Episode 16: Writing Screenplay Characters
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- Опубликовано: 4 окт 2024
- The Go Draft is a masterclass series with veteran Hollywood screenwriter Andy Guerdat.
In each episode, Andy breaks down the proven techniques that he uses and has used for 45 years of writing in the industry.
If you are currently a staff writer, a screenwriting student, or just someone who wants to break into screenwriting, then this series is for you. Learn how to take the writing skills you may already possess and elevate them to start getting paid within the industry for your work.
If you have topics that you want covered or have questions for Andy, feel free to email them to thegodraft@gmail.com
I so appreciate your videos Mr. Guerdat! As an aspiring writer I want to understand the craft of storytelling--not just structure. You never let me down. Please keep uploading videos!
I promise I won't stop!
@@TheGoDraftThanks for your generosity of spirit and wisdom!
Mr. Andy Guerdat, by far to me u are one of the BEST!
I'm glad if it's helping you.
Finally you are back 🎉
Yeah, sorry, sometimes Life slows down my output.
Thank you from Saudi Arabia.
You're welcome!
To me this is miracle that I can learn from such a genius and experience mind in the business from other side of the world without leaving my bedroom. Thank You sir...
Well, genius is a bit much, but thanks. I'm glad I'm helping you.
I gotchu Andy! I’ll make that movie you want to go see all thanks to you!
Can't wait!
Now, that`s some confidence, brother! Way to go!
Great stuff ❤
Glad you're watching.
I thought you quit!!! 😂😂😂 Class back in session!
I'll never quit until they bury me.
All gods forbid! lol
The difference between what you teach compared to others is that after watching your videos I'm inspired to take what I've learned and write. Most everything else I watch is a regurgitation of the usual textbook fodder, but with you I always learn something new. Thank You.
Very kind words. It makes me happy to know they're working for you.
Agreed.
I've watched all the lessons. I knew that the content was good by just watching the first minute of your first video. Thank you
Thanks. I hope I'm getting better at it as the episodes progress, but the material is all stuff that I use and have used, so I hope it helps you.
Loving it. Loving it! LOVING IT!!! 💯
Love your enthusiasm.
What`s not to love, eh! The bad part is it ends...
Fantastic, thank you Andy
You're welcome. I'll keep them coming if people keep watching.
@@TheGoDraft We will, granted. Until we learn it (which might take a while, lol)
Thank you Andy this video comes at a crucial time in my rewrite and cannot thank you enough how helpful these tips on character building are. The choice of clips and your treasure trove of knowledge is awesome. I totally agree with you when you say choose Character over Plot cause only that helps in connecting with the character as well as the story. Loved the part where you explain how characters can be made to look,sound and behave differently. Eagerly awaiting the session on Dialogue. Thank you Sir 🙂
It makes me happy to know that I'm helping you. Thanks for watching.
Mr. Guerdat, I honestly cannot describe how great your videos are! You put so much value into in them! I especially like to rewatch some parts before the writing sessions, keeps my motivation up 🔥 I really do believe that thanks to your hard work there will be more great and well written movies in the nearest future ❤ please continue with your RUclips project 😊
That's wonderful to hear. I'll keep doing the videos as long as people like you keep watching.
We`ve been trying to. Uncle Andy's approach is just the thing, ain't it...? Cheers!
Your lectures are a revelation. The insights and theories you provide as a professional working writer are invaluable. I'm definitely looking forward to the next session on dialogue. Thank you Andy!
Happy to do it! Thanks for watching!
I love this channel. I have no idea why it's not bigger. I'm ALWAYS learning something in your videos
It's not bigger because I do almost no promotion - because I just don't want to, I guess. But thanks, glad it's of use to you.
Also I think it’s not big because it’s very niche. Mr. Guerdat doesn’t talk about shallow screenwriting stuff, but dives much deeper 🤔 but we as the audience can share these videos to our friends and colleagues who also are writers to help this channel to grow 🤗
Uncle Andy! Always glad to see you again... By now, I think I should just share credits with you given how much of my screenplay I changed due to your precious advice. CHEERS!!!
Ha ha. That's okay. I just hope it's made your script better and that it goes out and works for you.
Thank you from Ukraine!
You're welcome. Stay safe!
I love Ukrane -god bless you to grow again.🌱🌲🌳🥀🌷🌹🌻🌻🌻🌻
Excellent, as always.
Thanks!
It's so wonderful how easily you break down and explain these methods. Every time you make a video it inspires me to take another look at my scripts.
Would you do a video on focusing on thriller/horror, similar to how you did comedy?
Thanks. I will try to get to thriller/horror eventually.
¡MUCHAS GRACIAS DESDE ESPAÑA! Great that you are back. Fantastic teacher, please, keep up the good work.
I'll keep going as long as people are getting something out of it!
thank you for these videos, great information, very smart!
I'm glad they're of help to you.
Thanks Andy!
You're welcome!
31:30 I think there are exceptions to this rule. If we're talking about the main characters: if you make two characters identical at the beginning of the story, you can then show how identical individuals under the pressure of different circumstances choose different paths. I.e. a story with the message that circumstances choose us, not we choose circumstances.
If we're talking about secondary characters, then two identical characters can, in terms of the internal mechanics of the piece, be like one character. Partner cops in comedies, who play the role of a minor antagonist to the same partners of the protagonists. Their identity emphasizes the presence of personal problems in communication between the two protagonists.
Or you can also introduce "identical" characters to show how different the main character is. The White Crow. That would work in a teen drama. I.e. a student striving for knowledge, justice or something positive surrounded by students thinking only about consumption and fun. Everyone would look different but act the same. Or in a dystopian movie like Equilibrium.
47:30 I think any mentally healthy person with a lot of personal experience should be able to put themselves in the other person's shoes. At least if he wants to do it. If a person is unable to put themselves in another person's shoes as a high school student, it's probably just youth, but if a mature person is unable to do so, it's a mental disorder.
Yes, I suppose that's true (about identical characters serving a story purpose), but it should only be done very rarely and with focused intent. By doing it, the story becomes an allegory (because in real life, no two humans ARE identical. Even identical twins are different - I could tell Tia and Tamara Mowry apart after one day on "Sister Sister"), and allegories are almost everyone least favorite storytelling genre; they almost always tend to become didactic lectures.
"I promise you, I had nothing to do with it", Great.
Ha!
You’ve inspired me to wear more Hawaiian shirts 😎
Well, hey, that's something.
I was literally looking at your socials, Andy to find out why this channel hadn't posted for some time. Soooo glad for this newest video!!!
I try to keep up, but Life keeps getting in the way. But I'll keep at it.
@TheGoDraft You're the best!! Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us!!!
one thing I learned by watching your videos back-to-back was that the writer has way more control( and responsibility) of how the scene turns out than I originaly had thought. But when it comes to let actors know how to play something, do you ...direct them a little bit( "Sorry," he said touching her hand softly) or perhaps using ( what I avoid when writing a novel) adverbs and expect the actor to "show"( "Sorry," he said sympathetically)?
Great question, and I'll try to address it in an upcoming video. Most amateurs overuse the parenthetical directions to actors. Only tell the actor how to say the line if it can be legitimately misinterpreted. For example: (accusingly) What? - as opposed to (sympathetically) What?
I've worked with stars who got so outraged at being patronized in the script by needless parenthetical directions that they threw the script across the stage. Fewer directions is better. Let the actors do their jobs. Sometimes they surprise you with interpretations of a line that is better than what you anticipated.
@@TheGoDraft looking forward to your next video,maestro
So the character is the collection of themed motivations and actions?
I'm not sure how the word "themed" factors in exactly. But yes, it is the characters' actions, and you the author choose what actions are relevant to making your particular story work.
33:54 what do you think about the method of creating and differentiating characters based on their perspectives revolving a premise, theme, situation, etc?
For a theme: How many opinions or perspectives could be had about this? Motivations? Then turn each opinion into one person.
For a general plot idea: What’s it about? What moral, emotional, or philosophical issue might the people in your world argue about? The people on either side of that argument = your cast.
No matter your starting point, you always will have a cast of characters orbiting something. And since they have differing perspectives, these characters are going to be in conflict with each other. Differences set the characters up for conflict and conflict = story. Another thing, you want them to not only have different attitudes and opinions, but also different “souls” (core beliefs, coping mechanism to trauma that effects every part of my life).
Well, that's an okay strategy, but it seems a bit formulaic. I only create a character if that character has a function in my story, so naturally they would have am attitude toward the them, story, etc. Any excess characters will wind up cut before you start production anyway, as soon as you find out your budget is far less than you expected.
@@TheGoDraft What about using the Enneagram the identify the core motivations of a character? You give a character a number. The numbers range from 1-9 and they each categorize a type of BS that's common in humans. Then you figure out the degrees of health within that number and now you've got the makings of an Arc.
For example, Rocky Balboa is a 9. 9s are all about avoiding conflict, avoiding overstimulation, keeping the peace, resignation and passivity. He believes he is a bum and tells himself "it is what it is". He is then presented with a ladder of opportunity. The quintessential positive Nine Arc is about finding a deep physical passion within that they've buried for so long because they were convinced it wasn't useful, and now they have to rise up and fight for themselves. Rocky does exactly that.
A tragic Arc would be like Paul Altreides becoming complacent, giving up his freewill and allowing the expectations of others to decide what he should do.
What do you think? Is a pseudoscientific personality theory worth adding to your writer's toolkit?
Fan from india
Well, I'm a fan of a lot of Indian cinema.
You can tell force majeure was a European film. In an American film the dad would have just said to his family "Aw cmon guys I was totally messin' with you. Of course I love this family, group hug!" and they'd move on to the REAL story lol.
when the protagonist was walking down the street, you used an attractive girl and a homeless person as examples. you could of used anything and/or anyone as examples. how do you know which examples to use, when writing ? does the protagonist cross paths with people that are in the script ? how do you pick the specific people and/or things the protagonist walks by ? thank you.....your channel is amazing....
I just used those as examples. You can and should use as many imaginary scenarios as you need to help you picture your character - including those that have nothing to do with your story. Forcing yourself to imagine your character in circumstances they wouldn't normally be in can give you fresh insights into who they are - or who they might be.
.....make them different or get rid of somebody.------- YES great
I have two pairs of mirror characters. The first is a pair of bickering (Roman) senators, who despise each other but are forced to work together. I can see how making them different enhances this conflict.
The second is a pair of Germanic recruits. I put them in for reaction shots to say "These Romans are crazy". It makes sense to me that they are a couple, and it makes sense that they are almost identical. Is this very wrong?
Assuming this is a pretty (or very) broad comedy, no it's not wrong if it makes the joke pop. In cartoons, we often have mirrored characters who act the same and even say dual dialogue for comic effect, but we're not attempting to recreate a high level of reality. If, however, you then attempt to have your story be accepted as fairly believable, you may be in trouble. Go back and watch my discussion in an early episode (I forget which one!) of verisimilitude. Make sure you know your tine and stick with it. Trying to do broad jokes and also keep a level of realism usually doesn't work.
No. This is a horrible advice. if you have to choose between character and plot choose plot, but hey.. if any of you are capable of understanding that, or even understanding what constitutes a point of friction between two things that are so tightly linked .. you would have become successful writers already.. instead.. you are going to think.. " A random youtube comment VS a working Hollywood writer with a youtube channel. I would take the Hollywood writer" Good luck.
btw David Mamet famously said that there is no such thing as character, there is nothing but the plot and its all what you should think about when writing.. but he doesn't have a youtube channel so take what he says with a grain of salt.
You're entitled to your opinion, but you will find very very few working screenwriters who agree with you (the screenwriter I refer to has at least 4 monster hits to his credit). Plot and character be tightly linked, but often are not, as beginning writers tend to fall in love with their plots. I can redo a plot quite easily to something just as good (and I often have to when rewriting scripts for TV), but if the audience doesn't go with the character through the story, you're dead meat -- you can't plot-twist your way out of it. And as great as Mamet is, almost no one has been able to imitate his particular style, probably because he's actually writing specific characters subliminally (rewatch GLENGARRY or OLEANNA or HOUSE OF GAMES and tell me those characters aren't different and exist in an aesthetic sphere far beyond the plot). And because he always gets the best actors to flesh out his characters if he doesn't do it. Having said all that, do whatever you want.