Episode 5: Beginning and Ending Your Story
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- čas přidán 18. 12. 2023
- 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
No one had ever explained the difference between plot and story and, plot twist, it turns out to be immense! I feel like I've just gotten some kind of screenwriting super power! And yet again... outstanding shirt. Thank you, thank you! Can't wait for the next video!
Glad it's of help. But now I have to go clothes shopping.
Yeah, this guy has good taste (about his shirts and caps)
Please please keep making videos . I find your teaching significantly helpful. Thank you so much. ❤
Glad it's helping. And I'll keep making them (one is due tomorrow).
I'm a film student, been watching all your vidoes, they have helped me tremendously! Endlessly valuable lessons.
Glad it's helping. I'll have more coming.
These videos are an incredible resource. Thanks for being a forthcoming teacher and not commoditizing your expertise. That’s ok for some people, but so valuable to have free and open dialogue, as well.
Glad it's helping you. What you describe is exactly why I'm doing this.
@@TheGoDraft really appreciated
What an amazing series of priceless lessons, Andy. Thanks to you, Im finally starting to write a script after more than 15 years of working in the industry as an AD in Argentina. Of course, I would also have to thank my therapist... But then again, you truly are a gem.
Glad whatever I'm saying is helping. I have many friends here in LA from Argentina.
Gold. My 14yo is now identifying protagonists and act turns in everything, including the musical he’s in this week.
Ha! That's fantastic. Sounds like you have a future Sondheim on your hands.
Cheers, bruh!
Thank you for saying "resolution does not mean happy ending", I am writing a story in wich the protagonist finds resolution but pays too high a price , resolution has destroyed loved values and left a scar that is never going to go away. I tried to change the ending but the story allways went to that direction. Yes, she wins, but also looses the one thing she belived she will never had to gave up. Thanks, thanks, I was stuck with the ending. Thanks for your work.
Glad it was of help. And that you got over that particular hump.
thank you! i've been an aspiring writer but i don't have extra resources to study scriptwriting. i hope you got this monetized cause you deserve so much support for sharing this to us
Well, I'm deliberately not doing this for money because it frees me up to tell you the truth. But thanks for the good thoughts.
@@TheGoDraft You know how sexy that sounds, right?
I’m loving your channel and it’s focus on organic (non-formulaic) story structure-which is how professional scripts are structured. Thank you for letting us peak into your writer’s room. Please keep the episodes coming.
Will do. Glad it's helping you.
What a discovery! Thank you. All the best for your channel.
It's heartening to know it's helping. Thanks.
sounds like you and richard walter agree on a lot of things.
I knew Richard many years ago in our wanton youths. I don't read or study other people's screenwriting books or philosophies, however; I just try to articulate what I've learned over the years in the trenches.
More should know about this channel/resource.
Spread the word! I've only been up for a couple months and it seems to be doing pretty well.
I can't get enough of your videos. I simply LOVE the way you explain every aspect of the craft; it is just the best possible didactic-at least, for me.
There are indeed a couple of other younger dedicated fellas, also very helpful, but who still need to cash some with some urgency-which is totally okay, obviously! But-- And here's a big but:
You're literally the one person on CZcams teaching screenwriting right now who would actually totally get away with being a total jerk, and... Plot Twist: You're a freaking gentleman! Such a good sport -- You even answer our questions individually, for Lumet's sake!!!
I do have a theory: You love storytelling so much that you've decided to do something rather than watch us drawn under the weight of so much garbage produced recently. It's literally getting almost too hard to choose something to watch -- I might as well just watch whatever A24 feeds me these days. Good job, sir!!!
It is just so inspiring to see the people in the comments freaking out for having their writing skills boosted. Also, making the job of future readers less painful -- win, win!
I couldn't thank you enough!!! Big CHEERS!!!
Very kind words. I do this because I genuinely want people to write better scripts -- and see them made into better movies than I mostly see now. Good luck to you.
wow 45 years! a true pro
Thanks. Heading into year 46 -- and still working.
Masterful content here. And for free! Thank you thank you thank you! Keep it coming. YOU ARE INSPIRING.
Thanks. I'm trying!
@@TheGoDraft It's working.
Just discovered your channel- expert info, great examples, and I enjoy your perspective. Not sure if this is something you cover but do you have any recommendations for getting your work out to agents? I’m at a stage with ten+ scripts where I’m being told by friends in the business that I’m good enough for an agent but I have no idea how to procure one. Thank you and keep up the fantastic vids!!
I will cover that subject in more detail in future videos, but bear this in mind: because of the expansion of professional writing opportunities now, having an agent is no longer de rigueur to get a foothold in the business. I have many clients, friends, and co-workers (especially in animation) who don't have an agent, and others who have one but don't feel they need one. In the simplest terms, it always comes down to writing great scripts and getting eyeballs on them any way you can. For what it's worth, in 45 years I have never known anyone who had talent and perseverance who DIDN'T have some measure of success -- eventually.
Riveting! Love all five videos. Can't wait to see more!
More on the way. I'm trying to keep up a one-per-week pace, but the holidays put a ding in my plans. Thanks for watching.
Fantastic videos, Andy! Looking forward to Ep 6!
Thanks. It's coming soon.
I’m trying to patiently wait for the next episode in this series. You speak to me in a way my mind understands! I always wondered why save the cat, the nutshell, 11 step story structure, and any other formulaic story telling book never worked for me.
I thought writing your way was wrong because nobody really talked about it. Writers block has withered away now that I’m not trying to follow a formula. Hearing you validate my natural writing style has freed me.
Thank you !
It makes my heart sing to hear how my approach is affecting you. That's my goal for the series. Keep up your work!
Please continue 🙏
I will. Promise.
@@TheGoDraft
That's very kind of you sir 😊
Thank you. God bless you 🙏
Its funny that you mention that we should not have our character save a cat because my favorite script has a lot to do with the characters saving cats. By that i mean, actually saving actual cats. But to set the record straight, even though i have heard that term and or book title for years, i have never read the book, so it had nothing to do with my story. It just so happens that my characters have and care for cats.
That's fine; it's the notion that writers should arbitrarily have characters do something "sympathetic" that is anathema to me, as it results in a lot of boring and predictable films.
Just a thought…
The city setting 2:05 is much more compelling of a story (trauma of seeing a man fall to violent death by young boy compared to quiet neighborhood were neighbor kid see man for a minute in the kitchen then (?) waits for the pills to work while he goes to sleep over the course of an hour? Two, very different plots with two very different story outcomes.).
You're mistaking style for story. Yes, it would be more visually dazzling to see a man atop a roof than at a kitchen table, but that's style not content. In REAR WINDOW Hitchcock achieved an enormous amount of drama from watching a woman (whom we never see up close or hear speak) sitting at a kitchen table staring down at pills.
@@TheGoDraft
Andy, first of all I'm honored that you would comment / 'straighten me out' on this. I'm a serious (new career), beginning writer and you've accelerated my writing skills farther than any of my other (self) education. Thank you, great vids.
I'm a little confused (and I think I made a mistake saying story instead of plot). Correct me if I'm wrong, but...
The story is 'man starts to end his life, but child makes him stop.'
The plot is 'man goes to rooftop, stands on edge, sees child, interacts, steps down, stops attempt' vs. 'man sits at table, pours out pills, interacts with child, stops attempt.'
So, the plot is the order of the scenes (the spine), and the story is the narrative, right?
Also, my thought was the city plot is more emotional than the suburb plot because the child would watch a violent death (therefore ruining two lives), rather than a child watching a man 'take a nap at the table?' Not as much tension in the suburbs?
I think I understand the plot vs. story, and is the style the same as the writer's voice?
Thank you, again, for sharing your knowledge with us beginners.
Thanks.
Happy to do it.
❤These very straight forward well explained and executed videos. Thank you so much for sharing your valuable lessons 🙏 Top Banana 🍌 😎
Glad to do it. Keep watching, I think I'm getting better!
@TheGoDraft lol brilliant 👏 👌 🤣 😄 the fact that you're replying to everyone is amazing in itself..Please don't feel you have to to me, time is precious, I just wanted to say thank you 🙏and commend you on a great job of the work you're putting in sharing your knowledge, cheers Cobba 💥🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💥
Honestly, I couldn't believe "Save the Cat," was a literal suggestion to have the protagonist save a cat until I actually learned this from a video on the film Courage channel.
Don't get me started on the many terrible analogies and metaphors in that book.
If, in Leave The World Behind, they inserted a line about the daughter being claustrophobic and terrified of being along, would that prove enough empathy and character to make her the protagonist and make the ending more satisfying?
Well, it might have been a start. But the film had no central emotional conflict, so there was nothing to resolve. It was not that different from The War of the Worlds structurally, which was also flawed but covered up by Spielberg's great filmmaking skills.
@@TheGoDraft and also by Tom Cruises running scared, which he has down to a science.
Love these videos to death, but how does this approach to screenwriting differ for pantsers/gardeners(those who write without outlining before hand)? I'm assuming you figure out your spine and main characters and just writing the script from there? I'll admit I'm a pantser myself and this is how i write. I usually have an ending in mind, but it might change depending on where my characters take the story in Act 2. Sometimes I won't even have a sense of an ending until I have written to the end of Act 1 and know my chatacters better(since I'm a discovery writer). Just wanna know your thoughts on this approach.
No, I always work from an outline -- as should everyone. Only an very experienced pilot can fly a plane without a map. It's just that the WAY I break the story is organic, not done to fit someone pre-fab format. You need an Audience Antenna.
@TheGoDraft so what about writers like James Mangold? Aaron Sorkin? Quentin Tarantino? Larry Wilson? James stated her never does outlines, even when he was in film school and was told to, he didn't(one of the two scripts he wrote in film school was Copland. Without an outline. It got produced and was critically acclaimed. He also went on to write Logan, the Wolverine film). Aaron Sorkin himself stated he has never written an outline. Same with Larry Wilson, who co-wrote Beetlejuice without an outline(which is impressive and a bit hard to believe, honestly). Larry will outline if hes paid to, but then he ditches it and "discovery writes" the actual script anyway. My point is there are successful who didnt require that high level of experience to tell a great story without outlining. I'm not trashing outlines, especially since I used to be meticulous about them myself. I just believe there's a lot more merit to "gardener" type writers that isn't credited.
I love classic films and obviously their structure is solid, but how do you feel about film makers like David Lynch who seem to totally upend traditional storytelling while remaining powerful to watch? As you mention, Lost In Translation seems to have no "story", but for me (who has lived in Tokyo) the atmosphere Coppola captures is hypnotic. (I also love a lot of the soundtrack music myself.) Is trying to be original a blessing or a curse? Cheers!
Yes, there are reasons to watch a film beyond a good story, but almost all films would be better if they had a better story to go with their visual appeal. David Lynch, like most directors who take a more abstract approach, is not among my favorites. I find the non sequiturs and random weirdness tiresome (and frankly not at all hard for any imaginative person to do). Making a film that's surprising and outrageous is great, but it's more satisfying if it also has an actual point beyond just being audacious. But as I said, the first goal is to not be boring and he and others of his surrealist ilk are not boring ( well, they are if they go on long enough).
@@TheGoDraft For sure. Though I guess he can still use traditional stories (The Straight Story, Elephant Man) but it's the subject matter that is "surreal". He elicits emotion in ways that can be quite uncomfortable!
Bajunya cantik.. Unique & vibrant... Idea spectrum
Thanks for watching.
Maybe its because im thick maybe its because im spanish maybe its because its a very specific situation but in the case of Drive and baby driver do they have the same plot or the same story or both
Wow. I've seen them both, but neither lately. Certainly they cover similar territory, but I can't say they're the same story -- maybe because I don't remember them well enough.
@@TheGoDraft ill keep thinking about it
Is there any benefit/reason NOT to introduce the protagonist at the start of the film? Thanks for the great advice.
Yes, it can be done if there's good reason. I mentioned the Coen Brothers deliberately not introducing Marge, the sheriff protagonist, in FARGO until the start of Act Two. And sometimes a storyteller will choose to "drumroll" a protagonist so we anticipate his/her arrival on screen.
@@TheGoDraft right yes, I understand! Thanks again.
They are interconnected, if you have a better way of incorporation and be creative about it, that's fine, however what we see in Hollywood today is that they film most of it, then they change the entire story and plot..... you cannot do that coz it is structured. So what you end up with is a movie that has still some stuff of the original story and plot, but it meanders, crosses the street and gets run over by a car, resulting in being all over the place and feeling like an incoherent mess. Moreover, the movie is twice as expensive in budget coz they have to now film half of the story all over again. That's the movies we get today.
Well, yes. There are many reasons why current movies mostly don't work. The phenomenon you describe is part of it.
Would you be willing to read one of my scripts for a fee so you can tell me how bad it is and how it has no chance of ever being made?
I do consult (yes, for a fee). If you're interested, contact me at thegodraft@gmail.com.
Omg I think you sound like Jim Henson
I hope that's a good thing. At any rate, I can't do much to adjust my voice, so more froggy vocalizations are on the way.
I’m really digging you’re series!
Great! That's why I'm doing it.