Thursday, February 4, 2010

BOOK CLUB: Playing with the Timeline (Ch. 29)

[Today we're reading Ch. 29 The Non-Lienar Soul of Quentin Tarantino, the Movie Won’t Either, from Aristotle's Poetics for Screenwriters, by Michael Tierno (2002).]

The author writes: “The chronological shuffling must work to create MEANING, & jolts in the movie's time line must call attention to themselves (& better be used for a good reason!)” P. 139.

Many people have tried to copy Tarantino's Pulp Fiction timeline construction. However, I think he split the middle & stuck it in the beginning & end to emphasize what is the new 'middle.' I don't think imitators quite have his flair of how and why to juxtapose scenes.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: The only reason to play with chronology is if it will dramatically increase conflict. Otherwise, leave it alone.

[DISCLAIMER: I have not been asked, nor paid, to read or comment on this book.]

No comments:

perPage: 10, numPages: 8, var firstText ='First'; var lastText ='Last'; var prevText ='« Previous'; var nextText ='Next »'; } expr:href='data:label.url' expr:href='data:label.url + "?&max-results=7"'