DZ-47: Backmatter - A Lost Jedi, White Knighting, and Writers-On-Set
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
Release Date: 01/11/2018
DZ-119: Final Character Choices & Great Endings
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How does your protagonist’s final choice resolve the plot, character arc and theme? In this episode, Stu and Chas focus solely on the final choices made by protagonists and how that reflects their character journey and successfully, or not, dramatises the internal. We compare and contrast different uses of narrative POV in respect to these final choices, in particular whether and when the audience is made aware of the options available to the character, the act of making the choice, and the consequences of the choice. We breakdown examples from DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES,...
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DZ-118: Adolescence and tension through questions
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How do dramatic questions create tension? In this episode, Stu and Chas delve into the cultural phenomenon of ADOLESCENCE. We try to find the craft tools that have made the show so compelling and such a catalyst for conversation. In particular, we breakdown how the show’s emphasis on questions creates tension: not just tension through plot, but tension through character, and ultimately tension through theme. We analsyse the show episode-by-episode, and discuss how the overall structure skilfully shifts from a plot-heavy police procedural towards a thematic-heavy melodrama...
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DZ-117: Tonal shifts
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How can we teach our audience new storytelling rules in the middle of our story? Following on from our episodes on establishing tone through action lines and through character, this is what we have been building up to: how to pull off a tonal switch… that does not throw the audience out of the film. And, in particular, how to pull that off on the page when writers don’t have framing, lighting, music, editing, etc. at our disposal? With that goal in mind, Mel and Chas dissect specific moments on the pages of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU and SWISS ARMY MAN. While there are definite...
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DZ-116: Writing physical comedy
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How do you make extended technical scenes funny on the page? Mel joins Chas to tackle physical comedy. We limited our homework selection to extended scenes (as opposed to moments and sight gags) in live action projects and - with the help of our Patreons - selected early sequences from BRINGING UP BABY, the pilot for HAPPY ENDINGS and that wonderful food poisoning scene in BRIDESMAIDS. We discover how these incredible writers take their time (on the page) to set up geography, framing and running gags. We also get tips on judicious use ALL CAPS, ellipses and M-dashes to recreate visual gags…...
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DZ-115: A Christmas Special - Rewatching & Rituals
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
What magic do Christmas movies use to make them so rewatchable? In this “backmatter” episode of Draft Zero, Stu, Chas, and Mel Killingsworth embark on a festive exploration of what makes holiday films so engaging and so re-watchable that they can become part of our rituals. To that end, we breakdown the charm of of Christmas films like KISS KISS BANG BANG, RIDERS OF JUSTICE, and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. We discuss what defines a holiday movie, the power of nostalgia, the importance of ensembles to a sense of family, and how voiceover, snappy dialogue and intricate plots can make...
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DZ-114: Climaxes in Challengers
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How does ending your story on the climax affect audience experience? While Stu is on show, Mel and Chas sit down to analyse the meaning behind the ending of 2024’s CHALLENGERS, especially when - upon reading the script - the most impactful moment of the ending on screen (for Chas in particular) is not written on the page. Following on from episodes on filmmakers talking directly to the audience as well as previous exploration into choices and decisions (and hopefully serving as a prelude to our episode on Hero’s Choice), Mel and Chas explore the choices the characters make in that final...
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DZ-113: Tools for filmmakers to talk to the audience
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
What tools help ensure that you as the filmmaker are not misunderstood? In our final (ha!) episode looking at Talking Directly to the Audience, we turn away from character-and-text based craft tools to look at other ways that filmmakers - whether they be directors, writers, editors, or anyone else - can make the audience feel their 'hand' more. To that end, Mel, Stu and Chas dive into ADAPTATION, STORIES WE TELL and THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION. We discuss structure (in particular how to structure more “meta” stories), the influence of TikTok and YouTube in portraying character...
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DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall How is the effect of breaking the 4th wall different to VoiceOver? As part of our series on how filmmakers can directly communicate to the audience, we finally examine the most blatant tool of them all: when character look directly down the barrel of the camera… and thus look directly at us, the viewer. Chas, Stu and Mel take the craft tools/levers they identified in previous episodes and use them to examine HIGH FIDELITY, ABBOTT ELEMENTARY and - of course - FLEABAG. By examining how “in-world” the camera is, who is talking, and whom the character is talking...
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DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and Fight Club
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How does the unreliability of a narrator impact the way a story is told? In this episode, Stu and Mel (sans Chas!) take a deep dive into FIGHT CLUB and its use of the unreliable narrator. This is a bridging episode between our previous episode on VOICEOVER and our forthcoming episode on TALKING TO CAMERA as Fight Club does both. We dissect the film’s disconnected sequence-driven structure and how the voiceover ’stitches’ the film together. And then we look at what makes ‘Jack’ an unreliable narrator and how his control over the storytelling impacts us. As...
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DZ-110: Voiceover
Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast
How can you use Voiceover without it feeling like a cheat? In this episode, we finally delve into the world of VOICEOVERS (as part of our larger series exploring craft tools that allow characters & storytellers to talk directly to the audience). Chas, Stu and Mel deep dive into the VERONICA MARS pilot, Disney’s THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE, and the Michael Bay epic PAIN & GAIN. In exploring what makes these particular examples of Voiceover great (and not feel like a cheat or a well-worn trope), we apply the four levers identified in our Part 1 (in particular ‘when in time is the...
info_outlineWill Director Stu allow Writer Chas on his set?
Following our annual wrap up in 2017, we’ve decided to once again explore what craft issues/lessons we can garner from the latest Stars, namely Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, focusing on how consequences of character actions can do a lot of heavy lifting as to how the audience perceives that character (as well as looking at worldview and overall story structure).
We also discuss how the sexual assault allegations in our industry can impact on what work we choose to analyse as well as dive into a bunch of listener questions.
We end on whether - if our space pirates project gets off the ground - Chas should come on set, whether Stu will have him and whether it would do anyone any good.
As always: SPOILERS ABOUND
Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.
Special thanks to our Patreon supporters. If you would like more Draft Zero episodes more often, click here!
BACKMATTER LINKS
- THE LAST JEDI w & d Rian Johnson [@ 1m 28s]
- SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS & DRAFT ZERO HOMEWORK POLICIES [@ 29m 07s]
- YouTube: Rose McGowan speaks publicly in Detroit, first time since Weinstein allegations
- The New Yorker coverage of the Weinstein allegations:
- Commentary from collaborators with Harvey Weinstein
- Rolling Stone/Joyce Che: Kevin Smith is Donating his Residuals to Women in Film
- The Guardian: Tarantino on Weinstein
- Our Lady J: ‘Transparent’ Writer Says Jeffrey Tambor Accusers Told “Their Truth” & Series Should Not “Be Taken Down” By Actor
- LISTENER QUESTIONS [@ 52m 28s]
- Fiona: When do you reveal a secret in a story?
- Khrob: Can Blockbusters escape the ROTJ 3rd Act "problem"?
- Khrob: Best Writing Moment of 2017?
- Dexter: Would you be open to a draft zero commentary with a movie?
- Thomas: Could you please do an episode on Linklater?
- Susie: How do I move from the 2nd into the 3rd Act without it being so sudden?
- César: What are the best scripts you've ever read?
- César: Do you write scenes in the order they're in the script?
- César: What are the biggest differences in writing movies & tv shows?
- Mendoza: Let me tell you why you're wrong about SPLIT. In four parts.
- Sunday: What's the best piece of advice you've ever been given about writing?
- Sunday: How did you transition from short form to long form writing?
- Sunday: How do you, as a Director, work with a writing partner?
- Evrim: Do you find short online form (web series) restrictive or liberating?
- WRAP UP [@ 1hr 48m 21s]
- What have Stu & Chas Been Working On?
- Should Chas Come To Set?
- (Post Credits) Thomas schools us on our pronunciation.
Please send feedback to ask at draft-zero.com, via our web form or twitter @draft_zero! We are @chasffisher and @stuwillis on twitter.
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Thanks to Khrob, Joakim and Christopher for being patrons. They're good people. Sorry Christopher that you didn't get a shout-out in the episode but hopefully this note immortalised in the very bottom of the show notes demonstrates how much we appreciate ja!