lecture 11: it’s what they don’t know!
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Lecture 11: It’s What They Don’t Know!. Professor Christopher Bradley. True Lies (1994) Screenplay by Claude Zidi and Simon Michael and Didier Kaminka. Previous Lesson. Maintaining Interest The “Center of Good” Curiosity and Concern Strategies Mystery Suspense Dramatic Irony. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Lecture 11:Lecture 11:It’s What They Don’t Know!It’s What They Don’t Know!
Professor Christopher Bradley
True Lies (1994)
Screenplay by Claude Zidi and Simon Michael and Didier Kaminka
Previous LessonPrevious Lesson
• Maintaining Interest
– The “Center of Good”
– Curiosity and Concern
– Strategies
• Mystery
• Suspense
• Dramatic Irony
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Wait Until Dark (1976)
Screenplay by Robert Carrington and Jane Howard Carrington, based on
the play by Frederick Knott
Previous Lesson (Continued)Previous Lesson (Continued)• Storytelling Challenges
– Surprise
– Strict Rules for Using Coincidence
– Comedic Design
– Point of View
– Avoiding Melodrama
– Logic Holes
• Assignments3
Wait Until Dark (1976)
Screenplay by Robert Carrington and Jane Howard Carrington, based on
the play by Frederick Knott
This LessonThis Lesson• Dramatic Irony
• Scene Analysis
– Define the Conflict
– Note Opening Value
– Break into Beats
– Compare Closing & Opening Values
– Locate the Turning Point
• Assignments 4
Tootsie (1982)
Screenplay by Murray Schisgal and Larry Gelbart
based on a story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart
Dramatic IronyDramatic Irony
5Lesson 11: Part I
Sweeney Todd (2008)
Screenplay by John Logan
Based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd ClipClip
• Please pause the lecture and watch the first clip from Sweeney Todd.
• Keep in mind what we as the audience know, and contrast that with what the characters know.
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Scene AnalysisScene Analysis
7Lesson 11: Part II
Tootsie (1982)
Screenplay by Murray Schisgal and Larry Gelbart
based on a story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart
Scene Analysis: 5 PartsScene Analysis: 5 Parts
• Define the Conflict
• Note Opening Value
• Break the Scene into Beats
• Compare Opening and Closing Values
• Locate the Turning Point
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Tootsie (1982)
Screenplay by Murray Schisgal and Larry Gelbart
based on a story by Don McGuire and Larry Gelbart
First First TootsieTootsie Clip Clip
• Please pause the lecture and watch the first clip from Tootsie (the scene where Michael Dorsey is arguing with his agent).
• Keep in mind the 5 aspects of scene analysis while watching. We will review them after watching the scene.
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (2) Clip (2)
• Define the Conflict
– Michael Dorsey needs to work to finance his friend’s play. ‘GET ME HIRED!’
– His agent says Michael is unemployable. ‘I CAN’T!’
• Note the Opening Value
– Negative. His agent doesn’t even want to talk to him.
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (3) Clip (3)
• Break the Scene into Beats
– Beat 1:
• ‘I need money for a play.’
• ‘I can’t help you.’
– Michael’s Action: Demand assistance
– George’s Reaction: Refuse assistance
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (4) Clip (4)
– Beat 2:
• ‘I am good at my job.’
• ‘Yes, but you’re too much of a problem.’
– Michael’s Action: Justifying demand
– George’s Reaction: Justifying rejection
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (5) Clip (5)
– Beat 3:
• ‘Directors are idiots.’
• ‘They can’t all be idiots.’
– Michael’s Action: Throwing blame off
– George’s Reaction: Throwing blame on
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (6) Clip (6)
– Beat 4:
• ‘No one in New York will hire me? Not possible.’
• ‘No one in New York OR Los Angeles.’
– Michael’s Action: Denying assertion
– George’s Reaction: Confirming assertion
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (7) Clip (7)
– Beat 5:
• ‘My difficulty is really commitment to my art.’
• ‘You’re committed to stupid details.’
– Michael’s Action: Claim persecution for virtue
– George’s Reaction: Claim persecution for idiocy
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (8) Clip (8)
– Beat 6:
• ‘My integrity should matter.’
• ‘Get therapy.’
– Michael’s Action: Claim moral superiority
– George’s Reaction: Claim mental illness
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (9) Clip (9)
– Beat 7:
• ‘I will succeed.’
• ‘You will fail.’
– Michael’s Action: Strut
– George’s Reaction: Shock into reality
– Then, cut to: Michael in drag as Dorothy!
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (10) Clip (10)
• Compare Opening and Closing Values
– Opening: Distinctly negative, hopeless
– Closing: Determined and hopeful
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (11) Clip (11)
• Turning Point
– The turning point is at the end of the scene, when Michael stops fighting. He has an idea, and this bad news from his agent has pushed him over the edge into drastic action. He is not going to change his commitment to his art. He is going to trick the entertainment industry into working with him.
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (12) Clip (12)
• Define the Conflict
– Dorothy Michaels wants the job. ‘HIRE ME!’
– The director doesn’t want her. ‘YOU’RE TOO GENTEEL.’
• Note the Opening Value
– Negative. The director says no and dismisses her.
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (13) Clip (13)
– Beat 1:
• ‘This is Dorothy Michaels’
• ‘We don’t want you.’
– Dorothy’s Action: Be easy to work with
– Ron’s Reaction: Reject
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (14) Clip (14)
– Beat 2:
• ‘I can do this role’
• ‘You’re too genteel’
– Dorothy’s Action: Argue kindly
– Ron’s Reaction: Reject
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (15) Clip (15)
– Beat 3:
• Kick Ron in the nuts and scold all concerned
• ‘You’re wrong.’
– Dorothy’s Action: Argue not-so-kindly
– Ron’s Reaction: Reject
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (16) Clip (16)
– Beat 4:
• Refuse to commit as to intention
• Invited to audition
– Dorothy’s Action: Stand her ground
– Producer’s Reaction: Surrender
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (17) Clip (17)
– Beat 5:
• Flatter
• Surrender (somewhat)
– Dorothy’s Action: Flatter the director
– Ron’s Reaction: Instantly likes her more
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (18) Clip (18)
• Compare Opening and Closing Values
– Opening: Rejected. Hopeless
– Closing: Tentatively accepted. Hopeful.
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First First TootsieTootsie Clip (19) Clip (19)
• Turning Point
– The turning point is the moment when Dorothy refuses to commit to whether she’s acting or not. She wants to audition. She has shown herself to be the same kind of strong “career woman” as the character.
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip Clip
• Please pause the lecture and watch the second clip from Tootsie (the scene where Les woos Dorothy).
• Keep in mind the 5 aspects of scene analysis.
• Also keep in mind the concept of Dramatic Irony. (Notice! The conflict here is in the subtext!)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (2) Clip (2)
• Define the Conflict
– Les would like to re-marry
– Dorothy isn’t available for marriage, for reasons we as the audience know, but the character Les does not. (Dramatic Irony)
• Note the Opening Value
– Positive. Les is hopeful
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (3) Clip (3)
– Beat 1:
• ‘My daughter is nice.’
• ‘Yes, she is.’
– Les’s Action: Point up his familial assets
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘Yes, I’m in love with her.’)
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Second Second Tootsie Tootsie Clip (4)Clip (4)
– Beat 2:
• ‘I’m glad Ron didn’t come.’
• ‘Me, too.’
– Les’s Action: Dismissing chauvinist.
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘Yes, he’s my romantic rival.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (5) Clip (5)
– Beat 3:
• ‘I thought you’d be a women’s libber.’
• ‘I’m not entirely like the character on the show.’
– Les’s Action: Expressing approval
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘I’m starting to see that I’m a chauvinist.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (6) Clip (6)
– Beat 4:
• ‘I think women should have equal rights, but shouldn’t try to be men.’
• ‘No...’
– Les’s Action: Expressing approval of her femininity
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘But this woman is a man.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (7) Clip (7)
– Beat 5:
• ‘Can I get you a drink?’
• ‘I need my wits about me tonight.’
– Les’s Action: Work to make her vulnerable
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Protection (Subtext: ‘I have to keep track of my lies.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (8) Clip (8)
– Beat 6:
• ‘Tonight?’
• ‘Always.’
– Les’s Action: Check if he’s succeeding
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Shut him down (Subtext: ‘My carefulness has nothing to do with you.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (9) Clip (9)
– Beat 7:
• ‘Males and females are different, and shouldn’t try to be the same.’
• ‘Right.’
– Les’s Action: Claim dominance
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘I’m a man, too. We’re the same.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (10) Clip (10)
– Beat 8:
• ‘Being with someone is the most important thing.’
• ‘Right.’
– Les’s Action: Prepare his case
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: ‘Yes. I want to be with your daughter.’)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (11) Clip (11)
– Beat 9:
• ‘You’re not married.’
• ‘No.’
– Les’s Action: Prepare his case
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Agreement (Subtext: Preparing to escape.)
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (12) Clip (12)
– Beat 10:
• ‘Like another drink?’
• ‘Time for bed.’
– Les’s Action: Try to make her more vulnerable
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Escape
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (13) Clip (13)
– Beat 11:
• She shakes his hand
• He tries to kiss her hand
• She pulls away and leaves
– Les’s Action: Seduction
– Dorothy’s Reaction: Rejection
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (14) Clip (14)
• Compare Opening and Closing Values
– Opening: Positive. Hopeful.
– Closing: Negative. Rejected.
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Second Second TootsieTootsie Clip (15) Clip (15)
• Turning Point
– The turning point is the moment when Les brings up the possibility of marriage. The possibility of hurting the father of the woman he hopes to marry becomes to real. He has to run before his mere presence provokes disaster.
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AssignmentsAssignments
43Lesson 11: Part III
Sweeney Todd (2008)
Screenplay by John Logan
Based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler
ReadingReading
• Read Chapter 11 in Story, “Scene Analysis”.
• Do the Reading Review to be sure you’re clear on what you’ve read!
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E-Board PostE-Board Post• Post at least one example of Dramatic
Irony in a film. Think of a scene where you as an audience member know more than the character(s).
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End of Lecture 11End of Lecture 11
Next Lecture:
Writing Strategies / More on Exposition
The Invisible Man (1933)
Screenplay by R. C. Sherriff, based on the novel by H.G. Wells
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