Learning to write ruined me

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  • Learning to write ruined me

    I can't watch a movie or TV show now without looking for lines of action, conflicts, spots with too much exposition, etc. etc.

    In a way it's really cool because I'm seeing these shows and movies on an entirely different level now. But in a way it sucks because I can't just lose myself in the movie unless it's a really good one.

    Anyone else find themselves doing the same things?

  • #2
    Re: Learning to write ruined me

    Originally posted by James McMurray View Post
    I can't watch a movie or TV show now without looking for lines of action, conflicts, spots with too much exposition, etc. etc.

    In a way it's really cool because I'm seeing these shows and movies on an entirely different level now. But in a way it sucks because I can't just lose myself in the movie unless it's a really good one.

    Anyone else find themselves doing the same things?
    Yes and no.

    I actually find that I'm more forgiving with movies now because I appreciate how incredibly hard it is to achieve making one.

    But yes...I do constantly look for structure and things. But for me, it's fun. Like a little game where your reward is catching some sort of metaphorical symbolism or spotting a mid-point or something.

    S

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    • #3
      Re: Learning to write ruined me

      Originally posted by James McMurray View Post
      I can't watch a movie or TV show now without looking for lines of action, conflicts, spots with too much exposition, etc. etc.

      In a way it's really cool because I'm seeing these shows and movies on an entirely different level now. But in a way it sucks because I can't just lose myself in the movie unless it's a really good one.

      Anyone else find themselves doing the same things?
      All the time.

      A good example is CSI...ever notice how the "spoon feed" the details. It's almost an insult to the viewer. Caught two minutes of one of them last night. The lady stared at the beaded strangle marks on a victim's neck...and then to a beaded rope by the curtain....and back again to the victim's neck...again to the rope, closer this time...back to the neck. This went on for some time. A simple glance to the rope would have been enough, then cut to the forensics lab.

      I feel like they write for 10 year olds.
      Felicitations, malefactors! I am endeavoring to misappropriate the formulary for the preparation of saleable screenplays. WHO WILL JOIN ME!

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      • #4
        Re: Learning to write ruined me

        Originally posted by James McMurray View Post
        I can't watch a movie or TV show now without looking for lines of action, conflicts, spots with too much exposition, etc. etc.

        In a way it's really cool because I'm seeing these shows and movies on an entirely different level now. But in a way it sucks because I can't just lose myself in the movie unless it's a really good one.

        Anyone else find themselves doing the same things?

        Deja-Vu-Doo....I replied to this in Script Secrets already I think.
        sigpic

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        • #5
          Re: Learning to write ruined me

          Originally posted by James McMurray View Post
          I can't watch a movie or TV show now without looking for lines of action, conflicts, spots with too much exposition, etc. etc.

          In a way it's really cool because I'm seeing these shows and movies on an entirely different level now. But in a way it sucks because I can't just lose myself in the movie unless it's a really good one.

          Anyone else find themselves doing the same things?
          That's the price you pay for admittance to a craft. It's the same for a shoe cobbler, a candle-stick maker...

          But a great story should reawaken the magic, though. It's only the bad or mediocre stuff which reminds me to watch it for structure, etc. When I'm watching West Wing on DVD, Aaron Sorkin can do with me what he will. I'm putty in his hands. But, oddly, if I'm not "swept away" I'll turn to my wife and say, "Aaron didn't write this one, I bet." You can tell almost from the teaser. He's just the best.

          Actors can't watch films the same way, musicians don't hear music the same way either. It all comes down to which side of the fence you want to be on.

          But hang out with great screenwriters (at the Expo in LA, for example) and one thing keeps recurring: they became writers because they loved movies, and they KEEP writing because they love movies. If your craft destroys the magic of what you're doing, you've chosen the wrong craft. A magician who hates magic is... a bad magician.

          $.02
          Last edited by pwrmyth; 11-10-2006, 09:38 AM.
          I'm like an opening band for the sun.
          -- Eddie Vedder: "Push Me / Pull Me"

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          • #6
            Re: Learning to write ruined me

            All the time. Can pick up on the plants in the first act, know when the plot points are coming up, etc. I used to love every movie I watched. Sadly, not anymore.

            However, it was even worse when I was working on the sets of independent movies. I would watch a movie and instead of thiking of the characters/plot, I would think about where each of the lights were set up or how the dolly track was laid down, etc.

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            • #7
              Re: Learning to write ruined me

              Originally posted by pwrmyth View Post
              A magician who hates magic is... a bad magician.
              A BAD magician who enjoys magic is painful for everyone.

              Felicitations, malefactors! I am endeavoring to misappropriate the formulary for the preparation of saleable screenplays. WHO WILL JOIN ME!

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              • #8
                Re: Learning to write ruined me

                (SLIGHT SPOILERS in a twist way)

                A twist hasn't escaped me for a while. And I like twist movies. Damn this Scriptwriting malarky!

                Thank god I'd already watched Usual Suspects, Sixth Sense and Momento before I knew what I know now. As such they're in my top 5 movies ever. (American Beauty and Shawshank since you didn't ask).

                Nothing worse than a twist movie that is easily guessed (Saw, Secret Window, The life of David Gayle etc etc) and they're made infinitely easier by knowing the craft as we do.

                Ohh for a time machine!

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                • #9
                  Re: Learning to write ruined me

                  This is completely off-topic, but, since I'm new here I'll just throw this out... hanging around a bunch of people who can punctuate and type in complete sentences (and spell correctly and DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS FOR NO REASON) is priceless.

                  Needing flirts to speak gramatically -- I guess that's still on topic. How learning to write ruined my dating life... LOL.
                  I'm like an opening band for the sun.
                  -- Eddie Vedder: "Push Me / Pull Me"

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                  • #10
                    Re: Learning to write ruined me

                    Oh it definitely hasn't ruined movies for me, just changed them. Like I said, it's better in some ways.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Learning to write ruined me

                      Originally posted by pwrmyth View Post
                      This is completely off-topic, but, since I'm new here I'll just throw this out... hanging around a bunch of people who can punctuate and type in complete sentences (and spell correctly and DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS FOR NO REASON) is priceless.

                      Needing flirts to speak gramatically -- I guess that's still on topic. How learning to write ruined my dating life... LOL.
                      To paraphrase Truman Capote, there's writing and then there's typing.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Learning to write ruined me

                        Originally posted by Marine66 View Post
                        To paraphrase Truman Capote, there's writing and then there's typing.
                        And hanging out with people who know the diff.
                        I'm like an opening band for the sun.
                        -- Eddie Vedder: "Push Me / Pull Me"

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                        • #13
                          Re: Learning to write ruined me

                          Originally posted by pwrmyth View Post
                          And hanging out with people who know the diff.

                          the magicians

                          Felicitations, malefactors! I am endeavoring to misappropriate the formulary for the preparation of saleable screenplays. WHO WILL JOIN ME!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Learning to write ruined me

                            Originally posted by Marine66 View Post
                            To paraphrase Truman Capote, there's writing and then there's typing.
                            While Kerouac may very well have been a ****bird... he didn't necessarily deserve that.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Learning to write ruined me

                              I remember saying the same thing when I started writing. What really blew is, it makes it harder for me to invent new ways to captivate the reader. I hate when movies lose their potential when you see they're follinwing textbook stuff and ****ing it up still. SO, I follow the saying: Do on to others as you want them to do you... I mean, do others while you're doing you. Ah! whatever!

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