I finished the 101 WGA Scripts of All Time!
I managed to read all but two (#57 Crimes & Misdemeanors, & #37 The Philadelphia Story).
Some I simply could not finish (ex. #23 Gone With the Wind).
A few I did not completely understand (ex.#87 8 1/2).
But overall, this was the best thing I've ever done for myself as a writer.
Thank you, writers, for allowing me to stuff my tool box with little things that I noticed in your scripts that made them great.
I think I will keep up this one script per week as long as I can.
Any suggestions?
Showing posts with label WGA'S Top 101 Scripts of All Time. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WGA'S Top 101 Scripts of All Time. Show all posts
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #31 WGA Script of All Time - His Girl Friday (1940)
[Quick Summary: The night before a newspaper woman is to be re-married, her news publisher ex-husband lures her back into the news game with a juicy capital murder story.]
This movie is praised loudly & widely for its funny, fast-paced, furious dialogue.
Upon reading the script, I was interested to note that the dialogue is great in large part because the REACTION SHOTS are so great.
ex. "HILDY: I won't be more than ten minutes, I promise you.
BRUCE: Even ten minutes is a long time to be away from you.
We hear a giggle off scene.
CLOSE SHOT OFFICE BOY
He looks towards Bruce and Hildy and giggles.
TWO SHOT BRUCE AND HILDY
HILDY: What did you say, Bruce?
Bruce, embarrassed, looks at the office boy, then looks back at Hildy as they turn toward second gate leading into City Room.
BRUCE: I said -- uh -- I said even ten minutes -- is a long time -- to be away from you."
HILDY: Don't be embarrassed, Bruce. I heard it, but I just wanted to hear it again.
Notice the reactions:
1) The office boy giggles at the lovey dovey adults
2) Bruce is even more embarrassed & we know he's a private guy
3) Bruce's response to Hildy shows that he lets her lead the relationship
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Reaction shots can be an extension of the dialogue.
His Girl Friday (1940)
by Charles Lederer
This movie is praised loudly & widely for its funny, fast-paced, furious dialogue.
Upon reading the script, I was interested to note that the dialogue is great in large part because the REACTION SHOTS are so great.
ex. "HILDY: I won't be more than ten minutes, I promise you.
BRUCE: Even ten minutes is a long time to be away from you.
We hear a giggle off scene.
CLOSE SHOT OFFICE BOY
He looks towards Bruce and Hildy and giggles.
TWO SHOT BRUCE AND HILDY
HILDY: What did you say, Bruce?
Bruce, embarrassed, looks at the office boy, then looks back at Hildy as they turn toward second gate leading into City Room.
BRUCE: I said -- uh -- I said even ten minutes -- is a long time -- to be away from you."
HILDY: Don't be embarrassed, Bruce. I heard it, but I just wanted to hear it again.
Notice the reactions:
1) The office boy giggles at the lovey dovey adults
2) Bruce is even more embarrassed & we know he's a private guy
3) Bruce's response to Hildy shows that he lets her lead the relationship
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Reaction shots can be an extension of the dialogue.
His Girl Friday (1940)
by Charles Lederer
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #32 WGA Script of All Time - Fargo (1996)
[Quick Summary: When a car salesman schemes to have his wife kidnapped from their small town, it all goes wrong.]
A Coen brothers trademark is not to use "EXT./INT." in the slug lines.
So how do they make sure that the reader is clear about changes in location? It's all in the transitions:
1) The narrative and dialogue work together to show us where we are.
ex. "MINNEAPOLIS SUBURBAN HOUSE
Jerry enters through the kitchen door....He is carrying a bag of groceries which he deposits on the kitchen counter. [Where are we? Whose house is this?]
JERRY: Hon? Got the growshries. [Ah-ha! We know we're in his house because a person would only use that kind of familiar language if he were in his own house.]"
2) Scene A ends and we SEE in Scene B that we have changed locations.
ex. Scene A - Over dinner at Jerry's house, Jerry asks his father-in-law Wade for a loan.
Scene B - "WHITE. A black like curls through the white. Twisting perspective shows that it is an AERIAL SHOT of a two-lane highway, bordered by snowfields. The highway carries one moving car."
The narrative of Scene B leads the reader into the outdoors with key words such as "aerial shot," "highway," and "snow."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I've depended too much on slug lines to change locales. Gotta orient the reader more with the narrative.
Fargo (1996)
by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
A Coen brothers trademark is not to use "EXT./INT." in the slug lines.
So how do they make sure that the reader is clear about changes in location? It's all in the transitions:
1) The narrative and dialogue work together to show us where we are.
ex. "MINNEAPOLIS SUBURBAN HOUSE
Jerry enters through the kitchen door....He is carrying a bag of groceries which he deposits on the kitchen counter. [Where are we? Whose house is this?]
JERRY: Hon? Got the growshries. [Ah-ha! We know we're in his house because a person would only use that kind of familiar language if he were in his own house.]"
2) Scene A ends and we SEE in Scene B that we have changed locations.
ex. Scene A - Over dinner at Jerry's house, Jerry asks his father-in-law Wade for a loan.
Scene B - "WHITE. A black like curls through the white. Twisting perspective shows that it is an AERIAL SHOT of a two-lane highway, bordered by snowfields. The highway carries one moving car."
The narrative of Scene B leads the reader into the outdoors with key words such as "aerial shot," "highway," and "snow."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I've depended too much on slug lines to change locales. Gotta orient the reader more with the narrative.
Fargo (1996)
by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Thursday, March 29, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #33 WGA Script of All Time - The Third Man (1949)
[Quick Summary: When a novelist arrives in postwar Vienna to visit his friend Harry Lime, he learns Harry has died & sets out to find witnesses, including a mysterious 3rd man.]
BAD NEWS:
- The only available script is the shooting script, which is rather long (217 pgs.)
- The plentiful stage directions often made me lose track of the story again & again.
GOOD NEWS:
- The script drops clues very well.
- It's an easy story to understand: A man arrives from out-of-town & his friend Harry died in an "accident." As he asks innocent questions, the inconsistent stories make him suspicious.
- Every clue opens another door, & propels us forward - what's going to happen next?
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Clues must arise naturally.
ex. The protagonist sees pretty Anna (Harry's girlfriend) at the funeral. He's attracted & curious, so he creates an opportunity to talk to (& question) her.
The Third Man (1949)
by Graham Greene
BAD NEWS:
- The only available script is the shooting script, which is rather long (217 pgs.)
- The plentiful stage directions often made me lose track of the story again & again.
GOOD NEWS:
- The script drops clues very well.
- It's an easy story to understand: A man arrives from out-of-town & his friend Harry died in an "accident." As he asks innocent questions, the inconsistent stories make him suspicious.
- Every clue opens another door, & propels us forward - what's going to happen next?
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Clues must arise naturally.
ex. The protagonist sees pretty Anna (Harry's girlfriend) at the funeral. He's attracted & curious, so he creates an opportunity to talk to (& question) her.
The Third Man (1949)
by Graham Greene
Thursday, March 22, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #37 WGA Script of All Time - The Philadelphia Story (1940)
[Quick Summary: When a socialite is gets remarried, she's caught between her ex-husband and a journalist who both show up uninvited at the wedding.]
[Grrrr...My apologies for this out-of-order post. I hate that.]
I could not find this script anywhere in print, so watched the film instead.
[Grrrr again, especially because it's a rare rom-com on the 101 list.]
Rom-coms today often make the mistake of putting plot over relationships.
This film reminds us that it's the dynamic spark between the Man & Woman that elevates a story from average to great.
ex. Katherine Hepburn charms the journalist (Jimmy Stewart) by looking up his book at the library. He's flattered and flummoxed.
ex. Reminiscing about the past, Cary Grant both charms and needles Hepburn, who holds her own.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Spark = "Why these two should be together"
It's the mojo of rom-coms.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
by Donald Ogden Stewart
[Grrrr...My apologies for this out-of-order post. I hate that.]
I could not find this script anywhere in print, so watched the film instead.
[Grrrr again, especially because it's a rare rom-com on the 101 list.]
Rom-coms today often make the mistake of putting plot over relationships.
This film reminds us that it's the dynamic spark between the Man & Woman that elevates a story from average to great.
ex. Katherine Hepburn charms the journalist (Jimmy Stewart) by looking up his book at the library. He's flattered and flummoxed.
ex. Reminiscing about the past, Cary Grant both charms and needles Hepburn, who holds her own.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Spark = "Why these two should be together"
It's the mojo of rom-coms.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
by Donald Ogden Stewart
Sunday, March 18, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #34 WGA Script of All Time - Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
[Quick Summary: When a a megalomaniacal gossip columnist cuts him out of the loop, a desperate publicist strikes a devil's bargain to break up the relationship of the columnist's sister.]
This script kicks ass, takes names, and annihilates those too.
Despite clocking in at 184 pgs., it reads far quicker than some 90 pg. scripts I've seen. I easily rank this in my Top 5 "must read" scripts.
If you ever need a refresher in HIGH STAKES, check out how Sidney Falco suffers mightily from a lack of publicity. No wonder Sidney must agree to Hunsecker's plans.
If you ever need to see CLEAR, STRONG GOALS, look at Sidney's voracious appetite to succeed, and Hunsecker's hunger for power over his sister's life.
If you ever need to see unbelievably good MANIPULATION through REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY, try the confrontation between Hunsecker & his sister (p. 163-166).
It's fresh, cutting edge and a script I'd buy today ---and it's over 50 yrs. old!
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Manipulate the hell out of your characters. It makes them more memorable.
The Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
by Clifford Odets & Ernest Lehman
From the novelette by Ernest Lehman
This script kicks ass, takes names, and annihilates those too.
Despite clocking in at 184 pgs., it reads far quicker than some 90 pg. scripts I've seen. I easily rank this in my Top 5 "must read" scripts.
If you ever need a refresher in HIGH STAKES, check out how Sidney Falco suffers mightily from a lack of publicity. No wonder Sidney must agree to Hunsecker's plans.
If you ever need to see CLEAR, STRONG GOALS, look at Sidney's voracious appetite to succeed, and Hunsecker's hunger for power over his sister's life.
If you ever need to see unbelievably good MANIPULATION through REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY, try the confrontation between Hunsecker & his sister (p. 163-166).
It's fresh, cutting edge and a script I'd buy today ---and it's over 50 yrs. old!
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Manipulate the hell out of your characters. It makes them more memorable.
The Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
by Clifford Odets & Ernest Lehman
From the novelette by Ernest Lehman
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #35 WGA Script of All Time - The Usual Suspects (1995)
[Quick Summary: A group of cons are blackmailed into a smash-and-grab job, but it multiplies into a nightmare, all orchestrated by a mysterious Keyser Sose.]
I love how this script fools the audience the right way.
First, the script plays fair with the audience the entire time. It lays out all the clues.
ex. Dean was lying on that dock. Sose stands above him.
Second, everything has two meanings, though the audience does not know until the end.
ex. We believe Verbal's account that Sose probably killed Dean...except later we learn why Verbal so easily lied about Sose.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Trying hard to trick the audience = Bad.
Playing fair & twisting expectations = Excellent.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
by Christopher McQuarrie
I love how this script fools the audience the right way.
First, the script plays fair with the audience the entire time. It lays out all the clues.
ex. Dean was lying on that dock. Sose stands above him.
Second, everything has two meanings, though the audience does not know until the end.
ex. We believe Verbal's account that Sose probably killed Dean...except later we learn why Verbal so easily lied about Sose.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Trying hard to trick the audience = Bad.
Playing fair & twisting expectations = Excellent.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
by Christopher McQuarrie
Thursday, March 8, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #36 WGA Script of All Time - Midnight Cowboy (1969)
[Quick Summary: When a Southern dishwasher comes to NYC to find a rich sugar mama, he faces a very harsh reality, and is helped only by a sickly, fast talking crippled punk.]
This isn't for the faint of heart. It's a raw, nearly unbearable, dark tragedy.
However, the sheer vulnerability is the one thing that makes this script hard to read, but it's also THE reason to read it.
As Joe tries to make it in NYC, all his inner turmoil spills out (which makes it interesting) AND he learns from it (which makes a great arc).
ex. Joe makes bad decisions, yet he stands up for himself when people try to take advantage of him.
ex. Joe is barely able to support himself, much less another person, but he takes care of loyal Ratso until the end.
ex. Joe is haunted by his mother and a damaged past, yet he keeps a surprisingly upbeat attitude for the future.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I respond to vulnerability in characters.
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
by Waldo Salt
Based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy
This isn't for the faint of heart. It's a raw, nearly unbearable, dark tragedy.
However, the sheer vulnerability is the one thing that makes this script hard to read, but it's also THE reason to read it.
As Joe tries to make it in NYC, all his inner turmoil spills out (which makes it interesting) AND he learns from it (which makes a great arc).
ex. Joe makes bad decisions, yet he stands up for himself when people try to take advantage of him.
ex. Joe is barely able to support himself, much less another person, but he takes care of loyal Ratso until the end.
ex. Joe is haunted by his mother and a damaged past, yet he keeps a surprisingly upbeat attitude for the future.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I respond to vulnerability in characters.
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
by Waldo Salt
Based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy
Saturday, March 3, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #38 WGA Script of All Time - American Beauty (1999)
[Quick Summary: A depressed suburban dad in a mid-life crisis changes course after he becomes infatuated with his teen daughter's classmate.]
This is how you say "feel sorry for me" without saying it:
CAROLYN: "Oh! Oh! And I want to thank you for putting me under the added pressure of being the sole breadwinner now --
LESTER: I already have a job.
CAROLYN (not stopping): No, no, don't give a second thought as to who's going to pay the mortgage. We'll just leave it all up to Carolyn. You mean, you're going to take care of everything now, Carolyn? Yes. I don't mind. I really don't. You mean, everything You don't mind having the sole responsibility, your husband feels he can just quit his job --
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Great dialogue shows how the character feels. But it's still show, not tell.
American Beauty (1999)
by Alan Ball
This is how you say "feel sorry for me" without saying it:
CAROLYN: "Oh! Oh! And I want to thank you for putting me under the added pressure of being the sole breadwinner now --
LESTER: I already have a job.
CAROLYN (not stopping): No, no, don't give a second thought as to who's going to pay the mortgage. We'll just leave it all up to Carolyn. You mean, you're going to take care of everything now, Carolyn? Yes. I don't mind. I really don't. You mean, everything You don't mind having the sole responsibility, your husband feels he can just quit his job --
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Great dialogue shows how the character feels. But it's still show, not tell.
American Beauty (1999)
by Alan Ball
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #39 WGA Script of All Time - The Sting (1973)
[Quick Summary: A young con teams up with a shady master con to exact revenge on a criminal banker.]
The Sting is well known for the big twist/reveal at the end. (I won't spoil it.)
The key is that it plays fair with the audience:
- No new character/tool/god that appears from nowhere to solve the plot (deus ex machina).
- No withholding clues.
- It lets the audience participate and decide for themselves who to believe or doubt.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Lay all the clues out there, but let the audience put 2 + 2 together.
The Sting (1973)
by David S. Ward
The Sting is well known for the big twist/reveal at the end. (I won't spoil it.)
The key is that it plays fair with the audience:
- No new character/tool/god that appears from nowhere to solve the plot (deus ex machina).
- No withholding clues.
- It lets the audience participate and decide for themselves who to believe or doubt.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Lay all the clues out there, but let the audience put 2 + 2 together.
The Sting (1973)
by David S. Ward
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #40 WGA Script of All Time - When Harry Met Sally (1989)
[Quick Summary: A man & woman meet after college, become good friends over a decade, but are afraid to fall in love.]
In honor of Valentine's Day, I present dialogue that hints at feelings of love.
INT. KITCHEN
Sally and Marie go about getting the coffee ready.
SALLY: Emily's a little young for Harry, don't you think?
MARIE: She's young, but look at what she's done.
SALLY: What has she done? She makes desserts.
INT. DEN
JESS: He's a good guy. You should talk to him, get to know him.
HARRY: He's too tall to talk to.
INT. KITCHEN
MARIE: Its' not just desserts. She makes 3500 chocolate mousse pies a week.
SALLY: Emily is AUNT EMILY?
INT. DEN
JESS: He took us to a Mets game last week, it was great.
Harry: You all went to a Mets game?
JESS: Yeah, it was a last minute thing.
HARRY: But Sally hates baseball.
INT. KITCHEN
SALLY: Harry doesn't even like sweets.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: We know Harry & Sally like each other because:
1) They disparage the other person's date; &
2) They're disturbed when they find that that date is more impressive than expected.
And no on-the-nose dialogue anywhere.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
by Nora Ephron
In honor of Valentine's Day, I present dialogue that hints at feelings of love.
INT. KITCHEN
Sally and Marie go about getting the coffee ready.
SALLY: Emily's a little young for Harry, don't you think?
MARIE: She's young, but look at what she's done.
SALLY: What has she done? She makes desserts.
INT. DEN
JESS: He's a good guy. You should talk to him, get to know him.
HARRY: He's too tall to talk to.
INT. KITCHEN
MARIE: Its' not just desserts. She makes 3500 chocolate mousse pies a week.
SALLY: Emily is AUNT EMILY?
INT. DEN
JESS: He took us to a Mets game last week, it was great.
Harry: You all went to a Mets game?
JESS: Yeah, it was a last minute thing.
HARRY: But Sally hates baseball.
INT. KITCHEN
SALLY: Harry doesn't even like sweets.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: We know Harry & Sally like each other because:
1) They disparage the other person's date; &
2) They're disturbed when they find that that date is more impressive than expected.
And no on-the-nose dialogue anywhere.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
by Nora Ephron
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #41 WGA Script of All Time - Goodfellas (1990)
[Quick Summary: As Henry Hill rises in the ranks of the mafia, he is entangled in vices which are his downfall.]
Voice overs are like dynamite.
If used improperly, they're like grenades that go off at the wrong time.
But if the writer knows what he/she is doing, they're like fireworks that illuminate and surprise.
This script is in the latter category. It's also the first script I've seen where there are not one, but TWO voice overs, i.e., Henry and Karen Hill.
So why does Karen's second voice over work here?
1 - This is Henry's story and told from Henry's point of view.
2 - Though Karen's voice over is told from her point of view, she tells us more about HENRY'S life.
She fills in the blanks about HENRY'S behind-the-scenes problems. She echoes how the audience feels about HENRY. She reflects HENRY'S point of view.
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "He was an exciting guy. He was really nice. He introduced me to everybody. Everybody wanted to be nice to him. And he knew how to handle it."
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "We weren't married to nine-to-five guys..."
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "None of it seemed like crimes. It was more that Henry was enterprising."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Yes, two voice overs are possible... IF it the 2nd re-emphasizes/amplifies/reflects the main point of view.
Gotta keep the unity-of-story thing intact, you know.
Goodfellas (1990)
by Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese
Voice overs are like dynamite.
If used improperly, they're like grenades that go off at the wrong time.
But if the writer knows what he/she is doing, they're like fireworks that illuminate and surprise.
This script is in the latter category. It's also the first script I've seen where there are not one, but TWO voice overs, i.e., Henry and Karen Hill.
So why does Karen's second voice over work here?
1 - This is Henry's story and told from Henry's point of view.
2 - Though Karen's voice over is told from her point of view, she tells us more about HENRY'S life.
She fills in the blanks about HENRY'S behind-the-scenes problems. She echoes how the audience feels about HENRY. She reflects HENRY'S point of view.
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "He was an exciting guy. He was really nice. He introduced me to everybody. Everybody wanted to be nice to him. And he knew how to handle it."
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "We weren't married to nine-to-five guys..."
ex. KAREN (V.O.): "None of it seemed like crimes. It was more that Henry was enterprising."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Yes, two voice overs are possible... IF it the 2nd re-emphasizes/amplifies/reflects the main point of view.
Gotta keep the unity-of-story thing intact, you know.
Goodfellas (1990)
by Nicholas Pileggi & Martin Scorsese
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #42 WGA Script of All Time - Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
[Quick Summary: Archeologist Indiana Jones must track down the lost Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis do.]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't talk to me about bad B stories/subplots.
I've seen bunches of them that:
- Wander off to nowhere
- Compete with the A story for the biggest twist
- Strangle the A story in complications
I define the B story as sub-story that supports, reflects, or pushes the A story forward.
So let's check out how Kasdan setup a good B story between Indy and Marion:
ex. "[Marion] is almost on him when Indy looks up smiling. Marion stops, stares, shocked.
INDY: Hello Marion.
She hits him with a solid right to the jaw, knocking him off the barstool on the floor. He rubs his jaw and smiles up at her.
INDY: Nice to see you, too.
MARION: Get up and get out.
INDY: Take it easy. I'm looking for your father.
MARION (bitterly): Well you're two years too late."
What do we know from this 1st meeting?
- Indy left Marion on bad terms, but still likes her. [The B story complicates his journey.]
- He needs her cooperation to find the ark. [The B story pushes the A story forward to his goal.]
- Marion is a useful partner. [She has a stake in his success, which keeps us focused on the goal.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The tension between Marion and Indy (subplot) increases the fun of the hunt (main plot).
That's really all you want in a subplot.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
by Lawrence Kasdan
Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't talk to me about bad B stories/subplots.
I've seen bunches of them that:
- Wander off to nowhere
- Compete with the A story for the biggest twist
- Strangle the A story in complications
I define the B story as sub-story that supports, reflects, or pushes the A story forward.
So let's check out how Kasdan setup a good B story between Indy and Marion:
ex. "[Marion] is almost on him when Indy looks up smiling. Marion stops, stares, shocked.
INDY: Hello Marion.
She hits him with a solid right to the jaw, knocking him off the barstool on the floor. He rubs his jaw and smiles up at her.
INDY: Nice to see you, too.
MARION: Get up and get out.
INDY: Take it easy. I'm looking for your father.
MARION (bitterly): Well you're two years too late."
What do we know from this 1st meeting?
- Indy left Marion on bad terms, but still likes her. [The B story complicates his journey.]
- He needs her cooperation to find the ark. [The B story pushes the A story forward to his goal.]
- Marion is a useful partner. [She has a stake in his success, which keeps us focused on the goal.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The tension between Marion and Indy (subplot) increases the fun of the hunt (main plot).
That's really all you want in a subplot.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
by Lawrence Kasdan
Thursday, January 26, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #43 WGA Script of All Time - Taxi Driver (1976)
[Quick Summary: A lonely war vet turned taxi driver turns violent to clean up what he views as "trash" in NYC, and manages to save a young prostitute in the process.]
Paul Schrader, the writer, said he knew he was writing about loneliness in this script.
Later, he figured out he was writing about the "pathology of loneliness," i.e., how a person reinforces his loneliness by his own behavior.
What is so compelling about this script is that it announces what it is about, keeps it cohesive, and delivers what it promises in every scene.
ex. "TRAVIS looks like the most suspicious human being alive.
His hair is cropped short, he wears mirror-reflecting glasses. His face is pallid and drained of color, his lips are pursed and drawn tight. He looks from side to side."
Now that is loneliness personified just in a description.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This script reaches a very deep "a-ha! I've been there" feeling that's hard to express.
[Even Scorsese said he had to make this picture to express the emotions that he could not express otherwise.]
Taxi Driver (1976)
by Paul Schrader
Paul Schrader, the writer, said he knew he was writing about loneliness in this script.
Later, he figured out he was writing about the "pathology of loneliness," i.e., how a person reinforces his loneliness by his own behavior.
What is so compelling about this script is that it announces what it is about, keeps it cohesive, and delivers what it promises in every scene.
ex. "TRAVIS looks like the most suspicious human being alive.
His hair is cropped short, he wears mirror-reflecting glasses. His face is pallid and drained of color, his lips are pursed and drawn tight. He looks from side to side."
Now that is loneliness personified just in a description.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: This script reaches a very deep "a-ha! I've been there" feeling that's hard to express.
[Even Scorsese said he had to make this picture to express the emotions that he could not express otherwise.]
Taxi Driver (1976)
by Paul Schrader
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #44 WGA Script of All Time - Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
[Quick Summary: When three military men return home from the war, it's an uncomfortable readjustment for all.]
Once upon a time, I covered a spec script where the writer insisted on three plots: A, B, and C.
Since no plot overlapped, the story was mammoth.
I was always confused and at a loss what to recommend since the writer refused to consider subplots or any consolidation.
Is it possible to give multiple plots equal time, and still be one cohesive story? I would've said no... until I read this script.
Here, there are three distinct plots A, B & C, but it is amazingly cohesive.
The keys are:
- The 3 main characters are facing the same issue (readjusting to home life after the war)
- The 3 men meet up periodically and interact
- Two plots eventually intertwine
- When it is A's story, B & C are supporting cast. When it's B's story, A & C support him.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Multiple plots ARE possible...if they are all related somehow.
I underestimated the power of unity to help the audience follow along. ex. Each soldier had a different problem, but they were unified because they were misunderstood by civilians.
[BTW, this script holds up well and is still applicable even though it's 66 yrs. old!]
Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
by Robert E. Sherwood
From the novel by Mackinley Cantor
Once upon a time, I covered a spec script where the writer insisted on three plots: A, B, and C.
Since no plot overlapped, the story was mammoth.
I was always confused and at a loss what to recommend since the writer refused to consider subplots or any consolidation.
Is it possible to give multiple plots equal time, and still be one cohesive story? I would've said no... until I read this script.
Here, there are three distinct plots A, B & C, but it is amazingly cohesive.
The keys are:
- The 3 main characters are facing the same issue (readjusting to home life after the war)
- The 3 men meet up periodically and interact
- Two plots eventually intertwine
- When it is A's story, B & C are supporting cast. When it's B's story, A & C support him.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Multiple plots ARE possible...if they are all related somehow.
I underestimated the power of unity to help the audience follow along. ex. Each soldier had a different problem, but they were unified because they were misunderstood by civilians.
[BTW, this script holds up well and is still applicable even though it's 66 yrs. old!]
Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
by Robert E. Sherwood
From the novel by Mackinley Cantor
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #45 WGA Script of All Time - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
[Quick Summary: When a rebel is shipped to a super-oppressive psychiatric ward, he incites fellow patients to buck the establishment & take back some autonomy.]
My latest pet peeve in spec scripts are protagonists without goals.
"What if it's hard to describe the goal?" you might ask. "Like Jack Nicholson in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'? What's his goal?"
Let's take a look.
This is a hard script to explain, much less summarize.
Murphy, the main character, arrives and quickly learns he can't do squat. Everything is pre-measured. Every response is critiqued.
It's like a cult. The routine is dull and designed to strip all creative thought.
So what does Murphy want? His goal is to be able to make his own decisions. (That is so theoretical. Ugh.)
But what does Murphy do to get to his goal?
- He takes patients for a joy ride to go fishing.
- He includes an unlikely patient in a basketball game, and it becomes competitive for once.
- He challenges a nurse re: showing the World Series on the tv.
Hmmm...these are very concrete actions. Murphy pushes boundaries so he can have more freedom.
How do we measure if Murphy is moving toward his goal? This is a comedy-tragedy, so Murphy actually loses ground.
But his effect on the other patients is amazing. They begin to act differently, respond differently than pre-Murphy.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: When a goal is hard to explain, at least create step-by-step scenes so we see the protagonist making progress toward it.
Here, decision-making is the goal. Murphy creates situations that allow him to exercise and expand his decision making abilities.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
by Lawrence Hauben & Bo Goldman
Based on the novel by Ken Kesey
My latest pet peeve in spec scripts are protagonists without goals.
"What if it's hard to describe the goal?" you might ask. "Like Jack Nicholson in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'? What's his goal?"
Let's take a look.
This is a hard script to explain, much less summarize.
Murphy, the main character, arrives and quickly learns he can't do squat. Everything is pre-measured. Every response is critiqued.
It's like a cult. The routine is dull and designed to strip all creative thought.
So what does Murphy want? His goal is to be able to make his own decisions. (That is so theoretical. Ugh.)
But what does Murphy do to get to his goal?
- He takes patients for a joy ride to go fishing.
- He includes an unlikely patient in a basketball game, and it becomes competitive for once.
- He challenges a nurse re: showing the World Series on the tv.
Hmmm...these are very concrete actions. Murphy pushes boundaries so he can have more freedom.
How do we measure if Murphy is moving toward his goal? This is a comedy-tragedy, so Murphy actually loses ground.
But his effect on the other patients is amazing. They begin to act differently, respond differently than pre-Murphy.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: When a goal is hard to explain, at least create step-by-step scenes so we see the protagonist making progress toward it.
Here, decision-making is the goal. Murphy creates situations that allow him to exercise and expand his decision making abilities.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
by Lawrence Hauben & Bo Goldman
Based on the novel by Ken Kesey
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #46 WGA Script of All Time - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
[Quick Summary: When two greenhorns and an old timer find gold in the Mexican Sierra Madre mountains, greed pits them against each other.]
I liked reading back-to-back two Humphrey Bogart scripts.
Both are strong, character driven scripts, which are as rare as bird's teeth today.
These suckers are darn hard to write. Not everyone knows how to write the characters' issues first, then the action second.
ex. This is one of the juiciest scenes (p. 55-58):
- The three men have just split up their hard earned gold dust. Each one hides his share somewhere near the campsite. [No one trusts anyone.]
- Dobbs gets paranoid the other two might find his stash. He starts talking to himself, then vents suspicions at the other two. [Dobbs (Bogart) has got VISIBLE trust issues.]
- One of the other men sees a gila monster scurry under a rock, and gets ready to kill it. Dobbs pulls out a gun on them. [Dobbs' mistrust causes him to jump to conclusions.]
- Dobbs accuses them of faking a gila monster, and the men realize this is Dobbs' hiding spot.
[What do you do with a raving maniac? Challenge his issue.]
- They dare Dobbs to retrieve his stash...but warn him that his hand might get bit by the gila. Does Dobbs believe their story, or protect his gold? [Dobbs must decide to trust or not.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Clear character issues make actions much easier to justify.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
by Robert Rossen
I liked reading back-to-back two Humphrey Bogart scripts.
Both are strong, character driven scripts, which are as rare as bird's teeth today.
These suckers are darn hard to write. Not everyone knows how to write the characters' issues first, then the action second.
ex. This is one of the juiciest scenes (p. 55-58):
- The three men have just split up their hard earned gold dust. Each one hides his share somewhere near the campsite. [No one trusts anyone.]
- Dobbs gets paranoid the other two might find his stash. He starts talking to himself, then vents suspicions at the other two. [Dobbs (Bogart) has got VISIBLE trust issues.]
- One of the other men sees a gila monster scurry under a rock, and gets ready to kill it. Dobbs pulls out a gun on them. [Dobbs' mistrust causes him to jump to conclusions.]
- Dobbs accuses them of faking a gila monster, and the men realize this is Dobbs' hiding spot.
[What do you do with a raving maniac? Challenge his issue.]
- They dare Dobbs to retrieve his stash...but warn him that his hand might get bit by the gila. Does Dobbs believe their story, or protect his gold? [Dobbs must decide to trust or not.]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Clear character issues make actions much easier to justify.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
by Robert Rossen
Sunday, January 1, 2012
TODAY'S NUGGET: #47 WGA Script of All Time - The Maltese Falcon (1941)
[Quick Summary: When a private investigator takes a case from a gorgeous client, he faces three thugs, two dead bodies, and a boatload of lies that surround a missing Maltese falcon.]
I've struggled for years to write suspense.
But how to craft an artful punch-in-the-gut reveal? I read several great ones in this script.
For example:
A) Sam Spade gets an early morning call to come to a crime scene. [He's a p.i. This is part of the job, you know?]
B) He looks down a hill at a dead body, but doesn't move closer. [Wow, wonder what happened to the deceased.]
C) Police tells Spade it was a single shot. Spade reconstructs what happened: "Miles goes back, taking the top of the fence..." [Wait a minute - Miles? Oh no! Not Miles, Spade's partner! How can Spade be so controlled?]
You see, the suspense here is built around Spade:
A) His non-reaction in here does not alert the audience. We think it's just part of the job.
B) He does not approach the body. This is also normal. Only later do we see why that's odd.
C) This is the first time we realize the likeable Miles has died. It's a shock for us, but Spade is just pragmatic, which is very consistent with his character. We're just not prepared for HOW pragmatic he is.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: For a good reveal, don't announce the reveal.
However, an unexpected (but in character) response works well.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
by John Huston
I've struggled for years to write suspense.
But how to craft an artful punch-in-the-gut reveal? I read several great ones in this script.
For example:
A) Sam Spade gets an early morning call to come to a crime scene. [He's a p.i. This is part of the job, you know?]
B) He looks down a hill at a dead body, but doesn't move closer. [Wow, wonder what happened to the deceased.]
C) Police tells Spade it was a single shot. Spade reconstructs what happened: "Miles goes back, taking the top of the fence..." [Wait a minute - Miles? Oh no! Not Miles, Spade's partner! How can Spade be so controlled?]
You see, the suspense here is built around Spade:
A) His non-reaction in here does not alert the audience. We think it's just part of the job.
B) He does not approach the body. This is also normal. Only later do we see why that's odd.
C) This is the first time we realize the likeable Miles has died. It's a shock for us, but Spade is just pragmatic, which is very consistent with his character. We're just not prepared for HOW pragmatic he is.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: For a good reveal, don't announce the reveal.
However, an unexpected (but in character) response works well.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
by John Huston
Thursday, December 22, 2011
TODAY'S NUGGET: #48 WGA Script of All Time - Bridge On the River Kwai (1957)
[Quick Summary: At first, a British colonel POW defies the Japanese war camp commander over building a bridge, but eventually adopts the enemy's task with enthusiasm.]
Alas, I had a hard time reading this script. Just not my cup of tea.
However, I did find it interesting how the writer used the image of a pin up calendar girl in the Japanese commander's office.
This image was seen several times, always in the background or the commander looking directly at it.
As the story moves along, the commander looks crazier & crazier in contrast to the girl who remains the same...and that's a great way to tell a story without "telling" a story.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The right props can keep engaging the audience - all without dialogue.
Bridge On the River Kwai (1957)
by Pierre Boulle
Alas, I had a hard time reading this script. Just not my cup of tea.
However, I did find it interesting how the writer used the image of a pin up calendar girl in the Japanese commander's office.
This image was seen several times, always in the background or the commander looking directly at it.
As the story moves along, the commander looks crazier & crazier in contrast to the girl who remains the same...and that's a great way to tell a story without "telling" a story.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: The right props can keep engaging the audience - all without dialogue.
Bridge On the River Kwai (1957)
by Pierre Boulle
Thursday, December 15, 2011
TODAY'S NUGGET: #49 WGA Script of All Time - Schindler's List (1993)
[Quick Summary: Businessman Oscar Schindler easily bargains/bribes/bullies to keep his factory open, but he is unprepared by the effect his Jewish workers have on him.]
I've seen lots of ensemble spec scripts. They usually aren't very pretty for one of 3 reasons:
1) Too sprawling
2) Too many characters to juggle in my head
3) Too many subplots fighting to be the main plot
So I was glad to read Schindler's List & see an ensemble script done right. Here's why:
1) Though the enormity of the Holocaust is the backdrop, it's really an intimate story about ONE man.
2) All characters are there to support the ONE man, Schindler.
Even if Schindler is not in the scene, the characters' actions will somehow affect or tie into Schindler.
3) All the subplots are there to support Schindler.
ex. The Nazis have their own agendas, but their purpose in this story is to provide obstacles for SCHINDLER. A woman may want to get her parents moved to the factory, but her purpose in this story is to provoke SCHINDLER into action.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Frankly, ensemble scripts are easier to follow if there's ONE main character to form the spine around.
Schindler's List (1993)
by Steve Zaillian
I've seen lots of ensemble spec scripts. They usually aren't very pretty for one of 3 reasons:
1) Too sprawling
2) Too many characters to juggle in my head
3) Too many subplots fighting to be the main plot
So I was glad to read Schindler's List & see an ensemble script done right. Here's why:
1) Though the enormity of the Holocaust is the backdrop, it's really an intimate story about ONE man.
2) All characters are there to support the ONE man, Schindler.
Even if Schindler is not in the scene, the characters' actions will somehow affect or tie into Schindler.
3) All the subplots are there to support Schindler.
ex. The Nazis have their own agendas, but their purpose in this story is to provide obstacles for SCHINDLER. A woman may want to get her parents moved to the factory, but her purpose in this story is to provoke SCHINDLER into action.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Frankly, ensemble scripts are easier to follow if there's ONE main character to form the spine around.
Schindler's List (1993)
by Steve Zaillian
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