I love all the points you made! This is the first time I’ve read one of your essays on this platform, but I’m hooked now. So, thanks for that!
Regarding the list of motivations, I would replace “vengeance” with “perceived justice.” It implies the character believes themselves to be morally correct in their actions.
Thank you so much! That's an interesting distinction, I wonder if that's more of an audience judgment after the fact, in most cases. Like you said, the character believes they're right - they were wronged in some way and they just want the offender to pay. In a lot of the revenge stories I love they later come to the realization that the thing they thought they wanted won't really repair the damage done. Ie, killing someone else won't bring a loved one back.
Thanks for this. It's so good to remember why we give this writing work our all, with no guarantees whatsoever except the intermittent joy of doing what we feel called and blessed to do. Even with frequent deep disappointments, it's enough to keep me going.
Wow. "Luck" is such a needed discussion topic for young people these days who are constantly bombarded with "if you just work hard, you can be anything you want and make ALL your dreams come true!" If only popular creative people talked more about the work, hustle, circumstance and kismet that all added up to their success rather than just the trite "you can do it because you deserve it" message they're constantly pumping out... ya know? Harumph. I dunno.
I remember reading Soderbergh's book about the making of Sex, Lies (which, along with Robert Rodriguez and Spike Lee's books formed the holy triumvirate of how-to books on indie film in the early 90s) and he gave this formula, which he may have borrowed and tweaked from another source...
Talent + hard work/drive = Luck.
Something like that. If you practice enough, have chops, and have drive and moxie, you will eventually find yourself in the right place at the right time (i.e. get "lucky"). What do you think about that? Personally, I think I often didn't have the self confidence to follow up on those little moments of luck when they popped up. It's more complicated than that (e.g., I often didn't have the right material at the right time) but that's a big part of it for me.
I'll also point out something in your story that stands out for me: the PIVOT. You believed in yourself enough to one day change your focus from performing to writing, and, yes, probably a big part of you doing that was because you grew up in a supportive atmosphere that encouraged you to take chances. What most people do is give up on the creative pursuit and get the full time job because they're scared of not having security. My college girlfriend who went to NYU for acting got out of school, went right to a full time job as a recruiter, and only went to a single audition (that I got for her). As far as I know, she never really tried to make it, and I think it was because she came from a working class family that didn't put value on the arts or being creative. She also had siblings that were jealous that their parents partially paid for her to go to an expensive private school. Also, she didn't have a mentor to show her a way to success, which I think is huge, and I wish I had when I was younger.
I also love your commitment to learning. It's so important to cultivate a curiosity about craft and human nature in this business. Huzzah!
Regarding the Soderbergh thing, I agree to a point. I think if you keep at it long enough and you're constantly seeking improvement, putting stuff out there, etc, you certainly increase your chances. But I don't know that every single person who follows that path inevitably gets that shot. Seems like a lot of other pieces have to fall into place! I need to pick up that book, by the way. I never read that one!
It's probably an interesting time capsule to read it now. Most of those books were billed as being the directors' "journals" as they developed and shot their movies. I couldn't help but wonder how these guys made sure to journal about their day after 14 hours on set! So I never really bought it, I think they wrote it after the fact, recreating the experience on the page. But whatever the case, they were incredibly helpful for a film student who dreamed of making his or her own features.
I think those are really good points. Desires are just motivations for action, they're not a character's basic nature, or personality traits (like your example of the double-crossing spies) and they can certainly change over the course of a story. They're launch points. The clearer they are, the easier it is for an audience to get on board. Like you said, it's not meant to be prescriptive or dogma, just inspiration or a diagnostic tool.
With MICHAEL CLAYTON it's one simple scene that launches him into the story - the loan shark makes it clear that if he doesn't get the money his brother may be in danger. But over the course of the movie what he wants and needs changes in a big way. The desire for money takes a back seat to the desire for justice.
I love all the points you made! This is the first time I’ve read one of your essays on this platform, but I’m hooked now. So, thanks for that!
Regarding the list of motivations, I would replace “vengeance” with “perceived justice.” It implies the character believes themselves to be morally correct in their actions.
Thank you so much! That's an interesting distinction, I wonder if that's more of an audience judgment after the fact, in most cases. Like you said, the character believes they're right - they were wronged in some way and they just want the offender to pay. In a lot of the revenge stories I love they later come to the realization that the thing they thought they wanted won't really repair the damage done. Ie, killing someone else won't bring a loved one back.
Thanks for this. It's so good to remember why we give this writing work our all, with no guarantees whatsoever except the intermittent joy of doing what we feel called and blessed to do. Even with frequent deep disappointments, it's enough to keep me going.
Agreed! As someone who appreciates your writing, I'm glad you're doing it!
Aww, thank you for that.
Wow. "Luck" is such a needed discussion topic for young people these days who are constantly bombarded with "if you just work hard, you can be anything you want and make ALL your dreams come true!" If only popular creative people talked more about the work, hustle, circumstance and kismet that all added up to their success rather than just the trite "you can do it because you deserve it" message they're constantly pumping out... ya know? Harumph. I dunno.
I remember reading Soderbergh's book about the making of Sex, Lies (which, along with Robert Rodriguez and Spike Lee's books formed the holy triumvirate of how-to books on indie film in the early 90s) and he gave this formula, which he may have borrowed and tweaked from another source...
Talent + hard work/drive = Luck.
Something like that. If you practice enough, have chops, and have drive and moxie, you will eventually find yourself in the right place at the right time (i.e. get "lucky"). What do you think about that? Personally, I think I often didn't have the self confidence to follow up on those little moments of luck when they popped up. It's more complicated than that (e.g., I often didn't have the right material at the right time) but that's a big part of it for me.
I'll also point out something in your story that stands out for me: the PIVOT. You believed in yourself enough to one day change your focus from performing to writing, and, yes, probably a big part of you doing that was because you grew up in a supportive atmosphere that encouraged you to take chances. What most people do is give up on the creative pursuit and get the full time job because they're scared of not having security. My college girlfriend who went to NYU for acting got out of school, went right to a full time job as a recruiter, and only went to a single audition (that I got for her). As far as I know, she never really tried to make it, and I think it was because she came from a working class family that didn't put value on the arts or being creative. She also had siblings that were jealous that their parents partially paid for her to go to an expensive private school. Also, she didn't have a mentor to show her a way to success, which I think is huge, and I wish I had when I was younger.
I also love your commitment to learning. It's so important to cultivate a curiosity about craft and human nature in this business. Huzzah!
Regarding the Soderbergh thing, I agree to a point. I think if you keep at it long enough and you're constantly seeking improvement, putting stuff out there, etc, you certainly increase your chances. But I don't know that every single person who follows that path inevitably gets that shot. Seems like a lot of other pieces have to fall into place! I need to pick up that book, by the way. I never read that one!
It's probably an interesting time capsule to read it now. Most of those books were billed as being the directors' "journals" as they developed and shot their movies. I couldn't help but wonder how these guys made sure to journal about their day after 14 hours on set! So I never really bought it, I think they wrote it after the fact, recreating the experience on the page. But whatever the case, they were incredibly helpful for a film student who dreamed of making his or her own features.
I think those are really good points. Desires are just motivations for action, they're not a character's basic nature, or personality traits (like your example of the double-crossing spies) and they can certainly change over the course of a story. They're launch points. The clearer they are, the easier it is for an audience to get on board. Like you said, it's not meant to be prescriptive or dogma, just inspiration or a diagnostic tool.
With MICHAEL CLAYTON it's one simple scene that launches him into the story - the loan shark makes it clear that if he doesn't get the money his brother may be in danger. But over the course of the movie what he wants and needs changes in a big way. The desire for money takes a back seat to the desire for justice.