DZ-29: Showdowns & Scene Structure

Listen to discover how fight scenes can be great inspiration for writing any kind of showdown (verbal or otherwise)

In exploring how to write good fight scenes, Stu and Chas compare how writers structure memorable showdowns - both verbal and physical. Fights vs arguments. Swords vs insults. Lightsabres vs passive aggressive subtext. To do this, they analyse the showdowns in EASTERN PROMISES, ROB ROY, THE FORCE AWAKENS (yes, yes, we finally let Stu officially discuss Star Wars), A FEW GOOD MEN, BREAKING BAD and BEFORE SUNSET.

As a result, they discover how larger structural elements like mid-points, reversals and act breaks can play out in making individual scenes compelling and dynamic. Also, they learn that great screenwriters don't just write "They fight" when writing fight scenes.

In Backmatter, we learn that Quentin Tarantino is a listener!

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

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FILMS

• EASTERN PROMISES (2007) — (w) Steven Knight (d) David Cronenberg
• ROB ROY (1995) — (w) Alan Sharp (d) Michael Caton Jones
• A FEW GOOD MEN (1992) — (w) Aaron Sorkin (d) Rob Reiner
• BEFORE SUNSET (2004) — (w) Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Richard Linklater, Kim Krizan, Richard Linklater (d) Richard Linklater
• STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) — (w) Michael Arndt, Lawrence Kasdan, Jj Abrams (d) Jj Abrams

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: A FEW GOOD MEN (1992) — Aaron Sorkin

LINKS

• Watch: Vimeo: Eastern Promises fight in the bath house
• YouTube: The Nerd Writer: (YouTube)
• YouTube: ROB ROY sword fight
• Read: A FEW GOOD MEN by Aaron Sorkin
• Read: Dailymotion.com: Saul Goodman kidnapped by the meth cooking duo
• Read: BEFORE SUNSET by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy
• Read: No Film School: Simplest Way to Make Your Films More Interesting: Use 'Therefore' & 'But' Instead of 'And Then'
• Read: The Movie Crypt Podcast: Episode 131 - Gareth Evans
• Read: Thirteen Minutes: Why Backmatter Matters
• Read: SKTCHD: Backmatter and the Golden Age of Comic Book Letters Columns

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-08: Status Transactions
• DZ-10: Midpoint Reversals and The Ride
• DZ-13: True That - Tips from Tarantino
• DZ-27: Competing views on Screenplay Competitions

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We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2016/dz-29/