Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast - DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance

DZ-95: Backmatter - Building and Maintenance

Explicit content warning

12/31/22 • 76 min

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

How do you maintain hope in the face of, er, screenwriting?

Time for our annual backmatter episode, where we drop any ruse of any objectivity, and fully embrace our subjective opinions!

In this episode we discuss: potential topics for 2023; the ostensible shortening of first acts; balancing new projects vs current projects; how to maintain hope in the face of an industry as fickle as ours; and end with a discussion of Andor vs Obi-Wan. Yup, Star Wars is the new Die Hard. Get over it.

SPOILERS ABOUND for Andor and Obi-Wan.

FYI we recorded this episode with both of us in the same room (for a more casual atmosphere )but that means there’s more technical gremlins like crosstalk. Our apologies in advance!

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Intro: Backmatter
00:02:44 - Housekeeping
00:05:49 - Future Episode Ideas
00:25:52 - Are first acts getting shorter?
00:40:16 - New projects vs current projects
00:48:59 - Maintaining Hope or Avoiding Despair
00:54:21 - The Big Lessons of 2022
00:55:19 - Andor vs Keobi
01:14:37 - Key Lessons & Wrap Up
01:16:06 - Many thanks

LINKS

LISTEN: Starship Q Star - https://starshipqstar.com/links

And how can we forget our awesome Patreons? Especially 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

How do you maintain hope in the face of, er, screenwriting?

Time for our annual backmatter episode, where we drop any ruse of any objectivity, and fully embrace our subjective opinions!

SPOILERS ABOUND for Andor and Obi-Wan.

FYI we recorded this episode with both of us in the same room (for a more casual atmosphere )but that means there’s more technical gremlins like crosstalk. Our apologies in advance!

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Intro: Backmatter
00:02:44 - Housekeeping
00:05:49 - Future Episode Ideas
00:25:52 - Are first acts getting shorter?
00:40:16 - New projects vs current projects
00:48:59 - Maintaining Hope or Avoiding Despair
00:54:21 - The Big Lessons of 2022
00:55:19 - Andor vs Keobi
01:14:37 - Key Lessons & Wrap Up
01:16:06 - Many thanks

LINKS

LISTEN: Starship Q Star - https://starshipqstar.com/links

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

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

Previous Episode

DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2)

How can you use physical objects to track character change... wordlessly?

In part two of our two-part series on TALISMANS, we break down the beats used to turn objects (in a broad sense) into talismans; how talismans can track character journeys and transitions; and how they can be used to create powerful moments without words.

While Part 1 looked a range of talismans in a bunch of different movies, in this episode we deep dive into just three examples. We look at how Thor’s crisis of masculinity is articulated through his relationship with Mjolnir and Stormbreaker in THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER; how the yearning love in PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE is communicated through paintings and music; and how the impact of an emotional affair is charted through key locations in INTHE THE MOOD FOR LOVE.

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
00:01:15 - Talismans (Part 1) Followup
00:08:37 - Forging a Talisman (The Beats)
00:23:22 - Thor: Love and Thunder
00:59:52 - Portrait of a Lady on Fire
01:32:39 - In the Mood for Love
01:59:39 - Key Learnings & Wrap Up
02:06:10 - Thanks to our Patreons

LINKS

Scott Myers / Go Into The Story: Talismans - https://medium.com/go-into-the-story/talismans-bcbf0a04d45d
Scott Myers / Go Into The Story: Story Talismans - https://gointothestory.blcklst.com/story-talismans-89b91523e71d

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1) - http://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-93/
DZ-92: Insightful recognition in powerful endings - http://draft-zero.com/2022/dz-92/

This episode brought to you by (drum roll):

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

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

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic

Next Episode

DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?

How can the same story feel different when you have more characters?

In the first part of our series on ensembles, Chas, Stu and Mel start by laying the groundwork for our future episodes. And we begin by asking the seemingly innocuous question:

‘what do we mean by calling a story an ensemble?’

As we unpack our own assumptions, biases and thoughts, we ask (and attempt to answer) more questions: How does an ensemble differ from a single protagonist or two hander? Why does this distinction even matter? What challenges What genres inherently are ensembles? And what do we hope to learn from the series?

We ice-skate over myriad films including JURASSIC PARK, ALIEN, TOP GUN vs TOP GUN: MAVERICK, DEATH AT A FUNERAL, WAR OF THE WORLDS vs INDEPENDENCE DAY, LORD OF THE RINGS vs WILLOW, OCEAN’S 11 vs OUT OF SIGHT, THIEF vs HEAT, AWAY FROM HER, DIRTY DOZEN, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SE7EN, READY OR NOT. Look, there’s heaps. We talk a lot of movies.

We also talk through our lens for breaking down group dynamics: collaborative vs competitive vs combative.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode. <3 Chris!

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 - Intro
00:04:17 - What is an ensemble?
00:26:51 - Taxonomy of Ensembles
00:47:25 - ArcStudio Sponsorship
00:48:32 - Group Dynamics
01:08:39 - Wrap Up & Hopeful Learnings
01:15:15 - Patreon Thanks

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 Casimir, Eduardo, Jennifer, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

BUY DRAFT ZERO MERCH via TeePublic