Process

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… →

Films: Lady Bird (2017) , Emily the Criminal (2022) , The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) , Spontaneous (2020)

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?”… →

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… →

Films: The Nice Guys (2016) , The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) , YELLOWJACKETS (2021)

Shows: YELLOWJACKETS 1x1

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… →

Films: John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) , Bluey (2018)

Shows: Bluey 2x37 , Bluey 3x16

Time for our annual backmatter episode, where we drop any ruse of any objectivity, and fully embrace our subjective opinions… →

Films: Andor (2022) , Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)

Shows: Andor , Obi-Wan Kenobi

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… →

Films: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) , In the Mood for Love (2000) , Cast Away (2000) , The Dark Knight (2008) , Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

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… →

Films: Die Hard (1988)

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… →

In their now-annual full backmatter episode, Stu and Chas let their hair down, drop the guise of objectivity, and allow themselves to have an even more subjective opinion about writing and the business of writing… →

Films: Ready or Not (2019) , The Mandalorian (2019)

Shows: The Mandalorian 2x1

In developing our stories and scripts, we have probably written some combination of treatments and loglines and outlines. Some of us have probably even sent these development materials out to producers or agencies when “selling” a project — as a step towards getting someone to read or gulp produce your material. If so... have you written them differently? Should you have? You probably should have… →

Continuing our look at tools used in development, Chas & Stu are joined by Stephen Cleary to talk about Theme, The Thematic Logline and what Stephen calls The Story Synopsis. All are tools to help writers better understand their theme and how it is dramatised. We use the classic film WITNESS as an example, so spoilers abound… →

Films: Witness (1985) , Lawrence of Arabia (1962) , Macbeth (1971)

Stu and Chas are joined by fan-favourite, Stephen Cleary, to NOT look at what makes great screenplays work -- but what makes great “short documents” work. We draw on Stephen Cleary’s wealth of experience in developing work with writers, as a producer, as a script editor and as a former head of development… →

This episode, Chas steps down as co-host (kinda) and is interviewed by Stu as a guest, alongside director Ben Mizzi, about the short rom-com that Chas wrote and Ben directed & produced. The episode covers taking an idea from pitch to screen, working with a director, directing performance on the page, and marketing and distribution strategies for short films… →

In our annual Backmatter-only episode, Stu and Chas indulge themselves by offering personal opinions on the life and work of emerging screenwriters based on their own personal experience… →

A full three years after the first instalment (and one of our most popular), Stu and Chas have kidnapped Stephen Cleary to once again develop some craft tools around dialogue. It would be fair to say that - in that time - all three have learnt a lot more about dialogue than they knew in 2016. It would be also fair to say that Stephen perhaps learnt a little more through his research into “genderlect”… →

Films: Juno (2007) , Deadwood (2004) , Fleabag (2016)

Shows: Deadwood 1x1 , Fleabag 2x5

In this third and final part of our series on unfilmables, Chas and Stu turn their critical eye to... each other’s work! They take their key learnings from the previous episodes and apply them to rewriting scenes from their own projects. They discuss metaphors, emotional context, and how you can write tone on the page without resorting to unfilmables… →

Films: Payload (2011) , Restoration (2016)

*AKA Why your screenwriting guru is wrong *… →

Films: Lethal Weapon (1987) , Hereditary (2018) , A Quiet Place (2018) , Killing Them Softly (2012) , Spartan (2004) , The Girl on the Train (2016) , The Nice Guys (2016) , Drive (2011) , Michael Clayton (2007) , The Tree of Life (2011) , Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) , Killing Eve (2018) , Fleabag (2016) , Sharp Objects (2018) , Battlestar Galactica (2004)

Shows: Killing Eve 1x1 , Fleabag 1x1 , Sharp Objects 1x1 , Battlestar Galactica

It is time (in fact, well past time) for our semi-annual #Backmatter episode. For the uninitiated, this is an episode where Stu and Chas discuss career and craft-related topics beyond what makes great screenplays work. To that end, Stu and Chas dive into: a five year review of Draft Zero and how it has changed their writing craft and process; a discussion on the aesthetics of writing; learnings for emerging writers in having their work produced; and finally forgiving yourself for not writing… →

In this second part of their exploration of character motivations, Chas and Stu dive into what makes “BAD” screenplays NOT work. They examine at moments where they (and maybe you, dear listeners) did not believe a key decision being made by a character and so were taken out of the movie. In a departure from the Draft Zero format, they apply the tools they developed in Part 1 to workshop potential fixes to these beats… →

Films: Avengers: Infinity War (2018) , Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) , Die Hard (1988) , Predator 2 (1990) , Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018) , Prometheus (2012)

In this episode, Stu and Chas tackle one of the more esoteric topics in screenwriting (and writing in general): theme! To help us tackle this topic, we decided to look at television pilots, because we felt that television requires the theme to be more explicit. Our zig-zagging (and long) discussion covers thematic engines, music themes, thematic loglines, punishment vs reward, and - perhaps most of all - the worldview of characters… →

Films: House of Cards (2013) , Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015) , True Detective (2014) , Transparent (2014) , Fargo (2014) , Game of Thrones (2011) , BoJack Horseman (2014) , Six Feet Under (2001)

Shows: House of Cards 1x1 , Crazy Ex-Girlfriend 1x1 , True Detective 1x1 , Transparent 1x1 , Fargo 1x1 , Game of Thrones 1x1 , BoJack Horseman 1x1 , Six Feet Under 1x1

In another backmatter-only episode, Stu & Chas zig-zag through a range of topics. We talk about Chas’ experience(s) hitting both Los Angeles and the Austin Film Festival, effective networking, career capital, the art of receiving feedback, and Stu’s harsh Three Strikes Rule. We look back at the most important lessons we’ve learned about storytelling in 2016 and that leads us to talk about character choices in a little-known and little-talked about film called ROGUE ONE… →

Films: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

In this “special”, backmatter-only episode, Stu & Chas take inspiration from Terry Rossio’s excellent article on TIME RISK and ice skate over a range of topics. We talk about time investment in projects, Stuart’s project Restoration, doing you down work first, managing feedback, thinking positive being a negative, and we open the listener mail bag for critiques, praise and suggestions. We also explore how we could do Draft Zero episodes exploring tone and theme… →

Films: Restoration (2016)

We are often told that our ‘protagonist’ needs to be a active. That they need to be compelling. That they need to change. And - old faithful - that they need to be likeable. But after looking at MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, STAR TREK (2009), THE FIGHTER, and SICARIO, Chas and Stu learn that your primary character does not need to do all these things. In fact, they learn that splitting these functions between your primary characters can reinforce theme and create potential for different types of narratives… →

Films: Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) , Star Trek (2009) , The Fighter (2010) , Sicario (2015)

After being repeatedly asked by listeners for thoughts on screenplay competitions, Stu and Chas go full back matter for this special episode. They tackle the question - do comps just feeding the hope machine or are they a valid investment? - in their typical detailed (i.e. long) style. With their differing perspectives, Stu (a director looking for material) and Chas (a writer keen for exposure), talk to an impressive roster of guests. We start with Gordy Hoffman, founder and judge of the Bluecat Screenplay Competition; repeat Austin Film Festival attendees - first for the screenplay and now for the finished web series of EX BEST - Diana Gettinger & Monica Hewes; Launchpad 2014 finalist Tony Pitman; and Insite Competition winner Blake Ashford, whose winning script CUT SNAKE hit cinemas in 2015... ten years after winning the competition… →

Films: Cut Snake (2015) , Dog Bowl (2015)

In this halloween special, Chas (sans Stu) is joined by a very special guest... Aaron Sterns the co-writer of WOLF CREEK 2 -- the big budget sequel to the infamous WOLF CREEK, also directed by Greg McLean. Chas and Aaron talk horror, anti-horror, collaboration, novels and how a screenwriter works within an existing franchise… →

Films: Wolf Creek 2 (2013) , Wolf Creek (2005)

Draft Zero was invited to moderate a panel as part of the 2015 St Kilda Film Festival. In our very first live episode, we are joined by TV Writer Mithila Gupta (Winners and Losers), Director Corrie Chen (Reg Makes Contact) and Producer/Executive Simon de Bruyn (*Acquisitions Executive, XYZ Films *and Producer) to talk about ‘breaking in’, how it has changed, the different approaches, opportunities and challenges. They share their tips on networking effectively, setting up an online presence, persevering through doubt and getting relevant experience… →

Films: Reg Makes Contact (2015) , Bloomers (2013) , The Infinite Man (2014)

Films: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) , Highlander (1986) , American Splendor (2003) , Boyhood (2014)

Stu and Chas revisit a topic from a year ago: how do screenwriters make unlikeable characters compelling? This time, we turn our focus to dramas and analyse how AMERICAN HISTORY X, YOUNG ADULT, NIGHTCRAWLER all make their asshole protagonists compelling to watch. We expand our original list of five writer’s tools to include a few more for your tool belt… →

Films: American History X (1998) , Young Adult (2011) , Nightcrawler (2014)

Of course there are. How could there not be? After all, Michael Bay is the 3rd highest grossing director at the worldwide box office... of all time. Behind, y’know, Spielberg and stuff. How could a man of such credentials not know story? Or, so argues this week’s guest: the author of MICHAEL F-ING BAY: THE UNHERALDED GENIUS IN MICHAEL BAY’S FILMS... [drumroll]... the Bitter Script Reader… →

Films: The Rock (1996) , The Island (2005) , Pain & Gain (2013)

It’s our Holiday Special! In this episode (recorded December 2014), Chas and Stu break all the rules. No homework. No pages. No empirical analysis. They reluctantly but boldly reflect over the first year of Draft Zero and how it has influenced their ‘careers’ (such as they are). They also engage in a heated debate on whether a short film, a micro-budget feature or web-based content is the best way to go in terms of pushing a filmmaking career forward… →

Films: Play It Safe (2015) , Payload (2011)

Chas and Stu are joined by Khrob Edmonds - an award-winning filmmaker - to discuss manipulation of time… →

Films: Pulp Fiction (1994) , Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) , The Bourne Identity (2002) , The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) , The Untouchables (1987) , The Woman in Black (2012) , Up (2009) , Whiplash (2014)

Well, half of us is... Chas (sans Stu) is joined by a very special guest - Natasha Pincus. As a screenwriter, Tash’s feature CLIVE was on the 2012 Black List. As a director, her music video for Goyte’s Someone I Used To Know was nominated for an MTV Music Video Award. And at the time of this recording, her debut feature as a screenwriter FELL was weeks away from opening night… →

Films: Fell (2014)

Stu and Chas look at AMERICAN BULLSHIT (the 2010 Black List spec script by Eric Warren Singer) and the film it became… AMERICAN HUSTLE (co-written and directed by David O’Russell), which garnered 10 Oscar nominations in 2014… →

Films: American Hustle (2013)

Welcome to Draft Zero. A message from 2019 to those starting with our first episodes dating from 2014. We’ve learned a lot in five years. So where do you begin… →