http://www.youtube.com/user/RedLetterMedia#p/u/1/FxKtZmQgxrI

While this is part one of a review for Phantom Menace, I found this guy breaks down what doesn't work in a visual way that I found very helpful and thought I would share it.

This guy is brilliant! I watched the entirety of this review. I've never heard someone tear a movie apart with so much ruthlessness and yet back it up tenfold 100% of the time. This guy knows what he's talking about. Everyone should watch his Avatar review as well. I posted both parts a while back. Not sure if anyone watched it.

I especially loved the list of directors in the middle. David Cronenberg and Lars Von Trier FTW! Anyway, it was funny and I appreciated the fact that he noted not all films have to follow the same formula. I think people should make a point of watching the whole thing and not just weeding out what little bits might help them as a writer. Can't wait to see the Attack of the Clones review!

Those are great. Informative AND funny. I will be watching all of them now.

Thanks.

Not too keen on his high / drunk / slurring speech put-on; "I'm a dumb but secretly intelligent dude from Apallachia" roleplay.

One of the reasons the flick is like it is, is that they're aiming at selling toys.

His "protagonist" point doesn't carry much weight - the story is about the Hero before he reaches adulthood - so basically Jesus / Moses in the early years. This is to do with this guys expectations.

The "girl" is not just the icing on the cake - the Romantic Challenge is much more significant.

Even Jarmusch et al follow the pattern he's talking about. They're just better at disguising it.

The Han Solo interpretation is way off the mark.

In conclusion, the guy doesn't REALLY know what he's talking about, though he thinks he does. Not as intelligent as he thinks he is. A good example of why you should stick with the professionals.

"Film for [effing] idiots" sure made money.

Star Wars Ep. I: The Phantom Menace
Theatrical Performance
Total US Gross     $431,088,297
International Gross     $493,200,000
Worldwide Gross     $924,288,297
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1999/STRWR.php

"Avatar" had stupid characters doing stupid things and $2BILLION dollars later...

You can't go to "work" and produce cr@p "the boss" won't pay you for.
WTH?
Be professional.
Make money.
Write what'll sell.
SW:TPM made money, schlock or not.
Can't take art to the grocery store to buy or barter food.

If you go to IMDB and look at the top 250 films and then the top grossing films, you'll see two completely different lists. Few films actually appear on both lists. That just shows that you don't need to make a great film to make money on it. Of course, it helps...

Quoted from RayW Write what'll sell. SW:TPM made money, schlock or not. Can't take art to the grocery store to buy or barter food.

This philosophy is exactly why future generations will view our era as a dark, lifeless period in artistic history.  Yeah, Phantom Menace made money.  But in 100 years, it's Inarritu, Park, and Von Trier that people will know, not George Lucas.

I suppose it's all a matter of priorities.

Howdy, Heretic

Quoted Text This philosophy is exactly why future generations will view our era as a dark, lifeless period in artistic history.  Yeah, Phantom Menace made money.  But in 100 years, it's Inarritu, Park, and Von Trier that people will know, not George Lucas.

Beginning with the enduring architecture of ancient civilizations of the Mesopotamians, Babylonians, Persians, Assyrians, Egyptians, the frescos of Minoan culture, on Crete, and the Mycenaeans in Greece, then onto art commissioned by the Christian & Islamic churches, DaVinci, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael etc the list goes on...
All the great classic art we learn about in art history are commissioned pieces.

The Pieta is not a personal expression of love.
It was a commissioned piece for the French cardinal Jean de Billheres.
Michelangelo was paid to produce it.
The materials and time and tools and resources that go into all of these great historical works of art is great!
Historical works of art were commissioned.

500 years later what art costs this much?
Film.
Who's buying it?
The Church?
No.
We are.
You, me, we PAY Lucas and Nolan and Spielberg and Cameron to make us horribly expensive art.

So please don't look down your nose at commercially successful art.
Surely you get a paycheck for commercially successful labor, whatever the endeavor.
Same thing.
Three brass brads binding 110 pages of "Art" that sits on a shelf feeding those tiny off-white mites reeeeeealy isn't art. It's cr@p. Everyone politely knows this.
Juno?

Nice to meet you, Ray!

I see the argument -- it's a good one -- I would draw an important distinction.

The Pieta is a beautiful piece of art, which was well paid for -- yes.  Is it a personal expression of love, AS WELL?  I believe that inherent to successful art is successful personal expression.  This is of course debatable.  

Phantom Menace is schlock, which was well paid for -- yes.  Is it a personal expression of love, as well?  Certainly not love for anything other than special effects and money, anyway.

Were we lucky enough to live in a time where real art was commercially viable at the equivalent level of the pieces of art you mention, then yes, absolutely, to write what sells would make more sense than the alternative.  Do we live in such a time?  Take a look at this summer's blockbusters -- or last -- or the decade before that.  I say no.  This is, of course, also debatable.  Writing what you believe it is important be written, and taking the hit on audience and budget, seems more often than not these days to be the wiser choice for making a quality film.  OF COURSE, I would never say that there doesn't need to be a producer in control of a film making sure that it's marketable AS WELL...but that producer needs to respect the art and feel strongly about the message.  Still, a message cannot be communicated solely by a director in the film medium...otherwise we get Inland Empire, and no-one wants that.

Does a piece of art being commissioned mean that there will be no personal expression whatsoever?  Of course not.  When there is no personal expression whatsoever in "art", what we get is economically viable, spiritually bereft pieces of trash like Phantom Menace, Transformers, and Clash of the Titans.  

I would never look down my nose at commercially successful art -- heck, The Rock is one of my top 3 films of all time -- but often I will look down my nose at commercially successful schlock, and feel no guilt in doing so.  

Fair enough, Heretic.
You're likely a nicer person than I am.

I think the WalMart DVD buying masses are idiots buying action/adventure porn.
And I cynically believe that if the good people of Rome want to pay to see Christians fed to lions then... that's the world we live in. Stupid or not.
And if good people of France want King Louis XVI's head in a basket then... that's the world we live in. Stupid or not.
And if the good people of America want to pay to see schlock... that's the world we live in. Stupid or not.

If they wanna trade labor/cash for action/adventure porn schlock - FINE! I'll write it for them if I may be so lucky.

However, at home I'm watching High Noon, 12 Angry Men, Life is Beautiful, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Henry Poole is Here, Kung Fu Panda or some such.

What I see here is among the most fundamental arguments a screenwriter must face. When in doubt, the question I always ask myself is this... If there were no chance the script I wanted to write would ever be produced, would I still write it? The answer is always the same...

Yes, I would.

Personally, I think it's completely insane to try to make a career out of writing scripts. I think it's even more insane to try to make a career of writing and directing scripts. But what's most insane to me is to try and make a career out of writing scripts... to make money. If your incentive in life is to make money... why the fuck would you even take your chances in the film industry?!!! Why the fuck wouldn't you just go to business school? Law school? Med school? Anything but film!

The bottom line is this is the hardest career you could possibly pursue. The only justifiable reason one could ever pursue it is passion. Passion, stupidity and maybe a healthy dose of pig-headedness. If you don't have any of those qualities, you're just poisoning the industry. That's the way I see it.

Quoted from James McClung What I see here is among the most fundamental arguments a screenwriter must face. When in doubt, the question I always ask myself is this... If there were no chance the script I wanted to write would ever be produced, would I still write it? The answer is always the same... Yes, I would.

This isn't meant as an attack, James.  I understand where you're coming from...but...the important thing here is that screenplays - in and of themselves - are nothing if they aren't produced.  If you want to write an enduring piece of literature, write a novel or short story then but please only write screenplays when it is your intention that they will be produced.

The way I look at these things is that there are entertainers and there are artists. Both are valid yet one always complains about the other.

Howdy, James

Quoted from James McClung Personally, I think it's completely insane to try to make a career out of writing scripts. I think it's even more insane to try to make a career of writing and directing scripts. But what's most insane to me is to try and make a career out of writing scripts... to make money. If your incentive in life is to make money... why the fuck would you even take your chances in the film industry?!!! Why the fuck wouldn't you just go to business school? Law school? Med school? Anything but film!

I'm... gonna take a wild stab that was kinda, maybe politely, maybe obliquely, directed in my general direction or vicinity.
Eh?

Yeah, I agree: It is insane.
Even if all the cr@p we see submitted to SS (and I just got here. My sympathies for those of you who've been here for years looking at cr@p) incorrectly formatted was deleted there'd still be a ton of good material for studios and indy prods to cherry pick from.
Do the math.
It's wild!
It's crazy!
It's... what's the word I'm looking for... ? INSANE!

However... Give the biz the respect it's due.
Be a f#cking professional.
Art?
Art.
When my little kids run up to me yelling "Daddy! Daddy!" waggling the most beautiful, colorful, thought out multi-cartooned, mutated mish-mash of littlest petshop-zelda-airbender-pokemon artwork carefully crafted with love on a 8.5x11 copy paper with color pencils and crappy ball point pen I KNOW deep down in my heart they ain't getting a job at WETA with this quality of work.

If your boss or supervisor hires the next ten schmucks that apply for a job, completely irregardless of their practical knowledge of the job or even if they can fill out the application correctly your employer will eventually go out of business.
Why?

10werdzorless: You gotta know WTH your doing.

Passion does not equal value.
I can't tell you how many times I have to beat that into the heads of students... er... people!

A screen writer should be trying to write something for the... SCREEEEEN.
To get 110 pages of writing onto the... SCREEEEN... the SCREENplay has to be... marketable.

It ain't called ARTwriting or SH!T-THAT-SITS-ON-MY-HARDDRIVEwriting.
SCREEEENwriting.

Quoted from James McClung The bottom line is this is the hardest career you could possibly pursue. The only justifiable reason one could ever pursue it is passion. Passion, stupidity and maybe a healthy dose of pig-headedness. If you don't have any of those qualities, you're just poisoning the industry.

By God, your subconscious called it flat out: The bottom line.
This is a business.

  Revenues
- Expenses
= Earnings
THAT is literally the bottom line.

Many will apply for a job.
Few will be hired.

SCREENwriting.
Not ARRRRTwriting.

We're agreeing more than the casual eye may notice, and we respect the biz.

There are few true artists in any given field.
Film.
Music.
Sports.
Medicine.
Invention.
Politics.

Most people are what I call "Twilight" people.
They stand at varying distances from the edge of the light, not completely in the dark, but certainly not right in the sweet spot either.
They stand in the twilight, not able to produce art, although they may try; only able to appreciate it.
I myself, cannot sing or play music but do enjoy it. I stand in the twilight of those two fields.
On the other hand, I wouldn't know a good from bad short stop or half back or quarter horse if any one of them fell on me. I stand in the dark of those fields.

Many "screen writers" are twilight people who outright disrespect the biz by not doing something as elementary as formatting a submission correctly or are incapable of understanding how dialog and story structure provoke an emotional response from an audience starving for mind tingling scenarios.

The purpose of art is not to make pretty pictures.
The purpose of art is to provoke an emotional response.

I respect those that can produce art.
Society will tell me if my own industry is folly.

Quoted from mcornetto This isn't meant as an attack, James.  I understand where you're coming from...but...the important thing here is that screenplays - in and of themselves - are nothing if they aren't produced.  If you want to write an enduring piece of literature, write a novel or short story then but please only write screenplays when it is your intention that they will be produced. The way I look at these things is that there are entertainers and there are artists. Both are valid yet one always complains about the other.

I try to keep in mind that whatever I write could be produced by someone. I consider what can be produced based on what exists and what could be done rather than what's the best seller. Just the same, being produced in the immediate future is not my primary concern. I've written a handful of scripts that definitely couldn't be produced without a handful of money. I wrote them anyway. I don't say that trying to sound like an "artist" either. I don't think I'd be as good a writer if I hadn't written some frivolous scripts. It's a learning experience which is what just about everyone is here for.

Quoted from RayW I'm... gonna take a wild stab that was kinda, maybe politely, maybe obliquely, directed in my general direction or vicinity. Eh?

Not quite. This debate pops up time and time again. I tend to respond the same way each time. Maybe I'm a little too volatile. It's definitely something I feel strongly about.

Quoted from RayW However... Give the biz the respect it's due. Be a f#cking professional. Art? Art. When my little kids run up to me yelling "Daddy! Daddy!" waggling the most beautiful, colorful, thought out multi-cartooned, mutated mish-mash of littlest petshop-zelda-airbender-pokemon artwork carefully crafted with love on a 8.5x11 copy paper with color pencils and crappy ball point pen I KNOW deep down in my heart they ain't getting a job at WETA with this quality of work. If your boss or supervisor hires the next ten schmucks that apply for a job, completely irregardless of their practical knowledge of the job or even if they can fill out the application correctly your employer will eventually go out of business. Why? 10werdzorless: You gotta know WTH your doing.

I agree with just about all of this, at least in the terms you've presented it. Just the same...

Quoted from RayW By God, your subconscious called it flat out: The bottom line. This is a business.   Revenues - Expenses = Earnings THAT is literally the bottom line. Many will apply for a job. Few will be hired.

This all comes back to what I said before. If these are the terms you see screenwriting through, why even try it? There's easier markets to break through than this. One has to have more incentive than that to choose this career path. Otherwise, it makes no sense. Not to me.