#34 - Find, Diagnose, Treat
Edition #34 of the Lighthouse miniLetter!
You'll always get:
Three examples of great screenwriting
Two quotes about storytelling
One thing to think about
Plus some fun links at the bottom.
Three examples of great screenwriting
Laura
Screenplay by Jay Dratler, Revisions by Ring Lardner Jr., Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt
“Gleams like a silver coin” is very literary. You don’t see this as much today, and honestly (if used sparingly) I wish you did.
Frasier (Pilot)
Created and Written by David Angell & Peter Casey & David Lee
I know it’s a long example (mainly due to unique dialogue spacing of the format) but just top notch writing here.
How old is this joke setup?
And ask yourself, does that matter?
Rocket Boards - A Modern Reboot of “Rocket Power” (Animated Pilot)
Written by Gillian Bissonnette
Bringing us right back into Rocket Power. "Ocean Shores is just how we left it" and then using "SHOOBIES" on the next line.
And it's a small detail, but the scrunchy really brought home those late 90's/early 00's vibes.
A really fun script that revisits these characters 20 years later.
Available to read on The Stunt List.
Two quotes about screenwriting
“Women directors are largely rewarded by critics and awards when they respectfully deliver the canon, rather than reinterpret it.”
“On a human level, people want to see someone succeed who wants to change.”
One thing to think about
Finding is not diagnosing. And diagnosing is not solving.
I literally wrote this on a post-it and stuck it on my monitor while rewriting.
It’s a reminder for me to not jump ahead or jump around, and thoughtfully work through the issues in the current draft.
Articulating a problem is nearly halfway to solving it, and sometimes skipping that step can actually keep you from solving it the right way.
Before I do any actual rewriting, I make sure that I have a list of all of the problems articulated clearly, with an accompanying solution articulated clearly.
If I’ve created that list properly, the rewrite comes easy. (Well, as easy as writing gets anyway.)
So remember:
Finding is not diagnosing. And diagnosing is not solving.
For the next month, you’ll notice some examples from scripts that are on The Stunt List.
The Stunt List is a rad, streaming-style platform for screenplays featuring a “fusion of IP and Original Voice.”
You can find bold original scripts, IP inspired features, TV specs, crossovers, and more.
The Stunt List aims to amplify a new generation of rad ink while building a grassroots community for the stunt script writer.
If you’re a writer looking for inspiration (or a producer looking for a writer) don't miss this year's Stunt List, available now.
Have a great draft,
David Wappel
PS Don’t Miss
ATTN Writers! Do you have a script that would be a good fit for The Stunt List? Submission portal for next year is already open!
Are you a writer over 40? Submit your script to The Grey List!
Listen to any radio station anywhere, from anywhere. Fun to find a radio station that your character could feasibly listen to.