Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

Listen if you want to understand how hidden information drives character motivation and plot structure! “Getting information puts your character in danger. And danger rewards your character with information." — One of three ideas we steal from game design in this episode. In this two part series, we talk about how secrets, clues and hidden information motivate characters and may (or may not) help you plot from a character perspective. Part One (this episode) looks at WAKE UP DEAD MAN; while Part Two looks at SIDE EFFECTS, and the pilot episode of SHRINKING. The other two (related) ideas are: Landmark information (characters just have it), Secret (they know it's there, need to unlock it), and Hidden (invisible until they pay the cost) Narrative velocity — are characters pushed forward or are they pulled forward? To that end, in this episode Stu, Chas and Mel start with the murder mystery (ostensibly the easier deep-dive): Rian Johnson’s WAKE UP DEAD MAN. But this is a complex film made even more complex by being a dual-protagonist film. Uhuh. Benoit Blanc is pulled through the story by his need to solve the case; Father Judd pushed through, against his will, to prove his innocence. Breaking down how that plays out — and why it matters for the kind of escalation each character can sustain — is the heart of the episode. And inevitably we go on some tangents: pointers, plants, and underpinnings (from our Everything Everywhere All At Once episode) fair play in locked-room mysteries, Narrative POV (as always) and node-based plotting and what dungeon-crawl game design has to do with writing a web of clues. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. Information puts players in danger and danger rewards characters with information, right? That's kind of the loop with like thriller game design. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Join the discussion on Reddit. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:18 – What do we mean by Secrets and Clues? 00:13:22 – Wake Up Dead Man 01:22:50 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up FILMS WAKE UP DEAD MAN (2025) — (w) Rian Johnson SCRIPTS Study the script: WAKE UP DEAD MAN (2025) — Rian Johnson LINKS Read: DIY & dragons: Landmark, Hidden, Secret Read: The Alexandrian » Advanced Node-Based Design Read: Ascii Dreams: The Quest for Quests (Part 1) Read: Ascii Dreams: The Quest for Quests (Part 2) Read: Mel's KNIVES OUT: A Rose by Any Other Name Would Not Clue Us In EPISODES IN THE SECRETS AND CLUES SERIES DZ-126: Secrets and Clues RELATED EPISODES DZ-90: Setups & Payoffs in Everything Everywhere All At Once ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2026/dz-126/

Listen if you want to understand how narrative POV, screenplay format, and dialogue craft can elevate a contained biopic into an Oscar-nominated film BLUE MOON is a talky, period-drama that film about an obscure songer-writer in the 1940s. Yet, it attracted world-class talent AND Academy Award nominations, including for it's script. Join Chas & Mel as they explore how narrative POV, interweaving relationships, hooky dialogue, and even the screenplay format itself make the script for BLUE MOON so great. While Stu is still on show and we are between the 2026 Oscar nominations and the actual ceremony, our patreons selected BLUE MOON for this one-shot and boy are Mel and Chas glad they did. They dive into many lessons learned in previous episodes, like our character-driven episode… or analysis of French scenes in Adolescence… or the story-telling power that comes from the audience knowing the ending from biopics. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. When I say rules, I mean the prescriptive rules of when someone posts something on screenwriting and everyone goes *Oh, you broke all the rules*. I'm saying this is good. I'm saying most of those rules are suggestions or most of those rules are given to you when you are learning how to write for a reason. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – BLUE MOON 00:02:19 – Summary of Key Learnings 00:13:34 – Controlling narrative POV 00:27:49 – Using screenplay FORMAT to reflect the emotional story 00:39:27 – Interweaving relationships 00:56:46 – Repetition and pop culture references in dialogue 01:07:54 – Key learnings 01:16:02 – Thanks patreons and Oscar-nominated listener! FILMS BLUE MOON (2026) — (w) Robert Kaplow (d) Richard Linklater LINKS Read: BLUE MOON - Scene Headings Breakdown RELATED EPISODES DZ-01: Do Screenplay Gurus win you Oscars? DZ-68: Using POV to structure KNIVES OUT DZ-118: ADOLESCENCE and Tension Through Questions DZ-90: Setups & Payoffs in Everything Everywhere All At Once DZ-35: Driving Characters or Character Driven? DZ-63: Tools for Better Dialogue 2 - Hook and Eye ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2026/dz-125/

Listen if you need audiences to root for characters who do terrible things Mel and Chas continue to explore what Noir (the genre) can teach writers of all other genres. In particular: How to keep the audience on side of characters doing reprehensible things; How to control your audience understanding of those reprehensible actions; and Distinguishing between characters undergoing transformative arcs against discovering their true natures In finding the common craft tools of Noir over 100 years, this Part 2 looks at two modern noirs – DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995) and WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024) – after Part 1 looked at the classic DOUBLE INDEMNITY and THE LONG GOODBYE. Despite Chas claiming to have edited this episode it was, in fact, Chris Walker who saved the day and got this done. Thanks Chris. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I think these films have got really strong control over the questions and that's how they get us to follow, compelling us to follow characters who are doing terrible things. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Using noir as a lens 00:01:56 – DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS 00:31:33 – WOMAN OF THE HOUR 01:04:30 – Key Learnings 01:08:50 – Thank you Patreons! FILMS DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS (1995) — (w) Carl Franklin, Walter Mosley (d) Carl Franklin WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024) — (w) Ian Mcdonald (d) Anna Kendrick DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) — (w) Raymond Chandler, James M Cain, Billy Wilder (d) Billy Wilder THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) — (w) Leigh Brackett, Raymond Chandler (d) Robert Altman SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Blocking a Sneak: DOUBLE INDEMNITY LINKS Shot Zero: Noir shots in WOMAN OF THE HOUR EPISODES IN THE NOIR SERIES DZ-123: Flawed Characters in Noir DZ-124: Making the Despicable Compelling RELATED EPISODES DZ-123: Flawed Characters in Noir DZ-03: Making Unlikeable Protagonists Compelling DZ-110: Voiceover ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2026/dz-124/ Download episode: DZ-124.mp3

Listen if you want to write morally compromised characters without endorsing their choices. In this two part series, Mel and Chas use Noir (the genre) as a lens to interrogate flawed characters. How can characters doing reprehensible things still engage audiences? How can you ensure representation isn’t endorsement? And whether these characters undergo transformative arcs, or simply reveal their true natures? Part 1 (DZ-123) focuses on two (now classic) noirs: DOUBLE INDEMNITY and THE LONG GOODBYE. While Part 2 (DZ-124) looks at two more contemporary examples DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS and WOMAN OF THE HOUR. Despite Chas claiming to have edited this episode it was, in fact, Chris Walker who saved the done and got this done by the end of 2025. Thanks Chris. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. This is the philosophical question, right? When you get drunk, do you change what you do or do you simply allow your inhibitions to fall and do what you would normally want to do? — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:17 – Flawed Characters and Noir 00:16:40 – Double Indemnity 00:53:38 – The Long Goodbye 01:21:15 – Wrap Up and Key Learnings FILMS DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944) — (w) Raymond Chandler, James M Cain, Billy Wilder (d) Billy Wilder THE LONG GOODBYE (1973) — (w) Leigh Brackett, Raymond Chandler (d) Robert Altman SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Blocking a Sneak: DOUBLE INDEMNITY LINKS Read: Mel's A Brief History of Queer Coding in Film Part 1 EPISODES IN THE NOIR SERIES DZ-123: Flawed Characters in Noir DZ-124: Making the Despicable Compelling ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-123/

What happens when a group of filmmakers play a ragtag group of filmmakers in a gritty sci-fi horror?"Ignite the fire within and explore unknown territory" - Werner Herzog.This episode is unusual, even by Draft Zero standards. It's an "Actual Play Podcast" where Chas, Stu, & Mel are joined by Kim Ho and Luke Clark to play MOTHERSHIP, the sci-fi horror game we talked about in episodes DZ-121 and DZ-122. Stu is the GM while everyone else is a ragtag crew of freelance filmmakers. We debrief the experience (so far) at the end of the episode)Mel plays Zara, the glamorous face of the operation. Chas plays Winston, the cynical and egoistical "photojournalist". Kim is Cal, the scrappy scrounger and sound recordists, while Luke is Tarsos the steadfast producer of the group. The crew are enlisted to record a sensationalist report on a missing corporate president before the mercenary retrieval team arrives.And yeah, this means we're soft-launching yet another project that's called 1dZ, which looks at how we can use tools from ttrpgs in screenwriting… and vice versa.To get future episodes go to: http://www.1d-zero.com/CHAPTERS00:00:11 - Intro for DZ Listeners00:01:51 - Meet the Snortin' Betsy00:06:22 - A Mansion Most Vile (Ep 1)01:52:32 - Debrief through TOMBSRELATED EPISODESDZ-121: Escalating Antagonism 1: SinnersDZ-122: Escalating Antagonism 2: Rebel Ridge + Meet the ParentsLINKSTuesday Knight GamesJoshua Kramer: A Mansion Most VileAlewood Games: ArkyvrNobody Wake the BugbearCampaign SuppliesMore Draft Zero is brought to you more often by our awesome Patreons. Especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, and Khrob.Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners.We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.SUBSCRIBE TO SHOT ZERO via SubstackSUBSCRIBE TO 1DZERO via SubstackACKNOWLEDGES via our website: https://draft-zero.com/2025/1dz-01/

Listen to learn how thinking of your hero as the horror (for your villains) makes your script dynamic. In this episode Chas, Stu and guest Kim Ho continue their exploration into the power(s) of antagonism and how focusing on them can develop story. While Part 1 looked at the horror film SINNERS, in Part 2 we venture into genres beyond horror with the action-thriller REBEL RIDGE, and the comedy classic MEET THE PARENTS. To both these films we apply the generative story framework TOMBS (Transgression – Omens – Manifestation – Banishment – Slumber) and are surprised at just how well it maps. TOMBS comes from the MOTHERSHIP sci-fi horror table-top role-playing game. Which we love. We explore how TOMBS, and thinking about antagonism in general, allows writers to deepen their understanding of their characters, their relationship of the heroes with the antagonists, and generate story fuel in a way that escalates the story. We discuss how thinking of your hero as the horror for your villains helps everything become more dynamic. Oh, and we talk about launching an actual play podcast. Which is happening. Stay tuned! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. There's a great line from Don Johnson later where he says, the deal was fair. The issue is that you felt that you were allowed to offer it. He tells him that he has transgressed against the rules of the laws or the rules of this system of this world. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:12 – Escalating Antagonism Part 2 00:03:29 – Rebel Ridge 00:45:30 – Meet the Parents 01:30:29 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:41:38 – Thanks to our Patreons FILMS REBEL RIDGE (2024) — (w) Jeremy Saulnier MEET THE PARENTS (2000) — (w) Jim Herzfeld, John Hamburg (d) Jay Roach LINKS IMDB: Kim Ho Explore: Mothership YouTube: The Philosophy of Final Destination Read: The Philosophy of Horror or Paradoxes of the Heart by Noël Carroll YouTube: GinnyDI - "This Game used 5 steps to scare the crap out of me" Listen: 1dZ-01: Arkyvrs - A Mansion Most Vile - Ep1 EPISODES IN THE ESCALATING ANTAGONISM SERIES DZ-121: Escalating Antagonism in SINNERS DZ-122: Escalating Antagonism Across Genres RELATED EPISODES DZ-49: Antagonists! 1 - vs Humans ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-122/

Listen to strengthen your story by focusing on the antagonistic forces in your script. We often struggle to develop the middle stages of a story. Could this be because we focus on our protagonists’ journeys and plot structure more than on how the antagonistic powers are awakened, wronged, discovered, gathering strength and revealing themselves? In this episode, Chas and Stu are joined by professional screenwriter and playwright Kim Ho to explore how a generative story cycle (from tabletop role-playing game MOTHERSHIP) can be used to develop stories, not just write them better. This cycle is TOMBS: Transgression – Omens – Manifestation – Banishment – Slumber. Kim also contrasts this cycle with the Onset, Discovery, Confirmation, Confrontation cycle identified by horror philosopher Noel Carroll, as well as the philosophy of the FINAL DESTINATION franchise as analysed by The Morbid Zoo. By applying the TOMBS cycle to Ryan Coogler’s amazing 2025 original feature SINNERS, we discover how focusing on the rising power of the various sources of antagonism can generate narrative fuel (and make your second Act sing); force your protagonists to Survive, Solve or Save (pick one); and how this escalation in antagonism can be mapped quite separately from your protagonists’ character arcs. To prove that TOMBS does not just work for horror stories, we polled our patreons for which other genres to explore. Stay turned for the next episode (DZ-122) where we apply the TOMBS cycle to thriller REBEL RIDGE and comedy classic MEET THE PARENTS. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. when you use those structures that are out there, they tend to be around plot and they tend to think primarily from the protagonist's point of view. And using this system, we can actually look at the forces of antagonism in a story. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold open 00:00:18 – What is T.O.M.B.S? 00:31:04 – SINNERS 01:17:51 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:23:51 – Thank you patreons! FILMS SINNERS (2025) — (w) Ryan Coogler LINKS IMDB: Kim Ho Explore: Mothership YouTube: The Philosophy of Final Destination by the Morbid Zoo Read: The Philosophy of Horror by Noel Carroll EPISODES IN THE ESCALATING ANTAGONISM SERIES DZ-121: Escalating Antagonism in SINNERS DZ-122: Escalating Antagonism Across Genres RELATED EPISODES DZ-49: Antagonists! 1 - vs Humans ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-121/

Listen if you're struggling to write subtext without it feeling forced! Or, how focusing on good drama will result in good subtext. We often hear how subtext is important for good screenwriting. We're here to tell you it isn't. Good subtext is a result of good drama, and your focus should be on creating that good drama. But how? In this episode, Chas Fisher and Stu Willis are joined by screenwriter and teacher Tom Vaughn (Winchester) to delve into the world of subtext. We kick off the discussion by talking through Tom's article "Why Subtext is Overrated" and break down his core idea that subtext is a byproduct of character goals, tactics and fears. We explore this further through close examination of "the other way" scene from MICHAEL CLAYTON, "the strudel" scene from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (both known for their subtext) and the "new years" sequence from THE SUBSTANCE. Inevitably discussion also turns to the relationship of subtext to emotional truth, theme, symbolism, dramatic irony and filmmaker's subtext. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. You can't market subtext, man. — tom LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:20 – Intro: What is Subtext? 00:00:21 – Cold Open 00:18:59 – Michael Clayton 00:42:59 – Inglorious Basterds 01:13:48 – The Substance 01:46:13 – Wrap up & Key Learnings FILMS MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — (w) Tony Gilroy INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — (w) Quentin Tarantino THE SUBSTANCE (2024) — (w) Coralie Fargeat SCRIPTS Study the script: MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — Tony Gilroy Study the script: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — Quentin Tarantino LINKS Read: The New Literalism Plaguing Today's Biggest Movies Read: Emotional Truth Over Subtext: Unlocking Compelling Scenes in Your Screenwriting Website: Story and Plot YouTube: Raising the Stakes - What is Subtext? RELATED EPISODES DZ-40: Tactics and Scenes DZ-108: The Emotional Event with Judith Weston DZ-119: Final Character Choices & Great Endings ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-120/

Listen if you want to understand how to better dramatise a character's internal journey In this episode, Stu and Chas focus solely on the final choices made by protagonists and how that reflects their character journey and successfully, or not, dramatises the internal. We compare and contrast different uses of narrative POV in respect to these final choices. And in particular whether and when the audience is made aware of the options available to the character, the act of making the choice, and the consequences of the choice. We breakdown examples from DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES, FINDING NEMO, MICHAEL CLAYTON, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and TALK TO ME. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. A character has to make the most difficult decision of their life, and it becomes the crisis because each alternative poses a loss as well as a gain. And so, therefore, characters have to weigh what really matters most to them. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Opening 00:00:18 – Why Final Choices? 00:10:45 – DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 00:19:09 – FINDING NEMO 00:28:45 – MICHAEL CLAYTON 00:53:11 – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN 01:16:38 – TALK TO ME 01:41:45 – Key Learnings 01:50:13 – Thanks awesome patreons! FILMS DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023) — (w) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Michael Gilio (d) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein FINDING NEMO (2003) — (w) Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds (d) Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — (w) Tony Gilroy PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — (w) Emerald Fennell TALK TO ME (2022) — (w) Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman (d) Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou SCRIPTS Study the script: FINDING NEMO (2003) — Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds Study the script: MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — Tony Gilroy Study the script: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — Emerald Fennell SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES The Gags of the Scene - Dungeons and Dragons Perp & Victim 2: Opening Kills in Horror (2000s+) LINKS Watch: TALK TO ME by Danny Philippou & Bills Hinzman based on a concept by Daley Pearson YouTube: Michael Arndt - What makes an insanely good ending? YouTube: Every Frame a Painting - Snowpiercer - Look Left or Right RELATED EPISODES DZ-04: Catharsis and the Post-Coital Cigarette DZ-33: Protagonist vs Hero - Dawn of Character Function DZ-34: Game of Choices - Decision Making and Character Implications DZ-58: Game of Thrones - Character Exposition DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-119/

Listen if you think tension only comes from plot. In this episode, Stu and Chas delve into the cultural phenomenon of ADOLESCENCE. We try to find the craft tools that have made the show so compelling and such a catalyst for conversation. In particular, we breakdown how the show’s emphasis on questions creates tension: not just tension through plot, but tension through character, and ultimately tension through theme. We analsyse the show episode-by-episode, and discuss how the overall structure skilfully shifts from a plot-heavy police procedural towards a thematic-heavy melodrama and the impact that has on our experience. We discuss how the decision to shoot the show in a series of “oners” affects the writing and what tools we can take from that to apply to our own writing (even if we’re not writing it to be a one-shot): POV characters, handovers, French scenes, emotional events, and more. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. The absence of plot does not mean the absence of tension. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:10 – Why Adolescence? 00:09:32 – Episode One 00:32:03 – Episode Two 00:46:59 – Episode Three 00:57:47 – Episode Four 01:19:19 – Melodrama 01:23:32 – Scene-level tools 01:52:57 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:58:33 – Thanks to our Patreons SHOWS ADOLESCENCE 1x1 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w) ADOLESCENCE 1x2 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w) ADOLESCENCE 1x3 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w) ADOLESCENCE 1x4 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w) LINKS Watch: Crafting Adolescence's Tense One-Take Episodes with Stephen Graham via BAFTA Watch: The Making Of Adolescence: The One-Shot Explained Read: 'Adolescence' Episode 3 Script By Stephen Graham & Jack Thorne RELATED EPISODES DZ-67: Writing Passive Protagonists & Melodrama DZ-108: The Emotional Event with Judith Weston DZ-101: Oners - Creating Immediacy & Anchoring Action on the Page DZ-70: Joker & Melodrama ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-118/

Listen if you want to write tonal pivots that land on the page without a director's toolkit. Following on from our episodes on establishing tone through action lines and through character, this is what we have been building up to: how to pull off a tonal switch… that does NOT throw the audience out of the film. And, in particular, how to pull that off on the page when writers don’t have framing, lighting, music, editing, etc. at our disposal? With that goal in mind, Mel and Chas dissect specific moments on the pages of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU and SWISS ARMY MAN. While there are definite craft tools identified - rhythm of action lines, varying use of unfilmmables and metaphors, establishing language patterns - the two big takeaways are: (1) pulling off a tonal shift takes a lot of setup; and (2) when the time comes, contrast on the page is key. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. Not only does it allow us to accept the mother's death, but it allows them to really go for emotion because they've already taught us that throughout the film, there will be these moments. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:25 – What do we mean by tonal shift? 00:08:35 – Distinguishing between genre shift and tonal shift 00:13:08 – Shaun of the Dead 00:45:41 – Sorry to Bother You 01:28:07 – Swiss Army Man 02:02:10 – Key learnings and wrap up 02:06:35 – Patreon thanks FILMS SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) — (w) Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright (d) Edgar Wright SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) — (w) Boots Riley SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) — (w) Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert SCRIPTS Study the script: SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) — Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright Study the script: SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) — Boots Riley Study the script: SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Framing [between] Them: SHAUN OF THE DEAD LINKS YouTube: Every Frame A Painting - Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy EPISODES IN THE ESTABLISHING TONE SERIES DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print DZ-107: Establishing Tone through Character DZ-117: Pulling Off Tonal Shifts RELATED EPISODES DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print DZ-107: Establishing Tone through Character ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-117/

Listen if you're writing physical comedy and have no idea how to make it work on the page Mel joins Chas to tackle physical comedy. We limited our homework selection to extended scenes (as opposed to moments and sight gags) in live action projects and – with the help of our Patreons – selected early sequences from BRINGING UP BABY, the pilot for HAPPY ENDINGS and that wonderful food poisoning scene in BRIDESMAIDS. We discover how these incredible writers take their time (on the page) to set up geography, framing and running gags. We also get tips on judicious use ALL CAPS, ellipses and M-dashes to recreate visual gags… and when to just let a paragraph go long and draw attention to itself. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. The words on the page and the repetition are mimicking the edit, so we can visualize the humor and the repetition of it. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:19 – What physical comedy scenes are we looking at? 00:10:27 – BRINGING UP BABY 00:31:44 – Thank you, Arc Studio Pro! 00:34:34 – HAPPY ENDINGS pilot 00:58:15 – BRIDESMAIDS 01:27:31 – Key learnings 01:33:56 – Thank you amazing Patreons! FILMS BRIDESMAIDS (2011) — (w) Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (d) Paul Feig BRINGING UP BABY (1938) — (w) Dudley Nichols, Hagar Wilde, Hagar Wilde (d) Howard Hawks GAME NIGHT (2018) — (w) Mark Perez (d) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein SHOWS HAPPY ENDINGS 1x1 "Pilot" — Anthony Russo, Joe Russo (d), David Caspe (w) SCRIPTS Study the script: BRIDESMAIDS (2011) — Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig Study the script: BRINGING UP BABY (1938) — Dudley Nichols, Hagar Wilde, Hagar Wilde Study the script: GAME NIGHT (2018) — Mark Perez SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Small and Large Physical Comedy: BRINGING UP BABY The Game of the Scene - GAME NIGHT ▶ How is this oner from GAME NIGHT so seamless? LINKS Website: ArcStudio RELATED EPISODES DZ-16: Masters of Time and Whitespace ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-116/

Listen if you want to understand what makes holiday films enduring parts of our seasonal rituals! In this “backmatter” episode of Draft Zero, Stu, Chas, and Mel Killingsworth embark on a festive exploration of what makes holiday films so engaging and so re-watchable that they can become part of our rituals. To that end, we breakdown the charm of of Christmas films like KISS KISS BANG BANG, RIDERS OF JUSTICE, and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. We discuss what defines a holiday movie, the power of nostalgia, the importance of ensembles to a sense of family, and how voiceover, snappy dialogue and intricate plots can make something rewatchable. For each of us, we see these films as gateways to introspection and shared experiences during the holidays. And we are briefly joined by filmmaker (and friend of the podcast) Damien Cassar who talks us through the meaning of nostalgia and it’s relationship with the “pain of homecoming”, and how Christmas/Holiday films provide comfort and a sense of belonging amid ever-changing societal dynamics. Merry Christmas! This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. What makes it rewatchable is not the Christmas elements. Like that's sort of what makes it rewatchable are all of the structure. The fact that like a lot of good noir mysteries, you forget exactly how things get solved. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:01:00 – What do we mean by Holiday Movies? 00:18:52 – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 00:41:16 – Riders of Justice 01:03:45 – Sponsorship: Arc Studio Pro 01:06:30 – It's A Wonderful Life 01:48:37 – Wrap up & Key Learnings 01:51:03 – On Nostalgia 01:54:28 – Many thanks to our Patreons FILMS KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) — (w) Brett Halliday, Shane Black (d) Shane Black RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020) — (w) Anders Thomas Jensen IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) — (w) Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra (d) Frank Capra SCRIPTS Study the script: KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) — Brett Halliday, Shane Black Study the script: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) — Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-115/

Listen to understand how withholding resolution can become your story's greatest statement. While Stu is on show, Mel and Chas sit down to analyse the meaning behind the ending of 2024's CHALLENGERS, especially when - upon reading the script - the most impactful moment of the ending on screen (for Chas in particular) is not written on the page. Following on from episodes on Filmmakers Talking Directly To The Audience as well as previous explorations into Choices and Decisions (and hopefully serving as a prelude to our episode on Hero's Choice - aka DZ-119), Mel and Chas explore the choices the characters make in that final moment, what happens when filmmakers obscure character motivation, and ultimately how that final moment in CHALLENGERS impacts theme. This conversation ends up being a deep exploration of what is the experience on the audience (and its impact on the perceived theme) when a story cuts out at the climax without further resolution. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. It's nice that the climax of the movie is actually at the end of the movie like to me the movie climaxes at the point where it cuts to black which is awesome yeah. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:24 – Breaking down the ending of Challengers 00:14:51 – Can one action line change everything? 00:39:41 – This episode is brought to you by Arc Studio Pro 00:42:29 – Giving characters decisions 00:52:10 – Meta subtext 00:53:53 – Choices + feeling = theme? 01:06:03 – Ending on the climax 01:09:27 – Key Learnings 01:15:59 – Thank you patreons! FILMS CHALLENGERS (2024) — (w) Justin Kuritzkes (d) Luca Guadagnino SCRIPTS Study the script: CHALLENGERS (2024) — Justin Kuritzkes LINKS Website: How that crazy final tennis ball POV tumbling scene in 'Challengers' was made Website: Challengers ending explained | Writer Justin Kuritzkes on epic final scene Sponsor: Arc Studio for $30 off a pro subscription! RELATED EPISODES DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-119: Final Character Choices & Great Endings ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-114/

Listen if you want to explore how you can make your creative hand visible through meta-storytelling and structural choices!?! In our final (ha!) episode looking at Talking Directly to the Audience, we turn away from character-and-text based craft tools to look at other ways that filmmakers - whether they be directors, writers, editors, or anyone else - can make the audience feel their 'hand' more. To that end, Mel, Stu and Chas dive into ADAPTATION, STORIES WE TELL and THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION. We discuss structure (in particular how to structure more meta stories), the influence of TikTok and YouTube in portraying character authenticity, how to set up scenes where your characters can actually debate what your story is really about., and get into the gritty of where "in the story world" the communication from the filmmakers is. Ultimately, in exploring these three powerful films through this lens, we discover that these tools give filmmakers more control in conveying their theme. Quelle surprise. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription! Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I would guess that some of the most watched content in the world has people talking directly to the camera and that's stuff that people watch on YouTube. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:28 – The Meta of Meta 00:11:01 – Adaptation 00:36:43 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro 00:39:40 – Adaption (Part 2) 00:42:23 – Stories We Tell 01:12:13 – The Forty Year Old Version 01:48:14 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings 02:01:24 – Many thanks to our Patreons <3 FILMS ADAPTATION (2002) — (w) Charlie Kaufman, Susan Orlean (d) Spike Jonze STORIES WE TELL (2012) — (w) Sarah Polley THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION (2020) — (w) Radha Blank EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-53: Antagonists! 5 - vs Audience DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-113/

Listen to understand how breaking the 4th wall directly involves the audience in a character's emotional present. As part of our series on how filmmakers can directly communicate to the audience, we finally examine the most blatant tool of them all: when character look directly down the barrel of the camera… and thus look directly at us, the viewer. Chas, Stu and Mel take the craft tools/levers they identified in previous episodes and use them to examine the tv-version-of HIGH FIDELITY ("Top Five Breakups"), ABBOTT ELEMENTARY ("Attack Ad)") and - of course - FLEABAG. By examining how “in-world” the camera is, who is talking, and whom the character is talking to (i.e. who we are in the relationship), we end up discovering how breaking the 4th wall can involve the audience in the emotional present of the character and also grants the character a degree of narrative control (a craft lever that can be dialled in and out). Separately, in a Backmatter to this episode (which can be found on our Patreon page), Mel and Chas answer a listener question and take a deep dive into how breaking the 4th wall changes the RELATIONSHIP between you - the viewer - and character. This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to $30 off a pro subscription! Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. She's trying to work herself out in some ways. Like it's the reason a lot of people write in their diary or self-talk or do have a running monologue or encourage that. Like she's trying to understand and explain herself and in doing so maybe hopefully help herself. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold open 00:00:17 – What is "barrelling"? 00:13:45 – HIGH FIDELITY 00:39:46 – ABBOTT ELEMENTARY 01:04:09 – FLEABAG 01:40:54 – Key learnings 01:50:48 – Thank you patreons! SHOWS HIGH FIDELITY 1x1 "Top Five Heartbreaks" — Jeffrey Reiner, Jesse Peretz (d), Sarah Kucserka, Veronica West (w) ABBOTT ELEMENTARY 2x7 "Attack Ad" — Matt Sohn (d), Justin Tan (w) FLEABAG 2x4 — Harry Bradbeer (d), Phoebe Waller Bridge (w) LINKS Sponsor: ArcStudio - $30 off a pro subscription! EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-112/

Listen to learn how unreliable narrators shape storytelling through voiceover, structure, and control. In this episode, Stu and Mel (sans Chas!) take a deep dive into FIGHT CLUB and its use of the unreliable narrator. This is a bridging episode between our previous episode on VOICEOVER and our forthcoming episode on TALKING TO CAMERA as Fight Club does both. We dissect the film's disconnected sequence-driven structure and how the voiceover ’stitches’ the film together. And then we look at what makes ‘Jack’ an unreliable narrator and how his control over the storytelling impacts us. Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I mean, no wonder the manosphere jumped on this film, because it's all about men who don't take responsibility for their actions. And so they're like, that really resonates with me and how my life is not in my control, even though clearly Jack at this point has control over the entire narrative. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Paulo, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:01 – Cold Open 00:00:20 – Fight Club 00:24:57 – Unreliable Narrators 00:49:09 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 00:54:07 – Many thanks to our Patrons! FILMS FIGHT CLUB (1999) — (w) Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls (d) David Fincher SCRIPTS Study the script: FIGHT CLUB (1999) — Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-53: Antagonists! 5 - vs Audience DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-111/

Listen to explore how voiceover can set tone, reveal character, enhance empathy, and create tension. How can you use Voiceover without it feeling like a cheat? In this episode, we finally delve into the world of VOICEOVERS (as part of our larger series exploring craft tools that allow characters & storytellers to talk directly to the audience). Chas, Stu and Mel deep dive into the VERONICA MARS pilot, Disney’s THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE, and the Michael Bay epic PAIN & GAIN. In exploring what makes these particular examples of Voiceover great (and not feel like a cheat or a well-worn trope), we apply the four levers identified in our Part 1 (in particular ‘when in time is the Voiceover coming from’). In this episode we discover how Voiceover can set tone, reveal character motivations, enhance viewer empathy, or even create tension. Don’t forget to check out the Backmatter (to this episode) answering Patreon Abigail’s question — "I'm currently writing a screenplay where the twist relies on the audience believing the narrator is a different character until Act III. Thus, have been thinking a lot about casting and audience voice recognition, etc. Would be interested in hearing thoughts on this." Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. The tone is huge in a noir show in particular. This is like a noir show set in high school. And the voiceover kicks that off and keeps it consistent all the way throughout. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:23 – Voiceover craft levers to pull 00:03:48 – Veronica Mars (pilot) 00:32:43 – The Emperor's New Groove 00:54:11 – Pain & Gain 01:31:30 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:39:34 – Thanks Patreons! FILMS THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE (2000) — (w) David Reynolds, Mark Dindal, Chris Williams, Mark Walton (d) Mark Dindal PAIN & GAIN (2013) — (w) Christopher Markus, Stephen Mcfeely (d) Michael Bay SHOWS VERONICA MARS 1x1 "Pilot" — Mark Piznarski (d), Rob Thomas (w) LINKS Listen: Backmatter for DZ-110: Voiceover EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-18: Michael Bay - F*ing the Frame and P*ing the Page DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-110/

Listen if you've wondered what a character actually wants when they're talking directly to the audience!? What are the different ways a filmmaker can ask something of the audience? Chas and Stu are joined by Mel in this prelude episode to upcoming episodes on Voiceover (DZ-110, DZ-111) and Breaking the 4th Wall (DZ-112). In this episode, we attempt to taxonomise the different ways filmmakers can ask something directly of their audience. To this end, we identify 4 levers that can be pulled: 1. Diagetic to non-diagetic (in story world to outside story world) 2. Who is talking? From story-teller to a character 3. Whom are they talking to? Themselves or directly to the audience? 4. From when in time is the communication coming? They then take these levers and ask a series of questions, including: What does the communication want from the audience? Does the audience know who’s talking? How reliable is the information? How aware is who is communicating of the audience? They then apply these questions and levers to… deep breath… : STAR WARS, ROBOCOP, STARSHIP TROOPERS, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, MINORITY REPORT, CHILDREN OF MEN, NEVER HAVE I EVER, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, STRANGER THAN FICTION, DUNE, OPPENHEIMER, YELLOWJACKETS, HUSTLERS, THE OFFICE, MASTERCHEF, ZOMBIELAND, FLEABAG, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, SPONTANEOUS, BLACKKKLANSMAN, AMERICAN FICTION, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, THE KILLER, VERONICA MARS, FIGHT CLUB, SHUTTER ISLAND, SIXTH SENSE, HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR. FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, GOODFELLAS, EMPERORS NEW GROOVE, THE TRUMAN SHOW, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, DIE HARD, THE BIG SHORT, THE USUAL SUSPECTS, DERRY GIRLS, THE LAST JEDI, THE LAST DUEL, RASHOMON, BONES AND ALL, ARCHIVE 81, SANS SOLEIL, F IS FOR FAKE, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS, JULIUS CAESAR, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY Vol. 1 Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. If you don't have anything dramatic to say, don't say it at all. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:49 – Distinguishing talking directly to the audience 00:04:32 – Different levers to pull 00:09:20 – Who is communicating? 00:26:13 – Does the audience know who's talking? 00:40:00 – From when is the communication coming? 00:40:50 – How reliable is the communication? 00:46:08 – How aware are the characters? 00:58:35 – Analysing edge cases 01:07:37 – What effects do these have on the audience? 01:16:00 – Key learnings and wrap-up 01:19:00 – Thanks patreons! FILMS FIGHT CLUB (1999) — (w) Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls (d) David Fincher FLEABAG (2016) — (w) Phoebe Waller Bridge THE BIG SHORT (2015) — (w) Adam Mckay, Charles Randolph (d) Adam Mckay F FOR FAKE (1973) — (w) Orson Welles STAR WARS (1977) — (w) George Lucas SCRIPTS Study the script: FIGHT CLUB (1999) — Chuck Palahniuk, Jim Uhls Study the script: THE BIG SHORT (2015) — Adam Mckay, Charles Randolph EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-15: World Building Rules, Okay? DZ-54: Thematic Sequences DZ-108: The Emotional Event with Judith Weston ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-109/

Listen to understand why a scene's power lives in what shifts between characters, not what happens to them. How and why should every scene have an emotional event? For the first episode of our tenth anniversary year, we are joined by Judith Weston to talk about Emotional Events. What is an emotional event? Well, it’s a way of thinking about scenes through relationships rather than plot. Instead of asking how a scene moves the plot forward, ask how the scene alters the relationship between characters. While emotional events are ostensibly a tool for directors to interpret scenes, we believe that the emotional event starts with the writer(s). But it is an idea better illustrated through examples and discussion rather than sound bites. To that end, we breakdown scene from OPPENHEIMER, CASINO ROYALE (the Daniel Craig one), and PAST LIVES and explore how the emotional event is written (and not written) on the page. Through a close reading of each scene, we talk about subtext, power dynamics, status transactions, tactics, beats and much much more. Because Chas, Stu and Judith are also reading the scripts there lot of discussion about table reads and how to get the most out of them. For those unfamiliar with Judith, she is a famed teacher of writers, directors and actors with a focus on the directing or actors. Her books Directing Actors and The Film Director’s Intuition are basically industry standards. You can find Judith Weston (and her books!) at her website: https://judithweston.com/web/ Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. If you think the scene is just there to give the audience information, then you need to look into it further and find out what the emotional event is. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:30 – What is an emotional event? 00:13:48 – Oppenheimer 00:46:16 – Casino Royale 00:59:35 – Past Lives 01:30:20 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:36:05 – Thanks to our Patreons! FILMS OPPENHEIMER (2023) — (w) Christopher Nolan CASINO ROYALE (2006) — (w) Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, Ian Fleming (d) Martin Campbell PAST LIVES (2023) — (w) Celine Song SCRIPTS Study the script: OPPENHEIMER (2023) — Christopher Nolan Study the script: CASINO ROYALE (2006) — Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis, Ian Fleming Study the script: PAST LIVES (2023) — Celine Song LINKS Website: Judith Weston RELATED EPISODES DZ-08: Status Transactions DZ-40: Tactics and Scenes ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-108/

Listen if you want to understand how character actions and reactions shape a film's tone In this episode, Chas and Stu continue their deep dive into how to write tone by examining films with “light” (we use the phrase loosely) tones: LADY BIRD, EMILY THE CRIMINAL, THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS, and SPONTANEOUS. We also talk a surprising amount about DUNE and CRAZY STUPID LOVE. We focus on the relationship between character & tone and how the writers of these films use dramatisation to create their unique tones. We talk minimalism vs maximalism, dialogue, character actions & reactions, emotional dynamic range, and rules of the world vs given circumstances. Stu proposes a new triangle to help us understand the dials we as writers have to affect tone: The given circumstances of the story, How that effects character actions & reactions, How the audience are told about those elements. Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. Emily feels a rush of blood to the head. And the blood, to me, kind of connects it to the feral thing, right? Like it's just got a little bit of an animalistic quality to it in terms of the kind of language system they're using it. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:23 – Tone & Character 00:15:26 – Ladybird 00:33:20 – Emily The Criminal 00:57:43 – The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 01:17:28 – Spontaneous 01:39:38 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:51:58 – Many thanks to our Patreons FILMS LADY BIRD (2017) — (w) Greta Gerwig EMILY THE CRIMINAL (2022) — (w) John Patton Ford THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (2018) — (w) Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (d) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen SPONTANEOUS (2020) — (w) Aaron Starmer, Brian Duffield (d) Brian Duffield SCRIPTS Study the script: LADY BIRD (2017) — Greta Gerwig Study the script: THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (2018) — Ethan Coen, Joel Coen LINKS Read: Tom Vaughan / Story and Plot: Controlling the tone in your screenwriting EPISODES IN THE ESTABLISHING TONE SERIES DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print DZ-107: Establishing Tone through Character DZ-117: Pulling Off Tonal Shifts RELATED EPISODES DZ-82: Dramatising Given Circumstances in Watchmen DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-107/

Listen you're not sure whether your idea has enough fuel for 90 pages. In this episode, Chas, Stu and Mel attempt to answer a listener question: “In your own pre-writing process, how do you know you have enough for a feature? And do you have a specific pre-writing method you're going to?” Thus we launch into a discussion on our writing processes and the varying usefulness of tools such as log lines, turning points, beat sheets, synopsis, treatments, and scene breakdowns. We also tackle the challenges encountered while developing an idea to first draft, such as balancing the pace of the story, developing distinct character voices, character choices, plot changes, pacing, and thematic clarity. Is this backmatter? Or is it development tools? You decide! Hahaha. Thanks so much to Chris Walker for his excellent editing on this episode! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I know that I personally really tend to use a five-act structure on anything that's longer than 20 pages. I just find it more helpful for me to have five acts and the turning points and the climaxes and etc within that. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:30 – Introduction: Falling Short 00:02:38 – Our Development Processes 00:33:06 – Developing from concept 00:45:26 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro 00:48:12 – Expanding Your Idea 01:15:29 – Long Short Documents 01:27:22 – Consistent problems with first drafts 01:34:28 – Many thanks to our Patreons! EPISODES IN THE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS SERIES DZ-106: How do you know if you have enough story? DZ-71: Treatments & Loglines - Development Tools 1 DZ-72: Theme & The Story Synopsis - Development Tools 2 DZ-81: Pitch Decks & Look Books - Development Tools 4 DZ-73: Selling documents - Development Tools 3 ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-106/

Listen if you want to use an unusual tone in your screenplay. Chas and Stu finally start their long-mooted exploration of tone with a series that examines films and shows with unusual tones and dives into how the writers establish those tones in the first 5 pages. How does your script want your reader to experience violence in your story? Humour? Sex? Prejudice? To answer these questions, this episode look at how films with “darker” or “sadder” tones teach the reader what they can laugh at, namely: THE NICE GUYS, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN and the pilot for YELLOWJACKETS. Together they learn how to better talk about tone, how to frame tone for a scene or sequence, and what levers writers can use on the page to compensate for cinematic tools like music, performance, composition, lighting, design, editing, etc etc etc. Future episodes plan to explore establishing lighter or quirkier tones, as well as tools in shifting or changing tone on the page. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. He is writing our experience as the audience to us as we're reading it. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— FILMS THE NICE GUYS (2016) — (w) Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi (d) Shane Black THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022) — (w) Martin Mcdonagh SHOWS YELLOWJACKETS 1x1 "Pilot" — Karyn Kusama (d), Bart Nickerson, Ashley Lyle (w) SCRIPTS Study the script: THE NICE GUYS (2016) — Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi Study the script: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (2022) — Martin Mcdonagh EPISODES IN THE ESTABLISHING TONE SERIES DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print DZ-107: Establishing Tone through Character DZ-117: Pulling Off Tonal Shifts RELATED EPISODES DZ-60: Unfilmables 1 - Engaging imagination DZ-61: Unfilmables 2 - Moments of Awe ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-105/

Listen to understand how solitude reveals character interiority and deepens audience connection In this episode, we explore the audience's connection with characters through the lens of characters being alone. Chas and Stu breakdown scenes (and their scripts) from AFTERSUN, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and THE EQUALIZER to discuss the significance of solitude in giving the audience insight into a character’s interiority. We talk how big print can reflect character; how finding moments for vulnerability allows characters to drop their masks; and how staging can help these moments occur organically. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I've been for a long time trying to improve my ability to what I call dramatize the internal and I think this is a really good opportunity to do this. — chas LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:02 – Cold Open 00:00:24 – Intro: Character's Alone 00:13:04 – Aftersun 00:31:55 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro 00:34:16 – Sense and Sensibility 00:59:59 – The Equalizer 01:25:02 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings 01:28:34 – Many thanks to our Patreons! FILMS AFTERSUN (2022) — (w) Charlotte Wells SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) — (w) Emma Thompson, Jane Austen (d) Ang Lee THE EQUALIZER (2014) — (w) Richard Wenk (d) Antoine Fuqua SCRIPTS Study the script: AFTERSUN (2022) — Charlotte Wells LINKS Read: Shot Zero Read: Restoration RELATED EPISODES DZ-60: Unfilmables 1 - Engaging imagination DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1) DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2) DZ-99: Scene Questions ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-104/

Listen to understand how games force characters to interact and reveal themselves (through competency, decisions, and rule-breaking) In part two of this two parter, Stu and Chas go further into the game (of the scene) and look at how games force characters other than the protagonist to interact. We deep dive into the wonderful social satires of TRIANGLE OF SADNESS and THE FAVOURITE. We discuss how games reveal character through competency and decisions, how resources and skills impact the tactics that characters employ, and the difference between referees, rule lawyers, rule makers and rule breakers. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. games are about a series of choices and relatedness is the way that they build interaction so you can see how that is actually really useful for characters because what you actually want to do is put your characters in a situation where they're competent enough to be challenged but you don't want them to be destroyed. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:19 – Sponsor: ScriptUp 00:01:45 – Intro: Follow up 00:10:50 – Triangle of Sadness (Parts 1 and 2) 00:35:37 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro 00:38:25 – Triangle of Sadness (Part 3) 00:52:51 – The Favourite 01:30:34 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings 01:40:30 – Thanks to our Patreons! FILMS TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022) — (w) Ruben Ostlund THE FAVOURITE (2018) — (w) Tony Mcnamara, Deborah Davis (d) Yorgos Lanthimos SCRIPTS Study the script: TRIANGLE OF SADNESS (2022) — Ruben Ostlund Study the script: THE FAVOURITE (2018) — Tony Mcnamara, Deborah Davis LINKS IMDB: Molli and Max in the Future Read: Letterboxd - Molli and Max in the Future EPISODES IN THE GAME OF THE SCENE SERIES DZ-102: Game of the Scene - Bluey, John Wick 4 DZ-103: Game of the Scene 2 - Triangle of Sadness, The Favourite RELATED EPISODES DZ-40: Tactics and Scenes DZ-99: Scene Questions DZ-102: Game of the Scene - Bluey, John Wick 4 ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-103/

Listen to make your scene writing more dynamic (by looking at the underlying game) Stu and Chas turn their attention to a topic that has long eluded them: the game of the scene. We look at how considering the game that characters are playing — its rules, arenas, players, referees, and win conditions — can help you write more dynamic scenes. This will be a two-parter, and for this half, we talk BLUEY, “The Quiet Game” (from Season 2) and “Phones” (from Season 3), and JOHN WICK 4. We also touch on GAME NIGHT and LIFE OF BRIAN. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. So I think there's the referees, there's the arena, the victory conditions important and it leads into this other idea, speaking of board games, of like the path to victory. — stu LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Alexandre, Casimir, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:18 – Sponsor: ScriptUp 00:01:52 – Intro: What do we mean by Game of the Scene? 00:15:06 – The Life of Brian: "What have the Romans ever done for us?" 00:20:03 – Bluey 00:35:08 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro 00:37:56 – John Wick 4 01:14:34 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings 01:22:17 – Many thanks to our Patreons FILMS JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 (2023) — (w) Shay Hatten, Michael Finch (d) Chad Stahelski SHOWS BLUEY 2x37 — (w) Joe Brumm BLUEY 3x16 "Phones" — Joe Brumm (w) SCRIPTS Study the script: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 (2023) — Shay Hatten, Michael Finch LINKS Read: Shot Zero on Game Night's Hot Potato Sequence EPISODES IN THE GAME OF THE SCENE SERIES DZ-102: Game of the Scene - Bluey, John Wick 4 DZ-103: Game of the Scene 2 - Triangle of Sadness, The Favourite RELATED EPISODES DZ-40: Tactics and Scenes DZ-99: Scene Questions DZ-100: Scenes through Swords ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-102/

Listen to understand how screenwriters direct the camera without calling shots. Chas, Stu and Mel reunite to talk about writing the feel of camerawork in screenplays. We use “oners” — a long-playing continuous take — as a lens to talk about how some writers have “directed” from the page. We talk immediacy, camera positions, handovers, and anchoring action and more. We breakdown the famous Copacabana shot from GOODFELLAS, the awe-inspiring chase sequence from THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, and the heart pounding ‘Zed attack’ from CHILDREN OF MEN. We also briefly discuss THE BOURNE IDENTITY, HEREDITARY, THE BEAR, ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN and TOUCH OF EVIL. And we do this breakdown by closely reading the actual words on the page! So thanks to Meegan May (of Starship Q Star) for performing the big print / action lines. Script Pages available on our Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/posts/dz-99-scene-82312058 Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. You're meant to be swept along with this action. In Children of Men, the script's... just bang, bang, bang. You can almost tell that it's happening simultaneously because of the mini slugs, you know, in the road, in the car, outside, inside. It's all felt as one. — mel LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:13 – Cold Open 00:00:23 – ScriptUp Sponsorship 00:01:58 – Intro: Camerwork on the page 00:09:50 – Contrary Examples: The Bourne Identity and Hereditary 00:13:15 – Narrative Purpose and Oners 00:16:30 – Goodfellas - intro 00:16:57 – Goodfellas - excerpt 00:18:22 – Goodfellas - discussion 00:32:48 – The Adventures of Tintin - intro 00:34:14 – The Adventures of Tintin - excerpt 00:37:23 – The Adventures of Tintin - discussion 00:49:34 – Children of Men - intro 00:53:38 – Children of Men - excerpt 01:00:32 – Children of Men - discussion 01:12:24 – Key Learnings and Wrap Up 01:21:03 – Thanks to our Patreons FILMS GOODFELLAS (1990) — (w) Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese (d) Martin Scorsese THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) — (w) Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat (d) Steven Spielberg CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) — (w) Timothy J Sexton, David Arata, Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, P D James (d) Alfonso Cuaron SCRIPTS Study the script: GOODFELLAS (1990) — Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese Study the script: THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) — Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Steven Moffat Study the script: CHILDREN OF MEN (2006) — Timothy J Sexton, David Arata, Alfonso Cuaron, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, P D James SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Time and space in staging "Oners" Time and space in staging "Oners" Time and space in staging "Oners" LINKS SCRIPTS: The script Pages are available on our Patreon WATCH: Goodfellas, The"Copacabana" shot WATCH: The Adventures of TinTin, "Get that bird!" WATCH: Children of Men, "Zed's attack" WATCH: The Bourne Identity, "Escaping The American Embassy" WATCH: All The President's Men, "The Dahlberg Scene" RELATED EPISODES DZ-16: Masters of Time and Whitespace DZ-60: Unfilmables 1 - Engaging imagination DZ-61: Unfilmables 2 - Moments of Awe DZ-62: Unfilmables 3 - As Ifs & Emotional Context ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-101/

Listen if you want to know why the distance between two characters matters more than what they say. In this slightly unusual episode of Draft Zero (but also incredibly on brand), Stu and philosopher-swordsperson Damon Young discuss how the lessons they have learned from martial arts can be applied to scenes. In particular, they discuss how approaching an opponent in a sword fight can be analogous to how characters approach conflict, such as: the distance between the characters, who chooses to engage first, how to feint, how to lure an attack by leaving yourself vulnerable, etc. They reference classic conflicts such as Clarice interviewing Dr. Lecter in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, when Miranda puts down Andrea in THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, and the final showdown between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul in the animated series THE CLONE WARS. You can find Damon Young here: https://www.damonyoung.com.au/ As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. I'm really interested in crafts, in the way we move from little bits of knowledge that we have to work through painstakingly one step at a time to a more fluid knowledge that we can deploy on the fly, as it were. — damon-young LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Alexandre, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:02:45 – Interview with Damon Young 00:59:19 – Thanks patreons! FILMS THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) — (w) Ted Tally, Thomas Harris (d) Jonathan Demme THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) — (w) Aline Brosh Mckenna, Lauren Weisberger (d) David Frankel SHOWS THE CLONE WARS 3x20 "Citadel Rescue" — Steward Lee (d), Matt Michnovetz (w) SCRIPTS Study the script: THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) — Ted Tally, Thomas Harris Study the script: THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006) — Aline Brosh Mckenna, Lauren Weisberger LINKS Read: Damon Young Read: Damon Young (@[email protected]) RELATED EPISODES DZ-29: Showdowns & Scene Structure DZ-54: Thematic Sequences DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart DZ-85: Choices & Decisions 2 - The Farewell & Wrath of Man ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-100/

Listen if learn how to structure individual scenes through the questions you pose to your audience! Inspired by our earlier episodes on sequences, Chas and Stu narrow their focus to look at the atomic unit of screen storytelling: the scene. In particular, we breakdown how question and answers prompted in the audience structure individual scenes. We talk plot, character, and theme questions (and their hybrids) by analysing scenes from LOKI, THE LAST CRUSADE, THE BOURNE SUPREMACY, QUEEN AND SLIM, and DO THE RIGHT THING. We also briefly discuss SUCCESSION, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES, and ANDOR. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Alexandre, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Thomas, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob.. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:01:56 – Intro: Scene Questions 00:16:30 – Loki 00:23:24 – The Last Crusade 00:33:03 – The Bourne Supremacy 00:45:50 – Queen and Slim 01:03:03 – Do The Right Thing 01:15:03 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:33:02 – Many thanks to our Patreons FILMS LOKI (2021) — (w) Michael Waldron INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) — (w) Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes, George Lucas (d) Steven Spielberg THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — (w) Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy (d) Paul Greengrass QUEEN & SLIM (2019) — (w) Lena Waithe, Lena Waithe, James Frey (d) Melina Matsoukas DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) — (w) Spike Lee SCRIPTS Study the script: INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) — Jeffrey Boam, Menno Meyjes, George Lucas Study the script: THE BOURNE SUPREMACY (2004) — Robert Ludlum, Tony Gilroy Study the script: QUEEN & SLIM (2019) — Lena Waithe, Lena Waithe, James Frey Study the script: DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) — Spike Lee SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Five Shots: DO THE RIGHT THING Love/Hate in DO THE RIGHT THING RELATED EPISODES DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity DZ-45: Arguments of the Scene DZ-54: Thematic Sequences ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-99/

Listen if you're writing an ensemble storiy and want to understand how different characters serve different narrative and thematic functions! In Part 3 (the final part? Ha!) of our exploration into ensemble stories, Stu, Chas & Mel examine films whose genres do not conventionally require a ton of characters or that use those ensembles in unconventional ways. In particular, adding whole storylines that are separate from the main character’s story. To that end, we dive into three films that were horrifically snubbed by the Oscars: THE WOMAN KING, RIDERS OF JUSTICE and NOPE. We breakdown the effects of choosing to use an ensemble on the narrative function of characters, their skills, the webs they exist within, and, ultimately, the story’s theme. Plus we re-apply and re-contextualise the tools uncovered in previous episodes in how to service all these characters. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Alexandre, Casimir, Eduardo, Thomas, Jennifer, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex, Khrob, Thomas and Alexandre. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:01:35 – Intro: Character Function 00:08:43 – The Woman King 00:50:00 – Riders of Justice 01:20:36 – Nope 01:47:00 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:59:06 – Many thanks to our Patreons FILMS THE WOMAN KING (2022) — (w) Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens (d) Gina Prince Bythewood RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020) — (w) Anders Thomas Jensen NOPE (2022) — (w) Jordan Peele SCRIPTS Study the script: THE WOMAN KING (2022) — Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens Study the script: NOPE (2022) — Jordan Peele LINKS Read: Mel on The Möbius Strip Storytelling of NOPE Read: Mel on Riders of Justice: Tidings of Trauma and Joy EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble? DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme RELATED EPISODES DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble? DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-98/

Listen if you're writing ensemble stories and want to discover tools for giving all your characters adimension In Part 2 of our exploration into ensemble stories, Stu, Chas and Mel examine films whose plot and genre require a lot of characters. Thus we tackle a team sports film (PITCH PERFECT), a murder mystery (GLASS ONION), a slasher (SCREAM 2022) and a family holiday flick (THE FAMILY STONE). By looking at these films, we discover tools for writers to service characters and give them more dimension. These tools include: shifting group dynamics; the spectrum of private to public behaviour; breaking POV, and quintessential group introductions. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:01:46 – Intro: Servicing Characters 00:14:40 – Pitch Perfect 00:37:54 – Glass Onion 01:09:20 – Scream 5 01:32:17 – The Family Stone 02:13:22 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up FILMS PITCH PERFECT (2012) — (w) Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin (d) Jason Moore GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022) — (w) Rian Johnson SCREAM (2022) — (w) James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick (d) Tyler Gillett, Matt Bettinelli Olpin THE FAMILY STONE (2005) — (w) Thomas Bezucha SCRIPTS Study the script: PITCH PERFECT (2012) — Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin Study the script: GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022) — Rian Johnson Study the script: SCREAM (2022) — James Vanderbilt, Guy Busick EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble? DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme RELATED EPISODES DZ-09: Characterising Introductions DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble? ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-97/

Listen if you're working on a story with multiple protagonists and want to understand what makes an ensemble different from a single-protagonist narrative In the first part of our series on ensembles, Chas, Stu and Mel start by laying the groundwork for our future episodes. And we begin by asking the seemingly innocuous question: What do we mean by calling a story an ensemble? As we unpack our own assumptions, biases and thoughts, we ask (and attempt to answer) more questions: How does an ensemble differ from a single protagonist or two hander? Why does this distinction even matter? What challenges What genres inherently are ensembles? And what do we hope to learn from the series? We ice-skate over myriad films including JURASSIC PARK, ALIEN, TOP GUN vs TOP GUN: MAVERICK, DEATH AT A FUNERAL, WAR OF THE WORLDS vs INDEPENDENCE DAY, LORD OF THE RINGS vs WILLOW, OCEAN’S 11 vs OUT OF SIGHT, THIEF vs HEAT, AWAY FROM HER, DIRTY DOZEN, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SE7EN, READY OR NOT. Look, there’s heaps. We talk a lot of movies. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:04:17 – What is an ensemble? 00:26:51 – Taxonomy of Ensembles 00:47:25 – ArcStudio Sponsorship 00:48:32 – Group Dynamics 01:08:39 – Wrap Up & Hopeful Learnings 01:15:15 – Patreon Thanks FILMS JURASSIC PARK (1993) — (w) Michael Crichton, David Koepp, Michael Crichton (d) Steven Spielberg ALIEN (1979) — (w) Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett (d) Ridley Scott HEAT (1995) — (w) Michael Mann TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) — (w) Eric Warren Singer, Ehren Kruger, Christopher Mcquarrie, Justin Marks, Peter Craig (d) Joseph Kosinski OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — (w) Ted Griffin (d) Steven Soderbergh SCRIPTS Study the script: JURASSIC PARK (1993) — Michael Crichton, David Koepp, Michael Crichton Study the script: ALIEN (1979) — Dan Obannon, Dan Obannon, Ronald Shusett Study the script: HEAT (1995) — Michael Mann Study the script: TOP GUN: MAVERICK (2022) — Eric Warren Singer, Ehren Kruger, Christopher Mcquarrie, Justin Marks, Peter Craig Study the script: OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — Ted Griffin SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 3) - Framing Ripley ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 2) - The Ensemble ALIEN Aesthetic (Pt 1) - The Visual Strategies ▶ How does Ripley take control in Alien? ▶ Ripley invades Ash's space in Alien ▶ Facehugger attacks Ripley in Alien ▶ Why the fight choreography of Arnie's TOTAL RECALL is so good (and so brutal). LINKS Sponsor: ScriptUp - use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off Spsonor: ArcStudio - for $30 off a subscription! EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble? DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-96/

Listen listen to hear why first acts keep shrinking--and whether yours should too Time for our annual backmatter episode, where we drop any ruse of any objectivity, and fully embrace our subjective opinions! In this episode we discuss: potential topics for 2023; the ostensible shortening of first acts; balancing new projects vs current projects; how to maintain hope in the face of an industry as fickle as ours; and end with a discussion of Andor vs Obi-Wan. Yup, Star Wars is the new Die Hard. Get over it. FYI we recorded this episode with both of us in the same room (for a more casual atmosphere )but that means there’s more technical gremlins like crosstalk. Our apologies in advance! Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro: Backmatter 00:02:44 – Housekeeping 00:05:49 – Future Episode Ideas 00:25:52 – Are first acts getting shorter? 00:40:16 – New projects vs current projects 00:48:59 – Maintaining Hope or Avoiding Despair 00:54:21 – The Big Lessons of 2022 00:55:19 – Andor vs Keobi 01:14:37 – Key Lessons & Wrap Up 01:16:06 – Many thanks SHOWS ANDOR — (w) Tony Gilroy OBI-WAN KENOBI LINKS Read: LISTEN: Starship Q Star EPISODES IN THE BACKMATTER SERIES DZ-17: Where's my gold-plated ensuite? DZ-36: Backmatter - Time Risk and Fixing Movies DZ-47: Backmatter - A Lost Jedi, White Knighting, and Writers-On-Set DZ-57: Backmatter - Aesthetics and Forgiveness in Writing DZ-64: Backmatter - Controlling your Work, Treatments, and Writing Styles DZ-77: Backmatter - Prioritising and choosing projects DZ-86: Backmatter - Minimum Viable Product DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-95/

Listen to write objects that accumulate powerful meanings across your story and create unspoken emotional payoffs. In part two of our two-part series on TALISMANS, we break down the beats used to turn objects (in a broad sense) into talismans; how talismans can track character journeys and transitions; and how they can be used to create powerful moments without words. While Part 1 looked a range of talismans in a bunch of different movies, in this episode we deep dive into just three examples. We look at how Thor’s crisis of masculinity is articulated through his relationship with Mjolnir and Stormbreaker in THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER; how the yearning love in PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is communicated through paintings and music; and how the impact of an emotional affair is charted through key locations in INTHE THE MOOD FOR LOVE. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:15 – Talismans (Part 1) Followup 00:08:37 – Forging a Talisman (The Beats) 00:23:22 – Thor: Love and Thunder 00:59:52 – Portrait of a Lady on Fire 01:32:39 – In the Mood for Love 01:59:39 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 02:06:10 – Thanks to our Patreons FILMS THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022) — (w) Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (d) Taika Waititi PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (2019) — (w) Celine Sciamma IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) — (w) Wong Kar Wai, Liu Yichang (d) Wong Kar Wai SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is a ghost story PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is a ghost story LINKS Read: Go Into The Story - Talismans Read: Go Into The Story - Story Talismans EPISODES IN THE TALISMANS SERIES DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1) DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2) RELATED EPISODES DZ-92: Insightful Recognition in Powerful Endings DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1) ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-94/

Listen to so you can write talismans that are powerful tools for accessing character! In this series, Chas and Stu discuss TALISMANS. Physical objects that are imbued with meaning by a character or characters. They’re a powerful tool to access inner character. In this first part, we lay the groundwork to discuss talismans and present something of a taxonomy. What makes talismans powerful? What makes them different from MacGuffins or characters? What types of Talismans are there? In the second part, we will breakdown THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, and another film. Examples we cover here include: TOP GUN, SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, BETTER CALL SAUL, LORD OF THE RINGS, CASTAWAY, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THE DARK KNIGHT, THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER, RONIN, PULP FICTION, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BREAKING BAD, BACK TO THE FUTURE, THE TERMINATOR, TITANIC, INCEPTION, STAR WARS (of course), THE MATRIX, ANDOR (spoilers!), LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, and PULP FICTION. Thanks to Chas Fisher & Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:03:15 – Talismans in our own lives 00:08:41 – Scott Myer's definition of Talismans 00:18:58 – What are not Talismans? 00:21:48 – Wardrobe 00:28:26 – Talismans vs Characters 00:43:18 – Talismans vs MacGuffins 00:49:33 – Photos 00:53:53 – Jewellery 01:02:22 – Weapons & Tools 01:10:02 – Vehicles 01:12:03 – Letters & Journals 01:14:19 – Andor (Spoilers) 01:16:20 – Talismans and Rituals 01:24:14 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings FILMS THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (2022) — (w) Taika Waititi, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (d) Taika Waititi IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) — (w) Wong Kar Wai, Liu Yichang (d) Wong Kar Wai CAST AWAY (2000) — (w) William Broyles Jr (d) Robert Zemeckis THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) — (w) Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan (d) Christopher Nolan MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015) — (w) George Miller, Nico Lathouris, Brendan Mccarthy (d) George Miller SCRIPTS Study the script: THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) — Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan Study the script: MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015) — George Miller, Nico Lathouris, Brendan Mccarthy LINKS Read: Go Into The Story - Talismans Read: Go Into The Story - Story Talismans EPISODES IN THE TALISMANS SERIES DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1) DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2) RELATED EPISODES DZ-11: Adventure for the MacGuffin! DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-93/

Listen if you want to write endings that make audiences pause and ponder (in a good way, obvs) Stu & Chas set out to explore what makes certain endings powerful, in particular those of LA LA LAND, INCEPTION, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and TURNING RED. The lens they bring to those endings is Aristotle’s moment of “anagnorisis” (don’t worry - we can’t pronounce it either), traditionally when a character moves from ignorance to knowledge (particularly of self). But in analysing these films, Chas and Stu discover that endings can be particularly powerful when the characters experience insightful recognition in others, or in the world, or - perhaps most powerfully - when the anagnorisis is aimed at the audience. In other words, are there craft tools for your ending to prompt an audience to ask itself the question “What was that all about?”? Turns out, we think there are. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Malay, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:00:48 – Insightful recognition in endings 00:03:39 – What the hell is "anagnorisis"? 00:12:04 – LA LA LAND 00:30:45 – INCEPTION 00:35:14 – NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN 01:00:04 – TURNING RED 01:18:18 – Wrap up & Key Learnings 01:24:26 – Thanks patreons! FILMS LA LA LAND (2016) — (w) Damien Chazelle INCEPTION (2010) — (w) Christopher Nolan NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) — (w) Cormac Mccarthy, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen (d) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen TURNING RED (2022) — (w) Domee Shi, Domee Shi, Julia Cho, Julia Cho, Sarah Streicher (d) Domee Shi SCRIPTS Study the script: LA LA LAND (2016) — Damien Chazelle Study the script: INCEPTION (2010) — Christopher Nolan Study the script: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) — Cormac Mccarthy, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen LINKS Read: HULK PRESENTS THE MYTH OF THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE Read: Lindsay Doran on the psychology of story-telling Sponsor: ScriptUp use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off RELATED EPISODES DZ-04: Catharsis and the Post-Coital Cigarette ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-92/

Listen listen if you're writing a biopic or any story where the audience already knows how it ends. Chas, Stu and Mel take a deep dive into stakes, using then lens of biopics to help us think about them. If an audience already knows the “plot” outcome of a story, then how do you create stakes to make a story tense for the audience? To explore this, we deep dive into HIDDEN FIGURES (about the NASA Friendship 7 mission), DOWNFALL (the final days of Berlin in WW2), and BRIGHT STAR (the life and death of romantic poet John Keats). We unpack the ideas around internal, external and philosophical /moral stakes and propose some new terminology that may help us write stakes more effectively. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Malay, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Leigh, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:04:41 – What even are stakes? 00:24:26 – Hidden Figures 01:00:46 – Downfall 01:33:38 – Bright Star 02:10:33 – Key Learnings 02:18:57 – Thanks Patreons! FILMS HIDDEN FIGURES (2016) — (w) Allison Schroeder, Theodore Melfi (d) Theodore Melfi DOWNFALL (2004) — (w) Bernd Eichinger (d) Oliver Hirschbiegel BRIGHT STAR (2009) — (w) Jane Campion, Andrew Motion (d) Jane Campion SCRIPTS Study the script: HIDDEN FIGURES (2016) — Allison Schroeder, Theodore Melfi ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-91/

Listen to understand how setups, payoffs, and reversals create narrative cohesion even when your story is fkn bonkers. In this one-shot, Chas and Stu dive into the awesomeness of EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE. In particular, we focus on its use of setups, payoffs and reversals; breakdown the difference between Pointers and Plants and Stitches; deep dive into its Michael Arndt inspired ending. And, of course, we talk hotdog fingers and butt-plugs. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Malay, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Leigh, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:00:43 – Anywhere Anything At The Same time 00:10:48 – Summary 00:29:51 – Pointers and Planters 00:56:17 – The Ending 01:17:59 – Wrap Up and Key Learnings 01:30:06 – Thanks to our Patreons FILMS EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022) — (w) Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (d) Daniel Scheinert, Daniel Kwan SCRIPTS Study the script: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022) — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert RELATED EPISODES DZ-04: Catharsis and the Post-Coital Cigarette DZ-06: Key Scenes and Unlocking the Story DZ-10: Midpoint Reversals and The Ride ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-90/

Listen if you want to understand how great opening sequences establish character, genre, and theme while defying genre conventions Inspired by her tweet on how subversive an opening OCEAN’S ELEVEN has, Chas and Stu invited amazing writer/director Jessica Ellis onto the show to deep dive into opening sequences. How does a good opening setup character, genre, and theme? In exploring how best to open your story - instead of looking at the almost mandatory studio note of “dropping you in the action” - Stu, Chas and Jess look at the inventive openings of OCEAN’S ELEVEN, LONG SHOT, ARRIVAL and A SERIOUS MAN. Each of these films opens in a way that seems to defy its genre conventions and yet still provide all the set-up it needs to perfectly tell its story. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Casimir, Lloyd, Eduardo, Jennifer, Leigh, Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Alex and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:56 – Intro 00:12:04 – Ocean's Eleven 00:30:26 – Long Shot 01:01:32 – Arrival 01:22:22 – A Serious Man 01:41:17 – Wrap Up 01:46:47 – Patreon thanks FILMS OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — (w) Ted Griffin (d) Steven Soderbergh LONG SHOT (2019) — (w) Dan Sterling, Liz Hannah, Dan Sterling (d) Jonathan Levine ARRIVAL (2016) — (w) Eric Heisserer (d) Denis Villeneuve A SERIOUS MAN (2009) — (w) Joel Coen, Ethan Coen SCRIPTS Study the script: OCEAN'S ELEVEN (2001) — Ted Griffin Study the script: ARRIVAL (2016) — Eric Heisserer Study the script: A SERIOUS MAN (2009) — Joel Coen, Ethan Coen LINKS Read: What Lies West EPISODES IN THE SEQUENCES SERIES DZ-54: Thematic Sequences DZ-89: Opening Sequences RELATED EPISODES DZ-15: World Building Rules, Okay? DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity DZ-44: Marvel - First Acts and Establishing Characters ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-89/

Listen if you're writing a genre film but sense your story wants to become something else entirely. Stu and Chas reunite with TV writer & director Kodie Bedford to look at how some films start out as genre but gradually become character dramas. Or, as Stu never said on the episode "Genre in the streets, Drama in the sheets". Together, they break down HUSTLERS, PIG and POWER OF THE DOG, to see how these films use their genre trappings to hook their audience while ultimately delivering something else entirely. We discuss chapter breaks, inciting incidents, character questions, theme and MORE. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:01 – Intro 00:00:56 – Drama in Genre Clothing 00:02:21 – Sam Elliot on Power of the Dog 00:03:19 – Lessons from Keeping Genre Fresh 00:08:14 – Hustlers 00:43:58 – Pig 01:16:24 – The Power of the Dog 01:55:02 – Key Learnings and Wrap Up FILMS HUSTLERS (2019) — (w) Lorene Scafaria PIG (2021) — (w) Michael Sarnoski, Michael Sarnoski, Vanessa Block (d) Michael Sarnoski THE POWER OF THE DOG (2021) — (w) Jane Campion, Thomas Savage (d) Jane Campion SCRIPTS Study the script: HUSTLERS (2019) — Lorene Scafaria Study the script: THE POWER OF THE DOG (2021) — Jane Campion, Thomas Savage LINKS Website: Kodie Bedford: Breaking down characters and worlds EPISODES IN THE TWISTING GENRE SERIES DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh DZ-88: Drama in Genre clothing RELATED EPISODES DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-88/

Listen when you're writing within a genre but terrified you'll deliver something your audience has already seen. In tackling this enormous topic, Stu and Chads enlist professional TV writer and director Kodie Bedford, someone who has somehow managed to defy genre pigeon-holing by writing mystery, comedy and vampire shows. The three of them look at GET OUT, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and THE INVISIBLE MAN (with reference to PARASITE, JOHN WICK, TAKEN, KNIVES OUT and more) to see what tools the writers have used to deliver on the expectations of a genre while moving that genre on, without writing something stale. Thanks to Chris for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:57 – Intro: Keeping Genre Fresh 00:03:10 – What is Genre? 00:16:30 – Get Out 00:45:10 – Promising Young Woman 01:25:08 – The Invisible Man 01:59:18 – Wrap Up 02:11:44 – Thanks to our Patreons! FILMS GET OUT (2017) — (w) Jordan Peele PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — (w) Emerald Fennell THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020) — (w) Leigh Whannell, H G Wells, Leigh Whannell (d) Leigh Whannell SCRIPTS Study the script: GET OUT (2017) — Jordan Peele Study the script: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — Emerald Fennell SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Perp & Victim 2: Opening Kills in Horror (2000s+) LINKS Website: Kodie Bedford: Breaking down characters and worlds EPISODES IN THE TWISTING GENRE SERIES DZ-87: Keeping Genre Fresh DZ-88: Drama in Genre clothing RELATED EPISODES DZ-54: Thematic Sequences DZ-68: Using POV to structure KNIVES OUT DZ-69: Parasite & Audience Questions ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-87/

Listen for screenwriting lessons from 2021, strategies for pitching projects, and insights on running a writers workshop In their annual full backwater episode, Stu and Chas let out their pandemic hair, drop the ruse of objectivity, and allow themselves to have even more options about writing and the business of writing. In this Backmatter entry, they go deep on: future episode topics; their screenwriting lessons from 2021 (especially on control); pitching projects; the minimum viable product & minimum loveable thing; and share their exper iences with running a writers workshop/group. There are no Star Wars references in this episode, but there are plenty of Die Hard ones. Die Hard is the new Star Wars. Get over it. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro: Backmatter 00:03:02 – Looking Forward - Episode Ideas 00:19:40 – Looking Back - Screenwriting Lessons 00:49:46 – Looking Now - Processes 01:28:26 – Outro FILMS DIE HARD (1988) — (w) Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza (d) John Mctiernan SCRIPTS Study the script: DIE HARD (1988) — Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES DIE HARD: integrating inserts in the action Character Introductions 002: Hans Gruber EPISODES IN THE BACKMATTER SERIES DZ-17: Where's my gold-plated ensuite? DZ-36: Backmatter - Time Risk and Fixing Movies DZ-47: Backmatter - A Lost Jedi, White Knighting, and Writers-On-Set DZ-57: Backmatter - Aesthetics and Forgiveness in Writing DZ-64: Backmatter - Controlling your Work, Treatments, and Writing Styles DZ-77: Backmatter - Prioritising and choosing projects DZ-86: Backmatter - Minimum Viable Product DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-86/

Listen when you want to show a character refusing to change despite every opportunity to do so. In our second part of our “series” on Choices & Decisions, we take a deep dive into THE FAREWELL and WRATH OF MAN, with a sidebar on NOMADLAND. In THE FAREWELL, we consider how the choice/decision to lie underpins every sene of the film (to great effect). In NOMADLAND, we consider how using choice and decision is a great way to show how a character doesn’t change. And in WRATH OF MAN, we look at how non-linear narrative - and its decoupling of choice, decisions and consequence (wouldn’t that be a detripling???) impacts the audience experience, especially how we feel about characters. The terminology we settled on in Part 1 was: CHOICE: Are the options presented to the character. DECISION: Is the knowing consideration of the choice and resulting action. CONSEQUENCE: is the resulting outcome from the choice. Thanks to Chris for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Theis, Sandra and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:38 – Decisions & Choices Recap 00:03:41 – The Farewell 00:28:58 – Nomadland 00:37:39 – Wrath of Man 01:36:54 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings 01:45:06 – Backmatter FILMS THE FAREWELL (2019) — (w) Lulu Wang WRATH OF MAN (2021) — (w) Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, Guy Ritchie (d) Guy Ritchie NOMADLAND (2021) — (w) Chloe Zhao SCRIPTS Study the script: THE FAREWELL (2019) — Lulu Wang Study the script: NOMADLAND (2021) — Chloe Zhao SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Editing as Imperfect Memory in THE FAREWELL LINKS Read: Damon Young Read: EPISODES IN THE CHOICES AND DECISIONS SERIES DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart DZ-85: Choices & Decisions 2 - The Farewell & Wrath of Man RELATED EPISODES DZ-34: Game of Choices - Decision Making and Character Implications DZ-48: One-Shot - Blade Runner 2049 – Agency vs Choice DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-85/

Listen how the separation of choice, decision, and consequence (for a character) creates emotional impact. In order to better understand dramatising of character, Chas and Stu take a very draft zero look at very specific tool: choices and decisions. We analyse three films through the decisions made by their characters. In particular, how the audience understanding of: the choice available, the considered decision itself, and the consequence changes how we feel about these characters. And how separating those three things can create different emotional effects on your audience. We debate this in the episode, but this is the terminology we settle on: CHOICE: Are the options presented to the character. DECISION: Is the knowing consideration of the choice and resulting action. CONSEQUENCE: is the resulting outcome from the choice. Part 1 (this part) establishes what we mean by choice and decision, and then takes a deep dive into BOOKSMART, directed by Olivia Wilde, and written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins and Susanna Fogel. We all discuss FLEABAG, SEVEN, and old favourite, Star Wars. Part 2 will turn our analytical eye on THE FAREWELL and WRATH OF MAN. Thanks to Chris for editing this episodes. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Theis, Sandra and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:36 – Choices vs Decisions 00:19:51 – Booksmart 01:01:41 – Decisions & Structure 01:05:50 – Mills' decision in Se7en 01:07:50 – Key Learnings and Wrap Up FILMS BOOKSMART (2019) — (w) Sarah Haskins, Emily Halpern, Katie Silberman, Susanna Fogel (d) Olivia Wilde SE7EN (1995) — (w) Andrew Kevin Walker (d) David Fincher STAR WARS (1977) — (w) George Lucas THE FAREWELL (2019) — (w) Lulu Wang WRATH OF MAN (2021) — (w) Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, Guy Ritchie (d) Guy Ritchie SHOWS FLEABAG — (w) Phoebe Waller Bridge SCRIPTS Study the script: BOOKSMART (2019) — Sarah Haskins, Emily Halpern, Katie Silberman, Susanna Fogel Study the script: SE7EN (1995) — Andrew Kevin Walker Study the script: THE FAREWELL (2019) — Lulu Wang SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Editing as Imperfect Memory in THE FAREWELL EPISODES IN THE CHOICES AND DECISIONS SERIES DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart DZ-85: Choices & Decisions 2 - The Farewell & Wrath of Man RELATED EPISODES DZ-34: Game of Choices - Decision Making and Character Implications DZ-48: One-Shot - Blade Runner 2049 – Agency vs Choice ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-84/

Listen you want to understand how stand-up comedians grip audiences and build emotional arcs (and what narrative tools screenwriters can borrow from comedy)! Standup comedians can keep audiences gripped to their every word for over an hour, and often bring them to emotional climaxes by the end. So how do they do it and what tools can apply to scripted narratives? For this deep dive into standup, Stu and Chas are joined by the super-talented comic and podcaster Alice Fraser. Which is rather fortuitous. Because not only are we schooled on comedy techniques, but because Alice also has a Masters in Narrative Rhetoric. So as we dive in to NANETTE by Hannah Gadsby, BABY COBRA by Ali Wong and IT’S THE FIREWORKS TALKING by Daniel Kitson (with more than a passing reference to Alice’s own show SAVAGE and INSIDE by Bo Burnham), we analyse narrative structure, transitions, set-ups and pay-offs used by stand-ups… But we end up focusing on exploring thematic tools - particularly the Aristotelean concepts of the rhetorical triangle: - logos (how the story is told); - ethos (who the storyteller is); and - pathos (how the audience emotionally engages). With these powers combined, storytellers of all kinds can produce work of thematic power and resonance. Or just funny. And in backmatter, we discuss adapting Savage for the recorded stage with Alice! This episode brought to you by ScriptUp – https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off. Enjoy! As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. If you introduce this idea in a harmless form, then they're willing to swallow it later. When, if you presented it raw out front, they would recoil. — alice LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Theis, Sandra and Khrob. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Q: What can screenwriters learn from the storytelling techniques used by stand-up comedians? 00:03:25 – Alice Fraser on Comedy 00:22:33 – Comedy tools to be explored 00:26:21 – NANETTE by Hannah Gadsby 00:48:47 – Transitions in and out of theme 01:08:32 – BABY COBRA by Ali Wong 01:37:57 – IT'S THE FIREWORKS TALKING by Daniel Kitson 02:04:45 – Key Learnings 02:14:39 – Backmatter - Adapting SAVAGE FILMS NANETTE (2017) — (w) Hannah Gadsby (d) Madeleine Parry, Jon Olb BABY COBRA (2016) — (w) Ali Wong (d) Jay Karas INSIDE (2021) — (w) Bo Burnham IT'S THE FIREWORKS TALKING (2007) — (w) Daniel Kitson LINKS Listen: Alice Fraser's Savage Part 1 Listen: Alice Fraser's Savage Part 2 Watch: Alice Fraser's Savage on Amazon Listen: Hannah Gadsby on the Working it Out podcast with Mike Birbiglia Listen: Daniel Kitson's It's The Fireworks Talking (2007) Sponsor: Script Up! Use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-83/

Listen if you're drowning your readers in world-building and can't figure out how to make it awome. In this final podcast release of last year’s run of LiveSoLation episodes, Chas and Stu are joined by Uber-geek Mel Killingsworth (who else?) in an epic exploration of how Dave Gibbons’ and Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel WATCHMEN is adapted differently in Zack Snyder’s 2009 film and Damon Lindelof’s 2019 HBO television show. For this podcast release, we focus on a single craft tool: GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES. Traditionally an acting tool, we look at how it is also a useful writing tool: how is your story world different to your audience’s lived world and how best to communicate that? In terms of WATCHMEN (as you will hear), there is so much given circumstances to convey — in terms of alternate history, superhero rules, political rules, character backstory, character worldview — that is done excellently in both the movie and the TV show that this becomes a masterclass in exposition. We also touch on narrative structure and tone: how presenting the exact same information in a different order or through a different tonal lens can change how it lands for an audience. But this is explored much more fully in the very-visual companion YouTube videos. While this episode may not be for the feint of heart, we feel it is one of our best. Hope you do too. Quantity has a quality of its very own. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Theis, Sandra and Khrob. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:02 – Watching the Watchmen 00:06:13 – Summaries 00:17:07 – Given Circumstances 00:38:39 – The Characters 00:51:07 – Theme & Characters 01:02:13 – Narrative Structure & Theme 01:27:07 – Worldview 01:33:47 – Dr Manhattan 01:51:50 – Wrap Up FILMS WATCHMEN (2009) — (w) David Hayter, Alex Tse (d) Zack Snyder SHOWS WATCHMEN — (w) Damon Lindelof SCRIPTS Study the script: WATCHMEN (2009) — David Hayter, Alex Tse SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES How To Transition #001 - MATCH CROSSFADES The Eyes Have It: WATCHMEN The Eyes of WATCHMEN LINKS Read: Watchmen by Alan Moore YouTube: Narrative Structure and Given Circumstances in WATCHMEN YouTube: Adapting the Watchmen - Comic to Movie, or: how changing the tone changes the theme YouTube: Cal Abar Heaven Is Pretend speech - Watchmen S01E04 RELATED EPISODES DZ-37: Excelling at Exposition (Part 1) DZ-38: Excelling at Exposition (Part 2) ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-82/

Listen if you're preparing to pitch a project and want to understand how to create compelling visual materials Chas and Stu are joined by writer/director/producer/multi-hyphenate Marc Furmie of Rezistor Studios to talk all things pitch decks and look books. Coming from an advertising and music video background, Marc shares his experience in putting together visual materials to pitch a project. We discuss the difference between pitch decks and lookbooks, how they help you sell your projects, what buyers are looking for, television vs features, and how do we make yours better? This is a podcast cutdown of the live stream that was done with Marc. So if you'd like to see what we are discussing (including a critique of a listener's pitch deck) then check out our YouTube recording: https://youtu.be/T5u1uzKNVQs. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. ——— LINKS YouTube: DZ-81: Pitch Decks & Look Books (Full Video) Read: Rezistor Studios Website: Eagle Image Library Website: Adobe Fonts Website: Da Font EPISODES IN THE DEVELOPMENT TOOLS SERIES DZ-106: How do you know if you have enough story? DZ-71: Treatments & Loglines - Development Tools 1 DZ-72: Theme & The Story Synopsis - Development Tools 2 DZ-81: Pitch Decks & Look Books - Development Tools 4 DZ-73: Selling documents - Development Tools 3 ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-81/

Listen to explore non-chronological structures can make work thematically resonant. In our final part, part 3, of our Interweaving Timelines series, we — Chas, Stu & Mel — take a deep dive into Greta Gerwig's 2019 adaptation of Little Women. In her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's iconic novels, Greta chose to interweave the seperate timelines of Little Women and it's sequel, Good Wives, to create a thematically and emotionally potent work. This differs from all the other adaptations, which have chosen to keep the chronological storytelling of the source material. We compare Gerwig's choices and their resulting effects with Gilliam Armstrong & Robin Swicord's more faithful (and chronological) 1994 version. It's almost like a scientific experiment! Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Randy, Garrett, Bjorn, Jessie, Khrob and Sandra. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:37 – ScriptUp Sponsorship 00:02:00 – Little Women - 2019 vs 1994 00:06:35 – 2019's Interweaving Timelines 00:15:29 – Summarising the plot points 00:31:39 – Initial contrasts with chronological telling 00:35:32 – Laurie's Proposal 00:54:10 – Amy and Laurie's courtship 01:03:34 – Beth's Death 01:26:44 – Book burning and ice skating 01:36:51 – How the structure expresses theme 01:44:06 – Key Learnings and Wrap Up 01:59:02 – Backmatter FILMS LITTLE WOMEN (2019) — (w) Greta Gerwig, Louisa May Alcott (d) Greta Gerwig LITTLE WOMEN (1994) — (w) Louisa May Alcott, Robin Swicord (d) Gillian Armstrong SCRIPTS Study the script: LITTLE WOMEN (2019) — Greta Gerwig, Louisa May Alcott SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES Art of the Title Sequence: LITTLE WOMEN LINKS Listen: Scriptnotes, Ep 433: The One with Greta Gerwig EPISODES IN THE INTERWEAVING TIMELINES SERIES DZ-78: Interweaving Timelines 1 - Destroyer DZ-79: Interweaving Timelines 2 - The Social Network DZ-80: Interweaving Timelines 3 - Little Women RELATED EPISODES DZ-78: Interweaving Timelines 1 - Destroyer DZ-79: Interweaving Timelines 2 - The Social Network ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-80/

Listen to understand how manage stakes when you're using flashforwards. In this Part 2 of Interweaving Timelines (aka The Stu Monologue Episode), Mel, Chas and Stu tackle Sorkin/Fincher's The Social Network. As you’ll hear, it is clearly Stu’s favourite of the examples we cover and, ah, not Mel’s favourite. While all three bring their own biases and opinions on the reality of Facebook as it has become, we do manage to put the destruction of democracy to one side to actually analyse the meticulous craft that this film displays. We analyse Sorkin’s on-the-page skill with time jumps, managing intercutting and introducing characters - as well as explore how the flash-forward technique manages the absence of stakes (i.e. we know Facebook exists) and creates a different emotional experience to the flashbacks of Destroyer. Finally, and most importantly, we look at how the interweaving timelines change how the audience feel about Mark Zuckerberg (as portrayed in this film). Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Randy, Garrett, Bjorn, Joakim, Khrob and Sandra. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:01:48 – The Social Network 00:07:36 – The flash forward structure 00:18:46 – Why did we pick this film? 00:29:41 – What are the stakes? 00:42:45 – Time jumps & transitions 00:52:59 – Audience's perception of Mark 01:00:45 – Storyteller cuts 01:09:20 – Sorkin vs Fincher 01:16:07 – Wrap up & key learnings 01:23:15 – Backmatter FILMS THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) — (w) Aaron Sorkin (d) David Fincher SCRIPTS Study the script: THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010) — Aaron Sorkin EPISODES IN THE INTERWEAVING TIMELINES SERIES DZ-78: Interweaving Timelines 1 - Destroyer DZ-79: Interweaving Timelines 2 - The Social Network DZ-80: Interweaving Timelines 3 - Little Women RELATED EPISODES DZ-43: Driving Sequences - Character and Plot Intensity DZ-78: Interweaving Timelines 1 - Destroyer ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-79/

Listen when you're writting multiple timelines and struggling to anchor your reader to one timeline's perspective. Stu and Chas are joined by Mel Killingsworth to dissect interweaving timelines. Not anthology films. Not Cloud Atlas. But films where two plot lines featuring the same characters, but from different timelines, are woven together. How do you manage stakes when you know a character’s future? What questions does this prompt in the viewer? And how the hell do you orient the reader? To answer these questions, it will take three episodes. In this Part 1, our intrepid team (and Mel’s 42 pages of homework) tackle the 2018 film DESTROYER directed by Karen Kusama, written by Hay & Manfredi and starring Nicole Kidman. Meanwhile, Part 2 will cover THE SOCIAL NETWORK and Part 3 will compare the 1994 Gillian Armstrong version with 2019 Greta Gerwig version of LITTLE WOMEN. Whew. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Randy, Garrett, Bjorn, Jack, Khrob and Sandra. ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:10 – Intro 00:01:46 – Interweaving Timelines? 00:14:54 – Destroyer & Timelines 00:35:28 – Indicating Timelines 00:39:21 – Ordering the Key Events 00:51:50 – Theme & Timelines 01:06:44 – Questions prompted by the ending 01:20:58 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:37:37 – Backmatter FILMS DESTROYER (2018) — (w) Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay (d) Karyn Kusama SCRIPTS Study the script: DESTROYER (2018) — Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay LINKS Website: A Game Designer's Analysis Of QAnon EPISODES IN THE INTERWEAVING TIMELINES SERIES DZ-78: Interweaving Timelines 1 - Destroyer DZ-79: Interweaving Timelines 2 - The Social Network DZ-80: Interweaving Timelines 3 - Little Women RELATED EPISODES DZ-05: Shifting audience point of view and heightened emotions DZ-46: Structure & Point of View ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-78/