3-2-1 | Screenwriting Thursday: Sociopolitical Guidance in Genre, Layers of Conflict, Using People
It’s been a good week!
I just got back into my own place after house sitting in the hills. It’s nice to be back, even though I miss watching the sun set over the city from a glorious cedar salt-water hot tub.
I’m enjoying the return to my little office covered in post-its.
On with the show -
But First…
3 IDEAS FROM ME
I.
When we look to the larger sociopolitical experience, stories that fill the gaps left by day to day experience tend to be successful.
When people are largely doing well, exploring the dark, gritty, or cynical is a fun adventure. For example, 2005 was relatively prosperous; We hadn’t hit The Great Recession yet and we were largely doing well. From 2003 - 2005, the unemployment rate fell from almost 6% to under 5% along with other key positive economic indicators. In 2005 the top movies were Nolan’s Batman Begins, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Downfall, and Sin City.
Conversely, when we’re dying in the trenches we need to be reminded of good in the world. We need hope and lightness to balance a largely negative day to day experience. In 1940 the top movies were The Shop Around the Corner, The Great Dictator, The Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday, and Pinocchio. All lighthearted, largely uplifting comedies and romances.
What is the prevalent experience in society right now? How can your story fill the gap?
II.
Take a flat middle scene running on one kind of conflict. Add a second layer. If two people are arguing (personal), add a clock or a hostile room (extra-personal), or crack open a private doubt inside one of them (inner). Stack conflict instead of widening plot.
III.
When reaching out to make professional connections, remember, the ones who can really make a difference in your career are used to people trying to use them and are drowning in entitled requests to help other people make, ‘the next big hit.’
To cut through the noise show that you care about that individual person, not just how they can be useful to you. Develop the relationship, be respectful of their time, and treat networking like dating. Would you want this person to be on your team? Would this person want you to be on their team? It goes both ways.
2 QUOTES FROM OTHERS
I.
“Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
II.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
