DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart

Listen how the separation of choice, decision, and consequence (for a character) creates emotional impact.

In order to better understand dramatising of character, Chas and Stu take a very draft zero look at very specific tool: choices and decisions. We analyse three films through the decisions made by their characters. In particular, how the audience understanding of: the choice available, the considered decision itself, and the consequence changes how we feel about these characters. And how separating those three things can create different emotional effects on your audience.

We debate this in the episode, but this is the terminology we settle on:

• CHOICE: Are the options presented to the character.
• DECISION: Is the knowing consideration of the choice and resulting action.
• CONSEQUENCE: is the resulting outcome from the choice.

Part 1 (this part) establishes what we mean by choice and decision, and then takes a deep dive into BOOKSMART, directed by Olivia Wilde, and written by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins and Susanna Fogel. We all discuss FLEABAG, SEVEN, and old favourite, Star Wars.

Part 2 will turn our analytical eye on THE FAREWELL and WRATH OF MAN.

Thanks to Chris for editing this episodes.

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

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CHAPTERS

• 00:00:00 – Introduction
• 00:01:36 – Choices vs Decisions
• 00:19:51 – Booksmart
• 01:01:41 – Decisions & Structure
• 01:05:50 – Mills' decision in Se7en
• 01:07:50 – Key Learnings and Wrap Up

FILMS

• BOOKSMART (2019) — (w) Sarah Haskins, Emily Halpern, Katie Silberman, Susanna Fogel (d) Olivia Wilde
• SE7EN (1995) — (w) Andrew Kevin Walker (d) David Fincher
• STAR WARS (1977) — (w) George Lucas
• THE FAREWELL (2019) — (w) Lulu Wang
• WRATH OF MAN (2021) — (w) Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies, Guy Ritchie (d) Guy Ritchie

SHOWS

• FLEABAG — (w) Phoebe Waller Bridge

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: BOOKSMART (2019) — Sarah Haskins, Emily Halpern, Katie Silberman, Susanna Fogel
• Study the script: SE7EN (1995) — Andrew Kevin Walker
• Study the script: THE FAREWELL (2019) — Lulu Wang

SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES

• Editing as Imperfect Memory in THE FAREWELL

EPISODES IN THE CHOICES AND DECISIONS SERIES

• DZ-84: Choices & Decisions 1 - Booksmart
• DZ-85: Choices & Decisions 2 - The Farewell & Wrath of Man

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-34: Game of Choices - Decision Making and Character Implications
• DZ-48: One-Shot - Blade Runner 2049 – Agency vs Choice

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Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2021/dz-84/