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Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

Chas Fisher and Stuart Willis

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Two emerging screenwriters – Chas Fisher and Stuart Willis – try to work out what makes great screenplays work. Discovering what it takes by analysing what successful writers put on the page.
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Top 10 Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast Episodes

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DZ-91: Raising (different kinds of) Stakes

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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08/31/22 • 139 min

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How can you keep your audience hooked when they know the end of the story?

Chas, Stu and Mel take a deep dive into stakes, using then lens of biopics to help us think about them. If an audience already knows the “plot” outcome of a story, then how do you create stakes to make a story tense for the audience?

To explore this, we deep dive into HIDDEN FIGURES (about the NASA Friendship 7 mission), DOWNFALL (the final days of Berlin in WW2), and BRIGHT STAR (the life and death of romantic poet John Keats). We unpack the ideas around internal, external and philosophical /moral stakes and propose some new terminology that may help us write stakes more effectively.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND.

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

ScriptUp: https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off; and

ArcStudio: https://www.arcstudiopro.com - go to www.draft-zero.com/arcstudio for $30 off a subscription!

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons?, Especially Malay, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Leigh, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

CHAPTERS - 00:00:00 - Intro - 00:04:41 - What even are stakes? - 00:24:26 - Hidden Figures - 01:00:46 - Downfall - 01:33:38 - Bright Star - 02:10:33 - Key Learnings - 02:18:57 - Thanks Patreons!

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08/31/22 • 139 min

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DZ-92: Insightful recognition in powerful endings

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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09/29/22 • 86 min

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How can endings prompt an audience to reflect on your story?

Stu & Chas set out to explore what makes certain endings powerful, in particular those of LA LA LAND, INCEPTION, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and TURNING RED. The lens they bring to those endings is Aristotle’s moment of “anagnorisis” (don’t worry - we can’t pronounce it either), traditionally when a character moves from ignorance to knowledge (particularly of self).

But in analysing these films, Chas and Stu discover that endings can be particularly powerful when the characters experience insightful recognition in others, or in the world, or - perhaps most powerfully - when the anagnorisis is aimed at the audience. In other words, are there craft tools for your ending to prompt an audience to ask itself the question “What was that all about?”? Turns out, we think there are.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

CHAPTERS

  • 00:00:00 - Intro
  • 00:00:48 - Insightful recognition in endings
  • 00:03:39 - What the hell is “anagnorisis”?
  • 00:12:04 - LA LA LAND
  • 00:30:45 - INCEPTION
  • 00:35:14 - NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
  • 01:00:04 - TURNING RED
  • 01:18:18 - Wrap up & Key Learnings
  • 01:24:26 - Thanks patreons!

LINKS

RELATED EPISODES

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

ScriptUp: https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off; and

ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a subscription!

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons?, Especially Malay, Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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09/29/22 • 86 min

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DZ-69: Parasite & Audience Questions

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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06/10/20 • 82 min

How can you use audience questions to heighten emotional investment?

Draft Zero return with their next YouTube livestream! Stu and Chas take a deep dive into PARASITE and how its mastery of audience questions elevates the film. They then answer listeners questions on PARASITE and much more.

If you want to listen in on the next live recording, find details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/dz-livesolation-35770237 and/or subscribe to us on YouTube via http://www.draft-zero.com/YouTube

If you want to watch along instead of listen, you can watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/RWlYaityMfs

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

RUNNING ORDER:

  • 00:00:00 - Frontmatter
  • 00:01:22 - Intro: Parasite
  • 00:10:43 - Cast of Characters
  • 00:12:43 - The Establishing Sequence
  • 00:23:23 - The Kim's Infiltrate
  • 00:42:50 - The Kim's Stay at the Park House
  • 00:47:02 - The Midpoint
  • 00:53:19 - The Flood
  • 00:56:20 - The Party
  • 01:05:29 - What is the Parasite?
  • 01:10:30 - Backmatter & Listener Questioners

EPISODE LINKS:

DZ RELATED EPISODES:

Many thanks to all our patrons but particularly to Theis, Jesse, Jack, Chris, Khrob, Sandra, Nick, and Matteo. They’re good humans.

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

LINKS @ http://linktr.ee/draftzero

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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06/10/20 • 82 min

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04/30/20 • 178 min

How do I tell a powerful story where the protagonist cannot drive the plot?

Stu and Chas are joined by Stephen Cleary following his exploration into Melodrama, and together they try to reclaim the word from its pejorative meaning.

By examining powerful Melodramas - like THE HANDMAID’S TALE, LADIES IN BLACK and STRANGER THINGS... with many a tangent on MARRIAGE STORY, PETE’S DRAGON, MILDRED PIERCE, GAME OF THRONES, LOST, THE JOKER, THE KILLING, THE WITCHER, war movies and survival films - the three hosts try to unpick what makes Melodrama an alternate story paradigm to the Hero’s Journey.

They delve into how Melodramas centre on characters that don’t have agency; where the plot happens to characters (as opposed to being driven by them); how Melodramas don’t end so much as close; and how all of the above delves into character questions more deeply than the Hero’s Journey. And to wrap it all up, the kind of techniques you use on the page to write effective melodramas.

CW: There is a lot of discussion in this episode about melodrama being associated with “women’s stories” vs the “hero’s journey” - which is biased towards a ‘masculine’ mode of storytelling - and we fully acknowledge in the show and here that we are three cismen talking about these things.

This episode was edited by Christopher Walker. Audio excerpts used for educational purposes only.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:01:14 - Intro: Melodrama & Passive Protagonists

00:01:31 - What is Melodrama?

00:37:46 - The Handmaid's Tale

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/69478-the-handmaid-s-tale

00:56:08 - Horror and Melodrama

01:00:23 - Marriage Story

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/492188-marriage-story

01:14:58 - The Handmaid's Tale & Narrative Techniques

01:30:06 - Game of Thrones and Endings

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1399-game-of-thrones

01:33:07 - Melodrama & Endings

01:38:37 - Ladies in Black

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/483411-ladies-in-black

02:13:12 - Stranger Things

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/182026-stranger-things

02:31:34 - The Killing

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/32368-forbrydelsen

02:38:07 - The Witcher

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/71912-the-witcher

2:43:53 - Wrap Up: Passive & Still Characters

Read: The Handmaid’s Tale - 101 Offred

DZ RELATED EPISODES

Many thanks to all our patrons but particularly to Theis, Jesse, Jack, Chris, Khrob, Sandra, Nick, and Matteo. They’re good humans.

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts! or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

LINKS @ http://linktr.ee/draftzero

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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04/30/20 • 178 min

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DZ LiVEsolation Annoucement

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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04/07/20 • 5 min

How does Draft Zero cope with lockdown?

LINKS

Dear DZ Listeners,

We hope you are all staying healthy and safe. Due this difficult time of lockdown, Chas and Stu have decided to “regularly” do special live-streamed episodes (via YouTube Live) of Draft Zero that we are calling LiVEsolation.

They different from (and in addition to) Draft Zero ClassicTM as you’ll be able to interact with us as we record: asking questions, prompting for clarification, and making observations that come part of the discussion. You’ll also be able to see video of our us (👎) while also seeing video of the scripts and scenes we are discussing (👍). After they’re streamed, recordings of the livestreams (including the chat!) will be on our YouTube channel for later viewing.

LiVEsolation episodes that we particularly like will also be cleaned up and put out through the traditional podcast feed... but not always. Because our priority is doing these regularly, they'll be looser - like a great live gig. We are aiming for once-a-week and at the same time... but that won’t always be possible due to... well...life. We are also having special guests and will need to work around their schedules and timezones.

So how do you keep up wth our shifting schedule?

We recommend you like our page on Facebook. Our livestreams will be created as events so you know what streams we will be doing and when... in your timezone!

We are also making PUBLIC posts on our Patreon page (i.e. ones you don’t have to pay for if you don’t have the coin during these trying times), so if you follow us there you’ll get something like an email newsletter with announcements about what’s forthcoming. Oh, and if you are a Patreon you’ll get priority access to the online chat (when appropriate) and also get to vote on forthcoming topics.

Meanwhile, Draft Zero ClassicTM episodes will continue as scheduled. All of the above is in addition to what we already had planned, driven entirely by isolation and a need for community right now.

We hope to see you on the livestream soon!

— Stu and Chas.

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04/07/20 • 5 min

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How does audience knowledge affect your character’s motivations?

Chas and Stu are joined by special guest - filmmaker Mel Killingsworth - to talk all things Star Wars. Well. Focusing on The Mandalorian and The Rise of Skywalker and wherever else our tangents take us.

Our primary lens is look at how both shows handle “fan service” — but really its about how you handle character motivations when your audience has more knowledge than your characters, especially knowledge from outside the show itself. To that end, we discuss the characters of Poe, Rey, Kylo, and Palpatine in depth. We also discuss the Watchmen TV Show, Mind-hunter, Jojo Rabbit, Snowtown and Zodiac.

SPOILERS ABOUND. Excerpts used for educational purposes. Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

RUNNING ORDER

  • Introduction: Fanservice
  • Poe's Backstory (@ 4:03)
  • The Mandalorian (@ 11:40)
  • The Rise of Skywalker (@ 23:01)
  • Rey Palpatine (@ 24:24)
  • Palpatine's Plan (@ 38:27)
  • Rey Skywalker (@ 46:05)
  • Ben Solo - Depressive Demon Nightmare Boy (@ 52:12)
  • Palpatine's Return & Watchmen (@ 01:07:27)
  • Rose Tico (@ 01:15:54)
  • Fake-Outs (@ 01:19:15)
  • The Mandalorian (Revisited) (@ 1:26:08)
  • Wrap Up & Key Learnings (@ 1:30:38)

EPISODE LINKS:

DZ RELATED EPISODES:

lease considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts! or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

Many thanks to all our patrons but particularly to Theis, Jesse, Jack, Chris, Khrob, Sandra, Nick, and Matteo. They’re good humans.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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03/17/20 • 105 min

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01/30/20 • 102 min

In our annual Backmatter-only episode, Stu and Chas indulge themselves by offering personal opinions on the life and work of emerging screenwriters based on their own personal experience.

To that end, they discuss: what is and is not in your control in relation to an emerging writing career; choosing what project to develop next; using the Black List site to gain traction; the difference between treatments for pitching as opposed to for development; and the difference in writing style when writing on spec as against work for hire.

We also unexpectedly have a guest: David Wappel kindly joins us to share his thoughts on anchoring nouns.

RUNNING ORDER

  • Intro
  • What is in your control? (@ 05:27)
  • Choosing what to develop (@ 28:58)
  • Using the Black List site (@ 33:24)
  • Treatments for development vs for pitching (@ 59:47)
  • Writing on spec vs work for hire (@ 01:23:23)
  • Backmatter on backmatter (@ 01:37:37)

EPISODE LINKS

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts! or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners.

Many thanks to Daniel, Chris, Sandra, Jack, Jessie, Nick, Khrob and Theis for being top-level patrons. They’re good humans.

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01/30/20 • 102 min

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DZ-65: Collaborating with a Director - The Snip

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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02/14/20 • 63 min

What changes in your writing and development when collaborating with a director?

This episode, Chas steps down as co-host (kinda) and is interviewed by Stu as a guest, alongside director Ben Mizzi, about the short rom-com that Chas wrote and Ben directed & produced. The episode covers taking an idea from pitch to screen, working with a director, directing performance on the page, and marketing and distribution strategies for short films.

If you are thinking of producing your own content, well worth a listen!

And if you want to watch The Snip - a 16 min rom com about a guy who gets a vasectomy without telling his wife - here it is: https://youtu.be/_iBdDFKqqbs

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

RUNNING ORDER

  • Introduction: The Snip
  • Working With a Director (@ 3:44)
  • How did you go from pitch to script? (@ 13:16)
  • Short films and audience expectations (@ 22:19)
  • What expectations can you have of the end product? (@ 26:41)
  • How do you "direct" performance on the page? (@ 39:05)
  • How do you direct performance from a writer? (@ 46:03)
  • What are some marketing strategies for short films? ( @ 52:28)
  • What is your online release strategy? (@ 58:22)

EPISODE LINKS

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners.

Many thanks to Chris, Sandra, Jack, Jessie, Nick, Khrob and Theis for being top-level patrons. They’re good humans. Consider joining their ranks and supporting us on Patreon!

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02/14/20 • 63 min

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DZ-63: Tools for Better Dialogue 2 - Hook and Eye

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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12/31/19 • 118 min

How can you create flow and contrast in your dialogue?

A full three years after the first instalment (and one of our most popular), Stu and Chas have kidnapped Stephen Cleary to once again develop some craft tools around dialogue. It would be fair to say that - in that time - all three have learnt a lot more about dialogue than they knew in 2016. It would be also fair to say that Stephen perhaps learnt a little more through his research into “genderlect”.

In Part II, we analyse key scenes from films and TV shows famous for their dialogue, namely FLEABAG (Season 2, Episode 5), JUNO and DEADWOOD (The Pilot). The biggest tools we explore are: the hook and eye; how dialogue can reveal status and empathy; rhythm; contrast and affinity; and pacing.

And just to help us all out, Stephen rounds out the episode with some quick fire examples - FIVE EASY PIECES, JERRY MAGUIRE, GROSSE POINTE BLANK, and NOTTING HILL (again) - and further dialogue tips.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode during the holiday season.

RUNNING ORDER

EPISODE LINKS

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts! or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

Many thanks to all our patrons but particularly to Theis, Jesse, Daniel, Jack, Chris, Khrob, Sandra, Nick, Matteo, and Carrie. They’re good humans.

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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12/31/19 • 118 min

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DZ-68: Using POV to structure KNIVES OUT

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

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05/17/20 • 92 min

How can shifting narrative point of view drive your sequences?

Born out of isolation madness, this episode is an edited version of Draft Zero’s first YouTube livestream. Stu and Chas both watched KNIVES OUT and - together with our listeners - broke down each sequence and turning point by reference to what the audience knows in relation to the characters (aka narrative point of view). hey then answer listener questions on KNIVES OUT and much else besides live on air.

If you want to listen in on the next live recording, find details here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/dz-livesolation-35770237 and/or subscribe to us on YouTube via http://www.draft-zero.com/YouTube

If you want to watch along instead of listen, the video of the episode can be found here: https://youtu.be/EsqoCVu-oX8?t=188

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

RUNNING ORDER:

  • 00:05:19:23 - Summary of narrative point of view and audience expectations
  • 00:10:12:23 - Exploring some of Rian Johnson’s word craft
  • 00:14:15:11 - Micro POV shifts in the interview montage
  • 00:21:16:22 - How POV shifts turn the film
  • 00:47:22:02 - When to let your foot off the plot gas
  • 00:59:46:20 - Backmatter / Listener Questions

EPISODE LINKS

DZ RELATED EPISODES:

Many thanks to all our patrons but particularly to Theis, Jesse, Jack, Chris, Khrob, Sandra, Nick, and Matteo. They’re good humans.

Please considering rating or subscribing to us on Apple Podcasts or sharing us on the Social Medias! We like finding new listeners. We are @stuwillis and @chasffisher on twitter. And you can find @draft_zero on Instagram and Twitter.

LINKS @ http://linktr.ee/draftzero

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

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05/17/20 • 92 min

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FAQ

How many episodes does Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast have?

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast currently has 107 episodes available.

What topics does Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast cover?

The podcast is about Film, Films, Screenwriting, Discussion, Writing, Podcasts, Movies, Arts, Movie, Tv & Film and Performing Arts.

What is the most popular episode on Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast?

The episode title 'DZ-91: Raising (different kinds of) Stakes' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast?

The average episode length on Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast is 104 minutes.

How often are episodes of Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast released?

Episodes of Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast are typically released every 30 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast?

The first episode of Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast was released on Feb 1, 2014.

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5.0

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2 Ratings