because of the mini slugs, you know, in the road, in the car, outside, inside. It's all felt as one." — Mel Killingsworth @ 00:06:55
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:13 – Cold Open
00:00:23 – Sponsor: ScriptUp
00:01:58 – Directing from the Page: Writing the Feel of Camerawork
00:07:26 – › Writing camera direction versus writing the feeling of a shot
00:09:50 – BOURNE IDENTITY & HEREDITARY
00:13:15 – › Narrative purpose as the test for any oner
00:16:30 – GOODFELLAS
00:16:57 – › Excerpt: the Copacabana follow shot
00:18:22 – › How breathless prose mirrors Karen's point of view
00:25:00 – › Modernising the we-see style for spec scripts
00:32:48 – THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
00:34:14 – › Excerpt: the Bagghar chase set piece
00:37:23 – › Capitalisation and handovers as the connective tissue of a oner
00:43:48 – › Anchoring action through micro-plotting and clear victory conditions
00:49:34 – CHILDREN OF MEN
00:53:38 – › Excerpt: the Zed ambush
01:00:32 – › Mini slugs and car-interior POV as 360-degree orientation
01:06:17 – › Real-time big print and the moment-by-moment obligation of action lines
01:12:24 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:16:50 – › Intentionality as the writer's true directorial compass
01:21:03 – Thanks to our Patreons
FILMS
GOODFELLAS (1990) — (w) Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese (d) Martin Scorsese
THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) — (w) Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat (d) Steven Spielberg
CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) — (w) Timothy J Sexton, David Arata, Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, P D James (d) Alfonso Cuaron
SCRIPTS
Study the script: GOODFELLAS (1990) — Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese
Study the script: THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) — Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat
Study the script: CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) — Timothy J Sexton, David Arata, Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, P D James
SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES
Time and space in staging "Oners"
Time and space in staging "Oners"
Time and space in staging "Oners"
LINKS
SCRIPTS: The script Pages are available on our Patreon
WATCH: Goodfellas, The"Copacabana" shot
WATCH: The Adventures of TinTin, "Get that bird!"
WATCH: Children of Men, "Zed's attack"
WATCH: The Bourne Identity, "Escaping The American Embassy"
WATCH: All The President's Men, "The Dahlberg Scene"
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-16: Masters of Time and Whitespace
DZ-60: Unfilmables 1 - Engaging imagination
DZ-61: Unfilmables 2 - Moments of Awe
DZ-62: Unfilmables 3 - As Ifs & Emotional Context
———
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/2023/dz-101/
1 hr 24 min
May 29, 2023DZ-100: Scenes through Swords
Listen if you want to know why the distance between two characters matters more than what they say.
In this slightly unusual episode of Draft Zero (but also incredibly on brand), Stu and philosopher-swordsperson Damon Young discuss how the lessons they have learned from martial arts can be applied to scenes. In particular, they discuss how approaching an opponent in a sword fight can be analogous to how characters approach conflict, such as: the distance between the characters, who chooses to engage first, how to feint, how to lure an attack by leaving yourself vulnerable, etc.
They reference classic conflicts such as Clarice interviewing Dr. Lecter in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, when Miranda puts down Andrea in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, and the final showdown between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul in the animated series THE CLONE WARS.
You can find Damon Young here: https://www.damonyoung.com.au/
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 Alexandre, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob.
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
"I'm really interested in crafts, in the way we move from little bits of knowledge that we have to work through painstakingly one step at a time to a more fluid knowledge that we can deploy on the fly, as it were." — Damon-Young @ 00:04:25
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Intro
00:02:45 – Interview with Damon Young
00:06:25 – › Distance and vulnerability between combatants and characters
00:19:19 – › Timing, kairos, and the perfectly placed strike in DEVIL WEARS PRADA
00:27:11 – › Adaptation versus fixation, the CLONE WARS duel as character revelation
00:40:51 – › Try-fail cycles, spent blades, and exhausted dramatic action
00:52:06 – › Asymmetry of vulnerability and unequal terms of engagement
00:59:19 – Thanks patreons!
FILMS
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) — (w) Ted Tally, Thomas Harris (d) Jonathan Demme
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) — (w) Aline Brosh Mckenna, Lauren Weisberger (d) David Frankel
SHOWS
THE CLONE WARS 3x20 "Citadel Rescue" — Steward Lee (d), Matt Michnovetz (w)
SCRIPTS
Study the script: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) — Ted Tally, Thomas Harris
Study the script: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) — Aline Brosh Mckenna, Lauren Weisberger
LINKS
Read: Damon Young
Read: Damon Young (@[email protected])
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-29: Showdowns & Scene Structure
DZ-54: Thematic Sequences
DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart
DZ-85: Choices & Decisions 2 - The Farewell & Wrath of Man
———
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/2023/dz-100/
1 hr 1 min
May 01, 2023DZ-99: Scene Questions
Listen if learn how to structure individual scenes through the questions you pose to your audience!
Inspired by our earlier episodes on sequences, Chas and Stu narrow their focus to look at the atomic unit of screen storytelling: the scene. In particular, we breakdown how question and answers prompted in the audience structure individual scenes.
We talk plot, character, and theme questions (and their hybrids) by analysing scenes from LOKI, THE LAST CRUSADE, THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, QUEEN AND SLIM, and DO THE RIGHT THING. We also briefly discuss SUCCESSION, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES, and ANDOR.
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 Alexandre & Natalie, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob..
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:17 – ScriptUp Sponsorship
00:01:56 – What are Scene Questions?
00:16:30 – LOKI
00:23:24 – THE LAST CRUSADE
00:29:51 – › How filmmakers control audience attention by suppressing plot questions
00:33:03 – THE BOURNE SUPREMACY
00:38:40 – › Removing plot questions to surface character questions
00:43:21 – › Where character scenes appear in plot-driven structures
00:45:50 – QUEEN AND SLIM
00:49:19 – › How plot intervenes to escalate a character scene
00:56:31 – › Character revelation under pressure and the midpoint gun-draw turn
01:03:03 – DO THE RIGHT THING
01:06:15 – › Classifying scene questions: character, plot, or thematic
01:09:15 – › How directing and cinematography shape audience questions
01:12:09 – › Scene modulation: shifting from thematic to plot-driven tension
01:15:03 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:20:23 – › Applying scene questions to pacing in a rewrite
01:28:23 – › Point of view shapes which questions a scene raises
01:29:09 – › When narrative cinema steps outside dramatic questioning
01:33:02 – Many thanks to our Patreons
FILMS
LOKI (2021) — (w) Michael Waldron
INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) — (w) Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes, George Lucas (d) Steven Spielberg
THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — (w) Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy (d) Paul Greengrass
QUEEN & SLIM (2019) — (w) Lena Waithe, Lena Waithe, James Frey (d) Melina Matsoukas
DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) — (w) Spike Lee
SCRIPTS
Study the script: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) — Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes, George Lucas
Study the script: THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy
Study the script: QUEEN & SLIM (2019) — Lena Waithe, Lena Waithe, James Frey
Study the script: DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) — Spike Lee
SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES
Five Shots: DO THE RIGHT THING
Love/Hate in DO THE RIGHT THING
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity
DZ-45: Arguments of the Scene
DZ-54: Thematic Sequences
———
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/2023/dz-99/
1 hr 35 min
March 31, 2023DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme
Listen if you're writing an ensemble storiy and want to understand how different characters serve different narrative and thematic functions!
In Part 3 (the final part? Ha!) of our exploration into ensemble stories, Stu, Chas & Mel examine films whose genres do not conventionally require a ton of characters or that use those ensembles in unconventional ways. In particular, adding whole storylines that are separate from the main character’s story. To that end, we dive into three films that were horrifically snubbed by the Oscars: THE WOMAN KING, RIDERS OF JUSTICE and NOPE.
We breakdown the effects of choosing to use an ensemble on the narrative function of characters, their skills, the webs they exist within, and, ultimately, the story’s theme. Plus we re-apply and re-contextualise the tools uncovered in previous episodes in how to service all these characters.
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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 Alexandre, Casimir, Eduardo, Thomas, Jennifer, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex, Khrob, Thomas and Alexandre.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:01:35 – Intro: Character Function
00:08:43 – The Woman King
00:50:00 – Riders of Justice
01:20:36 – Nope
01:47:00 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:59:06 – Many thanks to our Patreons
FILMS
THE WOMAN KING (2022) — (w) Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens (d) Gina Prince Bythewood
RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020) — (w) Anders Thomas Jensen
NOPE (2022) — (w) Jordan Peele
SCRIPTS
Study the script: THE WOMAN KING (2022) — Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens
Study the script: NOPE (2022) — Jordan Peele
LINKS
Read: Mel on The Möbius Strip Storytelling of NOPE
Read: Mel on Riders of Justice: Tidings of Trauma and Joy
EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES
DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters
DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters
———
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/2023/dz-98/
2 hr 3 min
February 28, 2023DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters
Listen if you're writing ensemble stories and want to discover tools for giving all your characters adimension
In Part 2 of our exploration into ensemble stories, Stu, Chas and Mel examine films whose plot and genre require a lot of characters. Thus we tackle a team sports film (PITCH PERFECT), a murder mystery (GLASS ONION), a slasher (SCREAM 2022) and a family holiday flick (THE FAMILY STONE).
By looking at these films, we discover tools for writers to service characters and give them more dimension. These tools include: shifting group dynamics; the spectrum of private to public behaviour; breaking POV, and quintessential group introductions.
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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 Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:01:46 – Intro: Servicing Characters
00:14:40 – Pitch Perfect
00:37:54 – Glass Onion
01:09:20 – Scream 5
01:32:17 – The Family Stone
02:13:22 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
FILMS
PITCH PERFECT (2012) — (w) Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin (d) Jason Moore
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022) — (w) Rian Johnson
SCREAM (2022) — (w) James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick (d) Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli Olpin
THE FAMILY STONE (2005) — (w) Thomas Bezucha
SCRIPTS
Study the script: PITCH PERFECT (2012) — Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin
Study the script: GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022) — Rian Johnson
Study the script: SCREAM (2022) — James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick
EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES
DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters
DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-09: Characterising Introductions
DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity
DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
———
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/2023/dz-97/
2 hr 23 min
January 31, 2023DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
Listen if you're working on a story with multiple protagonists and want to understand what makes an ensemble different from a single-protagonist narrative
In the first part of our series on ensembles, Chas, Stu and Mel start by laying the groundwork for our future episodes. And we begin by asking the seemingly innocuous question: What do we mean by calling a story an ensemble?
As we unpack our own assumptions, biases and thoughts, we ask (and attempt to answer) more questions: How does an ensemble differ from a single protagonist or two hander? Why does this distinction even matter? What challenges What genres inherently are ensembles? And what do we hope to learn from the series?
We ice-skate over myriad films including JURASSIC PARK, ALIEN, TOP GUN vs TOP GUN: MAVERICK, DEATH AT A FUNERAL, WAR OF THE WORLDS vs INDEPENDENCE DAY, LORD OF THE RINGS vs WILLOW, OCEAN’S 11 vs OUT OF SIGHT, THIEF vs HEAT, AWAY FROM HER, DIRTY DOZEN, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SE7EN, READY OR NOT. Look, there’s heaps. We talk a lot of movies. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!
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 Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Alex and Khrob.
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:09 – ScriptUp Sponsorship
00:00:48 – Intro to Ensembles: Series Scope and Episode Roadmap
00:04:17 – What Makes a Story an Ensemble?
00:07:40 – › Character interaction, not just character count, defines ensemble
00:11:39 – › Character questions and agendas as markers of individuation
00:17:09 – › How genre conventions shape ensemble versus single-protagonist focus
00:22:44 – › Structural rhythms of splitting and reassembling the group
00:26:51 – A Taxonomy of Ensemble Genres
00:29:57 – › Why heist films structurally demand an ensemble cast
00:35:41 – › Scale and disaster films as ensemble drivers
00:39:21 – › Hangout and holiday films as inherently ensemble forms
00:43:59 – › Murder mystery versus detective story on the ensemble spectrum
00:47:25 – ArcStudio Sponsorship
00:48:32 – Group Dynamics: How Characters Interact Within the Ensemble
00:53:19 – › Competitive, Combative, and Collaborative as the core dynamic framework
00:59:25 – › How couplets and shifting alliances generate ensemble momentum
01:01:20 – › Character archetypes as shorthand when screen time is compressed
01:05:15 – › Why shared context explains why these characters occupy the same story world
01:08:39 – Wrap Up & Hopeful Learnings
01:12:32 – › Cohesion, integration, and what ensemble demands of theme
01:15:15 – Patreon Thanks
FILMS
JURASSIC PARK (1993) — (w) Michael Crichton, David Koepp, Michael Crichton (d) Steven Spielberg
ALIEN (1979) — (w) Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett (d) Ridley Scott
HEAT (1995) — (w) Michael Mann
TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) — (w) Eric Warren Singer, Ehren Kruger, Christopher Mcquarrie, Justin Marks, Peter Craig (d) Joseph Kosinski
OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — (w) Ted Griffin (d) Steven Soderbergh
SCRIPTS
Study the script: JURASSIC PARK (1993) — Michael Crichton, David Koepp, Michael Crichton
Study the script: ALIEN (1979) — Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett
Study the script: HEAT (1995) — Michael Mann
Study the script: TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) — Eric Warren Singer, Ehren Kruger, Christopher Mcquarrie, Justin Marks, Peter Craig
Study the script: OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — Ted Griffin
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
▶ Why the fight choreography of Arnie's TOTAL RECALL is so good (and so brutal).
LINKS
Sponsor: ScriptUp - use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off
Spsonor: ArcStudio - for $30 off a subscription!
EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES
DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?
DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters
DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme
———
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/2023/dz-96/
1 hr 17 min
December 31, 2022DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance
Listen listen to hear why first acts keep shrinking--and whether yours should too
Time for our annual backmatter episode, where we drop any ruse of any objectivity, and fully embrace our subjective opinions!
In this episode we discuss: potential topics for 2023; the ostensible shortening of first acts; balancing new projects vs current projects; how to maintain hope in the face of an industry as fickle as ours; and end with a discussion of Andor vs Obi-Wan. Yup, Star Wars is the new Die Hard. Get over it.
FYI we recorded this episode with both of us in the same room (for a more casual atmosphere )but that means there’s more technical gremlins like crosstalk. Our apologies in advance!
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!
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 Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob.
→ Read the transcript for this episode.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:09 – Cold Open
00:00:39 – What's Coming in 2023
00:05:56 – › Ensemble films and efficient character tools
00:10:28 – › Fictional podcasts and audio drama as minimum viable product
00:14:50 – › Monologues, rhetoric, and characters speaking to the audience
00:25:42 – Are First Acts Getting Shorter?
00:27:03 – › Streaming, audience patience, and the pressure on early pages
00:32:10 – › Cold opens, inciting incidents, and buying time for character
00:40:09 – Balancing New Projects Against Current Work
00:43:55 – › Cognitive load, burnout, and finding the space to write
00:48:05 – › Sunk cost, paid work, and protecting time for new material
00:49:48 – Maintaining Hope in a Fickle Industry
00:51:22 – › Action over optimism: hope as a process not a feeling
00:54:21 – Lessons from 2022
00:56:41 – ANDOR vs. OBI-WAN KENOBI
00:56:56 – › What Kenobi got right despite its problems
01:00:17 – › Plot armor, scale, and why Obi-Wan never felt under genuine threat
01:05:10 – › How ANDOR earns tension by surrounding the known survivor
01:09:49 – › Thematic scenes, characters alone, and what rebellion costs
01:14:38 – Thanks to Our Patreons!
SHOWS
ANDOR — (w) Tony Gilroy
OBI-WAN KENOBI
LINKS
Read: LISTEN: Starship Q Star
EPISODES IN THE BACKMATTER SERIES
DZ-17: Where's my gold-plated ensuite?
DZ-36: Backmatter - Time Risk and Fixing Movies
DZ-47: Backmatter - A Lost Jedi, White Knighting, and Writers-On-Set
DZ-57: Backmatter - Aesthetics and Forgiveness in Writing
DZ-64: Backmatter - Controlling your Work, Treatments, and Writing Styles
DZ-77: Backmatter - Prioritising and choosing projects
DZ-86: Backmatter - Minimum Viable Product
DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance
———
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/2022/dz-95/
1 hr 17 min
November 30, 2022DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2)
Listen to write objects that accumulate powerful meanings across your story and create unspoken emotional payoffs.
In part two of our two-part series on TALISMANS, we break down the beats used to turn objects (in a broad sense) into talismans; how talismans can track character journeys and transitions; and how they can be used to create powerful moments without words.
While Part 1 looked a range of talismans in a bunch of different movies, in this episode we deep dive into just three examples. We look at how Thor’s crisis of masculinity is articulated through his relationship with Mjolnir and Stormbreaker in THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER; how the yearning love in PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is communicated through paintings and music; and how the impact of an emotional affair is charted through key locations in INTHE THE MOOD FOR LOVE.
Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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 Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Intro
00:01:15 – Talismans (Part 1) Followup
00:08:37 – Forging a Talisman (The Beats)
00:23:22 – Thor: Love and Thunder
00:59:52 – Portrait of a Lady on Fire
01:32:39 – In the Mood for Love
01:59:39 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
02:06:10 – Thanks to our Patreons
FILMS
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022) — (w) Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (d) Taika Waititi
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019) — (w) Celine Sciamma
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) — (w) Wong Kar Wai, Liu Yichang (d) Wong Kar Wai
SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is a ghost story
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is a ghost story
LINKS
Read: Go Into The Story - Talismans
Read: Go Into The Story - Story Talismans
EPISODES IN THE TALISMANS SERIES
DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1)
DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2)
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-92: Insightful Recognition in Powerful Endings
DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1)
———
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/2022/dz-94/
2 hr 8 min
October 31, 2022DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1)
Listen to so you can write talismans that are powerful tools for accessing character!
In this series, Chas and Stu discuss TALISMANS. Physical objects that are imbued with meaning by a character or characters. They’re a powerful tool to access inner character.
In this first part, we lay the groundwork to discuss talismans and present something of a taxonomy. What makes talismans powerful? What makes them different from MacGuffins or characters? What types of Talismans are there? In the second part, we will breakdown THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, and another film.
Examples we cover here include: TOP GUN, SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, BETTER CALL SAUL, LORD OF THE RINGS, CASTAWAY, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE DARK KNIGHT, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, RONIN, PULP FICTION, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BREAKING BAD, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE TERMINATOR, TITANIC, INCEPTION, STAR WARS (of course), THE MATRIX, ANDOR (spoilers!), LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, and PULP FICTION.
Thanks to Chas Fisher & Chris Walker for editing this episode.
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.
———
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Intro
00:03:15 – Talismans in our own lives
00:08:41 – Scott Myer's definition of Talismans
00:18:58 – What are not Talismans?
00:21:48 – Wardrobe
00:28:26 – Talismans vs Characters
00:43:18 – Talismans vs MacGuffins
00:49:33 – Photos
00:53:53 – Jewellery
01:02:22 – Weapons & Tools
01:10:02 – Vehicles
01:12:03 – Letters & Journals
01:14:19 – Andor (Spoilers)
01:16:20 – Talismans and Rituals
01:24:14 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings
FILMS
THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022) — (w) Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (d) Taika Waititi
IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) — (w) Wong Kar Wai, Liu Yichang (d) Wong Kar Wai
CAST AWAY (2000) — (w) William Broyles Jr (d) Robert Zemeckis
THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) — (w) Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan (d) Christopher Nolan
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015) — (w) George Miller, Nico Lathouris, Brendan Mccarthy (d) George Miller
SCRIPTS
Study the script: THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) — Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan
Study the script: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015) — George Miller, Nico Lathouris, Brendan Mccarthy
LINKS
Read: Go Into The Story - Talismans
Read: Go Into The Story - Story Talismans
EPISODES IN THE TALISMANS SERIES
DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1)
DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2)
RELATED EPISODES
DZ-11: Adventure for the MacGuffin!
DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh
———
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/2022/dz-93/
1 hr 38 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.