DZ-30: Oscars revisited - Spotlight and Carol

Listen to learn how catharsis, world-building, mid-points, and status transactions elevate great writing

In this episode Stu and Chas return to their first ever episode by tackling two Oscar-nominated screenplays. But this time - instead of exploring the rigid structures laid down by gurus - they use it as an opportunity to explore what they've learned in the last three years and apply them to the phenomenal writing in SPOTLIGHT and CAROL (with slight digression towards THE EXPANSE and GAME OF THRONES (which has possibly replaced Star Wars as the de facto reference point for anything.)

And so this slightly meandering episodes revisits the excellent execution of catharsis, world-building, mid-points, dramatic point of view, status transactions and more.

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

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FILMS

• SPOTLIGHT (2015) — (w) Tom Mccarthy, Josh Singer (d) Tom Mccarthy
• CAROL (2015) — (w) Patricia Highsmith, Phyllis Nagy (d) Todd Haynes

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: SPOTLIGHT (2015) — Tom Mccarthy, Josh Singer
• Study the script: CAROL (2015) — Patricia Highsmith, Phyllis Nagy

LINKS

• Read: The Q&A Podcast with Jeff Goldsmith: Phyllis Nagy - CAROL
• Read: The Q&A Podcast with Jeff Goldsmith: Tom McCarthy - SPOTLIGHT
• YouTube: OUR LITTLE SECRET directed by Monique Schafter, written by Monique Schafter & Chas Fisher, Produced by Lee Matthews (link available only outside of Australia)
• YouTube: Every Frame a Painting: - Snowpiercer - Left or Right by Tony Zhou
• Read: AV Club: Stu on GOT vs The Expanse (with excellent followup by Motard)
• Read: SyFy: The Expanse
• Read: TableRead Production App

EPISODES IN THE OSCARS SERIES

• DZ-30: Oscars revisited - Spotlight and Carol

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-04: Catharsis and the Post-Coital Cigarette
• DZ-05: Shifting audience point of view and heightened emotions
• DZ-08: Status Transactions
• DZ-10: Midpoint Reversals and The Ride
• DZ-15: World Building Rules, Okay?

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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-30/