#38 - Rituals
Edition #38 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
Gilmore Girls (Pilot)
Written by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Your voice isn’t just in your characters. It’s everywhere.
The Exorcist
Screenplay by William Peter Blatty
I love how technical this passage is.
Instead of “back to normal” it’s “recomposed.”
Instead of “blood pressure cuff” it’s “sphygmanometer”
Instead of “back of her leg” it’s “Achilles tendon.”
These are professionals.
Also, I just noticed now while typing this up: the colons after the character dialogue. Interesting.
I don’t know what to make of it. But interesting nonetheless.
Magical Negro (Pilot)
Written by Sam Watson
A few things I like about Watson’s work here.
Firstly, this is a montage, but it’s not just individual images. Each section is its own little mini-scene with likely a few shots. I really like how Watson demarcates these with numbers. They act sort of like a mini-slugline, cueing me to a separate instance, but without taking up space or their
Secondly, I like the repetition of “throws CASH” that helps tie all these vignettes together, showing the reaction of Izara and Ezra’s customers.
Some slick work in a really thoughtful script.
Two quotes about screenwriting
“Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else’s.”
“I avoid listening to too many people’s comments about my script. I have learned to take in what is of use. It’s too frustrating looking at somebody’s notes who didn’t get what you were doing. If somebody says, ‘This stinks, and here are all the reasons,’ that’s not going to help you.”
One thing to think about
What are your pre-game rituals?
Most professional athletes have a very specific pre-game rituals.
And while some of them might just be superstitious, most of them develop these to get into a very targeted mindset.
They cue their bodies and their brains for gametime.
For focus. For success.
What can you do that primes you for a productive session?
A few that I’ve done throughout the years:
light a candle
one page of longhand freewriting about what I want to accomplish that session
boil water, grind beans, prepare a single cup of French press coffee
speak aloud the prologue of Henry V
Strangely, the actions of the ritual itself aren’t as important as the repetition of doing them before each session.
What are your pre-game rituals?
Have a great draft,
David Wappel
PS Don’t Miss
Make sure your sunrises and sunsets in your script are accurate! (Y’know, cuz that’s what readers care most about…)