Lessons from the Screenplay - Season 3 / Year 2017
Season 3 / Year 2017
Episodes
The Social Network — Sorkin, Structure, and Collaboration
Sorkin's dialogue is famous for being rapid-fire and full of wit. In this video I look at the function of this style, how he uses non-linear structure to frame the story, and the critical role that collaboration played in the creation of The Social Network.
When Harry Met Sally — Breaking Genre Conventions
When Harry Met Sally takes the conventions of a classic from-hate-to-love story and flips them on their head, creating a unique and charming film.
Inglourious Basterds — The Elements of Suspense
Examining the elements of suspense that Quentin Tarantino put to use in the opening scene of Inglourious Basterds.
Breaking Bad — Crafting a TV Pilot
Breaking Bad is celebrated as one of the best TV shows of all time—but every series has to start somewhere. This video looks at how the structure of the pilot episode sets up everything the audience needs to know about the series.
Rogue One vs. The Force Awakens — The Fault in Our Star Wars
In this video I examine some of the flaws and imperfections in Rogue One and The Force Awakens to extract the lessons we can learn about showing vs. telling, active protagonists, and meaningful consequences.
Arrival — Examining an Adaptation
Examining how Arrival was adapted from the short story it was based on, how clever editing kept the focus on the protagonist, and why good science fiction is really a study of humanity.
True Detective vs. Se7en — Creating Light Amongst the Dark
Despite the dark and gruesome subject matters of True Detective and Se7en, the character arcs of the main characters tell a story of profound optimism.
Telling a Story from the Inside Out
Creating a story is often as much of a journey for the writer as it is for the characters. In this video I look at the writing process for Inside Out to examine how the powerful emotions in the film were inspired by the real-life experiences of the writers.
Game of Thrones — How to Evoke Emotion
This video looks at how Game of Thrones—and the Battle of the Bastards episode in particular—evokes such strong emotions in its audience by making sure every scene has a compelling value transition.
Memento — Telling a Story in Reverse
Analyzing Christopher Nolan's film Memento, and how he manages to tell a compelling story when most of it happens in reverse chronological order.
Blade Runner — Constructing a Future Noir
Blade Runner was the first film to take the thematic elements of classic film noir and bring them into a sci-fi, dystopian future. This video analyzes those elements and examines why the private detective of classic film noir is the perfect fit for the world of Blade Runner.
Logan vs. Children of Men — The End is in the Beginning
Examining how Logan and Children of Men begin their stories and send the heroes down the path of redemption.
Hidden Figures — The Power of Subplots
Hidden Figures is about three women, but it focuses mainly on Katherine Johnson's story, so the other two women are given their own subplots. This video looks at the elements of subplot and how to design a subplot that supports the main plot.
Recently Updated Shows
Chopped
Chopped is a cooking competition show that is all about skill, speed and ingenuity. Each week, four chefs compete before a panel of expert judges and turn baskets of mystery ingredients into an extraordinary three-course meal. Course by course, the chefs will be "chopped" from the competition until only one winner remains. The challenge? They have seconds to plan and 30 minutes to cook an amazing course with the basket of mystery ingredients given to them moments before the clock starts ticking! And the pressure doesn't stop there. Once they've completed their dish, they've got to survive the Chopping Block where our three judges are waiting to be wowed and not shy about voicing their culinary criticisms! Our host, Ted Allen, leads this high-energy, high-pressure show that will have viewers rooting for a winner and cheering for the losers. Chopped is a game of passion, expertise and skill — and in the end, only one chef will survive the Chopping Block. Who will make the cut? The answer is on Chopped!
The Librarians: The Next Chapter
The Librarians: The Next Chapter centers on Vikram Chamberlain, a "Librarian" from the past who time traveled from 1847 and now finds himself stuck in the present. When Vikram returns to his castle in Belgrade, Serbia and discovers that it is now a museum, he inadvertently releases magic across the continent. With the help of a new team of eclectic heroes, including a savant in world history, a scientific genius, and a highly skilled Guardian, Vikram has only six months to clean up the mess he made.
Nine Perfect Strangers
Nine Perfect Strangers takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation as nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this ten-day retreat is the resort's director Masha, a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine "perfect" strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.
Ironheart
Set after the events of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," Ironheart pits technology against magic when Riri Williams - a young, genius inventor determined to make her mark on the world - returns to her hometown of Chicago. Her unique take on building iron suits is brilliant, but in pursuit of her ambitions, she finds herself wrapped up with the mysterious yet charming Parker Robbins aka "The Hood".
Resident Alien
Resident Alien is a dark, twisted and comedic fish-out-of-water story that follows a crash-landed alien named Harry who, after taking on the identity of a small-town Colorado doctor, slowly begins to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission on Earth — ultimately asking the question, "Are human beings worth saving?"