00:00Hi, I'm Michael. This is Lessons from the
Screenplay.
00:05Many audiences never consider how important
a great screenwriter is to a movie.
00:09They may not realize how much the director
and actors take their cues from the script,
00:13or think about why some scenes are exciting
and others are boring.
00:17Because the hardest part about screenwriting
isn't having an idea for a story, it's figuring
00:21out how to tell that story in a compelling
way.
00:24Today we're looking at Gone girl, for which
Gillian Flynn had the difficult task of adapting
00:28her novel into a modern film noir thriller.
00:31"I did not kill my wife."
00:34The screenplay is very well crafted, and mixes
traditional storytelling methods with her
00:38own personal style to create a unique story
world.
00:42Let's take a look at a few techniques Gillian
Flynn used in her fantastic screenplay for
00:49Number one. Efficient action lines.
00:59In a script, action lines describe what is
happening.
01:02They're important because they help the director
translate scenes from script to screen.
01:06And Gillian Flynn writes great action lines.
01:09In this scene, she efficiently sets the tone
in just two sentences.
01:23And a few lines later...
01:34While it's up to the director and actor, in
this case Neil Patrick Harris, to decide how
01:38to portray this on screen, this action line
serves as a guide.
01:42And if you watch the scene with this action
line in mind, you see that NPH truly gives
01:53You may notice that the dialogue in the final
film is different from the script.
01:57This happens frequently.
01:58The director or writer or actor changes something
on set.
02:01This is why it's so important for the writer
to set the tone of the scenes in the script
02:05— so anyone making changes understands the
context and intention of the original line.
02:11For example, at the end of the scene, Flynn
writes:
02:17The phrase "ugly pause" is such a great way
to describe a moment.
02:21It implies tone and pacing in just two words.
02:26Gillian Flynn's action lines are descriptive,
concise, and full of personality.
02:32The second technique I want to talk about
is: The Last Line is the Point of the Scene.
02:37In Anatomy of Story by John Truby - a screenwriting
book I highly recommend - he writes:
02:54He uses an upside-down triangle to represent
the idea.
02:57Let's apply the triangle to one of the best
scenes in Gone Girl.
03:02The first line of the scene is:
03:05Which immediately frames what the whole scene
is about. What does Nick actually know? What
03:12This scene is about Nick realizing how much
trouble he's in.
03:16Let's watch as Flynn makes the scene funnel
toward a single point.
03:27Nick begins to understand that all of the
evidence points to him.
03:31The noose tightens...
03:48And tightens. Until finally:
04:06Boom. The scene culminates in a single point
as Nick finally realizes the trouble that
04:12He makes a new decision and the story moves
right along. That's good screenwriting.
04:17If you look for it, you'll notice most good
scenes follow this simple rule.
04:21The last topic I want to cover is one of the
most misunderstood story techniques:
04:25The subplot character.
04:28Most people think of a subplot character as
a kind of other-protagonist in a separate
04:32storyline, but this is incorrect.
04:34Again, quoting John Truby:
04:43Basically, it's a character that is dealing
with the same problem as the protagonist,
04:47but in a different way.
04:48Of the two subplot characters in Gone Girl,
one is in the movie for a single scene.
04:56By comparing the protagonist, Nick, with this
subplot character the writer can reveal information
05:01and demonstrate how certain choices may play
out.
05:08The first comparison:
05:10Amy is framing Nick for murder, and she previously
framed Tommy for rape.
05:14This is new information for both Nick and
the audience.
05:17Amy has a history of this behavior.
05:20The second comparison:
05:29Amy lashed out at Tommy after he stopped trying
to be the man she wanted him to be.
05:33This is an important lesson for Nick, because
eventually he realizes this is how he can
05:37get Amy to come back - by going on TV and
pretending to be the man she wants him to
05:42Nick is learning from Tommy's experience.
05:45And the final comparison:
06:00Tommy underestimated the extreme lengths that
Amy could go to.
06:04This is essentially a warning for Nick - Amy
is crazy enough to get away with this if she
06:11In just one scene, Gillian Flynn is able to
use the Tommy character to give Nick and the
06:15audience new information, and show a glimpse
of what could happen to Nick if he's not careful.
06:20And, because she's a good screenwriter, the scene ends at the point.
06:36I really appreciate films that respect the
audience, where you can tell the people that
06:40made it really care about creating an entertaining
experience.
06:43The screenplay for Gone Girl is a great example
of how to use simple, classic storytelling
06:48techniques to do exactly that.
06:50Thanks for watching Lessons from the Screenplay.
06:53If you have a suggestion for a script I should
analyze in the future, leave a comment below.
06:57And if you want more insights into great screenplays,
be sure to like this video and subscribe.
![#Uwu #Uwuvoice #Itshannahowo Hannah UwU || Hannah UwU voice ❤ [Compilation]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F2V2xm_LDYPA%2Fhqdefault.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
