In this, our debut episode of Draft Zero, Stu and Chas analyse two screenplays nominated for Academy Awards in 2014 – PHILOMENA and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB – to see whether they follow the structural theories espoused by Blake Snyder, Michael Hauge and Christopher Vogler. We discuss character dynamics, structural challenges, and the complexities of narrative.
DZ-01: Do Screenplay Gurus win you Oscars?
Do Oscar-Nominated screenwriters follow the structural formulas prescribed by the 'gurus' and books?
Show Notes
"I think the least helpful, I mean, not only are these formulas, but, you know, whether it’s a myth or otherwise, there is a conception that the second act is the hardest. And you’d think that the gurus would offer you the most kind of formula for what to do with your second act. But most of the time it’s just set up, you know, they’ve just kind of re-articulating different ways to do setup."
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As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.
Transcript
Chapters
- 00:00:05 – Welcome to Draft Zero
- 00:02:23 – Exploring the Gurus of Screenwriting
- 00:03:22 – The Structure Debate Begins
- 00:04:18 – Analyzing Award-Winning Screenplays
- 00:06:30 – Focus on Philomena and Dallas Buyers Club
- 00:09:29 – Insights from Blake Snyder
- 00:15:10 – Theme and Character Journeys
- 00:16:48 – The Catalyst and Dual Protagonists
- 00:25:22 – All Is Lost and Dark Nights
- 00:30:31 – Haig's Six Stages of Film
- 00:46:47 – Reflecting on Structure and Creativity
- 00:49:42 – New Opportunities and Situations
- 00:51:43 – Exploring the Hero's Journey
- 00:58:19 – Shifting Focus to Dallas Buyers Club
- 01:01:41 – Introduction to Dallas Buyers Club
- 01:03:37 – Themes of Mortality and Redemption
- 01:11:49 – The B Story: Battle for Ron's Soul
- 01:21:48 – Thrilling Elements in Biopics
- 01:28:49 – The Fight Against Big Pharma
- 01:32:51 – Lessons from Philomena and Dallas Buyers Club
Films
Scripts
- Study the script: PHILOMENA (2013) — Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan, Martin Sixsmith
- Study the script: DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2013) — Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack
Links
- Read: The Q&A Podcast with Jeff Goldsmith - Philomena
- Read: The Q&A Podcast with Jeff Goldsmith - Dallas Buyers Club
- Read: The Writer’s Journey Structure by Christopher Vogler
- Read: Scrivener
- Read: Ingrid’s Notes on THE WRITER’S JOURNEY
- Read: SM Worth links to a few different Scrivener Templates including one for the Hero’s Journey
- Read: Save The Cat Beatsheet by Blake Snyder
- Read: The Five Key Turning Points Of All Successful Scripts by Michael Hauge
Episodes in the Screenplay Gurus series
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We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.