I saw this flick at a sneak preview double-feature back in the day. Probably born out of my mancrush on David Addison and teenage crush on Kim Basinger. I didn't remember much about this movie, except that it started well and ended poorly. It seems like a good remake candidate, as THE DATE FROM HELL is pretty good conceptual fodder and this one just isn't a very good execution.
It's fun to go back to movies that I knew as a 15-year-old didn't work and then see where they fail in screenplay 101 terms. Maybe there's something to this!
MONSTER IN THE HOUSE
MONSTER: Kim's Nadia -- The DATE FROM HELL.
SIN: Bruce gives Nadia a drink after being warned not to. You break the rules, you pay the price in a MITH.
HOUSE: The Date
OPENING IMAGE:
This movie starts with one of the biggest cliches in screenwriting -- the 'alarm clock wakeup'. Mitch(Bruce Willis) jolts out of bed and rushes to work.
SETUP:
At work, it's clear, Bruce is a nerdy-workaholic(weird casting) who was at work until 3am the night before while his slicky-boy coworker was out partying and enjoying life. Even the boss is embarrassed by Bruce and tells him "image is important in this business". Tonight there's a big banquet...and
THEME:
Living life worried about what other people think of you leads to a loveless and lonely life; but making life choices based on love & passion leads to satisfaction and romance.
CATALYST:
Bruce visits his brother to see if he can lend his wife to him for the evening -- but she's busy. The brother has another idea -- a BLIND DATE!
DEBATE:
Bruce doesn't want to get a date from his brother, his brother always sets him up with weirdos and psychos. But he has no choice. Bruce calls the brother and the brother agrees, just one thing DON'T FEED HER AFTER MIDNIGHT...err...wrong movie...don't let her drink...she gets WILD!
Bruce goes to pick her up, and guess what -- she's gorgeous! And seems normal. And sweet. A bit shy.
With some time to kill they head off to an art-exhibit and there they meet DAVID, Nadia's ex-boyfriend. Crazy jealous. He almost immediately attacks Bruce. Bruce and Nadia escape.
BREAK INTO ACT 2:
Bruce takes Nadia to a music studio. He used to play. But not anymore. He grew up and works now. He opens a bottle of wine. Nadia knows she shouldn't but things are going so well.
She drinks. Kisses Bruce. Uh-oh.
B-STORY:
A tough one, as this story pretty much sticks to an a-story. It could be psycho David...but as you'll see in a second the story about Bruce's job/boss abruptly comes to an end almost before it gets started.
FUN & GAMES:
The promise of the premise. They head to the big office banquet. Nadia is drunk. Talking loud. Insulting people. She causes Bruce's sleazy office buddy to get in hot water with his fiancee. Then she goes over to the BIG CLIENT Mr. Yakomoto and his Geisha girl wife. She's out of control. And the scene ends with lots of torn jacket pockets. Mrs. Yakomoto looking for a new job. And most importantly BRUCE gets fired.
NOTE: And here lies the big problem -- the story that we've setup is done. The moment you'd expect as an ALL IS LOST happens almost immediately. The House -- ie -- the Date is essentially over. Bruce could just ditch the woman who destroyed his life, but he doesn't. And it's not clear why.
So, they're in the car and Bruce is pissed and he wants to drive her home. Bruce pulls over to talk and David attacks. Problem two, David keeps attacking randomly coming out of nowhere. It's very slapstick and farcical and redundant. All physical attacks. All similar. Boring. Bruce ditches him. Drives off, as David crashes into a pet-store.
And here is another problem, Nadia suddenly sobers up -- she seems to alternate between drunk and sober whenever the plot needs it.
Kim cries. They pull over at a gas station and Kim sneaks off to a disco to use the bathroom. Bruce follows her. They end up slow-dancing. Kissing. And then David shows up again for some slapsticky-fun. They escape again. Bruce just wants to take her home. She gives the address of her friends house.
It's a shady neighborhood where the house gets dragged away, Bruce's car gets stripped, and Bruce gets a gun to his head from some gals in leather. Cops come and break it up...give him a sobriety test.
MIDPOINT:
Sober again, Nadia just wants to go home. Explains she has a chemical imbalance/alcohol allergy. But BAM! David smashes into their car. They escape again, but this final duel-of-cars pushes Bruce over the edge.
NOTE: This movie is so episodic, and never really narrows focus...it's hard to determine a midpoint(which only underscores its episodicness). Getting fired would've made a good midpoint if it didn't happen in the first third of the film. The reason I'm picking this as a midpoint, is because it's a change-up in Bruce's behavior. He's had enough...and now he's going to get revenge. It breaks up the episodic a bit...but really, this script might be midpointless.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
Bruce is insane! He takes Nadia to the party she talked about earlier. Now it's his turn. He turns the stuffy party on its head. Being loud, drinking, insulting people. Nadia just wants to sleep...she feels ill and is sick of Bruce.
Crazy David shows up again. Bruce and him get in a huge fight that ends with Bruce pulling out a gun that was left in the car and shooting at David.
ALL IS LOST:
The Police show up and arresst Bruce.
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
Bruce's brother picks Bruce up from jail. The news is not good. Bruce could get 2 years in prison. Bruce's brother tells him Nadia bailed him out.
Bruce marches over to see Nadia. She's hungover and they argue. She tells him she drank because she thought Bruce was special.
NOTE: I think this is Bruce's VERY LATE Moment of Grace. Someone thinks he's special. Maybe it's time to focus on important things instead of work.
Nadia goes to David -- a defense attorney -- and makes a deal, you get Bruce off the charges, and I'll marry you.
BREAK INTO ACT 3:
David shows up at Bruce's hearing and gets his charges dismissed(David's father is the judge). But David mentions that Nadia is going to marry him.
FINALE:
David sells his guitar and heads to Baton Rouge to stop the wedding. After a lengthy screwball 'sneak into the estate scene' that has no real payoff...David hides in the house. It's the wedding day, a package of alcohol laced chocolates arrives(sent from Bruce). Nadia eats them all.
Just as they're about to exchange vows, Nadia goes all drunk. Refuses. Bruce appears and they rush into each others arms and the pool
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Sunday, May 29, 2011
OLD SCHOOL BS2
I'm working on a comedy right now, specifically a comedy where the protag's goal is a little ambiguous at the start of Act 2. So I was re-screening some flicks that had 'lets party!' or 'lets have fun' as an Act 2 goal. Ferris Bueller comes to mind. Superbad is more goal-driven -- 'get the alcohol for the party'.
It doesn't quite hit some screenwriting 101 in regards to clarity of theme/arc...and it's not as if it's an experimental script-- it definitely feels like it's trying to check those standard screenwriting boxes. Ultimately, if a movie makes me laugh, I'll forgive a lot of weaknesses in script/structure. And this is a perfect example. What I tend not to forgive is unfunny. Old School is funny.
GENRE TYPE: RITE OF PASSAGE / MIDLIFE PASSAGE
1. A "life problem" -- Mitch (Luke Wilson) loses his wife, has a hard time with his boss, and has an unexcited life with people pushing him around.
2. His "wrong way" of attacking the problem is through partying and frat activities.
3. His "Acceptance" is that of who he really can be. He is The Godfather/Leader of Men people think he is. He takes control of his life, and stands up for himself and gets the girl he should be within the process.
Not a perfect fit, btw. It doesn't have the resonating themes of something like City Slickers...but it definitely wants to be a RITE OF PASSAGE film.
OPENING IMAGE:
Not so much an image as a sequence, our hero MITCH, sneaks out of a conference early to fly home and surprise his wife. Once there, he finds his wife watching hardcore porn, as a naked-blindfolded couple pops out of the bedroom. His wife is a freak. She's sick of their dull life. She has needs boring Mitch can't provide for. The opening sets up the tone and also sets up Mitch's character...a schlub who lets others push him around.
THEME STATED:
The theme is a little cloudy on this one. It doesn't field unified to me. Vince doesn't really arc. He pretty much stays the same throughout. Will Ferrell ’don’t change for anyone'/'be honest with yourself' arc going. Mitch’s wife touches on this too with her secret life of three ways and porn. And there are definitely some threads with lead character Mitch where lies to his romantic interest Nicole and then finally decides to be honest with her.
But I think honesty is only a small part of it. The kicker is that Mitch does not seem dishonest in the setup. It's only after he breaks up with his wife and the frat opens that he starts with his dishonesty. I think that's just a symptom of his bigger issue.
In the opening sequence, Mitch hops in the back of a cab with a torn seat belt. He asked the drive "Do you have a recommendation?" And the driver responds --put your earmuffs on -- "I recommend you stop being such a faggot."
I think therein lies the theme.
LETTING PEOPLE PUSH YOU AROUND and RUN YOUR LIFE leads to loneliness and lack of satisfaction; but TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE and STANDING UP FOR YOURSELF leads to success and true love.
That's the one I'm running with for now. Vince is an example of it from the beginning. He's the most successful of the bunch. He makes things happen. Makes bold choices. And lives a happy life with no regrets.
Will lets his new wife push him around and tries to be the guy she wants, he quickly finds separated and soon divorce but in the end he realizes he's meant to be Frank the Tank.
NOTE: Before re-screening this, I would have guessed Old School was more about people 'reliving their glory days'. It's not. Vince already does what he wants. Frank the Tank might go back to the way he was...but it doesn't take much. He's on board almost immediately. And Mitch fits in but never really seems to be that excited about the parties and such. He's just along for the ride.
SETUP:
We meet the guys -- Will is getting married. Mitch and Vince are his best men. Vince is the speaker entrepreneur who is successful and speaks his mind. Mitch is just a brooding, blubbering mess. He meets an old crush from high school -- NICOLE -- and just when things are going well, he spills coffee on her. He makes a drunken speech. He's a broken man.
CATALYST:
Will moves into a house that's practically on a college campus. Vince & Will help him move in. Vince wants to throw a huge party to reintroduce Mitch to the world.
DEBATE:
The beaten down Mitch is hesitant but reluctantly agrees. Vince sees it as a great opportunity. Will needs to check with the wife. Will's wife is worried Frank the Tank to resurface. He promises he'll be good.
MITCH-A-PALOOZA ensues. Packed with college students. Huge speakers. Beer! And Snoop Dog!
The party ends with Frank the Tank streaking off nude (and getting caught by the wife). And Mitch waking up with the very Young Elisha Cuthbert in his bed.
THE DEAN enters and tells them the house has been rezoned for SCHOOL PURPOSES only. At work, Mitch finds out Elisha is his hard ass boss's daughter -- and only in high school.
Will goes to therapy and it doesn't go well. He ends up moving into the house.
BREAK INTO ACT 2:
Vince has a meeting at the house -- he has a plan to save Mitch's college abode -- LETS START AN ALL-AGE FRATERNITY. Mitch doesn't want to, but goes along.
NOTE: There are several comedies where the protag is passive and he has a friend that forces him into stuff -- FERRIS BUELLER and SUPERBAD come to mind. The protags are just sort of along for the ride...
B-STORY:
Nicole the high-school crush comes to visit. Despite people calling him The Godfather, Luke hides the whole frat thing from Nicole. There's obvious sparks between them.
FUN & GAMES:
Rush begins! And we're treated to a montage of 'initiation gags' as THE DEAN watches and fumes. Mitch is getting worried, word is traveling and some dudes at work want in.
Will tries to make up with the wife but things go horribly wrong when he interrupts a BJ class. It's not looking good for Will.
At a birthday party for Vince's kid -- Mitch discovers Nicole has a douche bag girlfriend. We see Vince as a commander of his world. Gorgeous house. Using frat guys to work the birthday. Selling speakers to party-goers. Meanwhile, Will takes a tranq dart to the neck and ruins the party.
The Dean schemes to get rid of the house. He bribes the STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT to revoke their charter.
Mitch wants to tell Nicole about the boyfriend but finds out Nicole is moving in with him. Mitch's wish-washy ways have cost him the girl again. He drowns himself in some KY wrestling.
MIDPOINT:
Blue -- the 80-something frat boy has a heart attack wrestling two naked hot ties. It's a moment of reflection for everyone and THE MOMENT OF GRACE for Mitch. Mitch is no longer going to be wish-washy, from this point on; he's going to stand up for himself.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
Will's wife tells him she wants a divorce. Nicole's boyfriend tells her that Mitch was hitting and groping on all the girls at the birthday party.
The new Mitch decides to 'be a man' and level with Nicole and tell her all about the frat, but when Elisha Cuthbert comes in and hints that every thing's okay with 'her father' Nicole is outraged and storms off.
ALL IS LOST:
The frat house is boarded up! The Dean claims that the frat has violated several school policies and their charter is revoked. To make matters worse, students in the fraternity will be expelled (whiff of death).
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
In a hotel room, the entire frat broods over the news. The younger ones worried about being expelled. Will worried about being homeless.
Even Vince walks out on the group thinking there's nothing left to do.
But now, Mitch is the guy taking control. He walks into work and stands up to the boss, and gets two of his 'team' to figure out a way to fight the Dean's revoked charter.
BREAK INTO ACT 3:
Mitch tells the frat they have one choice -- by competing in a series of 'tests' that range from academics to athletics...if they pass they can keep the frat & the house!
FINALE:
In a montage of gags, the guys take the tests! And win the day!
In the midst of this, the school president shows up and warns the DEAN that her bribe didn't come through. He berates her and storms off.
NOTE: And thereby totally telegraphing the end...
But the Dean has a final surprise -- Blue(the dead old guy) didn't compete and was on their roster...bringing their average score down from 85 to 58% -- i.e. -- they failed.
As Mitch protests, the School President arrives. She taped the bribe conversation. The Dean grabs the recorder and races off. A chase ensues and he's brought down.
Later on, Mitch is packing up -- taking control of his life and moving on. Nicole shows up. She realized who her boyfriend was...Nicole and Mitch walk off into the frat presumably for a quick frat house fling.
CLOSING IMAGE:
A framed picture of MITCH -- the Godfather, a manned worthy of being the founder of a Frat....then we hear/see Will give a tribute, Will's now a college radio DJ.
So what did we learn Charlie Brown? This comedy is funny, and it works. It's a good concept. Part City Slickers, part animal house. With some good laughs, memorable characters, and terrific performances by Vince Vaughn and a breakout performance by Will Ferrell. That said, the script isn't tight, it relies on some stock setups, provides some patch-work attempts at theme and arc, and ultimately is far from flawless. I give it credit for its pacing and length. The recent spate of Apatow films all seem to outstay their welcome. This moves fast and only runs for 90-minutes.
It doesn't quite hit some screenwriting 101 in regards to clarity of theme/arc...and it's not as if it's an experimental script-- it definitely feels like it's trying to check those standard screenwriting boxes. Ultimately, if a movie makes me laugh, I'll forgive a lot of weaknesses in script/structure. And this is a perfect example. What I tend not to forgive is unfunny. Old School is funny.
GENRE TYPE: RITE OF PASSAGE / MIDLIFE PASSAGE
1. A "life problem" -- Mitch (Luke Wilson) loses his wife, has a hard time with his boss, and has an unexcited life with people pushing him around.
2. His "wrong way" of attacking the problem is through partying and frat activities.
3. His "Acceptance" is that of who he really can be. He is The Godfather/Leader of Men people think he is. He takes control of his life, and stands up for himself and gets the girl he should be within the process.
Not a perfect fit, btw. It doesn't have the resonating themes of something like City Slickers...but it definitely wants to be a RITE OF PASSAGE film.
OPENING IMAGE:
Not so much an image as a sequence, our hero MITCH, sneaks out of a conference early to fly home and surprise his wife. Once there, he finds his wife watching hardcore porn, as a naked-blindfolded couple pops out of the bedroom. His wife is a freak. She's sick of their dull life. She has needs boring Mitch can't provide for. The opening sets up the tone and also sets up Mitch's character...a schlub who lets others push him around.
THEME STATED:
The theme is a little cloudy on this one. It doesn't field unified to me. Vince doesn't really arc. He pretty much stays the same throughout. Will Ferrell ’don’t change for anyone'/'be honest with yourself' arc going. Mitch’s wife touches on this too with her secret life of three ways and porn. And there are definitely some threads with lead character Mitch where lies to his romantic interest Nicole and then finally decides to be honest with her.
But I think honesty is only a small part of it. The kicker is that Mitch does not seem dishonest in the setup. It's only after he breaks up with his wife and the frat opens that he starts with his dishonesty. I think that's just a symptom of his bigger issue.
In the opening sequence, Mitch hops in the back of a cab with a torn seat belt. He asked the drive "Do you have a recommendation?" And the driver responds --put your earmuffs on -- "I recommend you stop being such a faggot."
I think therein lies the theme.
LETTING PEOPLE PUSH YOU AROUND and RUN YOUR LIFE leads to loneliness and lack of satisfaction; but TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE and STANDING UP FOR YOURSELF leads to success and true love.
That's the one I'm running with for now. Vince is an example of it from the beginning. He's the most successful of the bunch. He makes things happen. Makes bold choices. And lives a happy life with no regrets.
Will lets his new wife push him around and tries to be the guy she wants, he quickly finds separated and soon divorce but in the end he realizes he's meant to be Frank the Tank.
NOTE: Before re-screening this, I would have guessed Old School was more about people 'reliving their glory days'. It's not. Vince already does what he wants. Frank the Tank might go back to the way he was...but it doesn't take much. He's on board almost immediately. And Mitch fits in but never really seems to be that excited about the parties and such. He's just along for the ride.
SETUP:
We meet the guys -- Will is getting married. Mitch and Vince are his best men. Vince is the speaker entrepreneur who is successful and speaks his mind. Mitch is just a brooding, blubbering mess. He meets an old crush from high school -- NICOLE -- and just when things are going well, he spills coffee on her. He makes a drunken speech. He's a broken man.
CATALYST:
Will moves into a house that's practically on a college campus. Vince & Will help him move in. Vince wants to throw a huge party to reintroduce Mitch to the world.
DEBATE:
The beaten down Mitch is hesitant but reluctantly agrees. Vince sees it as a great opportunity. Will needs to check with the wife. Will's wife is worried Frank the Tank to resurface. He promises he'll be good.
MITCH-A-PALOOZA ensues. Packed with college students. Huge speakers. Beer! And Snoop Dog!
The party ends with Frank the Tank streaking off nude (and getting caught by the wife). And Mitch waking up with the very Young Elisha Cuthbert in his bed.
THE DEAN enters and tells them the house has been rezoned for SCHOOL PURPOSES only. At work, Mitch finds out Elisha is his hard ass boss's daughter -- and only in high school.
Will goes to therapy and it doesn't go well. He ends up moving into the house.
BREAK INTO ACT 2:
Vince has a meeting at the house -- he has a plan to save Mitch's college abode -- LETS START AN ALL-AGE FRATERNITY. Mitch doesn't want to, but goes along.
NOTE: There are several comedies where the protag is passive and he has a friend that forces him into stuff -- FERRIS BUELLER and SUPERBAD come to mind. The protags are just sort of along for the ride...
B-STORY:
Nicole the high-school crush comes to visit. Despite people calling him The Godfather, Luke hides the whole frat thing from Nicole. There's obvious sparks between them.
FUN & GAMES:
Rush begins! And we're treated to a montage of 'initiation gags' as THE DEAN watches and fumes. Mitch is getting worried, word is traveling and some dudes at work want in.
Will tries to make up with the wife but things go horribly wrong when he interrupts a BJ class. It's not looking good for Will.
At a birthday party for Vince's kid -- Mitch discovers Nicole has a douche bag girlfriend. We see Vince as a commander of his world. Gorgeous house. Using frat guys to work the birthday. Selling speakers to party-goers. Meanwhile, Will takes a tranq dart to the neck and ruins the party.
The Dean schemes to get rid of the house. He bribes the STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT to revoke their charter.
Mitch wants to tell Nicole about the boyfriend but finds out Nicole is moving in with him. Mitch's wish-washy ways have cost him the girl again. He drowns himself in some KY wrestling.
MIDPOINT:
Blue -- the 80-something frat boy has a heart attack wrestling two naked hot ties. It's a moment of reflection for everyone and THE MOMENT OF GRACE for Mitch. Mitch is no longer going to be wish-washy, from this point on; he's going to stand up for himself.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
Will's wife tells him she wants a divorce. Nicole's boyfriend tells her that Mitch was hitting and groping on all the girls at the birthday party.
The new Mitch decides to 'be a man' and level with Nicole and tell her all about the frat, but when Elisha Cuthbert comes in and hints that every thing's okay with 'her father' Nicole is outraged and storms off.
ALL IS LOST:
The frat house is boarded up! The Dean claims that the frat has violated several school policies and their charter is revoked. To make matters worse, students in the fraternity will be expelled (whiff of death).
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
In a hotel room, the entire frat broods over the news. The younger ones worried about being expelled. Will worried about being homeless.
Even Vince walks out on the group thinking there's nothing left to do.
But now, Mitch is the guy taking control. He walks into work and stands up to the boss, and gets two of his 'team' to figure out a way to fight the Dean's revoked charter.
BREAK INTO ACT 3:
Mitch tells the frat they have one choice -- by competing in a series of 'tests' that range from academics to athletics...if they pass they can keep the frat & the house!
FINALE:
In a montage of gags, the guys take the tests! And win the day!
In the midst of this, the school president shows up and warns the DEAN that her bribe didn't come through. He berates her and storms off.
NOTE: And thereby totally telegraphing the end...
But the Dean has a final surprise -- Blue(the dead old guy) didn't compete and was on their roster...bringing their average score down from 85 to 58% -- i.e. -- they failed.
As Mitch protests, the School President arrives. She taped the bribe conversation. The Dean grabs the recorder and races off. A chase ensues and he's brought down.
Later on, Mitch is packing up -- taking control of his life and moving on. Nicole shows up. She realized who her boyfriend was...Nicole and Mitch walk off into the frat presumably for a quick frat house fling.
CLOSING IMAGE:
A framed picture of MITCH -- the Godfather, a manned worthy of being the founder of a Frat....then we hear/see Will give a tribute, Will's now a college radio DJ.
So what did we learn Charlie Brown? This comedy is funny, and it works. It's a good concept. Part City Slickers, part animal house. With some good laughs, memorable characters, and terrific performances by Vince Vaughn and a breakout performance by Will Ferrell. That said, the script isn't tight, it relies on some stock setups, provides some patch-work attempts at theme and arc, and ultimately is far from flawless. I give it credit for its pacing and length. The recent spate of Apatow films all seem to outstay their welcome. This moves fast and only runs for 90-minutes.
Friday, May 27, 2011
We're gonna need a bigger BEAT SHEET -- JAWS BS2
JAWS is in my top 5 of all time. I watch it once a year. It holds up. Lots of my favorites don't 100% hold up(despite maintaining their greatness!) -- EMPIRE STRIKES BACK has a little bit of goofiness, old JAMES BOND flicks are downright boring, even RAIDERS feels a little slow at times. Not JAWS. It's one of the most startlingly fast-paced movies I've ever seen. The biggest lesson I got this time, besides impeccable structure, is that the usual exposition 'slowdown' scenes or b-story stuff are some of the most memorably scripted moments in the movie. The scar scene. The cute business where Brodie's son imitates him at the dinner table. The USS Indianapolis story.
In addition, the movie really kicks off with a catalyst at the opening(the protagonist doesn't find it for a few minutes but literally he is thrown into the action/story in the first scene he appears and we meet everyone and setup the town with the momentum of that first attack pushing us along).
TITLE: JAWS
BLAKE GENRE: MONSTER IN THE HOUSE:
MONSTER--Bruce.
HALF-MAN -- Quint
HOUSE -- Amity Island
SIN -- Not closing the beaches down when they should have.
OPENING IMAGE:
A beach campfire at magic hour, kids drinking and having some summer fun. A young girl rushes out to the beach with a drunken dude chasing her. He passes out. She goes for an R-rated swim.
She's attacked by a shark. This movie will evoke precious memories of summer beach getaways while forever putting the fear of God into future Body-Surfing endeavors.
THEME STATED:
"You'll never be an islander." A woman on the beach tells Brodie's wife. Brodie and family are constantly reminded they're outsiders.
I think 'Territoriality' is the theme. The town leaders are focused on their interpretation of 'what is best for the island' despite what is 'best' and least risky. Brody likewise does what is best for his career by not following his instincts. And the shark is the pure embodiment of doing only what is best for its own interests by killing to protect what it deems its territory.
Moral Premise:
ACTIONS FOCUSED ON SELF-INTERESTS THAT PUT PEOPLE AT RISK lead to death and blame; but SELFLESS ACTS FOCUSED ON DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OTHERS lead to victory and safety.
Brody ultimately changes, ignoring his own safety/self-interest, forces the town leader to hire Quint, and even ignores his own fears and puts himself at risk to join the hunt.
SETUP:
A match-cut to Brodie -- the new Sheriff in town-- staring out over the ocean that he protects(Territoriality?). In less than two minutes time, we learn everything we need to know -- he's from New York not Boston/Amity, he's scared to get into water, he has a wife and kids he's so protective of, he won't even let them on the swingset he hasn't had time to fix.
He gets a call -- missing person on the beach. Possible drowning. He's so new to the beach-town he doesn't even know what he's supposed to do -- 'lookout for floaters?'
SIDE-NOTE: Some of the details of this scene are amazingly smart and move the film along with a rapid efficiency -- from little things like having him answer the wrong phone in the house (again to show he's just moved in), to him carrying the clothes of the deadgirl...a little fact most screenplays/films would hit you over the head with.
CATALYST:
On the beach, he finds the gruesome sand-crab ridden remains of the girl from our opening. He's quickly back at the office filling out a report where the coroner calls in the cause of death -- SHARK ATTACK.
DEBATE: Brodie...to close the beach or not?
Brodie scrambles to get signs made to close down the beach(they've never closed the beach before, so they need to make signs). Finds out boyscouts are swimming and rushes to the pier to keep a watchful eye.
The TOWN BUREAUCRATS lead by LARRY stop him -- "You don't have authority to close the beach. This is a summer town. You're not one of us."
Brodie, doesn't put up a fight. He's a new guy, in a new town. While his heart says close the beach, he doesn't want to be an asshole about it.
This is the SIN. Putting commerce ahead of common sense is what causes everything to go from a single incident to a Shark Spree Attack.
Later on the beach, Brodie watches nervously as people enjoy a day on the beach. Sandcastles. Kids on rafts. Family fun. After a few red-herrings, a kid on a raft is actually attacked and killed. The raft washes up, as the poor mother is left to realize her young son is dead.
BREAK INTO ACT 2:
The mother offers a $3000 reward, as the town council meets and debates what to do. Brodie announces that the beach is going to close...but that darned politician Larry overrules him -- 'the beaches will be closed...for 24 hours'. Brodie lets it go again, despite knowing it's crazy-dangerous.
Quint introduces himself and says he'll bring the shark in for $10,000.
Larry says they'll 'take it under advisement.
B-STORY:
At home Brodie studies sharks and insists his own family be 'safer' than the town he governs. Making his son get out of the water with his new boat. Brodie's family story and scenes with his wife, reflect his moral dilemma in the story.
FUN & GAMES:
The town is a circus of shark hunters. Two fisherman almost lose their lives fishing for Bruce. At the pier, it's all beer, harpoons, and dynamite. Dreyfuss -- the oceanographer -- shows up to offer his services. (fashionably late for a major character in a Hollywood script, but I don't detect any problem with it).
Dreyfuess reviews the remains of the first victim and confirms what we already know -- it was definitely a shark attack. He scolds Brodie a bit for allowing 'boat accident' on the report.
Meanwhile, hunters pull in an impressive Tiger Shark. The people at the pier are ecstatic. Taking pictures, cheering them. But Dreyfeuss knows its not the shark and wants to cut it open. Good old Larry refuses. He's liking the publicity and counting that fourth of july umbrella rental money.
Dressed in black, the mother of the dead raft rider arrives. Walks up to Brodie. Slaps his face. She knows he could have closed the beach and saved her son.
This is Brodie's Moment of Grace. The moment he stops the old way of following orders he knows are wrong and starts the new way of following his gut for what he knows what's right in attempt to become a true 'protector' of the island.
Dreyfuss shows up at a brooding Brodie's house for dinner, brings a bottle of wine. Talks about how the shark is 'territorial' and won't stop until there's no people left to feast on. The 'new Brodie' tries the 'new way' ignores Larry's orders and agrees to autopsy the shark. They cut it open and prove it's definitely not the shark that killed the boy. But needing more proof, and further showing he's willing to take risks to protect the town, Brodie joins Dreyfuess and they set out to find the 'night feeding' shark(some more thematic talk about 'here, one man can make a difference'). They discover a ghost boat. Dreyfuss dives below, and finds a body. The shark is still at large!
MIDPOINT:
The discovery of the still active shark is a false victory because despite the evidence the Mayor outright refuses to shut down the beaches for Fourth of July --the BIGGEST BEACH DAY OF THE YEAR.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
The beaches are open! Packed. Brodie and Dreyfuss are working hard to keep the water safe, bringing in spotters and guys with guns in the boats and helicopters.
People are scared to go in the water, but Larry encourages them to get in. Now, we have a lot of people in thw water. Brodie encourages is his son to use the pond not the ocean.
A kid with a fin causes a stampede and almost gets shot! As Brodie calms the situation -- someone notices -- the shark is headed for the pond!
Brodie races to the pond, a man in a kayak is taken out. Then the shark goes for Brodie's son and his friends.
ALL IS LOST:
Brodie's son barely escapes -- and looks dead on the beach...but he's just in shock...but it's a close brush with death. (whiff of death)
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
At the hospital, Brodie's son is staying overnight. Brodie's wife wants to go back to New York. Even Larry is upset. Brodie isn't taking no for an answer anymore. He forces Larry to sign the 'permission' to pay Quint and close the beaches. Now, it's Brodie telling Larry what's in the 'best interest of the town'.
BREAK INTO ACT 3:
Quint paid, the mission is ready. Brodie's wife gives him a sad goodbye and runs off. Brodie has fully transformed -- gone from a wussy pushover to a guy who is willing to risk his life and conquer his phobia. They set out to catch the shark.
FINALE:
NOTE: The finale of Jaws is pretty long for a finale, making it disproportionate to the usual 1 to 2 to 1 act ratio...if you were just going by page count, you might try to jam these moments into act 2. But it's very clearly a 'new world' act break. And another reason I'm dubious of looking at page count for BS2 analysis.
This script falls into Blake's FIVE POINT FINALE. I don't think ALL scripts fall into it, but Jaws seems to:
GATHERING THE TEAM -- Out in the water, they prepare for battle give the audience a feel for Quint and Dreyfuss's equipment.
STORM THE CASTLE -- An initial encounter with the shark, they harpoon it, attach a barrel, hoping to draw it to the surface. After some showing of scars and talking about the USS Indianapolis and singing, the shark resurfaces. The attack is action-packed, as they attach some more barrels to the big-fish.
HIGH TOWER SURPRISE -- The shark attacks. Now it's chasing them. They head for the shore hoping to take it into shallow water. But the boat dies. Now they're stranded!
DIG DEEP DOWN-- Knowing they're in mortal danger, they go with Dreyfuss's plan, it doesn't work. The Cage is presumably severed. The ship is tipped. Quint is eaten.
EXECUTION OF NEW PLAN -- Brodie battles the shark. Gets a compressed air tank in its mouth. Shoots it. Kaboom! The shark blows up.
Dreyfuss shows up(in what I believe to be the only misstep of an otherwise flawless flick) -- hooray! He's alive.
CLOSING IMAGE:
Dreyfuss and Brodie paddle back to shore...we get a shot of the same beach the girl in the opening ran across. It's a nostalgic shot, holding all the promise of summer.
Enjoy the beach!
In addition, the movie really kicks off with a catalyst at the opening(the protagonist doesn't find it for a few minutes but literally he is thrown into the action/story in the first scene he appears and we meet everyone and setup the town with the momentum of that first attack pushing us along).
TITLE: JAWS
BLAKE GENRE: MONSTER IN THE HOUSE:
MONSTER--Bruce.
HALF-MAN -- Quint
HOUSE -- Amity Island
SIN -- Not closing the beaches down when they should have.
OPENING IMAGE:
A beach campfire at magic hour, kids drinking and having some summer fun. A young girl rushes out to the beach with a drunken dude chasing her. He passes out. She goes for an R-rated swim.
She's attacked by a shark. This movie will evoke precious memories of summer beach getaways while forever putting the fear of God into future Body-Surfing endeavors.
THEME STATED:
"You'll never be an islander." A woman on the beach tells Brodie's wife. Brodie and family are constantly reminded they're outsiders.
I think 'Territoriality' is the theme. The town leaders are focused on their interpretation of 'what is best for the island' despite what is 'best' and least risky. Brody likewise does what is best for his career by not following his instincts. And the shark is the pure embodiment of doing only what is best for its own interests by killing to protect what it deems its territory.
Moral Premise:
ACTIONS FOCUSED ON SELF-INTERESTS THAT PUT PEOPLE AT RISK lead to death and blame; but SELFLESS ACTS FOCUSED ON DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OTHERS lead to victory and safety.
Brody ultimately changes, ignoring his own safety/self-interest, forces the town leader to hire Quint, and even ignores his own fears and puts himself at risk to join the hunt.
SETUP:
A match-cut to Brodie -- the new Sheriff in town-- staring out over the ocean that he protects(Territoriality?). In less than two minutes time, we learn everything we need to know -- he's from New York not Boston/Amity, he's scared to get into water, he has a wife and kids he's so protective of, he won't even let them on the swingset he hasn't had time to fix.
He gets a call -- missing person on the beach. Possible drowning. He's so new to the beach-town he doesn't even know what he's supposed to do -- 'lookout for floaters?'
SIDE-NOTE: Some of the details of this scene are amazingly smart and move the film along with a rapid efficiency -- from little things like having him answer the wrong phone in the house (again to show he's just moved in), to him carrying the clothes of the deadgirl...a little fact most screenplays/films would hit you over the head with.
CATALYST:
On the beach, he finds the gruesome sand-crab ridden remains of the girl from our opening. He's quickly back at the office filling out a report where the coroner calls in the cause of death -- SHARK ATTACK.
DEBATE: Brodie...to close the beach or not?
Brodie scrambles to get signs made to close down the beach(they've never closed the beach before, so they need to make signs). Finds out boyscouts are swimming and rushes to the pier to keep a watchful eye.
The TOWN BUREAUCRATS lead by LARRY stop him -- "You don't have authority to close the beach. This is a summer town. You're not one of us."
Brodie, doesn't put up a fight. He's a new guy, in a new town. While his heart says close the beach, he doesn't want to be an asshole about it.
This is the SIN. Putting commerce ahead of common sense is what causes everything to go from a single incident to a Shark Spree Attack.
Later on the beach, Brodie watches nervously as people enjoy a day on the beach. Sandcastles. Kids on rafts. Family fun. After a few red-herrings, a kid on a raft is actually attacked and killed. The raft washes up, as the poor mother is left to realize her young son is dead.
BREAK INTO ACT 2:
The mother offers a $3000 reward, as the town council meets and debates what to do. Brodie announces that the beach is going to close...but that darned politician Larry overrules him -- 'the beaches will be closed...for 24 hours'. Brodie lets it go again, despite knowing it's crazy-dangerous.
Quint introduces himself and says he'll bring the shark in for $10,000.
Larry says they'll 'take it under advisement.
B-STORY:
At home Brodie studies sharks and insists his own family be 'safer' than the town he governs. Making his son get out of the water with his new boat. Brodie's family story and scenes with his wife, reflect his moral dilemma in the story.
FUN & GAMES:
The town is a circus of shark hunters. Two fisherman almost lose their lives fishing for Bruce. At the pier, it's all beer, harpoons, and dynamite. Dreyfuss -- the oceanographer -- shows up to offer his services. (fashionably late for a major character in a Hollywood script, but I don't detect any problem with it).
Dreyfuess reviews the remains of the first victim and confirms what we already know -- it was definitely a shark attack. He scolds Brodie a bit for allowing 'boat accident' on the report.
Meanwhile, hunters pull in an impressive Tiger Shark. The people at the pier are ecstatic. Taking pictures, cheering them. But Dreyfeuss knows its not the shark and wants to cut it open. Good old Larry refuses. He's liking the publicity and counting that fourth of july umbrella rental money.
Dressed in black, the mother of the dead raft rider arrives. Walks up to Brodie. Slaps his face. She knows he could have closed the beach and saved her son.
This is Brodie's Moment of Grace. The moment he stops the old way of following orders he knows are wrong and starts the new way of following his gut for what he knows what's right in attempt to become a true 'protector' of the island.
Dreyfuss shows up at a brooding Brodie's house for dinner, brings a bottle of wine. Talks about how the shark is 'territorial' and won't stop until there's no people left to feast on. The 'new Brodie' tries the 'new way' ignores Larry's orders and agrees to autopsy the shark. They cut it open and prove it's definitely not the shark that killed the boy. But needing more proof, and further showing he's willing to take risks to protect the town, Brodie joins Dreyfuess and they set out to find the 'night feeding' shark(some more thematic talk about 'here, one man can make a difference'). They discover a ghost boat. Dreyfuss dives below, and finds a body. The shark is still at large!
MIDPOINT:
The discovery of the still active shark is a false victory because despite the evidence the Mayor outright refuses to shut down the beaches for Fourth of July --the BIGGEST BEACH DAY OF THE YEAR.
BAD GUYS CLOSE IN:
The beaches are open! Packed. Brodie and Dreyfuss are working hard to keep the water safe, bringing in spotters and guys with guns in the boats and helicopters.
People are scared to go in the water, but Larry encourages them to get in. Now, we have a lot of people in thw water. Brodie encourages is his son to use the pond not the ocean.
A kid with a fin causes a stampede and almost gets shot! As Brodie calms the situation -- someone notices -- the shark is headed for the pond!
Brodie races to the pond, a man in a kayak is taken out. Then the shark goes for Brodie's son and his friends.
ALL IS LOST:
Brodie's son barely escapes -- and looks dead on the beach...but he's just in shock...but it's a close brush with death. (whiff of death)
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL:
At the hospital, Brodie's son is staying overnight. Brodie's wife wants to go back to New York. Even Larry is upset. Brodie isn't taking no for an answer anymore. He forces Larry to sign the 'permission' to pay Quint and close the beaches. Now, it's Brodie telling Larry what's in the 'best interest of the town'.
BREAK INTO ACT 3:
Quint paid, the mission is ready. Brodie's wife gives him a sad goodbye and runs off. Brodie has fully transformed -- gone from a wussy pushover to a guy who is willing to risk his life and conquer his phobia. They set out to catch the shark.
FINALE:
NOTE: The finale of Jaws is pretty long for a finale, making it disproportionate to the usual 1 to 2 to 1 act ratio...if you were just going by page count, you might try to jam these moments into act 2. But it's very clearly a 'new world' act break. And another reason I'm dubious of looking at page count for BS2 analysis.
This script falls into Blake's FIVE POINT FINALE. I don't think ALL scripts fall into it, but Jaws seems to:
GATHERING THE TEAM -- Out in the water, they prepare for battle give the audience a feel for Quint and Dreyfuss's equipment.
STORM THE CASTLE -- An initial encounter with the shark, they harpoon it, attach a barrel, hoping to draw it to the surface. After some showing of scars and talking about the USS Indianapolis and singing, the shark resurfaces. The attack is action-packed, as they attach some more barrels to the big-fish.
HIGH TOWER SURPRISE -- The shark attacks. Now it's chasing them. They head for the shore hoping to take it into shallow water. But the boat dies. Now they're stranded!
DIG DEEP DOWN-- Knowing they're in mortal danger, they go with Dreyfuss's plan, it doesn't work. The Cage is presumably severed. The ship is tipped. Quint is eaten.
EXECUTION OF NEW PLAN -- Brodie battles the shark. Gets a compressed air tank in its mouth. Shoots it. Kaboom! The shark blows up.
Dreyfuss shows up(in what I believe to be the only misstep of an otherwise flawless flick) -- hooray! He's alive.
CLOSING IMAGE:
Dreyfuss and Brodie paddle back to shore...we get a shot of the same beach the girl in the opening ran across. It's a nostalgic shot, holding all the promise of summer.
Enjoy the beach!
Another Plastic Thumb: THE MORAL PREMISE
I like reading guru stuff. But one topic I never see practically explored is THEME.
Enter the Moral Premise (by Stan Williams, PHD). It was mentioned to me by the good-old managers over at ELEMENTS ENTERTAINMENT, who were turned onto it from those classy-cats at OVERBROOK entertainment. It's a book I've never heard any screenwriter recommend.
Until now!
I can describe the basics of the moral premise in a single blog entry, but the book goes more in depth with specific examples and how the premise is applied to different characters. The Blog is cool to. It's like a living addendum to the book.
A moral premise looks like this:
[psychological vice] leads to [physical detriment]; but [psychological virtue] leads to [physical betterment].
Some examples:
DARK KNIGHT: Revengeful, self-service(Vice) leads to nihilistic desperation(detriment); but Sacrificial public service(virtue) leads to purposeful hope(betterment).
AVATAR: Greed, abuse and disrespect for life and creation leads to dread and destruction; but generosity, kindness and respect for life leads to hope and progress.
300(or is it Foro?): Vain glory in service of self leads to enslavement; but Humility in service of others leads to freedom.
DIE HARD: Covetous Selfishness leads to death and destruction but sacrificial love leads to a life of celebration.
OFFICER AND A GENTLEMEN : Deceiving ourselves and others leads to death and destruction; but Truthfulness to ourselves and others leads to hope and life.
Tragedy's have a different sort of arc -- sometimes like this:
Lying leads to distrust;
but outright fraud leads to death and destruction.
A typical theme(like the kind Mckgee lays out) is only one half of this. "Lying leads to distrust"...this form gives you the starting point for the protag both psychologically and physically; and conversely gives you the end point...ie -- both sides of a character arc.
Anyway, me likey.I'm constantly getting hammered on character arcs and this gives me a simple tool to integrate theme/arc and character.
The other big insight is the 'moment of grace'. The MOG is a beat, usually near the midpoint where the person starts to change toward the arc. A 'look in the mirror' moment(often literally a look in the mirror moment!).
The key thing about the MOG, is up to that point, the character tries the 'vice' (before midpoint) and then tries the 'virtue' after the Moment.
I just watched JAWS for the blog(coming soon). There's a very obvious MOG when the woman who just lost her son steps up and slaps Brodie in the face for not closing down the beaches. From that point on, Brodie is a changed man and starts actively being the hero instead of the pushover.
A cool way to further inform my Blake Snyder beat sheet. Act 1 & Fun & Games is the protag trying the 'vice' but Bad Guys on is protag trying the 'virtue'.
Read the Moral Premise blog. Get the book.
That is all.
Enter the Moral Premise (by Stan Williams, PHD). It was mentioned to me by the good-old managers over at ELEMENTS ENTERTAINMENT, who were turned onto it from those classy-cats at OVERBROOK entertainment. It's a book I've never heard any screenwriter recommend.
Until now!
I can describe the basics of the moral premise in a single blog entry, but the book goes more in depth with specific examples and how the premise is applied to different characters. The Blog is cool to. It's like a living addendum to the book.
A moral premise looks like this:
[psychological vice] leads to [physical detriment]; but [psychological virtue] leads to [physical betterment].
Some examples:
DARK KNIGHT: Revengeful, self-service(Vice) leads to nihilistic desperation(detriment); but Sacrificial public service(virtue) leads to purposeful hope(betterment).
AVATAR: Greed, abuse and disrespect for life and creation leads to dread and destruction; but generosity, kindness and respect for life leads to hope and progress.
300(or is it Foro?): Vain glory in service of self leads to enslavement; but Humility in service of others leads to freedom.
DIE HARD: Covetous Selfishness leads to death and destruction but sacrificial love leads to a life of celebration.
OFFICER AND A GENTLEMEN : Deceiving ourselves and others leads to death and destruction; but Truthfulness to ourselves and others leads to hope and life.
Tragedy's have a different sort of arc -- sometimes like this:
Lying leads to distrust;
but outright fraud leads to death and destruction.
A typical theme(like the kind Mckgee lays out) is only one half of this. "Lying leads to distrust"...this form gives you the starting point for the protag both psychologically and physically; and conversely gives you the end point...ie -- both sides of a character arc.
Anyway, me likey.I'm constantly getting hammered on character arcs and this gives me a simple tool to integrate theme/arc and character.
The other big insight is the 'moment of grace'. The MOG is a beat, usually near the midpoint where the person starts to change toward the arc. A 'look in the mirror' moment(often literally a look in the mirror moment!).
The key thing about the MOG, is up to that point, the character tries the 'vice' (before midpoint) and then tries the 'virtue' after the Moment.
I just watched JAWS for the blog(coming soon). There's a very obvious MOG when the woman who just lost her son steps up and slaps Brodie in the face for not closing down the beaches. From that point on, Brodie is a changed man and starts actively being the hero instead of the pushover.
A cool way to further inform my Blake Snyder beat sheet. Act 1 & Fun & Games is the protag trying the 'vice' but Bad Guys on is protag trying the 'virtue'.
Read the Moral Premise blog. Get the book.
That is all.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
I'm more of a dog guy...
SAVE THE CAT'S BLAKE SNYDER BEAT SHEET is a quick way to look at story structure. Blake 'borrowed' the best of other 'gurus' (Field, Mckgee, Campbell/Hero's Journey) and spun his own beats. He used practical names and descriptions. And it caught on.
Blake and I wrote a couple of scripts together in the pre-Save The Cat days. I was sort of his unknowing guinea pig. He threw around terms like FUN & GAMES and BAD GUYS CLOSE IN and I just assumed these were industry buzz words.
I think the best part about SAVE THE CAT gives writers is a common vocabulary. A vocabulary I can use to talk 'beat sheets'.
I recommend all three of his books(my favorite is his second which is really the inspiration for this blog). If you're really into it, the website even sells outlining software.
The BS2 is so simple, you could almost get away with never buying the book. It's kind of like when you go to your local magic store(you have a local magic store, right?). They roll up their sleeves and make a scarf vanish into thin air. A complete and utter miracle.
For five dollars you can do this trick! You must have it! Chicks dig the magic tricks!
You hand over your $5.00...and they hand you back a plastic weirdly colored fake thumb.
The blog http://www.blakesnyder.com gives you the fake thumb for free. But I highly recommend the book as it will get your wheels turning on a deeper level.
Without further ado, here's your fake thumb:
Blake and I wrote a couple of scripts together in the pre-Save The Cat days. I was sort of his unknowing guinea pig. He threw around terms like FUN & GAMES and BAD GUYS CLOSE IN and I just assumed these were industry buzz words.
I think the best part about SAVE THE CAT gives writers is a common vocabulary. A vocabulary I can use to talk 'beat sheets'.
I recommend all three of his books(my favorite is his second which is really the inspiration for this blog). If you're really into it, the website even sells outlining software.
The BS2 is so simple, you could almost get away with never buying the book. It's kind of like when you go to your local magic store(you have a local magic store, right?). They roll up their sleeves and make a scarf vanish into thin air. A complete and utter miracle.
For five dollars you can do this trick! You must have it! Chicks dig the magic tricks!
You hand over your $5.00...and they hand you back a plastic weirdly colored fake thumb.
The blog http://www.blakesnyder.com gives you the fake thumb for free. But I highly recommend the book as it will get your wheels turning on a deeper level.
Without further ado, here's your fake thumb:
THE BLAKE SNYDER BEAT SHEET
PROJECT TITLE:
GENRE:
DATE:
1. Opening Image (1):
2. Theme Stated (5):
3. Set-Up (1-10):
4. Catalyst (12):
5. Debate (12-25):
6. Break into Two (25)
7. B Story (30):
8. Fun and Games (30-55):
9. Midpoint (55):
10. Bad Guys Close In (55-75):
11. All Is Lost (75):
12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-85):
13. Break into Three (85):
14. Finale (85-110):
15. Final Image (110):
Friday, May 20, 2011
I want to BEAT you to death.
I think it was Ghengis Kahn who said 'be the change you want to see'.
As a screenwriter, there's one thing I always wanted to see -- a depository of beat-sheets from movies good and bad, old and new. When I write, I like to review various movies that attempt to use similar plots.
For awhile there, I had even planned to write a book in which I unveiled dozens of STORY PATTERNS and pointed to various scripts in different genres that shared similar ones.
My buddy/mentor/co-writer BLAKE SNYDER of SAVE THE CAT fame did this. He wrote SAVE THE CAT GOES TO THE MOVIES. It's by far the book I return to most. BY FAR.
Here's Blake's website:
http://www.blakesnyder.com/
I want more. A lot more. So, I'm going to start posting beat-sheets here. Or linking to them or whatever. If you do one, let me know, I'll post it. If I get 1000 maybe I'll go away from this 'blog format' and build a database or some craziness.
I'm busy writing, so these won't appear very fast and furious(I'll do one for Fast and Furious).
Here's my approach:
Periodically, I'll post other things at my whim.
First up is JAWS. Check in when you can.
As a screenwriter, there's one thing I always wanted to see -- a depository of beat-sheets from movies good and bad, old and new. When I write, I like to review various movies that attempt to use similar plots.
For awhile there, I had even planned to write a book in which I unveiled dozens of STORY PATTERNS and pointed to various scripts in different genres that shared similar ones.
My buddy/mentor/co-writer BLAKE SNYDER of SAVE THE CAT fame did this. He wrote SAVE THE CAT GOES TO THE MOVIES. It's by far the book I return to most. BY FAR.
Here's Blake's website:
http://www.blakesnyder.com/
I want more. A lot more. So, I'm going to start posting beat-sheets here. Or linking to them or whatever. If you do one, let me know, I'll post it. If I get 1000 maybe I'll go away from this 'blog format' and build a database or some craziness.
I'm busy writing, so these won't appear very fast and furious(I'll do one for Fast and Furious).
Here's my approach:
- I'm going to use a Blake Snyder beat-sheet. It's my blog! I'm a Cat-Man(I look good in latex). That said, I'll occasionally post synopsises(synopsi, synopsissies?) of others in different formats. I have a book of Hero's Journey breakdowns that I love and wouldn't mind seeing more from the unwashed masses. If you dig the hero's journey or the sequence method or Truby and want to share...Share!
- I tend to keep my BS2's short. Above and beyond that, they're not as useful to me. I like to tear through these in minutes.That said, I'm already working on the first and it's long. So I'm a hypocrite!
- Beat-Sheets tend to be in the eye of the beholder -- I have my own modified view/opinions of the Blake Snyder beat-sheet. I see Beat Sheets out there I totally disagree with. I disagree with some of Blake's beat-sheets. So what? This isn't a proof. There's no one right answer. Even beat-sheets I disagree with are useful tools. Some of it is semantics. Hopefully we'll find those differences and figure out our semantical disagreements and move on.
- I tend not to care about page counts in my beat-sheets. While that's highly useful information, I don't have time to put in the stop-watch work...so be warned.
- I also am a big fan of THE MORAL PREMISE(a book and a blog). It's the best book I've read on theme/character arc. I'll be using its terminology. I use a simplified version of it in my beat-sheets. Here's the website the website. I'll try to post a simple Moral Premise Primer before I get started : http://moralpremise.blogspot.com/
Periodically, I'll post other things at my whim.
First up is JAWS. Check in when you can.
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