DZ-97: Ensembles 2 – Servicing Characters

How do you give your audience access to a lot of characters?

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. 

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

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

RELATED EPISODES

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

ScriptUp: https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off; and

ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription!

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons? Especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

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 find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

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DZ-96: Ensembles 1 – What do we mean by an ensemble?

How can the same story feel different when you have more characters?

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.

We also talk through our lens for breaking down group dynamics: collaborative vs competitive vs combative.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!

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

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

ScriptUp: https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off; and

ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a subscription!

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons?, Especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

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. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

DZ-95: Backmatter – Building and Maintenance

How do you maintain hope in the face of, er, screenwriting?

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.

SPOILERS ABOUND for Andor and Obi-Wan.

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!

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

LINKS

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons? Especially Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

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. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic