DZ-56: Character Motivations 2

Listen if you want to understand how character decisions can break a screenplay and how to fix them

In this second part of their exploration of character motivations, Chas and Stu dive into what makes “BAD” screenplays NOT work. They examine at moments where they (and maybe you, dear listeners) did not believe a key decision being made by a character and so were taken out of the movie. In a departure from the Draft Zero format, they apply the tools they developed in Part 1 to workshop potential fixes to these beats.

Character decisions that come under the microscope are AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (again), SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, DIE HARD (which is a good example for contrast, not a bad one!), PREDATOR 2, SICARIO 2: DÍA DEL SOLDADO and PROMETHEUS (with an honourable mention to A PRINCESS BRIDE).

Let us know if you like the variation on our format or not!

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

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CHAPTERS

• 00:10:41 – AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
• 00:16:58 – SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY
• 00:34:04 – DIE HARD
• 00:38:04 – PREDATOR 2
• 00:53:30 – SICARIO 2: DÍA DEL SOLDADO
• 01:35:15 – PROMETHEUS
• 02:04:06 – WRAP UP & KEY LEARNINGS

FILMS

• AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (2018) — (w) Stephen Mcfeely, Christopher Markus (d) Joe Russo, Anthony Russo
• SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (2018) — (w) Lawrence Kasdan, Jon Kasdan (d) Ron Howard
• DIE HARD (1988) — (w) Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza (d) John Mctiernan
• PREDATOR 2 (1990) — (w) Jim Thomas, John Thomas (d) Stephen Hopkins
• SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO (2018) — (w) Taylor Sheridan (d) Stefano Sollima
• PROMETHEUS (2012) — (w) Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof (d) Ridley Scott

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: DIE HARD (1988) — Roderick Thorp, Jeb Stuart, Steven E De Souza
• Study the script: PREDATOR 2 (1990) — Jim Thomas, John Thomas
• Study the script: SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO (2018) — Taylor Sheridan
• Study the script: PROMETHEUS (2012) — Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof

SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES

• DIE HARD: integrating inserts in the action
• Character Introductions 002: Hans Gruber

LINKS

• Read: JustWatch
• Read: JustWatch
• Read: JustWatch
• YouTube: Child vs Predator
• Read: JustWatch
• Read: JustWatch
• Read: TV Tropes: Idiot Ball
• Read: Engineering Prometheus - From Jon Spaihts to Damon Lindelof
• Read: JustWatch
• Read: Scriptnotes - Plot Holes
• Read: Scriptnotes - A Princess Bride
• YouTube: YouTube
• Read: GitHub

EPISODES IN THE CHARACTER MOTIVATION SERIES

• DZ-56: Character Motivations 2
• DZ-55: Character Motivations 1

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-33: Protagonist vs Hero - Dawn of Character Function

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Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2019/dz-56/