IDA: THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY

February 26, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

IDA: The Search for Identity
and Creating Captivating Characters

by Susan Kouguell

WANDA
“You’re Jewish.”

These few words are revelatory in the Oscar-winning Ida, written and directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.

The setting; 1962 post-Stalin Poland.

A few days from taking her vows at the convent where she was raised, Anna, a naive orphan and young novice, learns the existence of Wanda — her aunt. A former state prosecutor, the cynical Wanda is part of the Communist elite.

These two women are distinct characters . Wanda drinks heavily, chain-smokes, and has one-night stands. Indeed, she is the opposite of her niece; worldly versus sheltered, atheist versus believer.

Wanda reveals key secrets from Anna’s past: Anna’s birth name is not Anna but Ida, and her true religious identity is that she is Jewish. This revelation advances the narrative forward, prompting Wanda and Ida to venture together on a journey to discover what happened to Ida’s parents during the Nazi occupation.

Characters’ specific journeys — their experiences as they attempt to achieve their goals and what they learn about themselves and others—are the basis of defining a screenplay’s themes. The theme is what your story is about; it is the central idea or dominant subject matter that reoccurs throughout your screenplay. Examples of themes include redemption, survival, empowerment, alienation, and triumph over adversity. In Ida, the two central themes are identity and secrets of the past.

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A Look at the Western Genre: ‘The Salvation’ and ‘Unforgiven’ (SCRIPT MAGAZINE)

February 24, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

A Look at the Western Genre: The Salvation and Unforgiven

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Film industry executives have expectations. The most obvious expectation is to discover a brilliantly written screenplay that can be made into a film that will garner lots of attention and yes, lots of money at the box office. Executives also expect, if not demand, an engaging, plausible screenplay that follows the rules of the writing genres. Understanding genre conventions (characters, settings, events) and applying this knowledge to your script, will help you to sharpen your plot and characters, and deliver on the readers’ expectations.

Let’s take a look at one of the classic genre — the Western.

From my book Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays:

Western Ride ‘em, cowboy…or cowgirl! Whether your protagonist is faced with violence, robberies, shootouts or stampedes, typical Western heroes are courageous, tough, self-sufficient, honorable, independent, and/or moral with an expertise in physical skills and abilities that will enable him or her to survive. Generally, the settings for westerns are the American frontier with sweeping landscapes, rugged terrain, and ranches or the small town streets containing the local bank, general store, barbershop, and saloon. Themes include revenge, lost love, greed,man versus man, good versus evil, man versus nature, law enforcers versus criminals, and new settlers versus homesteaders. Research the iconic symbols of the time period in which you set your story. From lassos, to cattle drives, to sheriffs and their sidekicks, you must be historically accurate.

A Look at Two Westerns

In the 2014 film The Salvation, written by Anders Thomas Jensen and Kristian Levring, director Kristian Levring pays tribute to the classic western. Inspired by Nordic sagas, The Salvation, is set in the American west of the 1870s. John, an ex-soldier and Danish settler, kills his family’s murderer, unleashing the fury of notorious gang leader Delarue. Betrayed by his corrupt and cowardly community, the peaceful pioneer turns vengeful hunter. John slays the outlaws, as he attempts to cleanse the town’s black heart.

Director Clint Eastwood’s 1992 Unforgiven (screenplay by David Peoples) is also set in the American west of the 1880s. In this film, a local prostitute in the small town of Big Whiskey is brutally attacked by two cowboys. When antagonistSheriff Little Bill Daggett lets them off with the condition they give some ponies to the saloonkeeper, the outraged prostitutes pool their money and offer a $1,000 bounty to murder the cowboys. A young man, known as the Schofield Kid, goes to the home of William Munny, an aging former outlaw, to convince him to team up with him to win the reward. Having sworn off his violent past, Munny first turns down the offer but changes his mind.

Both The Salvation and Unforgiven share not only the settings of the American west of the 1880s and themes of greed and revenge, the protagonists are vengeful heroes and the antagonists are ruthless. Protagonists must make key decisions that will propel the narrative forward and shape your plot. The steps leading up to Unforgiven’s Munny making the significant decision to join The Schofield Kid, by going back on his pledge to his late wife that he will never again pick up a gun, advances the narrative, and continues to build as he must face antagonist Sheriff Dagget . In The Salvation, the steps leading John to change from peaceful pioneer to a man seeking justice for his family’s murder are underscored by his unwavering stance against Delarue. Antagonists Dagget and Delarue are the villains whose objective is to prevent the protagonists from achieving their goal.

Following the conventions of a genre is imperative when writing a savvy screenplay. Watching films and reading scriptsin the genre in which you are working will help to guide you to deliver on film executives’ expectations.

‘Ballet 422′ and Cinema Truth (SCRIPT MAGAZINE)

February 11, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

by Susan Kouguell

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‘Ballet 422′ and Cinema Truth

The truth about documentary is this — there are many categories and styles — from investigative to personality-driven, to topics that expose cover-ups and catastrophes, to — well, yes – the list goes on and your imagination is the limit.

Many film theoreticians and documentarians differ on their interpretations over what elements should or should not be included when categorizing the various styles of documentary films, but what they do agree upon is this — there are no strict rules one must adhere to when making documentaries. And so, one can say there is often an exception to every “rule” when labeling and categorizing the various styles of documentaries.

So, if one truth is that there are no hard and fast rules in making documentaries, how does the writer know how to write a documentary?

In writing and/or sketching out the ideas for a documentary you can present ideas objectively, subjectively, or let the subject and/or subject matter speak for themselves/itself. You can follow the traditional 3-act structure or a non-traditional narrative format, or use talking heads, stock footage, dramatic reenactments, voiceover narration, still photographs, live action, animation, put yourself in the story or just allow images and your subjects to convey the story. You can use some or all of these choices, or create something else. The choice is up to you.

Choosing Cinema Vérité: Ballet 422 and Cinema Truth

Director Jody Lee Lipes describes his new documentary Ballet 422 as Cinema Vérité. Translated from the French, this term defined as “cinema truth,” is also referred to as Fly on the Wall or Direct Cinema. The “truth” is underscored in this definition; the filmmaker captures what is happening in front of the camera without artifice.

Some of the elements that are seen in Cinema Vérité include the use of handheld cameras, natural lighting, direct sound, and location filming — while elements not generally seen are the utilization of voice-over narrations, talking heads and extensive background information. Examples of this filmmaking category are the 1973 PBS series An American Family, which followed the daily lives of the Loud family for seven months and Grey Gardens (1975) directed by Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, about a mother and daughter reclusive socialites, living in a decrepit Long Island mansion.

From first rehearsal to world premiere, Ballet 422 goes behind the scenes at the New York City Ballet, as it follows Justin Peck, 25, a dancer with the NYCB and up-and-coming choreographer, as he creates his new work “Paz de la Jolla” from its first rehearsal to world premiere. This commissioned ballet is NYCB’s 422nd new ballet — hence the film’s title.

Justin Peck is the main character and the film takes the viewer on his journey, offering glimpses into the ballet world and Peck’s work process as he collaborates with fellow dancers, orchestra musicians, lighting and costume designers.

In Ballet 422, there are no re-enactments, voiceovers, or talking heads — there are only a few lines of superimposed text that offer only brief background information about choreographer Peck, who shows minimal emotion throughout the film. Peck is focused, confident, and demonstrates only glimpses of nervousness as the premiere date approaches.

A vital element of cinema vérité is spontaneity. The director is the observer, witnessing the action without interfering in it or controlling it. Portable equipment (handheld cameras, and so on) allows the cameraperson and sound recorder to go to the subjects rather than the subjects going to them. Another cinema vérité element seen in Ballet 422 are several quick moments where there was a boom mic in the shot, or a mirror reflection of a camera person filming the dancers.

Director Jody Lee Lipes and Producer Anna Rose Holmer at the Emelin Theatre in Mamaroneck, New York discuss the Writing Process and Influences

Producer Anna Rose Holmer: “The film’s influence is Studs Terkel’s Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. When you focus on people, you learn a lot about what makes them tick. The drama is there. There were no tantrums. The quiet storm was happening.

Director Jody Lee Lipes: “Letting people in the film dictate it is better than what you can write. We sketched out ideas of the story arc. The biggest change was in the end when we learned that Justin was dancing in another piece the same night of his premiere. The writing process happened in the editing room. One of the storytelling devices the editor and I used to make it feel move forward was to build on each rehearsal — we see Justin alone, Justin with one dancer, then the whole corps, and then the entire cast. The first time we see Albert (ballet master) and Justin walking on stage, because of that progression of scenes, we know we’re getting closer to the premiere of the ballet.”

There is not the expected or anticipated drama or melodrama of a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the New York ballet world.

Lipes: “Justin, the subject, doesn’t change with the camera on him. That is the real Justin. This is why I made the movie; I love watching someone really focused on what they’re doing.”

Your Next Steps

Watch documentaries that share your aesthetic, ideas, and sensibility, and then note down what makes your project different. As you develop and sketch out your ideas think about who your main characters are, their goals, desires, and agendas, and what your significant message is.

You can leave everything to chance or adhere strictly to your script. The choices are up to you. Your mantra to keep in mind when writing and sketching out your ideas for a documentary? Truth is stranger than fiction.

– See more at: READ MORE HERE

“Tips on Writing Dialogue That’s Truthful” (SCRIPT MAGAZINE)

January 27, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

Tips on Writing Dialogue That’s Truthful

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TABITHA
(to Riggan. A derisive laugh)
You’re no actor. You’re a celebrity. Let’s be clear on that.

Tabitha rises from her seat and grabs her things.

TABITHA (CONT’D)
I’m going to kill your play.

In Birdman, (directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, screenplay by Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Armando Bo) theatre critic Tabitha is despicable. She knows it. Protagonist Riggin knows it. And what makes matters worse is that in these four lines, Riggan knows in his very soul that Tabitha is telling the truth. The truth hurts. Riggin is struggling with his celebrity and all that comes with this label. He wants to be respected as an actor, not for his celebrity. The words flowing from your characters’ mouths should be true to who they are. Whether your characters are telling the truth or lying, or believe they are being accurate or not, when you, the screenwriter, have a deep understanding of your characters’ motivations and behaviors, the more believable your dialogue will be. Good dialogue clearly conveys emotions, attitudes, strengths, vulnerabilities, and so on, while revealing the details of your plot and advancing your narrative.

Ten Top Tips to Writing Truthful Dialogue

Make every word of dialogue count. Often less is more and the less said can be more poignant.
Readers should be able to identify who is speaking without needing to read each character heading. Characters’ voices must be distinctive and not interchangeable with other characters.
Consider the silences and pauses your characters use, or another character’s interruptions, to further convey tensions, actions, moods, and emotions.
How your characters listen or don’t listen to each other and respond or don’t respond to each other will enhance your dialogue.
Dialogue must not sound wooden or stilted. In real life, most people do not always speak with flawless grammar in complete, formal sentences.
Use contractions, colloquialisms, slang, and so on, when true to your characters.
Characters can speak in verbal shorthand and finish each other’s sentences and thoughts, such as with family members and best friends.
Watch out for on-the-nose dialogue. In real life, people don’t always say exactly what’s on their mind or say what they mean and neither should your characters.
Do your research. If your character is discussing medical issues, for example, or if you’re writing a period film, accuracy is essential.
Writing character biographies for all of your characters will not only enable you to learn more about who they are and what makes them tick, it will help you to determine their specific word choices and language usages, such as slang, speech patterns, and rhythms.

SUSAN’S (Screenwriter’s Utopia) TOP TIPS ON CHOOSING AN AGENT

January 26, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

Many screenwriters share something in common. Is it the agony and ecstasy of writing? Well, for some yes, but for most –it’s about finding an agent, and when you do, finding the right one for you.

Indeed — finding an agent can be considered a full-time job. Not only have you written a brilliant screenplay but now you must write and submit queries, network and then network some more, and research agencies and agents that are the right match for you and your work. Added to that is the endless time involved and sleepless nights, waiting for a response. This journey can be challenging, often frustrating, nearly impossible, clearly nerve-wracking and nauseatingly gut-wrenching.

But then – alas. You get the call. The email. The response. An agent is interested in representing you! Hallelujah. Congratulations! Break out the champagne. Do the happy dance. But don’t lose your common sense!

Yes, it’s wonderful that an agent has expressed interest in representing you, but do not jump into a relationship without making sure the agent is a good fit for you and your work.

Tips on Choosing an Agent

Susan’s: Love is Strange – Obstacles and Relationships, and Not So Strange Love

January 24, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

Love is Strange

Obstacles and Relationships, and Not So Strange Love

In film, as in real life, misunderstandings and embarrassing and awkward moments are just some of the many situations couples can find themselves in when it comes to love relationships. Couples can be soulmates or polar opposites, come from the same or different backgrounds and/or social classes, have too different or too similar temperaments, and/or find themselves brought together by an odd set of circumstances without which they would not have normally even spoken.

The obstacles a couple must face can bring them together or force them apart.

In the award-winning film directed by Ira Sachs Love is Strange, co-written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias, the obstacles longtime couple Ben and George enounter drive the narrative forward, posing the question:

How will Ben and George overcome their many hurdles in order to live together once again?

To read more:

LOVE IS STRANGE

2015 NEW YORK FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

January 7, 2015 / sucity / Comments Off

Great to see old friends and colleagues at the NYFCC Awards.

A few photos from last night…

Photo credits: Tatiana Kouguell-Hoell

MARION COTILLARD

Timothy Spall

Ethan Hawke

Richard Linklater

Jon Stewart

Patricia Arquette

J.K. Simmons

Bill Murray

Nick Offerman

Ellar Coltrane

2014 Awards (From: http://www.nyfcc.com/awards/)

Best Picture: Boyhood
Best Director: Richard Linklater; Boyhood
Best Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Actress: Marion Cotillard; The Immigrant, Two Days, One Night
Best Actor: Timothy Spall; Mr. Turner
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette; Boyhood
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons; Whiplash
Best Cinematographer: Darius Khondji; The Immigrant
Best Animated Film: The LEGO Movie
Best Non-Fiction Film (Documentary): Citizenfour
Best Foreign Film: Ida
Best First Film: Jennifer Kent; The Babadook
Special Award: Adrienne Mancia

Rob Marshall Speaks Into the Woods

December 6, 2014 / sucity / Comments Off

Susan’s The Script Lab article

Director Rob Marshall Speaks about Into the Woods,

Themes and Adapting to the Screen

DIRECTOR ROB MARSHALL (Photo credit Tatiana Kouguell-Hoell)

At the Jacob Burns Film Center on December 4, Edie Demas, Executive Director of the JBFC, spoke with director Rob Marshall after the screening of his new film Into the Woods, which was adapted from the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, screenplay by James Lapine. “Film is a different pace than theater,” Marshall stated. “The song is the scene.

The 16-minute long opening song establishes the language of how the story will be told.” (Advice for screenwriters: Whatever genre you are writing in, your opening pages not only need to grab the reader’s attention, but it needs to set the tone of the script.) Reimagining the Original Play and Cutting Adapting a beloved theatrical musical to a film musical meant making some challenging choices for Marshall, who praised Lapine and Sondheim for being so open and flexible about making some changes for the film adaptation from the staged musical. “We needed to reimagine the play for the film.” Knowing that they had to get the film down to about two hours, Marshall stated, “The three of us, Sondheim, Lapine, and I, knew we needed to eliminate the musical reprises.” Citing the example of the Cinderella number in the theatrical version with Cinderella’s shoe stuck on stage, “In the play, the action happens off screen.” Marshall humbly continued, “I asked Sondheim, could you adjust the lyrics so it takes place in the moment, like an internal monologue. And he did.” Emphasizing the importance of making the difficult decisions to cut some numbers from the original musical, Marshall underscored the mantra: Serve the film. This is the mantra screenwriters should always keep in the back of their minds as they write: serve your story. Cutting scenes for the greater good — will, in the end, benefit the project. Themes Marshall stated that the central theme of the film is ‘No one is alone.’ “Sondheim said the first half of the piece is about the individual; getting your wish at any cost. The second half is about a community coming together. There are also parent/child themes. You see how the baker is concerned with being a good father, because he didn’t have a good father, he had a father who abandoned him. He’s dealing with that issue; you see that he becomes a good father with Jack. He has to comfort him and help him. With the Witch and Rapunzel relationship — the witch’s mother punished her with ugliness and the witch thinks she’s protecting her child by keeping her in the tower. It says a lot about parent/child relations. The last song reflects this: ‘Children will listen, children will see and learn;’ there are so many layers to the piece.” The Fairy Tale Examined Marshall described Into the Woods as “a fairy tale for the 21^st century; it raises important issues for today.” Discussing an example of this, Marshall referred to the character of Cinderella: “She chooses to go back home.cBack to the abuse. You go back to what you know. So that’s what was used.” Further discussing the original version of the Grimm Fairy Tale, Marshall continued: Grimm is a very cautionary tale, not just a happily ever after. We see what follows happily ever after.cThere are consequences to your actions. In the end, we see how the face of the classic family has changed so much. We see this lovely family that you never imagined would be together.” READ MORE Photo: Disney #intothewoods #robmarshall

Susan’s Screenwriter’s Utopia: A Look Back at THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL and Looking into the Future of Your Collaborations

December 6, 2014 / sucity / Comments Off

BARTLOW
I know the legend, Jonathan Shields,
the man will do anything to get what he
wants…Shields Pictures Incorporated.
Well, I’m flattered you want me, and
bitter you got me. Where do I start?

SHIELDS
Just read these scripts, see how it’s
done, rough out a story line, and
then we’ll get to work. And don’t worry,
some of the best movies are made by
people working together who
hate each other’s guts.

BARTLOW
Then we should make a great movie.

SHIELDS
I usually do.

BARTLOW
What about your last two?

SHIELDS
I like ’em.

This excerpt from the Academy Award-winning screenplay by Charles Schnee from the 1952 film The Bad and the Beautiful directed by Vincente Minnelli, underscores the stereotypical –and frankly, the often not so stereotypical relationships between screenwriters and their producers and directors. (The Bad and the Beautiful offers a behind-the-scenes look into movie-making and Hollywood; the title refers to the antagonist, the unscrupulous producer Jonathan Shields — The “Bad” and the protagonist “the Beautiful” starlet Georgia Lorrison.)

Hopefully your collaborations and work relationships with producers and directors will not be tumultuous and fraught with conflict as with the fictional screenwriter Bartlow and antagonist Shields.

The Honeymoon

The initial meetings with producers and directors can be filled with champagne and caviar, and congratulatory pats on the back on everyone’s brilliance, celebrating the future of breaking box office records and Oscar wins. But when the champagne and caviar are polished off, the reality of the hard work is ahead.

The Honeymoon is Over…And Keeping the Honeymoon Period Alive

Unless you are the sole screenwriter, producer, and director of the film, there will be collaborators with whom you must work. The truth is that a screenplay is the blueprint from which the director and producers create the film. That means that everyone has an idea, (good or bad) and a lot to say (good or bad), and tempers can flare (not so good), and egos can be hurt (really not good).

Collaborating on a screenplay and/or film can be inspiring and amazing, but it also can be very exasperating if you are not in sync with your writing partner or with the producer and/or director. Putting your cards on the table from the onset of your collaboration will avoid unpleasant surprises and hurt egos later on. Be forthcoming about your expectations and goals for both the script and the collaboration, and don’t shy away from asking your collaborator’s goals and expectations. Understanding the director and/or producers’ goals for the project you’ve written will improve your chances for a positive collaboration.

Susan’s The Script Lab article Posing Questions in Two Days One Night

November 28, 2014 / sucity / Comments Off

In the film Two Days, One Night, written and directed by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the protagonist, Sandra, has recently returned back to her job after an acute bout with depression only to find out that the factory for which she works can manage with one less employee and she is to be let go. Sandra learns that the employees have been given a choice: receive a bonus if they agree she will be laid off; if not, then no one receives the bonus. Sandra’s fate will be decided on Monday morning, giving Sandra one weekend to convince her fellow coworkers to sacrifice their bonuses in order to keep her job. Sandra finds herself in a race against time – specifically two days and one night — to get her job back.

In the chapter entitled ‘Getting Your Characters’ Acts Together’ in my book Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! I write:

Every story is essentially a “What if?” mystery. It begins by asking a question that will be answered in the script’s climax. Usually a problem is introduced or a situation that needs to be resolved is presented. The reader must feel a sense of urgency and expectation.

In the film Two Days, One Night, written and directed by brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne, the protagonist, Sandra, has recently returned back to her job after an acute bout with depression only to find out that the factory for which she works can manage with one less employee and she is to be let go. Sandra learns that the employees have been given a choice: receive a bonus if they agree she will be laid off; if not, then no one receives the bonus. Sandra’s fate will be decided on Monday morning, giving Sandra one weekend to convince her fellow coworkers to sacrifice their bonuses in order to keep her job. Sandra finds herself in a race against time – specifically two days and one night — to get her job back.

In the chapter entitled ‘Getting Your Characters’ Acts Together’ in my book Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! I write:

Every story is essentially a “What if?” mystery. It begins by asking a question that will be answered in the script’s climax. Usually a problem is introduced or a situation that needs to be resolved is presented. The reader must feel a sense of urgency and expectation.

To read more: READ MORE HERE

View Trailer:

#TWODAYSONENIGHT #THESCRIPTLAB #POSINGQUESTIONSINTWODAYSONENIGHT

Su-City Pictures East, LLC

Screenplay & Film Consulting By Susan Kouguell

Author: sucity (page 18 of 34)