Scene-By-Scene Script Breakdown Challenge
The GITS community never ceases to amaze me. On October 16th, I put out this challenge:
Here’s what I’m thinking: We have 4 weeks in November. What if we choose one script per week from here, the free and legal screenplays we host on the site. I’m looking for one volunteer per week to do a Scene-By-Scene Breakdown for one of those scripts. Then over the course of the week, we would analyze the script’s structure. It might go something like this:
Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown.
Volunteer posts their breakdown which we discuss.
Tuesday: Major plot points.
We go through the breakdown and identify key plot points, then discuss their importance.
Wednesday: Sequences.
We identify the groupings of scenes that feel like sequences.
Those are all about what transpires in the Physical Journey. Next we could take up this:
Thursday: Psychological Journey (Metamorphosis).
Here we would explore how various characters, most especially Protagonists, go through some sort of transformation.
Friday: Revelations.
Basically what did we learn through this process.
Anybody interested in this? You should be. If you’re not reading movie scripts on a regular basis, you’re not really taking this whole enterprise seriously enough. You need to read.
I’ll sweeten the pot for those hearty souls who would take up the challenge to compile an actual Scene-By-Scene Breakdown: You can take one of my Core or Craft one-week online classes for free.
I was hoping for four respondents. We ended up with this:
American Hustle: Jon
Argo: NB
Flight: 14Shari
Frankenwenie: Will King
Gravity: mattd_85
Hanna: John Arends
Lincoln: pgronk
Looper: erikledrew
Moonrise Kingdom: iamdaniel
Mud: Alejandro
Paranorman: OhScotty
The Artist: Traci Nell Peterson
The Social Network: N D
The Way Way Back: Ricky
Wadjda: iamdaniel
I’m wondering if this is something we can just keep on doing, maybe for an entire year? How great would it be to end up with 52 scene-by-scene breakdowns with extensive analysis, all of them posted in the site’s archives? That would be an excellent resource for screenwriters.
We begin next Monday with Argo. Anybody else care to sign up for another script from those we host on this site? Please let me know in comments.
Beyond that, I’d love to see folks participate in our daily analysis of these scripts.
If we do this right, the series could be a tremendous learning opportunity.
Thanks in advance. Let’s do this!
UPDATE: Now up to 12 volunteers. That’s nearly 3 months worth of script analysis. Plus we should be getting some 2014 scripts available here in the next few weeks as the studios roll out their For Your Consideration sites. I have a feeling this series is going to be a tremendous learning exprience for all involved. Thanks to the volunteers!
UPDATE #2: We’ve got 15 volunteers! Great job, everyone!
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