Multiple Plots
in Recent Cinema
A new style of film emerged in the 90’s which violate the usual
constructions of screenplay formula. These are films with multiple
plots in which there is no central lead character in the tradition
sense. The best recent examples are Secrets and Lies, The
English Patient, Pulp Fiction and Kansas City.
They are radically different from the formula film. The traditional
Hollywood formula film focuses on the central lead throughout the
film. At certain plot points something will happen to the lead and
develop the plot. All other characters are subordinate to the lead
and they exist only to develop the lead and the lead’s relationship
to the plot: Hence the term supporting actress and actor. The finest
recent example of the formula film is Jerry Maguire.
Read more...
A NEW ANGLE TO
HISTORICAL SCREENPLAYS
Every film is a period piece. Whether they know it or not, all
filmmakers record history because there is no reality except the
present moment. Everything else is an idea. If you write screenplays
and have a vision of what you think the past was like, and that
includes events that happened today, you’re ready to write a period
piece. The problem is, since historical films were popular from the
earliest days of cinema, it’s become increasingly difficult to write
a period piece that’s not a remake. So what we need is a new angle. Read more...