Theme: What 99% Of Writers Get Wrong - Alan Watt [Founder of L.A. Writers' Lab]

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Alan Watt is an LA Times bestselling author and winner of France's Prix Printemps for best foreign novel. He is the writer/director of the feature film, Eddie, Kill the President. which won 4 Best Feature awards at US Film Festivals, and the Filmmaker Visionary award at The Boston Film Festival. He founded L.A. Writers' Lab in 2002 where he teaches his process of marrying the wildness of your imagination to the rigor of story structure in his online 90-Day workshops for novel, memoir and screenplay, to writers around the world. His book, The 90-Day Novel is a national bestseller and was Amazon's #1 book on writing for five months. He has taught his method everywhere from maximum security prisons to Stanford University. His students run the gamut from first-time writers to A-list screenwriters and Pulitzer prize-winning journalists. His motto is, start where you are, trust the process, and let the thrill of creation be your reward.
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Комментарии : 42

@Maazzzo Месяц назад

Thank you for posting this. Alan is always full of great material and explains his thoughts well. To me, Belonging is society, culture, groups, organisations, families-- plural. Connection is about one on one- lover, specific family member, pet, etc. - singular.

@skiatauli Месяц назад

Wow. That was discerned very well.

@Maazzzo Месяц назад

@@skiatauli Cheers :) very kind.

@FlyingOverTr0ut Месяц назад

Great discussion. Watts is a terrific speaker on screenwriting.

@Rotisseriechicken1200 Месяц назад

“Happiness real when shared”. That was what he wrote on the paper right before he died. I’m not sure if he really wrote this in real life, but in the movie he realized this too late right before he died, that you do need human connection. There are other things true that he said too, like exploring and getting out there, but just from my perspective I think in the movie he was also running from something that prevented him from connecting with people. You can see that in the scene with him and the old man on the hill. He shows some avoidance in his demeanor when the old man opens up with him.

@skiatauli Месяц назад

Not sure if it was avoidance. They have a talk up on the hills and when the old man says - he is going to miss him - he too says - he is going to miss the old man too - but adds that the joy of life doesn't really come from human relationships. So I feel it was not avoidance but he just was being true to what he he believes in - what he feels about life - freeing himself from the regular notions about what life should be.

@markh8744 25 дней назад

One reason I find this story so captivating is that my family has a deep history of chosen lives in rural isolation. I understand the desire for tranquility, but I never really grasped why that desire entailed the extreme measure of cutting oneself off from routine engagement with other human beings. It’s a desire that seems so contrary to basic human needs. Another reason I am drawn to this story is the way it upends convention. Most films about connection are about a protagonist who strives to connect but fails to. Into The Wild is a story where the protagonist seemingly wants to disconnect with society. At first you think he is an idealist, a modern day version of Thoreau who can do away with contemporary societal constructs, reap the fruits of life through his co-existence with nature and do so without reliance on others. But as the story progresses, you begin to realize he may be, as you say, running from connection. There are flashback scenes to his parents fighting that may have had a long term traumatic effect on him. He turns away his parents’ financial assistance. Why? Is he simply angry or disappointed with them? Is it pride, stubbornness or ego? Or could it be that deep down he blames himself for the domestic turmoil? The old man, the nomadic couple and others attempt to forge a connection with him, but he dismisses all of their outreached hands. Is it because he truly wants to live a life of isolation, or is it because he feels a life of isolation is what he deserves?

@JJasonHicks Месяц назад

What a great way to thunk about the midpoint and how theme informs structure. If you're not careful meeting the edicts of structure can make you overlook the needs of theme. Fascinating.

@ratemyactors Месяц назад

Fascinating insights from Alan Watt! His points about common mistakes made by writers really resonated with me. Can't wait to apply his advice to my own writing journey. Will definitely be checking out his book, The 90 Day Screenplay, for more guidance. Thanks for sharing this valuable content!

@therunawayrascal Месяц назад

belonging vs connecting is a very interesting move and thing to ponder on.

@userErinn Месяц назад

Gosh, so good! Is there anyway we can gain access to some of those structure questions? I’m drawn to a specific character right now and trying to break down her primal desire.

@johnclay7644 Месяц назад

informative interview

@albertabramson3157 Месяц назад

"Lucky is the writer who knows his theme at the outset." --Paddy Chayefsky There are "thematic questions," and there are plot twists and the greatest of them all, what I call a "theme twist." When Vader says, "No, Luke. I am your father." It completely changes the way that we always look at the saga. From that point on, going over to the dark side becomes a choice to be resisted, like joining organized crime. The whole saga is a new experience. Hints must be dropped early that open up the question if you want people to feel discovery during the reveal.

@Ruylopez778 Месяц назад

Maybe this is a possible interpretation of these terms that would impact storytelling and plot/character: Belonging - surrounded by shared/common values (people who think/feel the same way) e.g. Shawshank Redemption/Fast and the Furious Acceptance - being recognised, knowing ourselves (people who allow us to be our true selves without judgment) e.g. Moonlight/Rocky Connection - understood for who you are (people who really listen) e.g. Lost in Translation/La La Land

@ccwoodlands1565 Месяц назад

Alan is excellent. I wish the interview hadn’t picked this film to discuss because they both don’t have a solid remembrance of the film.

@filmcourage Месяц назад

What do you think?

@albertabramson3157 Месяц назад

Definitely a vid worth watching twice. Just like Braveheart.

@Drudenfusz Месяц назад

I would not call the one word concepts to be themes either, but leitmotifs. A theme is for me a question that gets explored.

@formulaic78 Месяц назад

Just finished watching a ten minute video on the making of swingers. Written in two weeks. About a guy getting over a relationship by hanging out with his buddies. Maybe the theme is overcoming adversity but I doubt Favreau thought very much about that at all. He just thought I'm gonna make a movie about a young actor in Hollywood getting over a girl by hanging with his friends. I don't say this to criticize but just to point out that overthinking things like structure and theme could hamper being able to create something organic and fresh, which Swingers certainly was. I dunno, was Tarantino obsessing over his theme when he wrote Pulp Fiction? No, he was trying to create something fresh. Perhaps interestingly if you type those two titles and "theme" into google there is no agreement on what the theme of either is.

@Ruylopez778 Месяц назад

Every artist has a different way of doing things. The supposed "discovery writers" that just write without outlining are still tapping into their intuition of what works in a story. It's true that you can't prove definitively how a movie was written by analysing the end product, just like a surgeon or mortician can't create a working human body. Just because there's no consensus on the interpretation of a work, doesn't mean the creator didn't think about it. The finished movie isn't necessarily what was on the page, and we never know who uses a script doctor to rewrite their work, or has their peers make crucial suggestions. I think the problem with "structure" is that some people think it has to be a formula to fit ideas into, or the ideas have to come from prescribed beats. But for writers like Watt, that's not what he means. What he means is that a script/story needs events that satisfy the audience (like a transformation) and they have to feel like those events are organic and inevitable. Some writers have very rigid structures, but even within them, the terms are quite flexible, just like "save the cat" could have multiple interpretations in a story. As long as the writer understands the intention of the scene and the impact it has on the story, they can adapt those to fit their ideas. The other thing you have to bear in mind is that writers/creators are still creating a brand for the audience and industry. Tarantino's process seems to involve chilling in the pool, and writing it all out the next day. Is it really like that for him? Maybe. Or maybe he omits all the angst, drudgery and frustration because it doesn't help anyone. Maybe he presumes people don't want to hear him whining about the process? Maybe he hides all his secret techniques so he doesn't jinx himself? At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how those two do it. Try it their way, try it a different way. Craft still elevates an idea, whether you do it intuitively or have to think about it, whether you think in terms of the idea first, or the character first. I think what feels "fresh" comes down to the writer's vision, which comes down to worldview and personality. I think most writers probably overestimate how good their writing is, in which case, more thinking is probably more a benefit than detriment.

@hikersynthesizer Месяц назад

I think people tried filling in the blanks of what Into the Wild was missing. A guy rejected society and ate the wrong plant. It lacked dramatic narrative, no key points, no characters moving plot, no arc, no meaningful conclusion. It's a true story so you can't add those things in artificially, but maybe not all tragedies are a compelling story.

@formulaic78 Месяц назад

This makes me think of a script I wrote about the greatest British jumps horse, Red Rum. His story is similar to Seabiscuit and his owner's story (second hand car dealer who trained horses on the local beach in his free time) is just as incredible. After faithfully writing the screenplay based on the real events I was told there needs to be more family drama! No, there really didn't, because no there really wasn't!

@manatea6012 Месяц назад

After reading The Wild Truth and knowing the parents were abusive, it ruins the story and makes the things he did make sense.

@lloydlim Месяц назад

I agree that if someone wants to discuss a political issue, there are other places than a movie theater. And some political issues relate more to plot than theme.

@bubblybull2463 Месяц назад

Drawing the line between theme and an issue is totally bogus ! Whatever general problem or issue there is in the world can be a theme for a movie when it is what a protagonist is pursuing, whether (s)he achieves it or not in the end. What he wants to say, I guess, is that, when phrasing a theme, it shouldn’t just be « the movie is about X » but rather « it’s a movie about this kind of person(s), in that kind of circumstance, trying to do X and Y, despite Z ».

@Ruylopez778 Месяц назад

Having rewatched INTO THE WILD, here is my take on it related to what Alan says (the movie, not the book or the real person). Mid point: After Chris paddles down to Mexico and is allowed back into the US at the border, he decides to check into a hostel. He has no ID of course, and is told he needs to apply to the DMV the next day. He wanders around the city at night, amongst the homeless, and walks by a bar, where a professional guy in a suit is smiling and chatting. He briefly imagines himself as that guy, and then returns to the hostel to grab his bag and continue his life as a tramp. Perhaps this was about the bureaucracy he faced over a permit to paddle. But Chris seems to prefer the challenge of having no money than when he could fall back on his savings to make traveling easier. There are several times he as the opportunity (temptation) to stay with people he meets and delay or cancel his trip, especially Ron, the old widower he meets before heading to Alaska, but they are more humble than the materialistic ego-driven career lifestyle that his parents intended for him. I think "connection" is certainly an important part of the story. It seems like Chris rejects materialism and modern society, inspired by the writers he admires. The people he connects with along the way are a kind of 'found family', but he repeatedly leaves them to seek solitude in nature. Talking to Ron towards the end of the movie, he suggests that people are not the only important thing in life and that you can feel God through appreciating nature. Perhaps his false belief is something like, "I can replace/delete my parents through a connection with nature". And the advice Ron gives him is, "When you forgive, you love." It seems at the end of the movie, Chris has learned to forgive his parents, and so while his story ends tragically with his death, alone, at such a young age, in some sense he reaches peace. It does seem like he is prepared to risk death in pursuit of this connection to 'God' through nature [it's implied Chris isn't necessarily religious but believes in a higher power in nature and life] and rejection of materialism and conformity, and so places priority on quality of experience over duration. The story suggests he has some vague plan to write or reconnect with the people he meets, but perhaps he is just humoring them.

@kathleenrough4864 Месяц назад

I think it was a tragedy. In dying, he failed to move toward STRENGTH from his FLAW. I thought that the young man in INTO THE WILD was privileged, and ungrateful to the advantages that he had. Very immature. Very selfish. And sad that this journey of his, ended his life. Curious though, years later, if I was to re-watch it, as a mature woman, and mother, would my perspective be different?

@Maazzzo Месяц назад

I agree that it's a tragedy, and that he did fail to move from flaw to strength, but I don't agree with the ungrateful. He didn't feel accepted or included, he didn't feel loved. I don't think that's selfish. I think it's sad, but not selfish.

@wexwuthor1776 Месяц назад

Not a tragedy at all. He got what he wanted, to disavow the material world. Not everybody wants to hold on as long as they can.

@ogelsmogel Месяц назад

I disagree. I think it's deeply, deeply tragic. He died young, he was ignorant and he learned his lesson too late. If you've read the book you'd know he could have actually survived. His ignorance literally killed him.

@wexwuthor1776 Месяц назад

@@ogelsmogel You're assuming he wanted to live.

@ogelsmogel Месяц назад

@@wexwuthor1776 You know, I never considered that perspective before.. it's very grim, but yeah I guess it's possible he was suicidal.

@wexwuthor1776 Месяц назад

@@ogelsmogel To be fair, I should have said it is a tragedy for his family and friends. But for him maybe he found what he was looking for.

@inflintity 29 дней назад

It’s not connection to nature, it’s about disconnection from the former, which is symbolized in him giving his savings away to charity, abandoning his car to hitchhike, burning of his money & driver’s license etc, in essence the very things that represent what he is leaving behind.

@gaznawiali Месяц назад

Chris is primarily angry with his parents and feels betrayed by them. That's mainly why he wants to get away. He finally forgives them/accepts what they did just before he dies. I think it is a tragedy.

@wexwuthor1776 Месяц назад

This guy seems to be overthinking it