Woody Allen, 1980something
I started this one two or three days ago... and I just can't finish it. I can't. I don't get it. I don't get it at all.
It follows several characters who are slightly related. Two of them are having an affair. One is struggling with that psychological thing that makes you always think you have a disease. Another is... I don't even know. In a bad relationship, or something.
I put it down two days ago because relatives came in town. Tried to pick it back up today, but I just couldn't. There is nothing about this screenplay that makes me want to keep reading.
Not that it's bad. I mean, this is Woody Allen. This is on the list of top 101 screenplays of all time. There has to be something good about it. But I'm honestly just bored of it. It doesn't entertain me. It doesn't interest me at all. I keep trying to read it, thinking there's something great about it. But I would just rather stop wasting my energy and stop reading.
The dialogue bugs me a lot. I know it shouldn't, because the underlying story is what matters. But Woody Allen's style of multiple people talking at once, and lots of stuttering, is just obnoxious to read. So obnoxious. Seeing this in movie form might be better, I don't know.
If anyone knows why this screenplay is good, please tell me. I want to appreciate it for being good, but I just can't force myself to get through it. I want to understand.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Day 8: The Grapes of Wrath
Nunally Johnson, c. 1940
I didn't understand the point of this script until I reached the climax. Sometimes that happens. You don't understand where something is going until it reaches its destination, and then it all clicks.
Armature: We are all the same. (aka the Golden Theme, and my favorite armature ever)
7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, the Joads lived in Oklahoma during the depression.
2. And every day people were getting kicked off the land because there was no money to sustain them all.
3. Until one day, Tom Joad gets home from 4 years of jail, along with the ex-preacher Casey, just as his family has to leave their home to seek work in California.
4. Because of this, the family drives to California to find work.
5. Because of this, Casey dies while trying to change the problem of nobody being able to make enough money to live.
6. Until finally, Tom leaves the family to seek change as Casey did.
7. And ever since that day the Joads have been strong, and taken life as it comes.
Okay, so maybe I suck at applying the 7 Steps to things. It's hard for me to nail down the two biggest "because of this" moments. It's also hard to simplify everything down to just a sentence or two. I haven't figured out yet how to summarize a long plot efficiently, and show the armature in there at the same time. So... sorry for sucking.
This script is really interesting to read after the Mamet one I read yesterday, because it's a completely opposite style. The Verdict was very much cinematography-driven. There were explicit descriptions of shots in the script. This one is about 40 years older, and is mostly made of dialogue. Just like Steinbeck's writing, I guess. There are some descriptions of locations, but not even setting headers. The story still gets across so well, though. The meat of it all comes from the things people say, because that's the important thing here.
This movie is trying to tell us that we are all the same. I'm sure of it. I almost can't even explain it because it seems to apparent to me. The reader (or viewer, whatever) sympathizes so strongly with these human, working-class people and understands their situation so well. At first it just seems to be a historical movie about the trials and tribulations of a family from the dustbowl, but then the ending happens.
I can't summarize it well enough to do it justice. I'm just gonna copy it here.
And that's how I know. This story isn't about a family trying to make their way anymore. This story is about people. Being part of a greater whole. All being in it together. All being the same. When I got to this part, it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I teared up.
Even just the fact that it did that to me is proving its own armature. This was written in 1940, and when I read it in 2013 I feel sympathy and understanding. People have not changed in 80 years. Isn't that incredible?
I enjoyed this book when I had to read it in high school, and I enjoyed this screenplay just as much. Everyone should read this.
I didn't understand the point of this script until I reached the climax. Sometimes that happens. You don't understand where something is going until it reaches its destination, and then it all clicks.
Armature: We are all the same. (aka the Golden Theme, and my favorite armature ever)
7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, the Joads lived in Oklahoma during the depression.
2. And every day people were getting kicked off the land because there was no money to sustain them all.
3. Until one day, Tom Joad gets home from 4 years of jail, along with the ex-preacher Casey, just as his family has to leave their home to seek work in California.
4. Because of this, the family drives to California to find work.
5. Because of this, Casey dies while trying to change the problem of nobody being able to make enough money to live.
6. Until finally, Tom leaves the family to seek change as Casey did.
7. And ever since that day the Joads have been strong, and taken life as it comes.
Okay, so maybe I suck at applying the 7 Steps to things. It's hard for me to nail down the two biggest "because of this" moments. It's also hard to simplify everything down to just a sentence or two. I haven't figured out yet how to summarize a long plot efficiently, and show the armature in there at the same time. So... sorry for sucking.
This script is really interesting to read after the Mamet one I read yesterday, because it's a completely opposite style. The Verdict was very much cinematography-driven. There were explicit descriptions of shots in the script. This one is about 40 years older, and is mostly made of dialogue. Just like Steinbeck's writing, I guess. There are some descriptions of locations, but not even setting headers. The story still gets across so well, though. The meat of it all comes from the things people say, because that's the important thing here.
This movie is trying to tell us that we are all the same. I'm sure of it. I almost can't even explain it because it seems to apparent to me. The reader (or viewer, whatever) sympathizes so strongly with these human, working-class people and understands their situation so well. At first it just seems to be a historical movie about the trials and tribulations of a family from the dustbowl, but then the ending happens.
I can't summarize it well enough to do it justice. I'm just gonna copy it here.
MA (after a pause) How'm I gonna know 'bout you? They might kill you an' I wouldn't know. They might hurt you. How'm I gonna know? TOM (laughing uneasily) Well, maybe it's like Casy says, a fella ain't got a soul of his own, but on'y a piece of a big soul--the one big soul that belongs to ever'body--an' then... MA Then what, Tom? TOM Then it don't matter. Then I'll be all aroun' in the dark. I'll be ever'where--wherever you look. Wherever there's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there. I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad--an' I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry an' they know supper's ready. An' when our people eat the stuff they raise, an' live in the houses they build, why, I'll be there too.
And that's how I know. This story isn't about a family trying to make their way anymore. This story is about people. Being part of a greater whole. All being in it together. All being the same. When I got to this part, it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I teared up.
Even just the fact that it did that to me is proving its own armature. This was written in 1940, and when I read it in 2013 I feel sympathy and understanding. People have not changed in 80 years. Isn't that incredible?
I enjoyed this book when I had to read it in high school, and I enjoyed this screenplay just as much. Everyone should read this.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Day 7: The Verdict
I'm going to start reading some screenplays from the WGA's list of 101 best screenplays, along with a friend of mine. He's about 7 or 8 ahead of me on the list, so I have some catching up to do. But here's the one he's reading this week.
I don't think I "got" this one. Meaning, I don't think I fully understood it.
I don't know too much about David Mamet, but I mentioned before that I read a book by him that talked about the juxtaposition of shots and how they can effectively, and elegantly, tell a visual story. I can tell by reading this screenplay that Mamet is very much a "the viewer is smart and can figure it out" sort of guy. Things were not explained very clearly, and everyone's dialogue was cut off by ellipses and interruptions. I feel like there was rarely a full sentence said by anyone in this script.
I could overall understand what was going on in terms of the plot. Mamet did do an excellent job of efficiently explaining the first act in several well-composed shots. But when it came to the specifics, I had to read a wikipedia summary because I couldn't follow. I felt like keeping up was hard. It would have been so easy to miss a detail and not understand a reference if I was watching this in movie form.
Also, for some reason the main character's name changed halfway through. First it was Frank Galvin, and then it was Joe Galvin? Why did that happen??
Armature: Something having to do with changing your life, or doing what's right. I'm not too sure.
7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, Frank Galvin was a great lawyer until he got screwed by his offices and lost his job and his wife.
2. And every day he drank and moped around and was an "ambulance chaser."
3. Until one day, his friend Mickey gets him a case that he believes he can win if he takes it to trial, thanks to the testimony from a witness.
4. Because of this, the defense lawyers make that witness disappear, with the help of a woman spying on Galvin.
5. Because of this, a desperate Galvin manages to track down a witness who will make his case.
6. Until finally, the jury is persuaded by that witness's testimony and... I think they make him win? I didn't really understand.
7. And ever since that day Galvin has.. had a new lease on life?
As you can see, I had a tough time reading this one. Oh well. Hopefully I'll like tomorrow's screenplay better.
The Verdict
David Mamet, 1982I don't think I "got" this one. Meaning, I don't think I fully understood it.
I don't know too much about David Mamet, but I mentioned before that I read a book by him that talked about the juxtaposition of shots and how they can effectively, and elegantly, tell a visual story. I can tell by reading this screenplay that Mamet is very much a "the viewer is smart and can figure it out" sort of guy. Things were not explained very clearly, and everyone's dialogue was cut off by ellipses and interruptions. I feel like there was rarely a full sentence said by anyone in this script.
I could overall understand what was going on in terms of the plot. Mamet did do an excellent job of efficiently explaining the first act in several well-composed shots. But when it came to the specifics, I had to read a wikipedia summary because I couldn't follow. I felt like keeping up was hard. It would have been so easy to miss a detail and not understand a reference if I was watching this in movie form.
Also, for some reason the main character's name changed halfway through. First it was Frank Galvin, and then it was Joe Galvin? Why did that happen??
Armature: Something having to do with changing your life, or doing what's right. I'm not too sure.
7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, Frank Galvin was a great lawyer until he got screwed by his offices and lost his job and his wife.
2. And every day he drank and moped around and was an "ambulance chaser."
3. Until one day, his friend Mickey gets him a case that he believes he can win if he takes it to trial, thanks to the testimony from a witness.
4. Because of this, the defense lawyers make that witness disappear, with the help of a woman spying on Galvin.
5. Because of this, a desperate Galvin manages to track down a witness who will make his case.
6. Until finally, the jury is persuaded by that witness's testimony and... I think they make him win? I didn't really understand.
7. And ever since that day Galvin has.. had a new lease on life?
As you can see, I had a tough time reading this one. Oh well. Hopefully I'll like tomorrow's screenplay better.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Day 6: Amadeus
This is a long screenplay. I haven't seen the movie for years, so I forgot just how long it is. It definitely took something like 3.5 hours to read. But it was really worth it, because it's so brilliant.
Armature: Are all men really equals?
7 Steps:
1. Once upon a time, Salieri left his home upon his father's death to study music.
2. And every day he composed all types of music for his patron, Emperor Joseph of Vienna.
3. Until one day, Salieri sees Mozart, a well-known musical genius, for the first time goofing off before one of his concerts.
4. Because of this Salieri swears to ruin Mozart.
5. Because of this, Mozart's life steadily spirals out of control after his father dies.
6. Until finally, Mozart dies while working on a funeral mass commissioned by Salieri himself.
7. And ever since that day Salieri has wallowed away, alone, resentful of Mozart and god's cruelty.
The best part of this movie is something Brian McDonald pointed out to me a year ago: the framing device. Old Salieri narrating the whole time allows the audience to understand some of his inner thoughts. It also, more importantly, allows the plot to be completely set up in the first five minutes, without the audience even knowing. Salieri plays some of his music to the priest, which the priest does not recognize. But when Salieri then plays something from Mozart, the priest instantly lights up with recognition.
BOOM.
The plot of the movie. Right there.
Now the audience knows exactly what is going to be discussed here. Exactly what's going to happen, exactly what the problem is. Before the plot has even started.
The following act 1 is also pretty impressive. There are a lot of scenes that show the contrast between Salieri and Mozart. In one scene, Salieri is shown using his free time to compose music alone in his study, which is then contrasted with a shot of Mozart purchasing elaborate wigs and laughing. In another scene, Salieri states that teaching Emperor Joseph's niece about music would be an honor, while the next shot has Mozart declaring that such a thing is beneath him.
The best part is the scene where the two first officially meet. Salieri composes a piece that Emperor Joseph plays as Mozart enters the room. Mozart then memorizes it after one listen, and proceeds to sit down at the piano and make it better. There is no practical reason Salieri would actually compose that piece on a spur-of-the-moment. The only reason that happens is to reinforce that Mozart is apparently a better musician than Salieri ever could be. If that isn't amazing writing, I don't know what is.
The audience is subconsciously told over and over again that Mozart is incredible, but a disgusting human being. This is exactly Salieri's opinion. It leaves the audience wondering, are the two men really equal? Is one better than the other? Does Salieri need Mozart's affirmation to be considered a great musician?
This is the point of the movie. This is its armature, to get the viewer to wonder that.
There a plenty of other things about this screenplay that contribute to its greatness. Tons of tiny details are equally well thought-out, but you guys can find those things on your own. I'm ending this post with some of my favorite armature-enforcing lines.
Amadeus
Peter Shaffer, 1980somethingArmature: Are all men really equals?
7 Steps:
1. Once upon a time, Salieri left his home upon his father's death to study music.
2. And every day he composed all types of music for his patron, Emperor Joseph of Vienna.
3. Until one day, Salieri sees Mozart, a well-known musical genius, for the first time goofing off before one of his concerts.
4. Because of this Salieri swears to ruin Mozart.
5. Because of this, Mozart's life steadily spirals out of control after his father dies.
6. Until finally, Mozart dies while working on a funeral mass commissioned by Salieri himself.
7. And ever since that day Salieri has wallowed away, alone, resentful of Mozart and god's cruelty.
The best part of this movie is something Brian McDonald pointed out to me a year ago: the framing device. Old Salieri narrating the whole time allows the audience to understand some of his inner thoughts. It also, more importantly, allows the plot to be completely set up in the first five minutes, without the audience even knowing. Salieri plays some of his music to the priest, which the priest does not recognize. But when Salieri then plays something from Mozart, the priest instantly lights up with recognition.
BOOM.
The plot of the movie. Right there.
Now the audience knows exactly what is going to be discussed here. Exactly what's going to happen, exactly what the problem is. Before the plot has even started.
The following act 1 is also pretty impressive. There are a lot of scenes that show the contrast between Salieri and Mozart. In one scene, Salieri is shown using his free time to compose music alone in his study, which is then contrasted with a shot of Mozart purchasing elaborate wigs and laughing. In another scene, Salieri states that teaching Emperor Joseph's niece about music would be an honor, while the next shot has Mozart declaring that such a thing is beneath him.
The best part is the scene where the two first officially meet. Salieri composes a piece that Emperor Joseph plays as Mozart enters the room. Mozart then memorizes it after one listen, and proceeds to sit down at the piano and make it better. There is no practical reason Salieri would actually compose that piece on a spur-of-the-moment. The only reason that happens is to reinforce that Mozart is apparently a better musician than Salieri ever could be. If that isn't amazing writing, I don't know what is.
The audience is subconsciously told over and over again that Mozart is incredible, but a disgusting human being. This is exactly Salieri's opinion. It leaves the audience wondering, are the two men really equal? Is one better than the other? Does Salieri need Mozart's affirmation to be considered a great musician?
This is the point of the movie. This is its armature, to get the viewer to wonder that.
There a plenty of other things about this screenplay that contribute to its greatness. Tons of tiny details are equally well thought-out, but you guys can find those things on your own. I'm ending this post with some of my favorite armature-enforcing lines.
Old Salieri looks at him in contempt. Then he turns away back into the room, shutting the window with a bang. Through the glass, the old man stares down at the group of onlookers in the street. They stare back at him in confusion. BYSTANDER Who is that? VALET No one, sir. He'll be all right.
---------------
OLD SALIERI Do you know who I am? You never heard of me, did you? VOGLER That makes no difference. All men are equal in God's eyes. OLD SALIERI Are they?---------------- OLD SALIERI I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint. On their behalf I deny Him, your God of no mercy.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Day 5: Moonrise Kingdom
I have to start this post off by saying that the screenplay for Moonrise Kingdom, while great on its own, is simply no substitute for seeing the movie. The music, the cinematography, and the editing really contributed to the storybook-like atmosphere. The entire time I read the screenplay I couldn't help but think back to what the scene looked like visually. So without even talking about the story yet, I know that I've learned something from reading this screenplay: a film is more than just its story. Though the story is really the most important thing (in my opinion, at least), the other aspects of the medium (like lighting, camera angles, costumes, music) really do contribute a lot to the overall experience. You can't expect to make a film with just a screenplay.
Armature: Freedom is necessary for growing up. Or, dreaming big makes life better. Or, life needs freedom.
To be honest, I'm not completely sure what the armature of this film is. It moves me, so I know it's saying something important. I think it has something to do with freedom and youth because the primary conflict is between the two children Sam and Suzy, who are both kind of depressed and trapped in a boring life on a tiny island, and the adults of the island who all live boring lives on a tiny island and want to control them. Sam and Suzy try to run away several times and dream of bigger things, like magic powers or leaving the island. Then there's also the big symbol: Moonrise Kingdom is the small cove where Sam and Suzy escape for a short time, and get to be themselves and do whatever they want. This area represents freedom from their boring lives and controlling parents (or, in Sam's case, his unfriendly Scout mates).
The other characters also express discomfort with their lives and a desire for something better. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop, Suzy's parents, are in an unhappy marriage. Mrs. Bishop is having an affair. She also lets it slip once that she doesn't know how she ended up here. Scout Master Ward desperately wants to be a good leader for his scouts, but when they all start running away to help Sam and Suzy he doesn't know what to do with himself. Being a Scout Master is the only thing he has. Which, when you think about it, is pretty hollow.
The visual style of the film (which is not present in the screenplay, but I remember it from seeing the movie a year ago) also reinforces the idea that everyone's lives are boring. The composition of every shot is symmetrical and even. Monotonous, perhaps. The colors are a bit desaturated and bland.
What makes me unsure is the ending. Sam and Suzy stop running away when Sam is taken in by Captain Sharp, the local sheriff. The final scene shows Sam sneaking away from Suzy's house (implying that her parents don't know he's there) and back to Captain Sharp, who's waiting to take him home. This seems to mean that the two are now okay with their situations. Suzy is okay with living with her parents as long as Sam gets to secretly visit, and Sam is okay with the sympathetic and helpful Captain Sharp.
Maybe this means that what they really needed was to be loved? Suzy's parents don't really come off as loving, and Sam's previous foster parents certainly weren't. The two escape to Moonrise Kingdom where they can freely love each other, and then even "get married" later. The final part of the climax even has Captain Sharp holding on top Sam and Suzy as they hang above the rushing flood, and he says "Don't let go." This definitely symbolizes how he's reaching out to them now.
Hmm. Perhaps the armature is a combination of the two ideas. It could have something to do with both freedom and the desire to be loved.
In any case, here are the seven steps. Luckily, the plot of this film is pretty simple.
1. Once upon a time on the small island of New Penzance, an orphan boy named Sam lived in a scout camp, and a girl named Suzy lived in a house with many siblings. They met at a church play.
2. And every day the two sent letters to each other and grew close from talking about their various difficult life problems.
3. Until one day, Sam and Suzy met up and ran away together.
4. Because of this they were found and caught by the Scout Master, Captain Sharp, and Suzy's parents.
5. Because of this Sam and Suzy tried to run away again with the help of the Khaki Scouts, but get stopped by a large storm.
6. Until finally Captain Sharp willingly takes Sam into his custody just before the two can jump into a rushing flood to escape from being caught.
7. And ever since that day Sam has been able to visit Suzy in secret, with Captain Sharp helping him.
The thing I appreciate a lot about this movie is something I learned from reading the book "On Directing Film" by David Mamet. In this book, Mamet talks about visual storytelling being the juxtaposition of images in sequence. The audience learns what is happening by seeing several images in a row, not by things being explained. Mamet teaches how to be simple and precise in each shot to tell a good story.
Brian McDonald also talks about (in "Invisible Ink," if I remember correctly?) how the audience is smart. You don't need to reveal all the information right at once. Just tell them what they need to know when it's necessary.
What this movie does really, really well is both of those things. It tells you more information as the movie goes on, instead of overloading exposition right at the beginning. The audience is smart and can piece things together slowly. Only enough information is given to get the point across, nothing more. For instance, the story is about Sam and Suzy trying to escape their boring lives, but we don't even see either of them for awhile, or understand why they try to run away until even later. But that's okay. We are told enough. We are never left wondering "why" because we know enough.
Lessons learned from Moonrise Kingdom:
1. The screenplay must be good, but just a screenplay is not enough to make a movie.
2. Reveal information to the audience slowly.
3. But tell them enough to let them understand.
4. Embrace the ridiculous if it's effective for your story. Ex: making everything feel like a storybook, treating a marriage between children as serious business, etc.
Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, 2011Armature: Freedom is necessary for growing up. Or, dreaming big makes life better. Or, life needs freedom.
To be honest, I'm not completely sure what the armature of this film is. It moves me, so I know it's saying something important. I think it has something to do with freedom and youth because the primary conflict is between the two children Sam and Suzy, who are both kind of depressed and trapped in a boring life on a tiny island, and the adults of the island who all live boring lives on a tiny island and want to control them. Sam and Suzy try to run away several times and dream of bigger things, like magic powers or leaving the island. Then there's also the big symbol: Moonrise Kingdom is the small cove where Sam and Suzy escape for a short time, and get to be themselves and do whatever they want. This area represents freedom from their boring lives and controlling parents (or, in Sam's case, his unfriendly Scout mates).
The other characters also express discomfort with their lives and a desire for something better. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop, Suzy's parents, are in an unhappy marriage. Mrs. Bishop is having an affair. She also lets it slip once that she doesn't know how she ended up here. Scout Master Ward desperately wants to be a good leader for his scouts, but when they all start running away to help Sam and Suzy he doesn't know what to do with himself. Being a Scout Master is the only thing he has. Which, when you think about it, is pretty hollow.
The visual style of the film (which is not present in the screenplay, but I remember it from seeing the movie a year ago) also reinforces the idea that everyone's lives are boring. The composition of every shot is symmetrical and even. Monotonous, perhaps. The colors are a bit desaturated and bland.
What makes me unsure is the ending. Sam and Suzy stop running away when Sam is taken in by Captain Sharp, the local sheriff. The final scene shows Sam sneaking away from Suzy's house (implying that her parents don't know he's there) and back to Captain Sharp, who's waiting to take him home. This seems to mean that the two are now okay with their situations. Suzy is okay with living with her parents as long as Sam gets to secretly visit, and Sam is okay with the sympathetic and helpful Captain Sharp.
Maybe this means that what they really needed was to be loved? Suzy's parents don't really come off as loving, and Sam's previous foster parents certainly weren't. The two escape to Moonrise Kingdom where they can freely love each other, and then even "get married" later. The final part of the climax even has Captain Sharp holding on top Sam and Suzy as they hang above the rushing flood, and he says "Don't let go." This definitely symbolizes how he's reaching out to them now.
Hmm. Perhaps the armature is a combination of the two ideas. It could have something to do with both freedom and the desire to be loved.
In any case, here are the seven steps. Luckily, the plot of this film is pretty simple.
1. Once upon a time on the small island of New Penzance, an orphan boy named Sam lived in a scout camp, and a girl named Suzy lived in a house with many siblings. They met at a church play.
2. And every day the two sent letters to each other and grew close from talking about their various difficult life problems.
3. Until one day, Sam and Suzy met up and ran away together.
4. Because of this they were found and caught by the Scout Master, Captain Sharp, and Suzy's parents.
5. Because of this Sam and Suzy tried to run away again with the help of the Khaki Scouts, but get stopped by a large storm.
6. Until finally Captain Sharp willingly takes Sam into his custody just before the two can jump into a rushing flood to escape from being caught.
7. And ever since that day Sam has been able to visit Suzy in secret, with Captain Sharp helping him.
The thing I appreciate a lot about this movie is something I learned from reading the book "On Directing Film" by David Mamet. In this book, Mamet talks about visual storytelling being the juxtaposition of images in sequence. The audience learns what is happening by seeing several images in a row, not by things being explained. Mamet teaches how to be simple and precise in each shot to tell a good story.
Brian McDonald also talks about (in "Invisible Ink," if I remember correctly?) how the audience is smart. You don't need to reveal all the information right at once. Just tell them what they need to know when it's necessary.
What this movie does really, really well is both of those things. It tells you more information as the movie goes on, instead of overloading exposition right at the beginning. The audience is smart and can piece things together slowly. Only enough information is given to get the point across, nothing more. For instance, the story is about Sam and Suzy trying to escape their boring lives, but we don't even see either of them for awhile, or understand why they try to run away until even later. But that's okay. We are told enough. We are never left wondering "why" because we know enough.
Lessons learned from Moonrise Kingdom:
1. The screenplay must be good, but just a screenplay is not enough to make a movie.
2. Reveal information to the audience slowly.
3. But tell them enough to let them understand.
4. Embrace the ridiculous if it's effective for your story. Ex: making everything feel like a storybook, treating a marriage between children as serious business, etc.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Day 4: Spirited Away
Well hey, blog! It has been a whole school year full of a double-major's worth of work, and now it's summer and I'm ready to work on my storytelling skills again. I'll be taking some classes again this summer, but hopefully they won't take too much of my time.
The day numbers at the top of each post are a little misleading. They're more like script numbers, not numbers of consecutive days. But oh well. BTW, this blog post might be a little long because I'm fascinated by how awesome this movie is and I need to talk about it.
So, I'll admit, I couldn't actually find a screenplay for this. Perhaps I could if I did a little more digging, but I'm lazy. I watched the movie last night for the 100th time, and for the first time it occurred to me what this movie is actually about. The difference is that this time I watched it through the eyes of a storyteller, so I could spot all the things that made it so moving to me as a child.
Armature: Growing up takes inner strength. Or, independence comes from strength of the self. Or, selflessness gives power. Or maybe, We are all the same. (Which is the Golden Theme, by the way).
This is a difficult armature to summarize because I don't think it can be explained in just a sentence. There are various themes going on that all support the same idea, and I'm having trouble synthesizing them in my head. Perhaps I just need to sort out my thoughts first.
The 7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, the whiny, selfish Chihiro was forced to move to a new town.
2. And every day she depended on other people and complained about her situation.
3. Until one day, Chihiro's parents are taken from her and she is trapped by the evil witch Yubaba in a magic bathhouse for spirits.
4. Because of this, Chihiro is treated badly by the other workers but manages to single-handedly help out a troubled river spirit when put on the spot.
5. Because of this, Chihiro is pursued by the evil monster No-Face who feeds on the desires of others, but she faces him down and refuses his offering of wealth.
6. Until finally, Chihiro journeys away from the bathhouse to save her dear friend, and rescues her parents by correctly answering Yubaba's final challenge in an unusual way that requires strong will.
7. And ever since that day, Chihiro has had the strength to face her new life in a new town.
These steps are also a bit difficult to pin down, because just so many things happen in this movie. I don't think my skills as a storyteller are quite strong enough yet to be able to simplify it all. Well, anyway, that was a nice exercise, but here's what I really DO understand about this movie:
Chihiro begins as a weak character with little will and a lot of selfishness. She whines about moving to a new town, she whines about visiting the bathhouse town, and she's even too scared to wait by the car like she wants. But when she leaves, she is selfless, strong-willed, and in control of her own identity. Chihiro's transformation from a child into an adult is seamless and brilliant, and happens before the viewer even knows it, because the spirit world she gets trapped in is the perfect scenario to orchestrate this change.
Several things about this spirit world are thematically brilliant:
1. Yubaba is a witch who steals people's names. This is essentially equivalent to stealing their identities. People in this world can only leave when they remember their names, which is symbolic of their control over themselves. When Yubaba has their names they forget about their previous life and succumb to her rule, but when they remember they are able to leave. Chihiro forgets about her name even the morning after she loses it, symbolizing her inability to have control over herself. But at the end of the movie she proudly declares it to Zeniba, who remarks that it's a pretty name.
2. No-Face is a monster who has neither a face nor a name. He feeds off the identities of others, growing larger as he consumes people, and taking their body characteristics and voices. No-Face also sucks people in by feeding on their selfishness: he offers them gold (which turns out to be fake), and generally gives gifts to gain himself favor (like giving Chihiro all those bath tokens). He has no purpose and no sense of identity. Chihiro is able to conquer him by being selfless instead of selfish--she cares more about Haku than about a personal desire for gold.
3. Everyone in this story is selfish. All the workers look after themselves and rudely refuse the requests of other people. They all desire the gold that No-Face gives out. Chihiro's parents are punished because they selfishly eat food that is not theirs. Yubaba is primarily concerned with money, and even selfishly keeps her baby in a little room. It is the selfless characters who help Chihiro grow: Haku, Lin, Kamaji, Zeniba.
4. Chihiro gains followers in the people she stands up to. The baby is turned into a mouse that follows her around, and No-Face even comes with her to Swamp Bottom. Because Chihiro stood up to them and showed them her selflessness and strength of will, they followed her. Eventually they find identities for themselves, too: No-Face stays with Zeniba as a helper, and the baby stands up to his controlling mother. This is the biggest sign of Chihiro's transformation. She doesn't depend on other people anymore, other people depend on her.
5. Yubaba's final challenge requires Chihiro to identify her parents, who are not actually present. A weak-willed person might be confused and randomly pick something. Only a strong-willed person could have the resolution to know that her parents are not present. This final test is not even necessary, because by this time Chihiro has already defeated No-Face and gained the favor of everyone in the bathhouse. It does, however, show her change.
All these ideas contribute to the armature of "strength comes from within," or something like that. How do you put this transformation into a simple sentence? I still don't know. "Selflessness comes from strong will?"
Anyway. Now that I understand the change that happens in this movie, I appreciate it a whole lot more than before. Chihiro takes control of her name and her identity, shows an incredibly strong heart by standing up to overwhelming danger, and then focuses on saving another person instead of worrying about herself. This is an amazing coming-of-age story that actually has something concrete to say.
Miyazaki is a pretty brilliant storyteller.
The day numbers at the top of each post are a little misleading. They're more like script numbers, not numbers of consecutive days. But oh well. BTW, this blog post might be a little long because I'm fascinated by how awesome this movie is and I need to talk about it.
Spirited Away
Hayao Miyazaki, 2001So, I'll admit, I couldn't actually find a screenplay for this. Perhaps I could if I did a little more digging, but I'm lazy. I watched the movie last night for the 100th time, and for the first time it occurred to me what this movie is actually about. The difference is that this time I watched it through the eyes of a storyteller, so I could spot all the things that made it so moving to me as a child.
Armature: Growing up takes inner strength. Or, independence comes from strength of the self. Or, selflessness gives power. Or maybe, We are all the same. (Which is the Golden Theme, by the way).
This is a difficult armature to summarize because I don't think it can be explained in just a sentence. There are various themes going on that all support the same idea, and I'm having trouble synthesizing them in my head. Perhaps I just need to sort out my thoughts first.
The 7 steps:
1. Once upon a time, the whiny, selfish Chihiro was forced to move to a new town.
2. And every day she depended on other people and complained about her situation.
3. Until one day, Chihiro's parents are taken from her and she is trapped by the evil witch Yubaba in a magic bathhouse for spirits.
4. Because of this, Chihiro is treated badly by the other workers but manages to single-handedly help out a troubled river spirit when put on the spot.
5. Because of this, Chihiro is pursued by the evil monster No-Face who feeds on the desires of others, but she faces him down and refuses his offering of wealth.
6. Until finally, Chihiro journeys away from the bathhouse to save her dear friend, and rescues her parents by correctly answering Yubaba's final challenge in an unusual way that requires strong will.
7. And ever since that day, Chihiro has had the strength to face her new life in a new town.
These steps are also a bit difficult to pin down, because just so many things happen in this movie. I don't think my skills as a storyteller are quite strong enough yet to be able to simplify it all. Well, anyway, that was a nice exercise, but here's what I really DO understand about this movie:
Chihiro begins as a weak character with little will and a lot of selfishness. She whines about moving to a new town, she whines about visiting the bathhouse town, and she's even too scared to wait by the car like she wants. But when she leaves, she is selfless, strong-willed, and in control of her own identity. Chihiro's transformation from a child into an adult is seamless and brilliant, and happens before the viewer even knows it, because the spirit world she gets trapped in is the perfect scenario to orchestrate this change.
Several things about this spirit world are thematically brilliant:
1. Yubaba is a witch who steals people's names. This is essentially equivalent to stealing their identities. People in this world can only leave when they remember their names, which is symbolic of their control over themselves. When Yubaba has their names they forget about their previous life and succumb to her rule, but when they remember they are able to leave. Chihiro forgets about her name even the morning after she loses it, symbolizing her inability to have control over herself. But at the end of the movie she proudly declares it to Zeniba, who remarks that it's a pretty name.
2. No-Face is a monster who has neither a face nor a name. He feeds off the identities of others, growing larger as he consumes people, and taking their body characteristics and voices. No-Face also sucks people in by feeding on their selfishness: he offers them gold (which turns out to be fake), and generally gives gifts to gain himself favor (like giving Chihiro all those bath tokens). He has no purpose and no sense of identity. Chihiro is able to conquer him by being selfless instead of selfish--she cares more about Haku than about a personal desire for gold.
3. Everyone in this story is selfish. All the workers look after themselves and rudely refuse the requests of other people. They all desire the gold that No-Face gives out. Chihiro's parents are punished because they selfishly eat food that is not theirs. Yubaba is primarily concerned with money, and even selfishly keeps her baby in a little room. It is the selfless characters who help Chihiro grow: Haku, Lin, Kamaji, Zeniba.
4. Chihiro gains followers in the people she stands up to. The baby is turned into a mouse that follows her around, and No-Face even comes with her to Swamp Bottom. Because Chihiro stood up to them and showed them her selflessness and strength of will, they followed her. Eventually they find identities for themselves, too: No-Face stays with Zeniba as a helper, and the baby stands up to his controlling mother. This is the biggest sign of Chihiro's transformation. She doesn't depend on other people anymore, other people depend on her.
5. Yubaba's final challenge requires Chihiro to identify her parents, who are not actually present. A weak-willed person might be confused and randomly pick something. Only a strong-willed person could have the resolution to know that her parents are not present. This final test is not even necessary, because by this time Chihiro has already defeated No-Face and gained the favor of everyone in the bathhouse. It does, however, show her change.
All these ideas contribute to the armature of "strength comes from within," or something like that. How do you put this transformation into a simple sentence? I still don't know. "Selflessness comes from strong will?"
Anyway. Now that I understand the change that happens in this movie, I appreciate it a whole lot more than before. Chihiro takes control of her name and her identity, shows an incredibly strong heart by standing up to overwhelming danger, and then focuses on saving another person instead of worrying about herself. This is an amazing coming-of-age story that actually has something concrete to say.
Miyazaki is a pretty brilliant storyteller.
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