Penguin February 27th, 2008
Watch the whole thing. No matter how pointless or boring it may seem, finish it. Video is a tremendous tool to tell stories. We tend to think of the visual language or dialogue and sound. But there’s so much more. What if video could be used to learn the language of the autistic? How amazing would that be?
Links
+ Wired: The Truth About Autism
-Penguin
Related postsPenguin February 27th, 2008
I don’t know where the idea that the audience is dumb came from, but we see it everywhere. We see it when characters come out and say what they’re feeling or when they tell you the plot. Here’s what the audience already knows:
They don’t know that they know this stuff, but they do. They know it because they have 5,000 years of story telling background. They’ll forgive your cliches and your mistakes as long as you don’t betray or cheat them with things that don’t make sense.
The trick is to give the audience what they want, but not in the way they’re expecting it. If you don’t give them what you want, you have no audience. If you give them what they want in the way they’re expecting it, you have cliche or boredom. If you give them what they want in an unexpected way, you have a great story.
-Penguin
Ninja February 26th, 2008
Related links
+ Visit Ellen & Julia Lupton’s blog
+ Thinking with Type web site
Penguin February 26th, 2008
In perspiration, we talked about pushing through to get more than one answer to the questions for your screenplay. How do you get those answers? Through research. Research is what gives you that position of choice between different answers. So, why isn’t this included in perspiration? Because it’s not something you do until you know what your story is. You don’t know what your story is until you have the structure in place.
What research does, is it gives you those details that make your story come to life. It makes your story real and credible. Without research, you’re just writing cliche.
At the heart of research is psychology. Every story is made up of characters. Even if it’s not a character driven story, in the traditional sense, the plot is still moved forward by your characters. Having a foundational grasp of psychology, why people do things, personality types, etc, will give you tremendous power in shaping your characters.
Your hero, or protagonist, has to grow and change through your story. Otherwise, what’s the point? Why put him through all that just to have him be the same at the end? It’s a waste of time. In order to know where he’s going to grow, you need to give him a wound. A major failing, if you will. This would could be psychological, sometimes physical, or moral. Without psychology, you won’t be able to write this.
At the heart of every story is a tiny intimate story about your hero.
Next: The Audience is Smart
-Penguin
Penguin February 25th, 2008
Cute little short with some great animation. There are strong visual elements that stick. Even in a short film, you can see the basics of structure being developed.
- Penguin
Related postsNinja February 25th, 2008
Ophelia Chong & I are joining forces again! Here’s a peek at our next letterpress collaboration—a bit belated toast for this Chinese New Year (the year of the rat).
Here is my pen sketch.
And here is the charcoal drawing that will be used for the letterpress plate.
I can’t wait to see what she does with it! Serif or sans serif type? Metal or wood? Oh the possibilities.
If you missed it, here is our first letterpress collaboration for your viewing pleasure.
Related postsPenguin February 25th, 2008
Perspiration isn’t just working hard or spending a ton of time at the craft of screenwriting. That is a big portion, to write every day even if you don’t feel inspired. Rather, it’s a discipline to keep moving forward. Once you’ve answered the question that craft raises, work on it until you have 2 answers, than 3 if possible. The idea is that you want to be able to choose which answer is best for your screenplay.
The hardest part about inspiration is finding the story. That’s where perspiration comes in. There are stories all around you. You’re living stories every day. Your friends are living stories. Stories come from every day life. It’s just a matter of seeing them. The question is whether they’re big enough or interesting enough to tell others.
At any given time, you can only retain 9 major ideas in your head. Depending on your memory, sometimes more, sometimes less. Perspiration is maintaining a bank of stories. Those stories that come from life, they may not be big enough on their own, but they could possibly fit into another story. Or you can string them together to make one big story. That’s why it’s so important to maintain a bank of stories. No matter how silly, stupid, cliche, sophomoric, now isn’t the time for editing.
Next: Research
-Penguin
Ninja February 24th, 2008
This is for my partner in crime, Stacey, who just adores Tokidoki’s Moofia (see below).
I know it’s not the same thing, but it’s still a cute viddy (complete with milk boxes). Happy birthday, Stacey! I hope you’re feeling better.
Hugs,
Ninja
Penguin February 24th, 2008
The biggest problem facing writers of all kinds is writer’s block. Writer’s block is a problem of craft. But can inspiration be taught?
For all you aspiring filmmakers, you are beginning to see the “magic” behind movies. From script to pre-production to production to post, that “magic” is really hard work and planning. In the same way you have been taught to see behind the veil, people who don’t have imagination have to be taught how to look at things in different ways. They just haven’t been taught how to see.
The key to imagination is empathy. Understanding and getting inside another person’s head. What they’re thinking, feeling, afraid of, wanting, memories and reasonings.
Your tools for inspiration are brainstorming and editing. When you’re writing, do one or the other, never both at the same time.
Brainstorming is the act of just writing down every idea, every spark of inspiration, no matter how terrible it may seem. And you never want to do this alone because, alone, you have that rubbish moment. That moment right after you finish the first draft where you think the whole thing is garbage. That’s because all those neat little surprises and clever jokes you written are no longer new or surprising anymore. You’ve written them! Having someone by your side keeps you from tossing out those chunks of goal which are really hiding gems.
Having another person also helps you stress test the idea. They’ll do their best to rip it apart while you fight valiantly to justify every turn and every aspect.
The best part is, if you have a brilliant spark of inspiration and get a fabulous idea, you can always find a way to make it work. Because there’s logic.
Next: Perspiration
- Penguin
Limited edition lithograph prints. Signed + numbered.
