How Professional Screenwriters Outline

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 เม.ย. 2020
  • Join our Discord server and tell me what your favorite film is: / discord
    A look into how professional filmmakers and screenwriters outline and structure their stories before writing. This is motivation for all aspiring screenwriters.
    Join the public Behind the Curtain discord: / discord
    Filmmakers featured in order of appearance:
    00:30 Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad)
    00:50 Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds)
    02:48 Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood, The Master)
    03:16 Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation)
    04:22 Coen Brothers (Fargo, No Country for Old Men)
    04:43 Rian Johnson (Knives Out)
    05:35 Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird)
    06:03 Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)
    06:36 Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea)
    07:23 Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine, Toy Story 3)
    09:35 M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Split)
    ABOUT BEHIND THE CURTAIN
    Learn from real screenwriters. Learn the most without wasting time listening to long interviews with only 3 minutes of useful information. We take the best pieces of advice and insight from professional screenwriters and deliver them to you in an easily watchable format.
    Do Screenwriters Outline?
    • How Professional Scree...
    #Screenwriting #Filmmaking #Filmschool
  • ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน

ความคิดเห็น • 684

  • @justinhopper5941
    @justinhopper5941 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1187

    Every writer seems to have their own style. There isn’t a wrong way to write a script as long as it’s good.

    • @judichristopher4604
      @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      I agree with you!!

    • @mr.loud0079
      @mr.loud0079 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      @@judichristopher4604 its about the passion

    • @Toxxsicklemons
      @Toxxsicklemons 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Agreed

    • @siddhantbhat6048
      @siddhantbhat6048 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      So true. It's about putting on paper what you think, love, understand and cherish. It's a beautiful thing.

    • @WomerMcKenzie
      @WomerMcKenzie 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I think you need to put some rules in it, but it s for you, it s not a generale method, but it seems to make you work in a step by step way of thinking and not see the whole big impossible monument , ypu need to creat your own bullshit method

  • @mattsmith6558
    @mattsmith6558 4 ปีที่แล้ว +941

    “It’s the fastest way to kill all my ideas” Man, this hit the nail on the head. As soon as you start trying to rationalise and logic out an exciting idea, you only see the problems and not the potential.

    • @macaulayejodamenjunior9047
      @macaulayejodamenjunior9047 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      So true ...

    • @josefminer4178
      @josefminer4178 2 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      This is the opposite for me. Having a creative idea, then making it logical, and rationalized makes me understand the idea.

    • @bawol-official
      @bawol-official 2 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      Forest Gump is a great example of this. All the plot points that Forest goes through is seemingly impossible yet its been expertly crafted in a way that you are more than willing to suspend your disbelief because it honestly doesn’t matter.

    • @BashirBillowKhalid
      @BashirBillowKhalid 2 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      @@bawol-official True. However I feel supension of disbelief can vary alot depending on which tone or genre the film fits into. Forrest Gump has a “heightened reality” / fabel type tone to it that makes it easier to buy intoabsolutely wild scenarios. You’d have a harder time selling those story beats to an audience in a more a social realist or straight drama/thriller film fex :)

    • @bawol-official
      @bawol-official 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@BashirBillowKhalid on point

  • @martinwathen3807
    @martinwathen3807 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1862

    You did Tarantino dirty with the "foot fetish" part 😂😂😂

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +299

      Haha I'm glad someone noticed. I'm sure that's one of his first ideas for any movie

    • @kevinw712
      @kevinw712 4 ปีที่แล้ว +69

      I hadn't realized to what level other industry people were openly teasing Tarantino about his foot fetish before I heard the one Brad Pitt quote "Quentin has separated more women from their shoes than the TSA" lol like anyone who's even a moderate film fan can easily tell it's a major thing to him, but that's different than big names blatantly talking about it in the media either in front of him or where he'll definitely see it, that's cool

    • @andrehall6432
      @andrehall6432 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@BehindtheCurtain The timing was perfect

    • @leochow6477
      @leochow6477 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      This is great haha

    • @FrenchToast663
      @FrenchToast663 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      When Tarantino makes a peace sign what he really means is "two feet please"

  • @mattsurridge9129
    @mattsurridge9129 4 ปีที่แล้ว +826

    You know you’ve watched too many film essays and interviews when you’ve heard most of the audio clips before and even know where some of them are from.

    • @mattsurridge9129
      @mattsurridge9129 4 ปีที่แล้ว +31

      Crom it’s done. If the pandemic clears up anytime soon and I actually have the summer to shoot it it’ll be a completed no-budget film by the end of this year.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +68

      Haha, that's hilarious. I try my best to find some deep cuts, but sometimes there are a limited number of interviews available. Good luck on your film!

    • @mattsurridge9129
      @mattsurridge9129 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Behind the Curtain Thank you so much! Don’t worry about your selections, I’ve gone way too deep into the back catalogue of interviews and podcasts especially when it comes to Gilligan and Tarantino. Keep up the great content, it’s been a phenomenal resource.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Wow, any recommendations for good resources I maybe haven't found yet? Always looking for new sources.

    • @mattsurridge9129
      @mattsurridge9129 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Behind the Curtain I’d mostly just point you in the direction of the podcasts Tarantino has done within the last year, he did a bunch on the press tour for Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood that are great but he’s also done some other ones on some under appreciated gems of films on podcasts like The Ringers’ “Rewatchables” although those can get quite film specific.
      If I could actually make a recommendation for a video topic (if that isn’t stepping out of my bounds) I think a deep dive on the idea of the “no-budget movie” would be very helpful for aspiring filmmakers. Films like Robert Rodriguez’s El Mariachi, Kevin Smith’s Clerks and Christopher Nolan’s Following are not only inspirational, but the techniques used to make them are still very applicable for the next generation. Without them, I really wouldn’t have known where to start and I definitely wouldn’t have developed the DIY mindset that really drove me to believe that I can actually just go out and make something.

  • @martinwathen3807
    @martinwathen3807 4 ปีที่แล้ว +708

    The important part of these videos is how different every approach is. I beat myself up from time to time that I'm not approaching my writing in the "right" way (especially in terms of outlining), but the important thing to remind yourself is that processes vary and as long as the end product is a finished script then there is no wrong way to make your first step toward that goal.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +77

      I used to think the advice "find what works for you" was stupid. I thought that there must be 1 right way to rule them all. I'm realizing though that it really is the truth. Whatever gets stories out for you... stick with that! Good luck, man. Thanks for watching.

    • @Mr_Bob_A_Feet
      @Mr_Bob_A_Feet 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      It’s true that it depends on the personality type of each person. However, there really is something to letting the horse guide the cart and allowing the characters to dictate what will happen.
      That’s how Tarantino writes. He’s in the audience’s shoes while writing because he himself doesn’t know what will come next. On the other hand, Rian Johnson plans everything out before, but his characters always seem to get drowned out to the plot in my opinion.

    • @Nobody-fb7ni
      @Nobody-fb7ni 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Exactly! Writing TH-cam is way too binary. A lot of these teachers only promote one way. Structural or spontaneous, it’s always ova.

    • @verysexy92
      @verysexy92 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@BehindtheCurtain And on top of that "find what works for you", it's also that each of these different processes produce slightly different results, each with it's own pro's and con's, and some might work better depending on the type of story or theme you're working on. So you might even decide to try a different process you've never tried before for a new story. Let's say, maybe a stricter outline, like Rian Johnson's or Michael Arndt's workflow, might be better for a "whoddunit" focused on power plays, while you'd like to keep that intuition based, slow discovering when working on a subtle, more realistic more character focused story, with something akin to "The Phantom Thread" or the sorts, when focusing on a certain attitude to life. It's a lot of fuckin fun experimenting in writing and I'm looking forward to it. Thanks for the video, was one of the best crafted summaries on the topic. much appreciated.

    • @jameshickman1641
      @jameshickman1641 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      yeah, I'm wonky about when I throw in an outline; Greta Gerwig's was a refreshing insight for me especially, another surprised the hell outta me.

  • @katr.9902
    @katr.9902 4 ปีที่แล้ว +208

    "You must understand that when you are writing a novel you are not making anything up. It's all there and you just have to find it" - Thomas Harris

    • @judichristopher4604
      @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I like that!!!

    • @kahea2018
      @kahea2018 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      That's how my mind work. Like it's being revealed over time.

    • @MrParkerman6
      @MrParkerman6 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Said the guy who wrote Hannibal and Red Dragon. Silence of The Lambs is the only good book he wrote.

    • @Z5Z5Z5
      @Z5Z5Z5 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      beautiful honestly

  • @TheCoffeeNut711
    @TheCoffeeNut711 4 ปีที่แล้ว +202

    Structure is everything to me. I have ideas in my head but without a skeleton to put them on I just have a bucket of random organs

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Exactly!

    • @ohaimark9449
      @ohaimark9449 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      That's a neat metaphor

    • @TomEyeTheSFMguy
      @TomEyeTheSFMguy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Structure is actually how I come up with my plot when I don't know what to write.

  • @sadeed22
    @sadeed22 4 ปีที่แล้ว +529

    I like Tarantino's and Alex Garland's and Rian Johnson's idea's on outlining. I might actually try some of these.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      Great to hear! I hope it leads to creative breakthrough

    • @thepebble23
      @thepebble23 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Same

    • @convolution223
      @convolution223 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Double Same

    • @StayFractalesque
      @StayFractalesque 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Garland has been impressing me more and more with each new thing he writes and directs, namely devs

    • @Prince_Luci
      @Prince_Luci 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      You should try comma’s first.

  • @krazo4Christ
    @krazo4Christ 3 ปีที่แล้ว +72

    Essentially: there is a method to the madness, yet being too methodical is madness.

  • @danismith8797
    @danismith8797 4 ปีที่แล้ว +217

    I read a book where academy award winners talked about writing. One thing I noticed is that no one did it the same way.

    • @karmasameh9351
      @karmasameh9351 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      could you please give me the name of this book ?

    • @danismith8797
      @danismith8797 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@karmasameh9351 Screen writers on screen writing by Joel Engel

    • @Sams.Videos
      @Sams.Videos 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@karmasameh9351 If you are interested in other books that treat the sane kind of subject, I suggest:
      The Screenwriter Looks at the Screenwriter part 1 and 2 by William Froug.
      And his other two books Zen and the art of screenwriting part 1 and 2.
      All four books regroup interviews of professional screenwriters.

    • @C.Hawkshaw
      @C.Hawkshaw 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I wish I could find a book just about movies from the 1930’s, my favorite decade for movies, music, clothes, cars. But not art, that’s the 1630’s. (Rembrandt)

    • @danismith8797
      @danismith8797 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@C.Hawkshaw Haha it was a great decade for movies. My favourite is the Bride of Frankenstein. The only book I could recommend is the art of dramatic writing by lajos egri 1942 which was a personal recommendation to me by the producer of back to the future.

  • @julie-annleslie3768
    @julie-annleslie3768 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    When Quentin Tarantino said you know the characters, they're in your blood was really touching. Great video for emerging screenwriters.

  • @clarkparker4860
    @clarkparker4860 4 ปีที่แล้ว +366

    Outline or not, I think the most important thing is to know you're characters. I always start with characterisations, contradiction characters with similiar goals but different methods. Then it basically writes itself.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +53

      That makes sense to me. If you know what defines a character against the other characters, the conflict and story can arise out of that naturally.

    • @MrParkerman6
      @MrParkerman6 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Exactly Wrong! Plot is more important than character!

    • @JohnMoseley
      @JohnMoseley 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      How do you work on character? Lately, learned from a free online course I did from the University of East Anglia, I've found it really helpful - and very enjoyable - to kind of 'interview' mine.

    • @JohnMoseley
      @JohnMoseley 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@MrParkerman6 Different strokes for different folks (which is the point of working on character!). So much of story seems to me to be character: wound, want, need, arc, conflict.

    • @clarkparker4860
      @clarkparker4860 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      @@JohnMoseley I mostly have a wage idea of what the protagonist must accomplish in the end. So I start with answering following question. *Why does this character want to achieve this particular goal? How does this character go about achieving this goal? Where does this character come from financially/socially/intellectually/emotionally? Where does this character's moral center lie?*
      If I manage to answer those questions, I get a pretty good handle on who I'm dealing with. From there I can already begin raising the stakes, by creating formidable opposing characters and/or circumstances. Then I answer these questions for the main antagonist and main allies. I also make sure to weave the protagonist's emotional progression into the film's main theme. Every main character gets their unique approach to the theme. Whoever I deem righteous succeeds in the end. Whoever acts out of touch with my ideals fails.
      So I begin with the characters and build the story from there, from beginning to end.

  • @arun279
    @arun279 4 ปีที่แล้ว +100

    I like Alex Garland's idea of writing out the story line by line, and then replacing each line with a scene.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      I've done it before after learning that Garland does it. It works well.

    • @MrParkerman6
      @MrParkerman6 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      A line doesn't equal a scene though, stupid!!!!

    • @arun279
      @arun279 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      @@MrParkerman6 doesn't have to. i was generalizing. a few lines can be a scene, one line can be multiple scenes. what i was trying to say was that i liked the idea overall.

    • @MrParkerman6
      @MrParkerman6 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Never assume or Generalize. These are dumb things to do.

    • @arun279
      @arun279 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@MrParkerman6 I disagree.

  • @SuperSubject20
    @SuperSubject20 4 ปีที่แล้ว +91

    So many young filmmakers don’t follow the most basic rules of structure cause their heroes didn’t and became celebrated for it, but the truth is even they had to start with the basics of scene and movie structure before they played around with it. Love this vid.

    • @C.Hawkshaw
      @C.Hawkshaw 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      And that’s why new movies are so hard to follow. The plot line and storyline…

    • @unclebruncle
      @unclebruncle 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@sc9048 sure but somebody could have the potential to make something great and end up not making anything great because they never learned the rules in order to break them

  • @picasmo103
    @picasmo103 4 ปีที่แล้ว +58

    I just love hearing how they’re all different from one another. It shows that it all really comes down to personal preference. You just gotta try out a bunch of techniques and see what ends up clicking for you

    • @boserobinson7500
      @boserobinson7500 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      hey, I just filmed a video about the dos and dont's of screenwriting in Hollywood! I think you would enjoy it!
      th-cam.com/video/CFg5OloiZzM/w-d-xo.html

  • @clingclanglarry3327
    @clingclanglarry3327 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

    NGL, but Alex Garland's method of writing is fucking amazing. I'll definitely be doing this...

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      I've done this method and really enjoy it!

  • @natalieyesufu5070
    @natalieyesufu5070 2 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I think writing a script is a hugely personal process and everyone seems to have their own methods. Hearing other people's process is always nice, especially if you're struggling to find your own.

  • @718films88
    @718films88 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    I love Quentin's idea of a checklist. An outline seems far too concrete. As writers, we do not know anything about our story until we're in it.

  • @RekonzChannel
    @RekonzChannel 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Gilligan explains things really well. Simple, to the point, and useful.

    • @MrParkerman6
      @MrParkerman6 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Not really- or they would have gotten off the Island alot sooner!

  • @jburch5752
    @jburch5752 3 ปีที่แล้ว +41

    I always hated it when in school they would tell you "the way" to write. Everyone is different and develop their own methods.

  • @EMCAL13
    @EMCAL13 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    OMG THE FOOT FETISH SHOUTOUT FOR TARANTINO!!! IM DYINGGGG!! Bravo!

  • @georgekurioreilly4857
    @georgekurioreilly4857 4 ปีที่แล้ว +56

    I really appreciate these videos. There’s a lot of contradictory advice out there, and this helps to sift through the bullshit.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Exactly! And I want to get right to the source; the people that are actually producing results. Thanks for supporting the channel for as long as you have.

    • @judichristopher4604
      @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      "Right ON"

    • @judichristopher4604
      @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Or is that "Write ON" LOL

  • @mononoke721
    @mononoke721 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

    The key to any writing is just to write: plan, outline or no. Whatever works, get it on the page. Alex Garland was spot-on - getting something to work with and shape and refine further is the most important first step. If you need an outline to do that, go crazy, but remember, letting the story speak to you rather than seeing yourself as the 'author' of the tale is also very helpful in creating the most organic, free-flowing and sound story. In other words, don't think about your story or characters, feel your way through them. This is how Hayao Miyazaki tends to work and his characters and stories are some of the best in movies period. Learn from the best I say!

  • @StayPuftedMarsh
    @StayPuftedMarsh 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    It’s midnight and I just got my eureka moment on how I should start writing. Thank you for making this.🙏

  • @renatapastuszak6590
    @renatapastuszak6590 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    this is the best and most informative docu-style video about other screenwriters and what they do well. some other channels just post nonsense, so this was a refreshing change. thank you

  • @pabungus
    @pabungus 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    0:00 Vince Gilligan
    0:20 Quentin Tarantino
    2:18 Paul Thomas Anderson
    2:47 Alex Garland
    3:53 Coen Brothers
    4:14 Rian Johnson
    5:06 Greta Gerwig
    5:34 Aaron Sorkin
    6:07 Kenneth Lonergan
    6:54 Michael Arndt
    9:06 M. Night Shyamalan
    9:34 Vince Gilligan & Breaking Bad Writing Team

  • @nikkifarksims
    @nikkifarksims 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Love hearing experts and professionals talk about their craft.

  • @rodrickzero7248
    @rodrickzero7248 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I love how many different methods can lead to such great results, totally love this art.

  • @JonathanBlandino
    @JonathanBlandino 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I'm with Greta, I hate outlines. I do story beats spread across act structures but outlines kills my sense of wonder in my own scripts.

  • @DebOra-rr1hy
    @DebOra-rr1hy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Listening to this is sooo reassuring

  • @ultimateblong
    @ultimateblong 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    2:47 Paul Thomas Anderson sounds like text-to-speech Microsoft Sam.

  • @jeffbenton6183
    @jeffbenton6183 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I like how you showed many different approaches for different writers, some of which are contradictory - giving the viewer the opportunity to decide what might work best for their own writing based on the evidence than insisting that there is one way for everyone.

  • @ashboomstick7985
    @ashboomstick7985 7 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    HAHA the Tarantino checklist!! I love it.

  • @RajaRathinamC
    @RajaRathinamC 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hats off to the whole team for compiling such a delicate area, solely for the betterment of fellow writers around the world. Really appreciate the effort. Keep up the good work!

  • @justsomerandomguy1361
    @justsomerandomguy1361 4 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Before this video I was trying to complete a story and I blueprinted the starting and endings in my mind but I was stuck in the middle and I can confidently say this video helps me out.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Great to hear! Message me on Twitter if your need more advice about your outline

    • @justsomerandomguy1361
      @justsomerandomguy1361 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@BehindtheCurtain tq 👍

  • @Ahmed-bk1gc
    @Ahmed-bk1gc 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I find it astonishing how all this great writers have incredibly different methods,which proves that only you can teach yourself how to write your own movie and develop your own method.

    • @boserobinson7500
      @boserobinson7500 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      hey, I just filmed a video about the dos and dont's of screenwriting in Hollywood! I think you would enjoy it!
      th-cam.com/video/CFg5OloiZzM/w-d-xo.html

  • @BehindtheCurtain
    @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

    Talk about screenwriting and filmmaking on our official Discord server: discord.gg/xxTqXXd

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks for watching!

    • @trisv1974
      @trisv1974 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Critics ares the most usless people in the world, like "ok i cant writte so ill criticise others people work, so ill feel good with miself" Nice channel

  • @HylianKilljoy
    @HylianKilljoy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Love that you highlighted different types of writers and different exercises! I'm a huge fan of what Alex Garland and Michael Arndt suggested and definitely will be trying them out.

  • @nerd_in_norway
    @nerd_in_norway 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Any time I've been told to outline first, it's come from people who went to film school, where they got taught all kinds of rules. I never went to film school, but I've watched a ton of movies since childhood. So far I have written 5 feature film screenplays in the last 7 years. One of which was optioned by a production company. My friends who went to film school have been in the "business" 10 years longer than me and between them have written 2 feature film screenplays, neither have been optioned.
    So yeah, it took a long time but I finally started trusting my own personal methods instead of theirs. Even though their ideas might lead to something it seems like they're forever stuck in outline and treatment hell, spending years on a script.
    I never outline in the classic sense with "acts", "structure". At most I write out a simple form of a beat sheet combined with a series of loose notes, and then I start on the screenplay itself. The only part of structure I like to make clear beforehand is a good midpoint, because a solid midpoint can really infuse a ton of new energy to your story (ex. the dinosaurs break out in Jurassic Park, Chief Brody goes to sea to hunt the shark in Jaws, the chestburster shows its ugly face in Alien etc). Most I've spent on a first draft of a feature screenplay was about 2 months, the fastest was 4 days (don't ask me how I managed that last one, I barely know myself).

  • @Ieditedit1
    @Ieditedit1 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    Aaron Sorkin always has the best analogies to explain what he is saying

  • @PlunderRoad
    @PlunderRoad 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

    Really needed this today. Thank you!

  • @Divinemakyr
    @Divinemakyr 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Great video, dude.

  • @ScriptSleuth
    @ScriptSleuth 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is wonderful, Nehemiah. Thanks for such a compelling video for screenwriters!

  • @rickalicious1116
    @rickalicious1116 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Even though I’m not on the level of writing as Tarantino, I did remember having an outline for my short film, and somehow, the ending of the film is entirely different than what I had in mind originally.

  • @MrHJCom
    @MrHJCom 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Would love to see tips on 2 vids: Writing Character Backstory (as some writers don’t), and dialogue

  • @CeeloThatMane
    @CeeloThatMane 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    When Tarantino said “ the part when the characters are exciting me” that instantly hit.

  • @jimmyzdolshek6011
    @jimmyzdolshek6011 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    LOVE THIS CHANNEL. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Thanks, Jimmy! I appreciate you supporting the channel for as long as you have.

  • @mlunaID
    @mlunaID 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Amazing! Great collection from master storytellers! Thank you for your hard work!

  • @nemmeth7710
    @nemmeth7710 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Man I wish I had Garland's mind. His outlining sounds so clean and not tedious at all.

  • @cinesheikh
    @cinesheikh 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Always get excited when I get a notification for a new video from your channel. Outlining is such a subjective method of writing too, some love it, some hate it. In my case, I loved it for my shorts but when I wrote my feature, I started from page one with just an act breakdown instead of outline because I had no idea what the beats were going to be.

  • @JP-zo6ek
    @JP-zo6ek 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Wow Alex Garland’s approach really resonated with me as well as Michael Arndt. Thank you for putting this video together.

  • @Enterstainers
    @Enterstainers ปีที่แล้ว +1

    That day/night method is actually brilliant, especially when you're finding the structuring goes well and want to ensure you're flowing things. Imagining "oh this scene I already planned is now at night" can change the whole story and feel more connected.

  • @otiagomarques
    @otiagomarques 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    You have such an eye for minimalist aesthetic... the visuals were stunning.

    • @boserobinson7500
      @boserobinson7500 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      hey, I just filmed a video about the dos and dont's of screenwriting in Hollywood! I think you would enjoy it!
      th-cam.com/video/CFg5OloiZzM/w-d-xo.html

  • @karentaylorsmells
    @karentaylorsmells 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    You have put this together in such a stunning way, it is a whole learning tip/tutorial for people to adapt for themselves, thanks for all the work you put into this, love it👊

  • @JAYFULFILMZ
    @JAYFULFILMZ 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Michael Arndt & Vince Gilligan’s advice was pure gold!

  • @arzabael
    @arzabael 7 หลายเดือนก่อน

    I don’t say this often, that was one of the most helpful storytelling/novel/screenplay advice videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you

  • @kieranarmstrongproductions4743
    @kieranarmstrongproductions4743 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This was a huge help! In screenwriting university we were taught to keep action lines to four consecutively, but I always think In beats, not shorthand so several of these methods have been a huge help in showing through my action sections! Thank you!

  • @DreamEvilPictures
    @DreamEvilPictures 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This was awesome, thank you!!

  • @pierceferraro2680
    @pierceferraro2680 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I just wanna say, THANK YOU. Your channel is amazing man. Northing but goood things to say from me. Keep up the great work. Industry needs people like you informing and inspiring people like me.

  • @HumanAki
    @HumanAki 4 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    Brother, you are KILLIN' it with these videos lately. Well done. Great resource. I'm in the "outline first" camp.
    Worked on a pilot with a partner who was a free-writer and, holy hell, did that suck. 😂 Never again. 😑

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I appreciate your comment. I'm in that camp as well. I am realizing, however, that while writing, a more unconscious approach is beneficial. Rather than clinically following my left-brain outline, allowing myself to take different routes while writing (if the story leads that way) has produced good results. There balance of the conscious (outline) and unconscious (writing) has improved my stories a lot.

    • @HumanAki
      @HumanAki 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@BehindtheCurtain Agreed. You say "unconscious," I say the characters themselves will guide the story. It took me a long time to get to this point, where the characters dictate the direction of the story instead of me wrestling them into submission. All I gotta do is complicate things for them just enough that they change for the better. 🙏 Love your work. Keep it up.

  • @hirolacang8655
    @hirolacang8655 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Vince Gilligan's all-hands-on-deck style payed off big time. It was awesome.

  • @shanerooney7288
    @shanerooney7288 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    How I do it (and no, I'm not a famous producer or anything)
    *First.*
    Get the most basic info of the story. Genre, setting, theme, moral of the story. etc.
    Gotta know what framework I'm working within.
    *Second.*
    Like what is said at 4:52 "Draw arcs and split them out into sequences."
    Start listing _multiple_ arcs. Not the main arc (usually). Start with the small stuff.
    Character arcs, sub-plots, chronological events that need to happen in a set order.
    The more the better. Because you'll cut out any that don't fit well, so its good to have plenty to choose from.
    For example:
    a character's life >> baby, child, teenager, adult, old man, dead... and (usually) can't escape that order.
    Love story sub-plot >> Dislike person, grow to like them, fall in love, convince them to like you, get married.
    Betrayal character arc >> work with person, trouble happens, try to find who did it, discover it was your best friend, confront them
    Redemption arc >> Character does bad thing, realizes its bad, vows to do better, tries to fix their wrongs, gets forgiven by people he hurt.
    *Third.*
    Each arc has a list of "beats" that need to happen in that order. Now try to link as many beats together as you can.
    Does the betrayal happen at the same time the other character falls in love? Does the person die shortly after discovering the truth? Does the big reveal happen before or after the fight scene?... and so on.
    This serves as a framework to build the story around.
    EG
    If Plot A goes A,B,C,D,E \ Plot B goes W,X,Y,Z \ Plot C goes 1,2,3,4,5
    Then the full script might go A, B, 1W, X, C2, Y, 3, DZ, 4, 5, E
    *Fourth.*
    I do what I call the "caveman draft."
    Sort of like what was said at 3:17 in this video. Use the above story beats as the framework, and then write out the first draft of the story.
    Except, My first draft is with no frills. "character does thing. Other character enters room." Just to get my ideas of the scene onto paper.
    Then after that I'll write the first proper draft. With more poetic language and stuff.

  • @Logan-xj3sw
    @Logan-xj3sw 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    The Coen Brothers are some of my favorite filmmakers of all time, but I almost wasn't able to understand what they were trying to say LOL.

  • @drjitters
    @drjitters 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    7:30 seems like a good way to do it. Having the acts/arc summarized over 4 pages looks manageable.

  • @braindamage38
    @braindamage38 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This was so helpful. I am writing a script thought to the 3/4 mark. I will let the characters write the end

  • @gabrielidusogie9189
    @gabrielidusogie9189 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    This is really helpful and encouraging. I gleaned from several of these directors. Thank you. Will join the Behind the Curtain club when it's up.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Perfect. I look forward to talking with you then!

  • @marcdevinci893
    @marcdevinci893 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This is exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Very inspiring!

  • @jgaguilar
    @jgaguilar 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I just gotta say... this was a great video! Keep up the great work 😊

  • @DebOra-rr1hy
    @DebOra-rr1hy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    "....outline only after a great deal of material..."
    That did it for me

  • @MrLogic88
    @MrLogic88 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great video! I've been brainstorming my next script idea, so this is right on time.

  • @tonictorrents2341
    @tonictorrents2341 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Kenneth Lonergan’s advice rings in my head from this video all the time. I get caught in rules and craft.

  • @Perajurit_Faqihin
    @Perajurit_Faqihin 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I LOVE THIS CHANNEL

  • @la_xeix
    @la_xeix 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    It’s great to hear how each one of them uses their own technique!

  • @lord_scrubington
    @lord_scrubington หลายเดือนก่อน

    thank you for this long video of writers contradicting each other and ultimately giving very little advice since everybody's creative mind works in a very different way.
    real useful content

    • @ghostpotatoes
      @ghostpotatoes หลายเดือนก่อน

      that's the whole point. it's a trove of advice not only offering you many approaches to try but also overall telling you that there is no exact formula you can use, so you shouldn't feel you're using a wrong approach. you seeing it as "little advice" is only because you were looking for some cheap and easy way to the top of a creative skill, which was never a possibility. it is your own failure to gain from this, not the video author and not the original creatives. hell it even gives you insight you can correlate between a directors style and their process; you could compare it to what you want to do, but you're too busy complaining to see that.

  • @judichristopher4604
    @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    God... I love "Behind the Curtain"... so enjoyable.. so entertain... so educational ... Love you guys!

  • @AuristheBand
    @AuristheBand 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This video is really great. Thanks a lot!

  • @judichristopher4604
    @judichristopher4604 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Absolutely Amazing Video... OMG... This Video Is GREAT!!
    ... and don't get me even started on the video and editing... Fantastic editing... I love all the graphics... "Amazing"
    This is one of the most enjoyable videos I have ever seen... Seriously... I feel like a kid in a candy story... I was hanging on every word.
    Thank you so much for sharing this video. This video shows how much time and work was put into it... every detail.
    "Bravo Darling"... "Bravo"

  • @PhilSvitekYT
    @PhilSvitekYT 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is truly informative. Thank you

  • @mridulchhibber
    @mridulchhibber 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Great and informative video. Love how this channel is expanding, excited to see what comes next!

  • @ayubnor0
    @ayubnor0 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Some of the outlines that some of these filmmakers follow are quite interesting, especially those of PTA, Tarantino, Johnson, and Garland.

  • @SparkinHeart
    @SparkinHeart 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Really helpful... thanks for posting this.

  • @jsunproter1940
    @jsunproter1940 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    As a writer myself with 1 book and a few short stories completed I loved this video. Great compilation, nice variety in ideas. When i started writing i had always sort of categorized writers into either outliners or pantsters. But the more i wrote the more i realized im a bit of both. after watching this it sounds like even though writers may tend towards one extreme or the other they are always a bit of both as well. Can totally relate to the outline changing multiple times

  • @AngelMartinez-lo4tx
    @AngelMartinez-lo4tx 4 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    Would you do a "How I wrote" on Killing Eve or Fleabag pls?

    • @boserobinson7500
      @boserobinson7500 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      hey, I just filmed a video about the dos and dont's of screenwriting in Hollywood! I think you would enjoy it!
      th-cam.com/video/CFg5OloiZzM/w-d-xo.html

  • @Able406
    @Able406 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    As someone who finds it nearly impossible to outline before a completed rough draft, this video feels like vindication. Thank you!

  • @DuncanW1000
    @DuncanW1000 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    This was fantastic thank you

  • @chiknasen4723
    @chiknasen4723 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Thank you so much for these videos, so helpful and inspirational

  • @Reelbuzz247
    @Reelbuzz247 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Absolute gem of a video

  • @intelligentdesign8994
    @intelligentdesign8994 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Very helpful. Thank you.

  • @Explore_Cinema_
    @Explore_Cinema_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    Really great editing, I really like the visuals

  • @ginotarabotto
    @ginotarabotto 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Bosses. Thanks for posting, very helpful.

  • @BATBATBATBATBATBAful
    @BATBATBATBATBATBAful 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Awesome compilation. Thanks! :)

  • @LARGELEMONLIME
    @LARGELEMONLIME 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I’ve been watching your videos for awhile and they’re AMAZING! How do you not have a million subscribers yet, somethings not adding up.

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Haha, thanks man. I appreciate the support.

    • @LARGELEMONLIME
      @LARGELEMONLIME 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Behind the Curtain No problem man, you deserve praise for putting these videos together. Also random question. What’s your opinion on film school?

    • @BehindtheCurtain
      @BehindtheCurtain  4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Film schools can provide an environment to develop your craft in as well as make connections with other aspiring filmmakers. I went to film school and then dropped out, because there was a lack of focus on story and screenwriting; however, I met some of my strongest friends in the film school. That's a HUGE reason why I made this channel and the Behind the Curtain Membership. I'm creating a community of passionate filmmakers that can build each other up and learn from those that are actually doing what we want to do. I haven't talked about it much yet on the channel, but in addition to the exclusive interviews for the Membership, I'm also going to be doing Zoom call discussions with members, picking a screenplay to discuss each livestream. I want to be able to talk with others about the craft and we can help each other. Thanks again for supporting the channel, Jackson.

  • @cinemalights2625
    @cinemalights2625 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Rian Johnson’s perspective is my favorite. It inspires me to think of outlining as training for a marathon or cross country race, and the actual screenplay is the race.

  • @JohannyM
    @JohannyM 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Is like the algorithm is inside my head! I was just saying I needed some motivation today to sit down and write my film and this video showed up on my feed!

  • @russianboss0378
    @russianboss0378 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    8:18 this is the best method of organizing i have ever heard of! i can't wait to try this with my own scripts.

  • @AlejandroLopez-vi1eh
    @AlejandroLopez-vi1eh 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I feel like it's incredibly relieving to hear all these acclaimed writers talk about how they don't know everything from the beginning. One of my biggest anxieties was trying to figure out how to organize my ideas and get coherent sequences on paper but to know they're just kind of trying their best too and figuring out what works for them is pretty freeing.

  • @sublimeretrieval7832
    @sublimeretrieval7832 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I'm experimenting with a bunch of different methods. I plan (lol) to try a bunch of techniques in one novel and see which sessions come up with the best ideas. Don't be afraid to experiment and "waste time". That's what experimentation is.

  • @borntofilmproduction4699
    @borntofilmproduction4699 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i think every writer has his own way of building a script. btw video is very help full. thankyou❤

  • @ScriptInSight
    @ScriptInSight 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    A great channel. Getting first-hand advice from the greats! :)

  • @faceofsarcasm4947
    @faceofsarcasm4947 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    In design, there is a concept known as Macro to Micro. Essentially you start with the big elements and slowly build up layers of detail. If you start with the micro details, you will mess up the proportions somewhere and have to restart the whole thing. If you start with the macro and mess something up, it's far easier to fix or start over. I'm not saying you have to do this for writing, but it's an approach.