[Quick Summary: Ferris Bueller stays home "sick" from high school and has many adventures in Chicago with his best friend and girlfriend.]
PAST ME: "All protagonists must go through an arc, i.e., they change."
PRESENT ME: "Protagonists do not have to go through an arc."
PAST ME: "If protagonists do not arc, they are boring."
PRESENT ME: "If protagonists do not arc, they still can be interesting...but they must be MORE interesting than other characters who do arc."
This is tough on the writer.*
Ferris Bueller is an unusual script because its protagonist does not arc, yet he is still more interesting than the other characters who do arc.
I think one of the reasons is that Ferris is unpredictable and approaches every problem like it's a puzzle to be solved.**
ex. "INT. RESTAURANT
Cameron and Sloan have been served their lunches. They're staring at the plates.
CAMERON: What is it?
SLOANE: I don't know. But it looks like it's already been eaten and digested.
CAMERON: I knew it was a mistake letting Ferris order for us.
Ferris slides over to the table and drops into his seat.
FERRIS: What're you doing?
Cameron looks at Ferris.
CAMERON: What is this shit?
FERRIS: You got me. I don't speak French.
He puts his napkin in his lap and smells his plate.
FERRIS: I think it's a land-based beefoid creature.
He takes a bite. He savors the taste.
FERRIS: Splendid.
CAMERON: Really?
FERRIS: Superb.
Cameron and Sloan try theirs. They chew tentatively.
FERRIS: Good?
Sloane and Cameron shrug. It's not bad. A WAITER passes.
Ferris stops him.
FERRIS: Yo, Clouseau!
The waiter stops and looks at Ferris indignantly.
FERRIS: I have a growth on my brain that causes memory lapses. Could you tell me what we ordered here?
The waiter glances at the plates.
WAITER: Sweetbreads.
FERRIS: Uh, huh. And what might that be?
WAITER: Pancreas.
FERRIS: As in the gland that has important functions in digestion and metabolism?
CU. SLOANE AND CAMERON
They stop chewing. They're holding the sweetbreads in their mouths.
CU. FERRIS
He continues his questioning
FERRIS:..That secretes a thick, colorless fluid containing digestive enzymes? The home of the world famous isles of Langerhans?
CU. WAITER
He nods broadly, knowing that he's spoiling the kids' meal.
CU. SLOANE AND CAMERON
They look at each other.
CU. FERRIS
He pats his mouth with a napkin. He looks to Cameron and Sloane. He raises a finger, holds ita beat and gives a cue.
CU. WAITER
He turns away as Sloan and Cameron spit out their food.
CU. FERRIS
He watches Sloane and Cameron then glances at the waiter.
FERRIS: Check, please!"
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: It's hard enough to pull off well a character arc. It's a whole other level of difficulty to pull off well a character WITHOUT an arc.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)(shooting script, 7/24/85)
by John Hughes
*When I've covered scripts in which the protagonist does not arc, the minor characters (who do arc) almost always are more interesting to watch.
**Yes, you can see him learning from the new experiences, but it does not really change him.
Monday, April 29, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
TODAY'S NUGGET: Pretty in Pink (1986) - Mean Girl Cattiness
[Quick Summary: Andie, 18 y.o., who is not rich, falls for Blane, a rich kid, much to the chagrin of Andie's old friend Duckie.]
Yes, I know that poor girl dating a rich guy is an "old, old, old" plot.
Yes, the story could've been more modernized.
However, the good things in the script far outweigh the bad things.
The way Hughes wrote about the way teens interacted in the 1980s is timeless.
For example, he nails the cattiness of the two mean girls in the scene below. They are caught being rude, and make it worse by rebuffing Andie's kind gesture.
NOTE:
- Andie is paying attention in class to the teacher. The rich girls whisper and gossip about Andie. The teacher stops teaching to ask what is going on.
ex. "ANDIE
She sinks in her seat. The teacher, rather than make it better, is making it worse.
ANDIE (to herself): Just shut up lady. Please.
TEACHER
She looks at Andie.
TEACHER: I apologize on behalf of my class.
ANDIE
She nods, just wishing everybody would forget her.
TEACHER
She does the unthinkable.
TEACHER: Ms. Trombley and Ms. Hanson will be thinking of you tonight... (to the class) ...as they analyze an extra sonnet.
THE TWO GIRLS
Their faces freeze.
ANDIE
She raises her hand.
ANDIE: Don't bother with the sonnets. Don't worry about it. Everything's cool.
Andie looks across at the girls.
THE GIRLS
They stare at Andie. One of them raises her hand.
GIRL: We'll take the sonnets.
She throws Andie an icy smile.
ANDIE
She returns it."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I liked how Andie's maturity was seen in her response to the mean girls. She extended kindness to girls she didn't like, and when it was rebuffed, she didn't doubt herself.
Pretty in Pink (1986)(5th draft, 5/9/85)
by John Hughes
Yes, I know that poor girl dating a rich guy is an "old, old, old" plot.
Yes, the story could've been more modernized.
However, the good things in the script far outweigh the bad things.
The way Hughes wrote about the way teens interacted in the 1980s is timeless.
For example, he nails the cattiness of the two mean girls in the scene below. They are caught being rude, and make it worse by rebuffing Andie's kind gesture.
NOTE:
- Andie is paying attention in class to the teacher. The rich girls whisper and gossip about Andie. The teacher stops teaching to ask what is going on.
ex. "ANDIE
She sinks in her seat. The teacher, rather than make it better, is making it worse.
ANDIE (to herself): Just shut up lady. Please.
TEACHER
She looks at Andie.
TEACHER: I apologize on behalf of my class.
ANDIE
She nods, just wishing everybody would forget her.
TEACHER
She does the unthinkable.
TEACHER: Ms. Trombley and Ms. Hanson will be thinking of you tonight... (to the class) ...as they analyze an extra sonnet.
THE TWO GIRLS
Their faces freeze.
ANDIE
She raises her hand.
ANDIE: Don't bother with the sonnets. Don't worry about it. Everything's cool.
Andie looks across at the girls.
THE GIRLS
They stare at Andie. One of them raises her hand.
GIRL: We'll take the sonnets.
She throws Andie an icy smile.
ANDIE
She returns it."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I liked how Andie's maturity was seen in her response to the mean girls. She extended kindness to girls she didn't like, and when it was rebuffed, she didn't doubt herself.
Pretty in Pink (1986)(5th draft, 5/9/85)
by John Hughes
Monday, April 15, 2019
TODAY'S NUGGET: Breakfast Club (1985) - Changing the Tone to Reinforce Theme
[Quick Summary: During a Saturday detention, five unconnected high schoolers discover they have more in common than they thought.]
If you were alive in the 1980s, this was one of the "must see" films of the decade.*
(I think one reason is that Hughes portrays teens as they are: messy, opinionated, unvarnished, uncensored.)
I read two undated drafts, A (earlier) and B (later). They are the same story, but B is shorter and more polished.
I also thought B was the better draft because its tone reinforces the theme.
For example, I think one of the themes is about making unlikely friendships.
In Draft A (below), the tone is rather ironic and sad, i.e., divided and lonely.
In Draft B (below), the tone is more allied and upbeat, i.e., unified and together.
Which one reinforces friendship and feeling connected? Draft B.
DRAFT A (Earlier draft):
ex. "The kids continue laughing. Allison speaks up.
ALLISON: I can beat that.
The kids look at her.
ALLISON: You know what I did to get in here?
BRIAN: This should be classic!
The kids are anticipating a good laugh.
ALLISON: Nothing. (pause) I didn't have anything better to do today.
There's no laughter. Just incredulous stares and silence."
DRAFT B (Later draft):
ex. "Andrew starts to laugh.
BRIAN: It's not funny...
They all start to laugh, including Brian.
BRIAN: Yes it is...fuckin' elephant was destroyed.
ALLISON: You wanna know what I did to get in here? Nothing...I didn't have anything better to do.
Everyone laughs.
ALLISON: You're laughing at me...
ANDREW: No!
Allison starts to laugh too.
ALLISON: Yeah you are!"
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was surprised how very few words were changed between Draft A and B, but the tone was completely different.
Breakfast Club (1985)(undated, "Draft B" noted above)
by John Hughes
*As a side note, the Library of Congress' entered it into the National Film Registry in 2016. These are films that important for "their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage."
If you were alive in the 1980s, this was one of the "must see" films of the decade.*
(I think one reason is that Hughes portrays teens as they are: messy, opinionated, unvarnished, uncensored.)
I read two undated drafts, A (earlier) and B (later). They are the same story, but B is shorter and more polished.
I also thought B was the better draft because its tone reinforces the theme.
For example, I think one of the themes is about making unlikely friendships.
In Draft A (below), the tone is rather ironic and sad, i.e., divided and lonely.
In Draft B (below), the tone is more allied and upbeat, i.e., unified and together.
Which one reinforces friendship and feeling connected? Draft B.
DRAFT A (Earlier draft):
ex. "The kids continue laughing. Allison speaks up.
ALLISON: I can beat that.
The kids look at her.
ALLISON: You know what I did to get in here?
BRIAN: This should be classic!
The kids are anticipating a good laugh.
ALLISON: Nothing. (pause) I didn't have anything better to do today.
There's no laughter. Just incredulous stares and silence."
DRAFT B (Later draft):
ex. "Andrew starts to laugh.
BRIAN: It's not funny...
They all start to laugh, including Brian.
BRIAN: Yes it is...fuckin' elephant was destroyed.
ALLISON: You wanna know what I did to get in here? Nothing...I didn't have anything better to do.
Everyone laughs.
ALLISON: You're laughing at me...
ANDREW: No!
Allison starts to laugh too.
ALLISON: Yeah you are!"
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was surprised how very few words were changed between Draft A and B, but the tone was completely different.
Breakfast Club (1985)(undated, "Draft B" noted above)
by John Hughes
*As a side note, the Library of Congress' entered it into the National Film Registry in 2016. These are films that important for "their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage."
Monday, April 8, 2019
TODAY'S NUGGET: Only When I Laugh (1981) - Showing Disappointment with Non-Verbals
[Quick Summary: An actress, newly out of rehab, struggles to manage her sobriety, her daughter, and seeking a new job.]
I think the genius of Neil Simon scripts is that it looks simple on the surface.
However, the structure and conflict has great depth and complexity.
For example, the scene below is about:
- a long standing disappointment
- the external and internal conflicts that one feels
- use of non-verbals
First, note that each character has his or her own INTERNAL conflict:
- For Georgia, who has just fallen off the wagon: disappointment in herself.
- For her friend Jimmy: feeling let down by his faith in her temporary sobriety.
Then, note that there is also another layer of EXTERNAL conflict between them:
- For Georgia: guilt, needing reassurance from someone that she's offended.
- For Jimmy: irritation at her repeated offenses and love
Finally, the audience understands all of this through one character not looking at the other character, silence, a hand squeeze.
ex. "INT. TAXI - NIGHT
Jimmy and Georgia sitting on opposite sides, looking out opposite windows, wordlessly.
GEORGIA: ...I think I fucked up, didn't I?
Jimmy doesn't say a word. She looks toward him.
GEORGIA: Give me your hand...Jimmy? Give me your hand... I'm cold.
He doesn't look at her but reaches over and puts his hand on top of hers and gently squeezes it."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was impressed that so much disappointment could be conveyed by Jimmy's non-verbals.
Only When I Laugh (1981)(3rd draft (July, 1980))
by Neil Simon
Based on his play, "The Gingerbread Lady"
I think the genius of Neil Simon scripts is that it looks simple on the surface.
However, the structure and conflict has great depth and complexity.
For example, the scene below is about:
- a long standing disappointment
- the external and internal conflicts that one feels
- use of non-verbals
First, note that each character has his or her own INTERNAL conflict:
- For Georgia, who has just fallen off the wagon: disappointment in herself.
- For her friend Jimmy: feeling let down by his faith in her temporary sobriety.
Then, note that there is also another layer of EXTERNAL conflict between them:
- For Georgia: guilt, needing reassurance from someone that she's offended.
- For Jimmy: irritation at her repeated offenses and love
Finally, the audience understands all of this through one character not looking at the other character, silence, a hand squeeze.
ex. "INT. TAXI - NIGHT
Jimmy and Georgia sitting on opposite sides, looking out opposite windows, wordlessly.
GEORGIA: ...I think I fucked up, didn't I?
Jimmy doesn't say a word. She looks toward him.
GEORGIA: Give me your hand...Jimmy? Give me your hand... I'm cold.
He doesn't look at her but reaches over and puts his hand on top of hers and gently squeezes it."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: I was impressed that so much disappointment could be conveyed by Jimmy's non-verbals.
Only When I Laugh (1981)(3rd draft (July, 1980))
by Neil Simon
Based on his play, "The Gingerbread Lady"
Monday, April 1, 2019
2019 OSCARS: A Star is Born (2018) - One Intent Per Scene
[Quick Summary: Superstar Jackson Maine meets Ally, a promising singer.]
TWO THINGS THAT THIS SCRIPT DOES WELL:
1) It reads fast. I was not excited to read a 137 pg. script.
However, it is reads fast and the scenes are clear.
2) One intent per scene. I also think it reads quickly because it does not try to do too much, i.e., it sticks to one intent per scene, rather several.
In the scene below: Note that it seems long on the page at first glance.
However, it will read fast because it is all one thought.
ex. "INT. BILTMORE HOTEL - BATHROOM - WIDE SHOT - DAY
PAN ALONG the bottom of a number of stalls. The bathroom seemingly empty... Until we hear a HUSHED VOICE and see two feet in heels in a stall down at the end.
ALLY (O.S.)(into phone): Roger...You're a wonderful man, yes, and you're a great lawyer. We're ust not meant to be together.
ANOTHER ANGLE - INSIDE THE STALL
ALLY CAMPANA, (early 30s) is on her cell phone.
ALLY (into phone): No, I don't wanna marry you -- are you crazy?!? The hell's the matter with you? Roger, we're done. Oh, God.
She hangs up, opens the door to the stall, and screams bloody murder.
ALLY: Fucking men!
She pulls herself together."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Keep the intent of a scene crisp and clear. Don't overload a scene with too many ideas. A short script with half-baked ideas is just as bad.
A Star is Born (2018)(final, 10/5/18)
by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters
Based on the 1954 screenplay by Moss Hart and the 1976 screenplay by John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion and Frank Pierson
Based on a story by William Wellman and Robert Carson
TWO THINGS THAT THIS SCRIPT DOES WELL:
1) It reads fast. I was not excited to read a 137 pg. script.
However, it is reads fast and the scenes are clear.
2) One intent per scene. I also think it reads quickly because it does not try to do too much, i.e., it sticks to one intent per scene, rather several.
In the scene below: Note that it seems long on the page at first glance.
However, it will read fast because it is all one thought.
ex. "INT. BILTMORE HOTEL - BATHROOM - WIDE SHOT - DAY
PAN ALONG the bottom of a number of stalls. The bathroom seemingly empty... Until we hear a HUSHED VOICE and see two feet in heels in a stall down at the end.
ALLY (O.S.)(into phone): Roger...You're a wonderful man, yes, and you're a great lawyer. We're ust not meant to be together.
ANOTHER ANGLE - INSIDE THE STALL
ALLY CAMPANA, (early 30s) is on her cell phone.
ALLY (into phone): No, I don't wanna marry you -- are you crazy?!? The hell's the matter with you? Roger, we're done. Oh, God.
She hangs up, opens the door to the stall, and screams bloody murder.
ALLY: Fucking men!
She pulls herself together."
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Keep the intent of a scene crisp and clear. Don't overload a scene with too many ideas. A short script with half-baked ideas is just as bad.
A Star is Born (2018)(final, 10/5/18)
by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters
Based on the 1954 screenplay by Moss Hart and the 1976 screenplay by John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion and Frank Pierson
Based on a story by William Wellman and Robert Carson
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