MONDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:
SNOWBALL! (ESCALATING CONFLICT)
In real life we have deadlines... and penalties. “Substantial Penalties For Early Withdrawal”. “Compound Interest”. Pay a bill late, there is a late fee. Keep making minimum payments and next thing you know you owe... a lot! So why should our characters in screenplays or novels be any different?
And they usually have bigger problems than still paying off last year’s Black Friday Sales on their Visa Card... when this year’s Black Friday Sales are days away. In screenplays and novels characters are often dealing with life or death situations! Even Romantic Comedies are all about meeting that one perfect person in the entire world... and you need to act now or end up alone for the rest of your life (or getting third or fourth best). A silly sex comedy like AMERICAN PIE is about four guys who need to get laid before prom night - a deadline!
But come on, Bill, that’s just an arbitrary deadline created by the writer!
First: Yes, and are you a writer?
Second: Is it arbitrary? You don’t think it’s a big deal to miss that arbitrary deadline, nor a bunch of other arbitrary deadlines... and next thing you know you are a 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN! And it’s just a bit harder to get laid or ask someone out or find love when you are that old. Substantial Penalties! Compound Interest! (Or disinterest).
So even in our stories we need to have DEADLINE and PENALTIES and COMPOUND INTEREST. If our protagonist avoids the problem? It just gets worse! If they try to do some quick and easy solve (a Band-Aid) if just gets worse. In a story, we need an escalating problem. So that the Protagonist can’t just put it off until later, they need to ACT NOW (while quantities last). If they don’t act now, or if they try a quick fix? Penalties! Things get worse, just like in real life.
Their problems snowball. They start as something serious but small, and the more our Protagonist puts it off or ignores it or try some easy solution? The more it grows! That rolling snowball of a problem just gets bigger and bigger and bigger until they MUST SOLVE IT NOW! Or else it will kill them. Physically or Emotionally. The problem will win.
And your protagonist will lose.
CAUGHT STEALING (2025)
Screenplay by Charlie Huston, based on his novel.
The trailer might lead you to believe that this is a comedy, but it's really a dark thriller (with lots of humor to balance it out) about a screw up who really needs a chance for redemption. Austin Butler plays your favorite bartender at the diviest of dive bars in New York who has a few drinks on the house every night. A San Francisco Giants baseball fan, who played in highschool and had hopes for the bigs... But things went wrong. Now he gets drunk, has a girlfriend (Zoe Kravitz) who is a paramedic and she wonders if this is a relationship or just 365 one night stands a year.
When the Punk Rocker (Matt Smith, Who?) lives next door's father has a heart attack and the Punk needs to fly home, Butler has to take care of his cat... And that's a lot of responsibility for this guy.
The problem is, his Punk Rocker next door neighbor was also involved with some gangsters, and Butler has to deal with more responsibilities than just feeding the cat...
And this is a guy who doesn't want to be responsible for anything.
And the more he tries to ignore this problem, the worse it gets.
And the problem snowballs out of control.
And there are some very serious consequences... even though the trailer makes it look like a laugh fest.
CHARACTER STUDY + GENRE!
What is interesting about this film is that it's a character study that uses the gangster/crime plot to externalize our protagonist's emotional struggles. By giving him this responsibility (to gangsters) his internal struggles of being a screw up could get him killed if he doesn't actually do something. And the big past screw up that made him who he is today must be dealt with before he can deal with this current gangster (and cop) problem. So we get all of this meaty drama in a story with lots of shoot outs and fights and foot chases and car chases. But it’s really about a guy who can’t face responsibility... because of an event in his past that he doesn’t want to be responsible for... even though he was.
One of the things that I loved about this story is the catharsis that demonstrates he is dealing with past mistakes echoes those past mistakes. Everything us connected and organic, nothing grafted on. You might think his love for the San Francisco Giants Baseball team and his daily phone calls from his mom have nothing to do with the story... but they *are* the story. Those shoot outs and fist fights and car chases are the escalation of that event in his past that turned him into your favorite drunk bartender who doesn’t want to be responsible for his neighbor’s car for a few days.
ESCALATION
It all starts with the cat. His Punk Rocker next door neighbor gives him the cat, some cat food, and the litter box (which already contains some poops). Swell.
But when two Russian gangsters knock on the Punk Rockers’ door, and he tells them the guy isn’t home? The gangsters think he has stolen money from them and that this guy who is close enough to the Punk Rocker to take care of his cat must know more than he’s letting on... and threaten him.
Then a crazy Puerto Rican gangster wants to know where the Punk Rocker went, and he gets threatened again.
Then a pair of *Hasidic* Hitmen (Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio) threaten him.
Then a Police Detective (Regina King) threatens him for being the guy all of those other bad guys thinks has the information about the Punk Rocker’s stash... and if he tells her, she will make all of the other bad guys go away by arresting them.
And things just spin further and further out of control. So feeding the cat escalates to dealing with all of these gangsters and the cop and everything escalates a bit at a time, often in very shocking ways. The gradual escalation allows our irresponsible lead to be constantly forced to be more responsible and also reject larger responsibilities. These are character scenes and moments that are created by the violent crime plot.
Each time things get worse, he ignores any responsibility (except for feeding the cat - his limit - he won’t even scoop the liter box) and runs (physically) away from the problems. I’m not going to spoil all of the plot escalations, but things spira more and more out of control. After taking a beating by one set of gangsters, his Paramedic girlfriend finds him seriously injured on the floor of the apartment (the cat sniffing at him) and takes him to the emergency room where one of his kidneys is so badly damaged they remove it... and tell him he can never drink alcohol again. So, of course, he goes to the bar where he works and gets hammered.
Not only does the conflict escalate, it also becomes more personal. When an alcoholic isn’t supposed to drink because now it will kill him? When he gets into a big fight with his girlfriend? When shocking things happen to him - worse than losing a kidney?
The conflict escalates to the point that if he continues to ignore it thinking it will just go away he will probably die... so he considers maybe doing something. Maybe.
PROPS & ECHOES
Another great thing in the film is the use of props - I looked at using props in a recent Script Magazine article using the film “Blink Twice” as the example... which was co-written and directed by Zoe Kravitz who stars in this film! Props can be the star of the film, and tell the story. From his girlfriend's cigarette lighter that looks like a gun to his Giants baseball cap to the cat (co-star or prop, you decide) to the cat's poop in the liter box to seatbelts to all of the booze hidden in his apartment... Those props tell the story! Not part of the storytelling but something I loved: his mismatched pillow cases. They seemed like what a real bachelor slacker dude would have in his bedroom. Things that didn’t match, because he doesn’t care, because he runs away from responsibility... even home decorating responsibility!
What if I told you that the cat and its poop were the most important things in this story?
Another great thing in the film is an "echo scene" where we get a recurring scene that shows us change in the character. I look at Echo Scenes in the Visual Storytelling Blue Book. The idea is to have two ore more similar scenes and show the change in the character through these scenes... or the lack of change in the character no matter what happens to them. By having the same or similar things happening, or the same location; we focus on what is different in the scene. We can see the change in the character, or see the character refusing to change. One of the “echoes” is taking care of the cat - which he is terrible at. But at one point he actually cleans the litter box which shows us that he now cares for the cat... but also gives us an interesting plot element. Another “echo” is his insane need to put on seat belts when he’s in a car... which gets all kinds of laughs when the Hasidic Hitmen want him to drive their van (to the place where they are going to shoot him dead) and he insists on buckling up first. They are going to kill him once they reach the destination, but he doesn’t want to get hurt in a fender bender before that...
And that connects back to the event in his past that turned a responsible High School baseball star who was being scouted by the San Francisco Giants into this drunk bartended who avoids all responsibility which gets him into all kinds of trouble in this story. Everything is connected. I can't tell you more without spoilers about that event.
CONNECTED CHARACTERS
And all of the characters are interesting because we get conflicting sides of each of them. The Hasidic Hitmen who need to kill people on the Sabbath, but aren't supposed to drive a car on that day (why Butler has to drive)... And are supposed to spend time with their family, giving the great Carol Kane a chance to shine as the Hitmen' sweet mom (an interesting reflection of Butler's mom on the phone who he calls every day but isn't quite as sweet... she has a bit of a potty mouth). The great part about all of these villains out to get whatever the Punk Rocker stole from them is that they are responsible. The Hasidic Hitmen are responsible to their religion - even though they are bad guys! They can’t drive the van on the Sabbath, Butler has to... and he hasn't driven in years. The Puerto Rican gangster is a man of his word - if he makes a promise, he keeps it. Each of the antagonists who escalate the conflict are defined by their responsibility!
There are laughs in the film, but also shocking violence. This is another great example of putting a small dramatic story in an exciting genre and using that genre to bring out the character and drama. One of the fun things is his mom, back in California, who is part of his big cathartic moment near the end of the film... Is finally visually revealed on camera at the end. Laura Dern! That's why her voice was familiar!
This could have been a David Lynch film, with his mix of humor and darkness. The style is different, but that might be a good frame of reference for the type of story. But the lessons in plot escalation - the more he puts off dealing with the problem, the worse it gets... and the more danger he is in... is an important thing in any movie or screenplay or novel. Things must get worse before they can get better. There needs to be a deadline with consequences. Every time your protagonist puts off dealing with the problem or tries some easy solution that doesn’t work? The problem snowballs. Just gets worse and worse and worse.
Your conflict needs to escalate! Or it’s dead! And Unrealistic!
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SHRINKING IT DOWN
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Tips FAQ
THE BLUE BOOKS!
FIND A GREAT IDEA!
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I WRITE PICTURES!
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IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
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THE BUISINESS SIDE
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STORY IN ACTION SERIES!
THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES
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Strange Structures!
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***
Contained Thrillers like "Buried"? Serial Protagonists like "Place Beyond The Pines"? Multiple Connecting Stories like "Pulp Fiction"? Same Story Multiple Times like "Run, Lola, Run"?
HITCHCOCK DID IT FIRST!
This book focuses on 18 of Hitchcock's 52 films with wild cinema and story experiments which paved the way for modern films. Almost one hundred different experiments that you may think are recent cinema or story inventions... but some date back to Hitchcock's *silent* films! We'll examine these experiments and how they work. Great for film makers, screenwriters, film fans, producers and directors.
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LEARN SUSPENSE FROM THE MASTER!
*** HITCHCOCK: MASTERING SUSPENSE *** - For Kindle!
Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?
This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!
Only $5.99
AUDIO CLASS!
NOIR & MYSTERY80 minute MP3 packed with information on writing Film Noir and Mystery scripts. Using examples from CHINATOWN to OUT OF THE PAST to DOUBLE INDEMNITY you'll learn how to create stories in this dark, twisted genre. How to plant clues, red herrings, suspects, victims, spider women, fallen heroes, the funhouse mirror world of noir supporting characters... and the origins of Film Noir in literature Noir dialogue and how noir endings are different than any other genre. All of the critical elements necessary to write in this critically popular genre.
The Noir & Mystery Class is only $15 (plus $5 S&H). First 20 on Limited Black Disk!
PAMDEMIC SALE! $5 OFF!
IDEAS AND CREATIVITY - 80 minute MP3 packed with information. Tools to find ideas that are both personal *and* commercial. Hollywood wants scripts with High Concept stories... but not stupid scripts. Developing *intelligent* high concept ideas. How to turn your personal story into a blockbuster - or find your personal story in a high concept idea. Brainstorming and being creative. Ideas and Creativity is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING INDIES - Writing an Indie film? This class covers everything you need to know - from Central Locations to Confined Cameos. Using examples from SWINGERS, THE COOLER, STATION AGENT and others, this 80 minute MP3 is packed with information. How Indoe films challenge the audience (while mainstream films reassure the audience). Structures, using BOYS DON'T CRY, RUN LOLA RUN, HILARY & JACKIE, and others as example. Writing for a budget, writing for non-actors, getting the most production value out of your budget. Writing Indies is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING HORROR - The essentials of a horror screenplay - what do ROSEMARY'S BABY, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE EXORCIST, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE OTHERS and OPEN WATER have in common? This class will tell you! All of the critical elements necessary to write a script that scares the pants off the audience. Writing Horror is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H).
Click here for more information on CLASS MP3s!
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