I do not teach script-writing, the only chance you have to learn it from me is to get enrolled in Virtual TheatreSpecial Topics in the Spring of 2001. This is a workshop-style course and will include all -- directors, writers, actors. Class Project is the webcasting "The Story of David Z." -- hyper-text for theatre I wrote in 1995-97. Subscribe to vTheatre Forum and become a part of the process!
See more on drama @ Theatre w/Anatoly (Virtual Theatre, formerly GeoAlaska) -- use the frame-table on the left.
Intelligence learns from its mistakes… …BUT TRUE GENIUS LEARNS FROM OTHERS' MISTAKES.
This page is about dramatic analysis of film, not filmic analysis; for Film Analysis you should go to film.vthetre.net. More about the language of drama is at vtheatre.net.
Sight, Sound, Motion: Applied Media Aesthetics Developed at San Francisco State University, this textbook isolates the five fundamental image elements of television and film--light and color, 2D space, 3D space, time/motion, and sound--examines their aesthetic characteristics and potentials, and structures them in their respective aesthetic fields. The fourth edition adds sections on inductive shot sequences, electronic cinema, and alternative storytelling techniques. ***
I use this page in both THR334 Film analysis and Film directing Classes: dramatic composition (Fall 2005) of Chaplin (Dog's Life) and Godfather (exposition, climax, resolution - describe and prove!)
"The world is out there, but descriptions of the world are not." (Rorty, CIS)
This is a "pre-historical" page (music, silly graphics) was built long ago before the script.vtheatre.net pages (and 200x Aesthetics where the discussion of "dramatic" analysis takes place (vs. "filmic" analysis, the connection between the two languages is the most interesting subject...) Anatoly 2005.
Film has its own language, but it uses all other languages, including -- drama. This is page is for that ancient level of communications.
Mostly analysis of dramatic structure. Perhaps, for you, writers. And directors, of course. This is where film (visual) structure begins. No matter how far Film could departure from the Script, it's still in need of the old dramatic narrative.
Categories:
[For more go to the Glossary or to the dictionary at Theatre with Anatoly. Of course, there is difference between Play and Script, but overall dramatic laws are the same. Exposition, Rising Action, climax, Resolution. Episodic Structure in drama is covered on Brecht's Epic Theatre. For nature of film dialogues go to Realism, or Chekhov and Ibsen. The best advise is to visit Dramatic Literature.]
Setting -- The time and place in which the film's story takes place, including all of the complex factors that come packaged
with a given time and place: climate, terrain, population
density, social structures and economic factors, customs, moral
attitudes, and codes of behavior.
Scene -- A clearly identifiable, organic part of an event. It is a small structural (action) or thematic (story) unit, usually
consisting of several shots.
Sequence -- The sum of several scenes (or shots) that compose an organic whole.
DRAMATIC COMPOSITION (1-2-3)
Sometimes I call it "ABC of Composition" (based on Aristotle)
You don't "write" movies, you see them.... and then you write down what you saw. Writing is not that important (except for dialogues), nobody outside of the crew and cast will ever read your script. You are not a writer, not really. But, listen, listen to that -- ten, hundred, thousand times more people will see and hear it. If you want to write, write novels or at least plays, not scripts. But if you want to make money.... oh, that's another story all together!
Alright, the same old stuff, again....
1. Exposition:
Information that the audience needs to know to understand a story. Introduction of a conflict, character(s), theme(s) (style, genre and etc.)
COMPLICATION The section of a story in which a conflict begins and grows in clarity, intensity, and importance.
RISING ACTION The plot developments, including complication and conflict, that lead to a plot's climax.
2. Climax:
The point at which the complication reaches its point of maximum tension and the forces in opposition confront each other at a peak of physical or emotional action.
DENOUEMENT A brief period of calm following the climax, in which a state of relative equilibrium returns.
3. Resolution:
Last part of a plot, in which the act or dramatic process
breaks into resolving previous conflict and determines as to
future action.
From [The Megahit Screenplays]:
"The difference between story and plot lies in the
conceptual distinction between actions and events. In
constructing a story, actions are what characters do, events are
what happen to characters. Therefore, the story consists of the
series of actions performed by the characters, while the plot
consists of the series of events that happen to the characters.
The inciting event happens to the protagonist early in the story,
and forces him to pursue his primary objective. Subplots run
parallel to the main plot, usually involve minor characters, and
contrast with the main story in terms of values and codes of
behavior. A plot arena is that historical period or subculture in
which the events occur. Plot twists are necessary to make the
plot exciting and unpredictable, and are conceptually connected
with sub-goals that fail to bring about their expected outcome.
Plot organization explicates ways of arranging the events, one of
which is the standard three-act structure. The distinction
between the plot climax and the story climax rests on the
distinction between the final event (plot climax) concerning the
dramatic objective that was pursued by both the protagonist and
the antagonist, and the final choice (story climax) made by the
protagonist that reveals his true values and code of behavior.
The concepts of instrumental values and terminal values are
explicated and their essential connection to the methods of story
construction are discussed."
I, following Chekhov's advise, tell students to think about story in terms of a narrative -- HOW the plot is presented. There are no "great" plots, only great stories. "Crime and Punishment" basic plot could be found in any newspaper. Also, the full separation of plot and story is dangerous exercise -- one can't get into "double" climax or ending. The same could be said about sub-plots, which presence is motivated by the needs of the story.
QUESTION:
Is the dream in the opening of "The Wild Strawberries" a part
of the story or the plot? In the Bergman's screen-play ("Four
Screen Plays") this segment is not impressive as in the film --
the story is the way we see events on the screen. All the
elements of film -- angle, shot, cut (including "style") -- are
the elements of story.
HOMEWORK: In Dream Segment identify 1-2-3 of dramatic composition: Exposition, Climax, Resolution (name the shots).
DRAMATIC ANALYSIS of film is the easiest. It's only one METHOD, the new powerful ones are belong to Postmodern studies and Culturology.
"Today no single discipline owns the study of culture. This is an expanding field of analysis across philosophy, anthropology, sociology, cultural and media studies, literature and film studies, history, political economy, and more. We inhabit a cultural world in which globalisation may homogenise, but in which multi-cultural identities, hybridity and fundamentalisms define and redefine 'culture'." (From RESEARCHING CULTURE
For more on dramatic structure go my Theatre with Anatoly site. I teach Dramlit in the Fall (1998) and the pages have to be updated. Scene Study, Exposition, Monologue are for directors and actors, but could be beneficial for writers as well. If I will do the script-writing class for film-kids next summer, this page will grow.
Also, Film & Drama course was designed with the intention to understand the separation between dramatic and filmic narrative. See you there!
Visitors, I started this page for the kids in Summer Film class and I don't know when I'll have the time to work on. I do not write screenplays since I left Russia. Yes, I wrote one for a friend in New York, 30 min (The Walls). Something happened to me; I don't want to make films anymore. Although I still enjoy good ones.
I know, this is a neglected page, sorry. To read our students' scripts, go to Scripts
Monologue and Scene (Ending in "Pulp Fiction," sample):
JULES
There's a passage I got memorized.
Ezekiel 25:17. "The path of the
righteous man is beset on all sides
by the inequities of the selfish
and the tyranny of evil men.
Blessed is he who, in the name of
charity and good will, shepherds
the weak through the valley of the
darkness. For he is truly his
brother's keeper and the finder of
lost children.
And I will strike down upon thee
with great vengeance and furious
anger those who attempt to poison
and destroy my brothers. And you
will know I am the Lord when I lay
my vengeance upon you." I been
sayin' that shit for years. And if
you ever heard it, it meant your
ass. I never really questioned
what it meant. I thought it was
just a cold-blooded thing to say to
a motherfucker 'fore you popped a
cap in his ass. But I saw some
shit this mornin' made me think
twice. Now I'm thinkin', it could
mean you're the evil man. And I'm
the righteous man. And Mr. .45
here, he's the shepherd protecting
my righteous ass in the valley of
darkness. Or is could by you're
the righteous man and I'm the
shepherd and it's the world that's
evil and selfish. I'd like that.
But that shit ain't the truth. The
truth is you're the weak. And I'm
the tyranny of evil men. But I'm
tryin'. I'm tryin' real hard to be
a shepherd.
Jules lowers his gun, lying it on the table.
Writers Links:
Dialogue (must be viewed in context of the scene and entire story, themes and characters analysis) -- Pulp Fiction:
VINCENT: So if you're quitting the life, what'll you do?
JULES: That's what I've been sitting here contemplating. First, I'm gonna deliver this case to Marsellus. Then, basically, I'm gonna walk the earth.
VINCENT:What do you mean, walk the earth?
JULES: You know, like Caine in "KUNG FU." Just walk from town to town, meet people, get in adventures.
VINCENT: How long do you intend to walk the earth?
JULES: Until God puts me where he want me to be.
VINCENT: What if he never does?
JULES: If it takes forever, I'll wait forever.
VINCENT: So you decided to be a bum?
JULES: I'll just be Jules, Vincent -- no more, no less.
VINCENT: No Jules, you're gonna be like
those pieces of shit out there who
beg for change. They walk around
like a bunch of fuckin' zombies,
they sleep in garbage bins, they
eat what I throw away, and dogs
piss on 'em. They got a word for
'em, they're called bums. And
without a job, residence, or legal
tender, that's what you're gonna be
-- a fuckin' bum!
JULES: Look my friend, this is just where
me and you differ --
VINCENT: -- what happened was peculiar -- no
doubt about it -- but it wasn't
water into wine.
JULES: All shapes and sizes, Vince.
VINCENT: Stop fuckin' talkin' like that!
JULES: If you find my answers frightening,
Vincent, you should cease askin'
scary questions.
VINCENT: When did you make this decision --
while you were sitting there eatin'
your muffin?
JULES: Yeah. I was just sitting here
drinking my coffee, eating my
muffin, playin' the incident in my
head, when I had what alcoholics
refer to as a "moment of clarity."
EXTREME CLOSE-UP of MAXIMILIAN COHEN'S eyes popping open.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT -CHINATOWN FLAT – NEW YORK CITY - NIGHT
Max jolts his head from his desk and tries to orient him-self
in the darkness. He has intelligent eyes set in an exhausted,
good-looking face.
Then he notices the blood dripping from his nose. Max wipes
it.
Max's voiceover begins:
MAX (V.O.)
Monday, September first.
Six-fifteen.
INT. BATHROOM - DAWN
A pull-string light flips on. Max examines his bloody nose in
the mirror.
MAX (V.O.)
The alchemist awakes.
(Imitating)
"Turn lead into gold, Max,
lead into gold." Today, I find it.
TIGHT ON
Max's hand as three unmarked, circular pills hit his palm.
Then, he slams the pills into the back of his mouth.
Max replaces the cap on a plastic bottle of unmarked
prescription drugs. He drinks from the sink and splashes a
generous amount of water onto his head and face, cleaning his nose.
He wipes his nose and examines the last remnants of blood on
his fingertip. Then, he dips his finger under the tap.
INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - MAIN ROOM - DAY
Max's room is constantly dark because the windows are blacked
out. He flips on his desk lamp.
A tiny ANT crawls across his desk. He looks at it for a moment
before getting angry and squashing it.
Sitting on the desk are three computer monitors, which Max
flips on.
Then he pops on more lights and more switches. We pull back
revealing that Max's apartment looks more like the inside of a computer than a human's home.
The room is knee-high in computer parts of all shapes and
sizes. The walls are covered with circuit boards. Cables hang
from the ceiling like vines in a Brazilian rain forest. They
all seem to be wired together forming a monstrous homemade
computer.
This is EUCLID, Max's creation. The computer is alive with
sounds and lights.
Max works on Euclid with his solder and drill. He cares for
the machine as if it were his dream car
MAX (V.O.)
Heat's been getting
to Euclid. Feel it most in
the afternoon when I run the
set. Have to keep the fans on
all night from now on.
Otherwise, everything is
running topnotch. The stack
of 286's is now faster than
Columbia's computer science
department. I spent a couple
hundred dollars. Columbia's
cost? Half a million?
(Small snicker)
Ha...
Max checks the peephole on His front door. No one is there. He
unbolts the five lock and slides into the hall.
theatre theory and 
blog: anatoly-film
This is a "pre-historical" page (music, silly graphics) was built long ago before the 
