Host Jeff Goldsmith interviews Oscar-nominated screenwriters about their creative processes and challenges. Topics include reigniting creative spark, cinematic education, character growth in storytelling, procrastination, cleanliness struggles, vulnerability, and personal touches in scriptwriting.
Podcast explores multifaceted character dynamics and complex narratives in Oscar-nominated screenplays.
Opening scenes set tone through humor, discomfort, and intriguing questions, engaging audiences in reflective storytelling.
Balancing fantastical elements with emotional depth, films establish whimsical yet grounded worlds for character exploration.
Mad premises blend with dark comedy and tragic revelations to create a compelling mix of humor and tension in storytelling.
Intrigue builds around protagonist's identity and societal expectations, weaving layers of complexity and emotional resonance for viewers.
Desire for deeper insights into character dynamics and narrative depth in key scenes to enhance storytelling experience.
Deep dives
Setting the Scene: American Fiction
American Fiction opens with a striking scene where Jeffrey Wright writes a controversial word on a board, setting a tone of discomfort and humor. The scene challenges the audience to engage with sensitive topics, providing permission to laugh through uncomfortable moments. This deliberate choice aims to spark reflection on race and humor while establishing a satirical yet grounded tone.
Unraveling Mysteries: Anatomy of a Fall
Anatomy of a Fall's enigmatic beginning poses questions about the characters' identities and their connections, introducing a multi-layered narrative. By starting with a dense, intellectual conversation between the characters, the film sets a backdrop of complexity, gradually paving the way for a deep exploration of relationships intertwined in mystery and tragedy.
Cinematic Worldbuilding: The Holdovers
The Holdovers crafts an evocative start by blending seasonal imagery with emotional resonance to establish a sense of time and place. By delving into the personal details of the protagonist's life, the film navigates a balance between fantastical elements like the chicken dog and the bubble machine, layered with the unfolding narrative of a marriage and a fantastical premise, nurturing a whimsical yet emotionally grounded world.
Structuring Comedy and Tragedy: Poor Things
Poor Things artfully structures its opening to balance the introduction of a mad premise with the foundational relationships and character arcs. By swiftly leading the audience into a world ruled by dark comedy and tragic revelations, the film deftly navigates between fantastical elements and character-driven narratives, gradually weaving threads of humor and tension to engage viewers as the plot unfolds.
Mysterious Beginnings: Maestro
Maestro utilizes intrigue from the start by intertwining a character's sexuality with questions of marriage, laying the groundwork for an intricate exploration of a protagonist's identity. The dynamic between mourning and concealed sexuality sets the stage for a thematic journey into the protagonist's complexities, gradually revealing deeper layers of personal and societal expectations, engaging the audience with a blend of narrative depth and emotional resonance.
More of Johnny Red, Johnny Black, Johnny Blue Conversation
American Fiction - Delve into the Johnny Red, Johnny Black, Johnny Blue conversation between the agent and character, wanting more insight into the dynamics of the meeting.
Jesse Plemons' Character Development
Killers of the Flower Moon - Expanded context on Jesse Plemons' character and the relationship with the FBI for deeper understanding.
Clarinet Piece in Past Lives and Killers
Past Lives - More of the clarinet piece in the film to enhance the emotional depth of the scene. Killers of the Flower Moon - Additional layers to the story around the character, David Cromholtz, for added depth.
Stronger Relationship Scenes in May, December
May, December - Enhance the interaction between Natalie Portman and Gracie in the back room crucial to the storyline, adding a more impactful moment.
Desired Longer Discussions Scene
American Fiction - Desired longer scene focused on the conversation between the character and agent, providing deeper insights into the writing process and character dynamics.
Wistful Longing
All Films - Longing for deeper emotional connection in scenes that leave viewers wanting more, hinting at what could have been without ruining the perfection.
Desire for Actor's Dynamics Expansion
Oppenheimer - Joy in seeing more of the interaction between Bradley and Carrie, capturing the tense marriage dynamics they embody.
Host Jeff Goldsmith interviews Cord Jefferson, Arthur Harari, David Hemingson, Josh Singer, Samy Burch, Alex Mechanik, Celine Song and Tony McNamara about their Oscar nominated screenplays.
