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I don't normally promote Draft Zero episodes on LinkedIn. But this episode with Judith Weston (Directing Actors, The Film Director's Intutition) is worthy of being an exception. We discuss with Judith her craft tool of 'The Emotional Event' and apply it to some finished scenes. 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. The Emotional Event 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. It's a tool that I think is incredibly useful for filmmakers of all kinds: whether they're before the camera, behind the camera, in front of the camera or after the camera. 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 it on Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you find your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gsGyPyPX #filmmaking #screenwriting #directing

TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES This just came across The Greenhouse front desk from our good friends at Act One, the faith-based program for training screenwriters and producers in film and television. Check it out below... ANNOUNCING OUR 2024 PROGRAMS In honor of Act One's 25th anniversary, we are delighted to unveil our 2024 programs. Available globally, these ONLINE courses cater to aspiring filmmakers, offering a platform to hone their skills and bring their stories to life. It's been said the most powerful delivery device for an idea is a good story, well told. The creation of film and television is a collaborative effort involving countless creative minds. These narratives often stand the test of time, outliving their creators and continuing to influence future generations. At Act One, we invite you to be a part of this creative legacy. As a storyteller, what do you have to say? As an artist, what idea do you want to communicate to the world? As a filmmaker, what film do you want to craft so well that it outlives you? Our world is grappling with uncertainty and skepticism, necessitating change. There is a pressing need for narratives of truth, goodness, and beauty. We seek individuals driven by their faith to create compelling stories. If you identify with this vision, Act One is here to support your journey. We offer an online Hollywood Writing Program for aspiring screenwriters. This 8-week summer course provides insights into the art of writing for film and television. The curriculum encompasses a comprehensive study of structure, plot, character development, and subtext, all from a Christian perspective, including interactive sessions, video lessons, group discussions, and personalized mentorship. For those interested in production or executive roles in film or television, we propose the renowned Act One Producing and Entertainment Executive Program. This 16-week online course covers fundamental production skills, taught by industry professionals. This course also includes a week-long experience at the Sundance Film Festival. Our program is designed to teach you how to excel in your craft, deepen your faith, and connect with a community of like-minded individuals. Click the below link for more details and to apply: https://lnkd.in/gBCyvnwK — #personalimprovement #TrainingOpportunities #filmmaker #screenwriting #screenwriter #entertainmentcareers #producer #Producing #film #television

What is a Red Herring? https://ift.tt/xVk4DCt Have you ever watched a movie and felt completely confident you knew who the culprit was, only to be left speechless by a shocking twist? Or perhaps you devoured a season of your favorite show, only to realize a seemingly pivotal clue was nothing more than a clever distraction? These are the hallmarks of the red herring, a storytelling technique that thrives on misdirection. Today, we're going to go over the term, look at examples and tropes, and talk about why you should use them in your writing. Dive in, if you dare. Did you hear about the teens that dove in last summer? I wouldn't dive in if, if I were you... Red Herring Definition A red herring is an element in a story that deliberately misleads the audience (and sometimes the characters themselves) by diverting attention away from the crucial issue at hand. The expression has become a cornerstone of storytelling, employed across cultures and genres. Tropes and Characteristics of a Red Herring Red herrings are more than just plot devices; they are testaments to the power of storytelling itself. By skillfully leading us astray, they enhance the payoff of the big reveal. However, the most effective red herrings don't merely deceive; they leave us feeling satisfied even though we were misled. As viewers, we enjoy the intellectual challenge of deciphering the narrative puzzle laid before us. Filmmakers utilize a diverse arsenal of techniques to weave red herrings into their narratives. Here are some common tropes: The Misplaced MacGuffin: Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense, frequently employed the "MacGuffin," a plot device that drives the characters forward but holds little intrinsic value. In North by Northwest (1959), microfilm containing government secrets is the MacGuffin, but a series of red herrings, like mistaken identity and a chase across Mount Rushmore, keep the audience guessing about its true nature. The Convenient Witness: A seemingly credible witness emerges with a bombshell piece of information, only to be revealed as unreliable or part of a larger conspiracy. This tactic is used in The Usual Suspects (1995), where a mysterious informant, Keyser Soze, becomes a central focus despite his ambiguous existence. The Hidden Motive: A character suspected of wrongdoing might possess a seemingly obvious motive, leading the audience down a false path. In Gone Girl (2014), the husband's infidelity paints him as the prime suspect in his wife's disappearance, but a web of hidden motives from other characters unfolds as the story progresses. The History of the Red Herring The phrase "red herring" has a surprisingly literal origin. The actual red herring is a type of fish cured and smoked, giving it a reddish color and a particularly pungent smell. It is believed, though the theory is unsubstantiated, that these strongly scented fish were used to train scent hounds, teaching them to ignore distractions and fo...

Attention all writers and filmmakers! Check out this informative article on the importance of proper script formatting for moving your project forward. Don't miss out on this vital insight. Follow the link below to read the full piece. https://lnkd.in/gkGxEvyb

On Method Acting by Martin Landau; “In a well-written script, what people say to each other – the dialogue – is what a character’s willing to reveal, willing to share with another person. The 90% he or she isn’t willing to share is what I do for a living.” In on-camera acting, putting all your emotions on display does not necessarily make your performance more interesting. Instead, it’s the opposite. It leaves little to the imagination. It leaves the audience with too few blanks to fill in, on their own, about your character’s thoughts and intentions. And it leaves no room for the audience to yearn for more. Constantly highlight calibration and quality of writing as inextricable associates. The You get the same problem in writing and directing. People mimic restrained, meditative surface forms but without any grasp of the internal engine, so they end up doing nothing then labelling it as mediative/contemplative. Simply take Paul Schrader's "boredom as a dramatic tool" of transcendental cinema then discard "dramatic tool" and just leave "boredom". The widespread misunderstandings of plot and conflict are offshoots of the problem. I think the fundamental problem is that interpretation has been moved into secondary relevance - a consequence of pushing writing down the pecking order - to give banal form and style freedom to roam. But the problem is that without the parameters of interpretation, they lose focus. NB: Don’t Act Like You’re Acting. #ScreenWriting #Acting #Performance #Characters #Fiction #ScriptedContent #Dialogue #Audience #Television #Film #TV #Movies #Imagination #Directing #Cinema #DramaticTool

"Don’t mess with the script - it’s already been signed off" I used to hear that often from producers or those in management and I get it. It's been signed off by internal senior stakeholders, so there's a reticence to mess with anything. However, in my experience: 📝 A great script comes from constant refining and finessing as I go through the production process and have more ideas. It's about adding more layers to the script to make a great film. 👉 It doesn't come from an intense 2 weeks on it, then an inability to touch it again until you get into the edit. Take our writing process for Bad News - the film that went: - Viral on Reddit - Won YDA for our director Alicia Macdonald at Cannes AdWeek - Screened at the BFI The ideas for the script were built layer by layer: Idea 1: 2 newsreaders who can’t stop talking like newsreaders Idea 2: Let’s set them in a pub lamenting how it’s impacting their life. Idea 3: Add something surprising during the film to give it an extra lift - how about a weatherman in the garden? Idea 4: Ensure that every single line sounds like it could be from a news report. I.e. Replace, ‘Yes’ with, ‘It’s hard to deny those allegations’ Idea 5: The film’s running too long, so let’s cut a scene and have a moment where they lose each other to speed up the film. With rigid approval processes, we maybe could’ve had Ideas 1, 2 and possibly 5. But that would've lost our weather reporter who a lot of people absolutely love. It means that whenever I'm writing a comedy script, I always ask the client to approve a base, but then allow for flexibility to finesse and refine it. To add those layers. An initial idea can be good. But the layers will be what makes it truly great. *My favourite idea of the lot was to make our weatherman use his lighter as if it was a clicker. #film #writing #process #adverts

Every film starts off as an idea, but every captivating film has a story. So, it wouldn't be a stretch to logically believe that a writer is more than just instrumental in shaping narratives, crafting dialogue, and breathing life into characters. Without a compelling story, even the most visually stunning film can fall flat. That is why writers' rooms are the heart of creative collaboration, where ideas are born, nurtured, and transformed into compelling stories. Stories that leave lasting impressions, resonate with audiences. While the visuals of motion pictures in their final format of movies or web series can excite and startle, it is in structured text that the audience's attention is hooked and held. Writers are thus instrumental in translating ideas into scripts and turning them into journeys for the viewer to be carried through. Seasoned and skilled writers, are the need of the hour, especially in a Creator Economy. Writers don't just bring imagination, emotion, and perspective to the table, they infuse a film's story with life and meaning. In essence, writers are the backbone of any motion picture, driving the story forward and guiding the filmmaker's idea to be brought to visual life. Their contribution is invaluable, making them foundational to the success of any film, regardless of its format or genre. #writers #soozhalcineemas #filmmaking #screenwriters

As another week ticks by, we thought it might be quite nice to share a story about Melting It Productions and how we got our name. Melting It has three company directors - Liam, Andy and Andrew. Before Liam came on board, Andy and Andrew came up with the name a long time ago while they were editing a documentary. When you work with audio and video, a big part of what you do is editing. It's an essential, mostly enjoyable and sometimes incredibly frustrating task. It can go really smoothly or, sometimes, it can't. However, sometimes, you make a cut in a piece of audio or add a transition to a video clip and it goes so absolutely perfectly that you can't even tell where the edit is in the finished piece. This is what happened when they were editing the documentary. A moment of absolute editing perfection. A moment so good, one of them shouted "You've MELTED that edit" and so the company name was born.👌 We like to think that taking such pleasure in the tiny details of what we do is what sets us apart. We LOVE those moments to the point that we chase them. We work hard for them and we love it when they come off. 💪 Hope you a have a lovely weekend! 🙌 #promotionalvideo #podcasts #audio #film #documentary #consultancy #production #MeltingIt #fridayfeeling  

🎬 Just watched an engaging podcast on the Aman Malik YouTube channel featuring Amit Kulkarni, the talented editor behind some of the most watched web series including Dhindhora, Hostel Daze, Panchayat, and Gullak! 🌟. Amit Kulkarni insights into film editing is very inspiring and fascinating. He explained about the amount of work done for any web series/ documentary, and also discussed how storytelling helps in film making when your working closely with a director. Some of the learnings from this podcast are: 👥 Collaboration between editors and directors is essential for an engaging final product. Understanding the director's perspective and tuning with them makes a great output. 📜 Paying close attention to the narrative structure and character development is essential for effective editing. Sometimes you have to keep your ideas and suggestions which may help creating the plot 💪 Editing can be a time-consuming and challenging process. There is no room for error and attention to detail is very important. 📚 Reading as many as books for cognitive learning which is very important in storytelling. 📖 Also discovered about the FTII (Film Television Institute of Technology) & SRFTI (Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute) which are the dream colleges those who are into film making.🏫 Thanks to Aman Malik for hosting such an informative discussion! https://lnkd.in/g2X3Mi7h

🎬 Exciting News! 🎬 I recently had the opportunity to edit a documentary video, and I'm thrilled to share it with you all. Your feedback is incredibly valuable to me, and I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Every bit of feedback is appreciated, so please don't hold back. Whether it's about the storytelling, the editing style, or anything else, I want to hear it all! Feel free to tweak it to better suit your style and voice! #Documentary #VideoEditing #FeedbackWelcome #FilmMakingFeel