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I'm exactly the same. Action sequences have always felt nothing tedious to me and they're extremely unpleasant to write as well. Basically, I'm just not interested. My attitude towards action sequences are just about the same as it is towards sex scenes. When I'm watching a movie, I essentially tune out for the duration, waiting for something more interesting to happen. If I'm at home, I might even check my email or some forums while I'm waiting for the thing to finish.
I try to avoid having to write action, but this time it's pretty unavoidable, since the story is jointly written by me and the producer/director who wanted more action-y elements in there.
But in the end I don't mind all that much, because I can then approach it as a challenge. How can I make the action interesting to me? It forces me to come up with something new that hopefully will be an advantage for the sequence.
But then again, there's way to go around these things. I heard that a pretty respected action screenwriter simply writes: "Action sequence to be choreographed."
Sex scenes I won't touch. I've never had to write one and I don't plan to ever do so.
This happened to me in the "It's on like Donkey Kong" OWC. I realised that writing action sequences was incredibly dull and to a degree, pointless.
I mentioned something you've said: That I think in real life I'd just write "action sequence here" and be done with it and make it up on the day.
However, I also looked into why I found the scene boring and it's because the action was essentially was just a point from A to B...there was no underlying subtext.
For instance, if you look at the original Star Wars when Obi Wan fights Darth Vader. As an action sequence it's pretty limited...you've got an old guy who can hardly wak fighting a guy in a costume that can't move or see...all they do is twitch their swords a bit.
However you've got the subtext of the Master vs Pupil.
You've got this old guy you like facing off with someone established as the badest guy around...so there's tension as you fear for his safety.
You've got an element of self-sacrifice...he's fighting Darth to give the others time to get away...an a large emotional response when he dies.
You've got the ticking clock because they have to get away.
Then at the culmination of it there's a surprisng twist when Obi Wan disappears.
These are the sort of elements you need to try and introduce, so that the action itself isn't the thing of interest, it's kind of everything else.
It's why when you compare the ornately choreographed battles in the new Star Wars films they are sorely lacking depite being so much more impressive physically...none of those elements were there.
This happened to me in the "It's on like Donkey Kong" OWC. I realised that writing action sequences was incredibly dull and to a degree, pointless.
I mentioned something you've said: That I think in real life I'd just write "action sequence here" and be done with it and make it up on the day.
However, I also looked into why I found the scene boring and it's because the action was essentially was just a point from A to B...there was no underlying subtext.
For instance, if you look at the original Star Wars when Obi Wan fights Darth Vader. As an action sequence it's pretty limited...you've got an old guy who can hardly wak fighting a guy in a costume that can't move or see...all they do is twitch their swords a bit.
However you've got the subtext of the Master vs Pupil.
You've got this old guy you like facing off with someone established as the badest guy around...so there's tension as you fear for his safety.
You've got an element of self-sacrifice...he's fighting Darth to give the others time to get away...an a large emotional response when he dies.
You've got the ticking clock because they have to get away.
Then at the culmination of it there's a surprisng twist when Obi Wan disappears.
These are the sort of elements you need to try and introduce, so that the action itself isn't the thing of interest, it's kind of everything else.
It's why when you compare the ornately choreographed battles in the new Star Wars films they are sorely lacking depite being so much more impressive physically...none of those elements were there.
Rick, I always appreciate your posts because they're intelligent and really get to the heart of the matter.
I can tell you, I am SO very tempted and might someday, purposely write an action scene with:
Eat Pray Love is about that? I'll have to check and see if my idea doesn't turn out to be redundant.
All ideas are redundant. Just wrap it up in some old rose wallpaper and it'll be fine I guarantee you. If you need a wall to bounce it off of, just ask me. I'll tell you if it's good or if I think it could use some curry powder.
I agree with Scar Tissue Films with regards to writing action sequences.
Although I enjoy mindless action films, I could never write one.
However, think "A history of Violence" in terms of it's action sequences. Their short, subtle bursts and do mean something to the overall arch of the narrative. (As for the sex sequences in this movie, I could to without those. I can't stand any sex sequences in films).
Also -- think the final scene in Unforgiven. Thats an action sequence. The whole film builds to this one scene of of arse-kicking. It's the main event.
Finally -- what about First Blood? I guess Stallone gets thrown in with the mindless actioneers, but isn't the first Rambo movie about more? Don't the frequent action sequences mean everything? I love that movie.
After solid 7 hours of procrastination, I finally managed to write about 3 pages of this stuff. I tell you, this script is killing me. The amount of effort and writing it takes to get even a page of this is ridiculous.
I don't think I'll even put it out on the site after it's done since it's just a pain to read. I'm pretty sure that it'll be pretty interesting on screen, but just looking at the endless pages of action elements is exhausting.
And for those at home keeping score, at 11 pages it features 24 sluglines.
The act of writing is a quest to put a hundred thousand words to a cunning order. - Douglas Adams
After solid 7 hours of procrastination, I finally managed to write about 3 pages of this stuff. I tell you, this script is killing me. The amount of effort and writing it takes to get even a page of this is ridiculous.
I don't think I'll even put it out on the site after it's done since it's just a pain to read. I'm pretty sure that it'll be pretty interesting on screen, but just looking at the endless pages of action elements is exhausting.
And for those at home keeping score, at 11 pages it features 24 sluglines.
24 sluglines in 11 pages?!!! Holy shmolly! That's a lot of action!
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Well, in my case, it's a couple of guys scrambling through a war-torn city in the Middle East trying not to eat a bullet or a bomb:p
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