DZ-106: How do you know if you have enough story?

How do you know if you have enough narrative fuel to write a script?

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!

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!

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons, especially Lily,  Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, 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, @chasffisher and @mehlsbells on twitter. You can also find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

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DZ-105: Establishing Tone through Big Print

How can we teach the reader to find the humour in our darkness?

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.

CHAPTERS:

  • 00:00:00 – Cold Open
  • 00:00:32 – What is tone?
  • 00:25:00 – The Nice Guys
  • 00:55:07 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro
  • 00:57:23 – The Banshees of Inisherin
  • 01:25:06 – Yellowjackets
  • 01:53:30 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
  • 02:04:40 – Many thanks to our Patreons!

RELATED EPISODES

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons, especially Lily,  Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, 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, and @chasffisher on twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

SUBSCRIBE TO SHOT ZERO via Substack

DZ-104: Characters Alone – Dramatizing the internal

How can scenes where characters are alone increase our connection with them?

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.

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!

RELATED EPISODES

RELATED LINKS

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons, especially Lily,  Alexandre, Malay, Casimir, 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, and @chasffisher on twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

SUBSCRIBE TO SHOT ZERO via Substack