My Karate is better than your Karate!

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  • My Karate is better than your Karate!

    So I read this article about a reader who had some specific guidelines on what they look for in a script. As it turns out, these guidelines follow a rigid Blake Snyder paradigm, and this reader seemed quite put off by anything not following that paradigm.

    Now we've got Syd Fields and Robert McKees and Joseph Campbells and Aristotles and on and on and on who all have a theory or guideline on how to write the perfect story.

    What I'm wondering, based on this reader, is whether screenwriting is akin to politics and/or religion and the fanaticism that can come with either. Simply put, do we sometimes hold too much confidence in one particular way and presume that our way is the only way to salvation?

    I find the myriad of templates quite maddening myself and have tried to come up with some sort of screenwriting Jeet Kune Do to get a grip on it all, but I'm wondering if tunnel vision is commonplace or a rarity based on other's personal experience.

    And...

    The big AND...

    What kind of hurdles can this put in place when it comes to readers who might subscribe to any one basic tenant?

  • #2
    Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

    Originally posted by ChadStrohl View Post
    So I read this article about a reader who had some specific guidelines on what they look for in a script. As it turns out, these guidelines follow a rigid Blake Snyder paradigm, and this reader seemed quite put off by anything not following that paradigm.

    Now we've got Syd Fields and Robert McKees and Joseph Campbells and Aristotles and on and on and on who all have a theory or guideline on how to write the perfect story.

    What I'm wondering, based on this reader, is whether screenwriting is akin to politics and/or religion and the fanaticism that can come with either. Simply put, do we sometimes hold too much confidence in one particular way and presume that our way is the only way to salvation?
    I would say no and yes.

    I've read for contests in the past, so I understand and pretty much agree with the idea of scripts sticking to some sort of time-tested paradigm.

    That's not to say that a specific event must happen on a specific page, or that every story should be so rigid and formulaic in its design...but it should work in the same ways that great stories have worked for thousands of years...because we know that works.

    All those commonplace beats that we have names for, like Inciting Incident, serve specific purposes. The I.I., for example, tells the reader that the story is actually a story, about a hero with a goal, and not just a bunch of random stuff happening.

    So when you come across a story that ignores the I.I., you are basically told that the story is foregoing plot...which is never a good thing, unless your name is Terrence Malick.

    When I read a screenplay, I just want a story about a person trying to do something. That's it. You would be shocked to find out how many amateur writers get that part wrong.

    I don't think there are many readers who treat any specific paradigm as gospel to the letter. There might be one or two, but they are probably just looking for attention and legitimacy.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

      I really expected this thread to be at least obliquely related to me.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

        Originally posted by Biohazard View Post
        I would say no and yes.

        I've read for contests in the past, so I understand and pretty much agree with the idea of scripts sticking to some sort of time-tested paradigm.

        That's not to say that a specific event must happen on a specific page, or that every story should be so rigid and formulaic in its design...but it should work in the same ways that great stories have worked for thousands of years...because we know that works.

        All those commonplace beats that we have names for, like Inciting Incident, serve specific purposes. The I.I., for example, tells the reader that the story is actually a story, about a hero with a goal, and not just a bunch of random stuff happening.

        So when you come across a story that ignores the I.I., you are basically told that the story is foregoing plot...which is never a good thing, unless your name is Terrence Malick.

        When I read a screenplay, I just want a story about a person trying to do something. That's it. You would be shocked to find out how many amateur writers get that part wrong.

        I don't think there are many readers who treat any specific paradigm as gospel to the letter. There might be one or two, but they are probably just looking for attention and legitimacy.
        That's good to know. I was worried that if I didn't hit some percieved B-Story point at the right moment it would derail a read.

        And sorry about the confusion Todd.

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        • #5
          Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

          Originally posted by Todd Karate View Post
          I really expected this thread to be at least obliquely related to me.
          I did too. I admit, I'm slightly disappointed.

          As for the topic, just write. Syd Field is a good place to start, but it's not an end game.
          Chicks Who Script podcast

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          • #6
            Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

            there is no Platonic ideal "Reader." there are only readers and none of them are going to agree 100% about the merits of your script or any other. as with the writers themselves, some readers are probably brilliant, some . . . less so. and most of them somewhere in between.

            just tell the best story you can in the way that you think will be most engaging to the average reader.

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            • #7
              Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

              Start from FADE IN. Always keep the story moving and interesting. When you have nothing more to say, type FADE OUT.

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              • #8
                Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                Chad, I see you're new so I'll do the cliff notes of DDP --

                Contest readers seem to care about 'guidlines'...

                ...no one else does.

                Only thing to worry about is being clear (so that your readers are never confused) and interesting. That's it.

                In short, follow the Koppelman rule: "calculate less."

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                  Originally posted by Hamboogul View Post
                  Start from FADE IN. Always keep the story moving and interesting. When you have nothing more to say, type FADE OUT.
                  Yep.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                    I would add, every scene should have a purpose.

                    Every scene should be connected and MOVE you FORWARD toward the climax.

                    I also thought this was a Todd Karate thread.

                    Jeff Shurtleff
                    "Some men see things the way they are and say why? I see things that never were and say, why not?"

                    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...4669871&v=info

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                    • #11
                      Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                      Lately I favor the back alley streetfighting kick em in the nuts, thumbs to the eyes, a whack in the head with a 2x4 with nails approach to screenwriting vs. Jeet kune Do. Just a preference. Also, being ftom Chicago that's what we were taught by the park district instead of karate or Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
                      #writinginaStarbucks #re-thinkingmyexistence #notanotherweaklogline #thinkingwhatwouldWilldo

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                      • #12
                        Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                        I don't think anyone cares about that stuff unless the script stinks... and then the reason why it may stink may be one of those things (or not).

                        All of those things are tools.

                        - Bill (I don't know any Karate... but I know a bunch of martial arts champions) (which sounds like a bad 80s Sat morning cartoon: Martial Arts Champions)
                        Free Script Tips:
                        http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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                        • #13
                          Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                          Originally posted by Ire View Post
                          Lately I favor the back alley streetfighting kick em in the nuts, thumbs to the eyes, a whack in the head with a 2x4 with nails approach to screenwriting vs. Jeet kune Do. Just a preference. Also, being ftom Chicago that's what we were taught by the park district instead of karate or Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
                          I like that style too.

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                          • #14
                            Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                            I always believe in following a classical structure of some kind. I think the two books I've found the most useful when it comes to plotting are Aristotle's Poetics and The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker (a Jungian analysis of storytelling). Whenever one of my friends tells me they want to start writing I always give them the same advice: study the classics. Read your Shakespeare and your Dickens, because everything you need to know is right there.

                            Oh, and by the way? My Tiger Style is way better than your Crane Style. Stick that in your opium pipe and smoke it!

                            Cheers,

                            B
                            SIX-GUN GORILLA: LONG DAYS OF VENGEANCE.
                            http://www.sixgungorilla.com/
                            https://www.facebook.com/SixGunGorilla
                            sigpic
                            "... (an) indie powerhouse of a book.- - AIN'T IT COOL NEWS

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                            • #15
                              Re: My Karate is better than your Karate!

                              like Bruce Lee I've got the claw
                              Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue

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