Screentakes

In a recent discussion I was part of about science fiction and comedy, I was reminded of the parody in 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 of the opening of 2001. For a fun exercise, watch the opening of 2001: 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML1OZ... then watch the opening of 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpxMI....

Two summers ago, we relished the opportunity to see 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 on the big screen. Many of us immediately recognized and laughed at its parody of 2001. But the opportunity to see the two sequences back-to-back on Youtube is a gift of the small screen not to be missed.

The first task of any comedy is to inform the audience that they’re supposed to laugh. There’s a famous story about the original Broadway production of 𝘈 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘶𝘮, later made into a movie directed by Richard Lester. The show was not doing well in previews so Jerome Robbins was brought in to help.

Robbins observed that the show opened with a romantic number and figured out that the audience wasn’t picking up that they were supposed to laugh, despite the show’s title. He recommended a more comedic opening and Stephen Sondheim wrote “Comedy Tonight,” literally telling the audience, “This is a comedy. You’re supposed to laugh.” And from then on, they did.

I see a bit of this in the opening of 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦. Imagine the film without the 2001 parody at the beginning. Not that we wouldn’t know it's a comedy, but we might not know it’s an 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 comedy with something important to tell us. It’s a film about a toy. We could easily mistake it for a children’s film that has a few wink-wink adult jokes in it. Opening with a parody of such a ponderous and profound film as 2001: 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺 signals that this is humor for adults. It’s inviting the adults into a story speaking to them. Then it tells us we’re going to have fun.

2001: 𝘈 𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘺 begins with The Dawn of Man. 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘦 begins with The Dawn of Woman.

Take a look at some of your favorite comedies and see if there’s a moment at the beginning that’s signaling you’re supposed to laugh.

Jennine

𝗣.𝗦. 𝗜’𝗺 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸! For now, I’m keeping it paywall-free with just a voluntary option to support my work through donation. You can follow my posts here: substack.com/@screentakes

1 month ago | [YT] | 1

Screentakes

📢 Last Call for 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 ... 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 Story Structure Analysis Video Course! 📢


Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your narrative skills! Today is the last day to sign up for the course and LIVE Q&A.


You'll get:


✅ 81 minutes of video analysis
✅ Supporting PDFs, and
✅ A live Q&A session on June 28th at 1:00 pm PDT


Registration closes tonight, June 24th at 11:59 pm PDT. Register here: www.screentakes.com/webinar/


Hope to see you!

Jennine

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1 year ago | [YT] | 0

Screentakes

Have you ever wondered what makes 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 ... 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 so compelling? It’s all about the story structure. When you see how Quentin Tarantino built this film, you gain insights that can help your own writing.



In my upcoming course, you’ll get access to 81 minutes of detailed video analysis and structure PDFs that break down this amazing film. We’ll explore what keeps the audience hooked through its day-in-the-life structure.



Sign up now and transform how you view and create stories. Our live Q&A is on June 28th.

Grab your spot here: www.screentakes.com/webinar/


Jennine

1 year ago | [YT] | 0

Screentakes

Did you know that breaking down the master works of others can make your own storytelling better? By studying films like 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 ... 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥, you can develop your narrative instincts and see your work improve.



In my Story Structure Analysis Video Course, we explore the unique storylines of Rick, Cliff, and Sharon. You'll learn how their interwoven stories create a detailed picture of 1960s Hollywood. This isn’t just about watching a movie; it’s about understanding the intricate patterns that make it successful.



Join us for a deep dive into this film’s structure. Learn, ask questions, and see your own storytelling transform.

Register by June 24th. Don’t miss out on this chance to grow as a writer!



Register here: www.screentakes.com/webinar/



Hope to see you!

Jennine

1 year ago | [YT] | 1

Screentakes

The resonance of Joker extends even further than the sensationalism of its plot, and the tragic inner journey of its main character.



The surrounding world that takes up the background of the story is on its own journey.



This is not only an origin story. It is also a cautionary tale that imagines a world, which has itself changed. The film tells us: this is what can happen in a society in which people are abused and neglected on both an individual and collective scale.


Watch the mini analysis below, and please share your thoughts in the comments. - Jennine

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

Screentakes

The point of showing you A to B story progressions in all of these well-known films is to help you really absorb how they work.

(Watch The Farewell mini analysis→https://youtu.be/YQD-JloJvMs)

When you understand these progressions well enough to be able to identify them in your own screenplay, you'll have more confidence in your work.

You'll also be a more effective advocate for it, as you bring it out into the marketplace to attract producing partners. #storystructure #storyanalysis #screenwriting #screenplay #TheFarewell

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

Screentakes

Why am I focusing on these A to B progressions? https://youtu.be/YQD-JloJvMs

Because I realized that for some creative people, being told they need a structure in their story makes them feel like they're being put in a box. So I like to come into talking about story structure by boiling it down to the most fundamental requirement: you have to have a point A and a point B.

Maybe you're resistant to structure because you read all these structure theories that go into your head as intellectual knowledge, but they don't help you because you work instinctively.

This is the purpose behind analyzing successful films. As you do this deep, analytical study with more and more films, you will begin to notice, over time, that you are automatically applying what you learned from the masters without having to think about it.

Watch this week’s mini analysis of Lulu Wang’s The Farewell: https://youtu.be/YQD-JloJvMs

#storystructure #storyanalysis #screenwriting #TheFarewell #character #storyline

2 years ago | [YT] | 0

Screentakes

Watch this week’s mini-analysis of Lulu Wang’s The Farewell ↓

2 years ago | [YT] | 0