just a couple of days ago, I was pondering the evolution of CSI, the TV show, over the years. first to third or fourth season was always about Grissom analyzing the "Why". As there are always 6 questions to ask: who, where, when, why, how and what, Grissom always dealt with the "Why" by studying the psychology of the suspect. the sequence was always "Location: Here be murder" (Where), "Here lies corpse" (later, forensics, for When or What), "This be suspect" (Who), and there was always the question of "Why". That, we got via a confession or an interrogation to breaking point. and that was the great era of CSI: dig into the missing part, whichever it might be.... sometimes you'd get all answers, but no murder weapon (the famous ice bullet episode, for example), or no body, or no suspect (Agatha Christie's train, anyone?). That's how you write good mystery.... keep the spectator guessing. you can close the case by answering all questions, but never let the case round up 100%... always leave an element out for the surprise factor, like, yes, the victim was clearly shot, but where's the bullet? or, yes, the suspect couldn't have gotten away, they're still here, but where could they possibly be hiding? unless, it's all of them at the same time!
First you have to conceptualize the crime and the criminal, then lay that out, because the crime is what happens first. Then once that is done, you lay out the investigation and the investigator. Not simultaneously.
unless the story is about a crime that exists only to target a certain investigator, BECAUSE the investigator did exist prior to the crime (in question). I mean, of course that investigator comes to be after they work _the first_ case that made them be, _which_ could be the trigger for the main case proper, as a classic revenge plot by the criminal, but that can be all trivial when shaping the main story. cop, reputation, grudge, psycho who targets the cop specifically. as opposed to psycho, mobile, crime, cop who catches them, and *then* we know about the mobile.
Can you have more than one scene on a page? As in can I finish scene 1 half way down a page, then start scene 2 on the same page. Or should I start a fresh page for every scene? Example: scene 1- someone comes home from a night shift. Does a few odds and ends, drinks a beer and we stay with him all the way till he goes to sleep. Scene 2 starts with him waking up with his alarm to something very unpleasant. Can scene 2 start on the same page scene 1 ended?
Yes. Scenes are location based. Your example might have three scenes. Even though it’s all in INT. SOMEONE’S HOME - NIGHT (primary scene heading), you might have secondary scene headings like SOMEONE’S KITCHEN or SOMEONE’S BEDROOM, depending on the layout like a house or apartment. Each new location is a new scene and it’s perfectly fine to start a new scene mid-page. Whatever scenes you write may be changed by the director or producer. They may want SOMEONE to live in a studio apartment, to save the budget, where everything would be in one scene except maybe the bathroom.
And lol you don’t necessarily have to write the sub headings. You could write, Someone dashes into the kitchen. Then start a new line and write, they snatch a whiskey bottle off the counter and down a few gulps. Or don’t start a new line and Someone dashes to the kitchen, grabs a whiskey bottle, and chugs down a few gulps. The way you write it affects pacing and flow, and budget lol, but be consistent in whichever way yo go for the story you’re writing.
just a couple of days ago, I was pondering the evolution of CSI, the TV show, over the years.
first to third or fourth season was always about Grissom analyzing the "Why". As there are always 6 questions to ask: who, where, when, why, how and what, Grissom always dealt with the "Why" by studying the psychology of the suspect.
the sequence was always "Location: Here be murder" (Where), "Here lies corpse" (later, forensics, for When or What), "This be suspect" (Who), and there was always the question of "Why". That, we got via a confession or an interrogation to breaking point.
and that was the great era of CSI: dig into the missing part, whichever it might be.... sometimes you'd get all answers, but no murder weapon (the famous ice bullet episode, for example), or no body, or no suspect (Agatha Christie's train, anyone?).
That's how you write good mystery.... keep the spectator guessing.
you can close the case by answering all questions, but never let the case round up 100%... always leave an element out for the surprise factor, like, yes, the victim was clearly shot, but where's the bullet? or, yes, the suspect couldn't have gotten away, they're still here, but where could they possibly be hiding? unless, it's all of them at the same time!
I’m glad I listened to this. My own brother’s murder in 2009 was never solved. I will contact the Cold Case Foundation. Thanks a million. x
First you have to conceptualize the crime and the criminal, then lay that out, because the crime is what happens first. Then once that is done, you lay out the investigation and the investigator. Not simultaneously.
Well, that's one way to do it.
That's not the only way to do it
unless the story is about a crime that exists only to target a certain investigator, BECAUSE the investigator did exist prior to the crime (in question).
I mean, of course that investigator comes to be after they work _the first_ case that made them be, _which_ could be the trigger for the main case proper, as a classic revenge plot by the criminal, but that can be all trivial when shaping the main story.
cop, reputation, grudge, psycho who targets the cop specifically.
as opposed to psycho, mobile, crime, cop who catches them, and *then* we know about the mobile.
What is the best crime story you have seen this year?
It's a tv series but Blindspot.
@@scifirealism5943 Love that show. Jaime Alexander is fantastic as the Protagonist.
@@chasehedges6775 YES!!! I'VE REWATCHED IT THREE TIMES.
Idk, I did just binge 4 seasons of In The Dark lol
Better Call Saul
I love creating physical case files, reports and evidence. It allows the story to swallow me so I can write without interfering with my characters.
One of my favourite recent interviews 😁
Can you have more than one scene on a page? As in can I finish scene 1 half way down a page, then start scene 2 on the same page. Or should I start a fresh page for every scene?
Example: scene 1- someone comes home from a night shift. Does a few odds and ends, drinks a beer and we stay with him all the way till he goes to sleep.
Scene 2 starts with him waking up with his alarm to something very unpleasant.
Can scene 2 start on the same page scene 1 ended?
Yes. Scenes are location based. Your example might have three scenes. Even though it’s all in INT. SOMEONE’S HOME - NIGHT (primary scene heading), you might have secondary scene headings like SOMEONE’S KITCHEN or SOMEONE’S BEDROOM, depending on the layout like a house or apartment. Each new location is a new scene and it’s perfectly fine to start a new scene mid-page. Whatever scenes you write may be changed by the director or producer. They may want SOMEONE to live in a studio apartment, to save the budget, where everything would be in one scene except maybe the bathroom.
@@ianhtexas very helpful Ian. Thanks very much. I can finally get my character out of bed. He's been in there for 2 weeks haha
And lol you don’t necessarily have to write the sub headings. You could write, Someone dashes into the kitchen. Then start a new line and write, they snatch a whiskey bottle off the counter and down a few gulps. Or don’t start a new line and Someone dashes to the kitchen, grabs a whiskey bottle, and chugs down a few gulps. The way you write it affects pacing and flow, and budget lol, but be consistent in whichever way yo go for the story you’re writing.
@@eddiebear34 🤣🤣🤣
If you put them on separate pages..there are blank places to write notes on your drafts and ask for input
What did you like about this video?
The focus on crime was amazing
Thanks Jim! Much more to come from this interview. It is all about crime writing.
ohhh i love this.
More to come!
15:49 "Oh, really? I didn't read about that!"
...
I'm pretty sure she killed him.
Se7en(1995) is the BEST crime film/story ever made.
The novel is great too
Se7en is nowhere close to Memento.
@@jimwoodswrites yeah
@@johnstrawb3521 yes but memento is more like psychological thriller/mystery
Agreed se7en is the best detective film ever made