How to Write an Oscar-Winning Script

Maryn · Mar 13, 2010

I saw this elsewhere and had to share. Anybody who's analyzed movies, attempting to write their own screenplays, will laugh. Hell, anybody who's seen a lot of movies will laugh. Enjoy.

Oh, and it's work-friendly, under three and a half minutes.

Maryn, chuckling again

Kosh · Mar 13, 2010

Funny indeed. Now I have to go back to my own formulaic script.

Wayne K · Mar 13, 2010

profen4 · Mar 13, 2010

that was great! ao nguc vera ao lot nam goi cam tui ngu cao cap cho be vest cong so nu ao so mi nu cho thue trang phuc

Plot Device · Mar 13, 2010

Catch phrase!

Plot Device · Mar 13, 2010

Inspiring final lines of a speech that douchebags will quote in their FaceBook profiles!

Plot Device · Mar 13, 2010

In all seriousness, when I am writing a sceenplay, there are precise bits of dialogue that I shamelessly craft with the trailer in mind.

Herb Minsky · Mar 13, 2010

Here is a thought by Joe Eszterhas on the subject of the threat title.

http://fora.tv/2006/09/26/Joe_Eszterhas#chapter_03

Jake G · Mar 13, 2010

I had a chance to see Britanick's short "EAGLES ARE TURNING PEOPLE INTO HORSES!" at Slamdance this year. That short, like this, is a great little film. Last I heard, they had some creative meetings with a couple of television networks. I wish them well.

Plot Device said:
In all seriousness, when I am writing a sceenplay, there are precise bits of dialogue that I shamelessly craft with the trailer in mind.

Now, do you write the dialogue and then go, "now that would be a perfect line for a trailer." Cause if that's your thought process, then I have definitely been down that road more than once.

xtine · Mar 13, 2010

Excellent.

ricetalks · Mar 14, 2010

A cute little thing. As always, easier to be clever in analysis than doing from scratch.

I found what Joe Esterhauser had to say about unsolicited scripts more interesting.

Plot Device · Mar 14, 2010

Jake G said:
Now, do you write the dialogue and then go, "now that would be a perfect line for a trailer." Cause if that's your thought process, then I have definitely been down that road more than once.

Yes.

sunandshadow · Mar 14, 2010

Hehe it's like Title of the Song by DaVinci's Notebook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=734wnHnnNR4

WMcQuaig · Mar 14, 2010

So funny yet so true.

ricetalks · Mar 14, 2010

I could make it even simpler.

Lyric,
rhyme,
Lyric,
rhyme.
Lyric,
Rhyme.
Line.
Chorus,
chorus,
Chorus,
Chorus.
Verse,
ryhme,
verse,
ryhme,
verse,
ryhme.
Free line.
Repeat:
Chorus,
chorus.
chorus,
chorus.
30 second Instrumental break.
Chorus,
chorus.
Chorus,
chorus.
repeat first verse.
chorus,
chorus,
chorus,
chorus.
fade out.
But this doesn't make me a musical genuis.

mario_c · Mar 15, 2010

Otherwise known as a beat sheet.

PrincessofPersia · Feb 10, 2011

I can't watch it in my country, apparently. ):

Nightmirror · Feb 10, 2011

PrincessofPersia said:
I can't watch it in my country, apparently. ):

Me neither. Was this made for the UK?

clockwork · Feb 10, 2011

No, it's not working for me anymore either and I'm in the UK. It was originally a BriTANick production for cracked.com. This is the original link: http://www.cracked.com/video_18156_a-trailer-every-academy-award-winning-movie-ever.html

It's clever, but it says a lot more about marketing than scriptwriting. Scenes from even the best films are going to seem hackneyed when spliced out of a 2 hour story and set to music and graphics. Good for a laugh hough.

PrincessofPersia · Feb 10, 2011

clockwork said:
No, it's not working for me anymore either and I'm in the UK. It was originally a BriTANick production for cracked.com. This is the original link: http://www.cracked.com/video_18156_a-trailer-every-academy-award-winning-movie-ever.html

It's clever, but it says a lot more about marketing than scriptwriting. Scenes from even the best films are going to seem hackneyed when spliced out of a 2 hour story and set to music and graphics. Good for a laugh hough.

Thanks for the link. That was pretty funny. You're right that it says more about marketing than scriptwriting.

Curfew Gull · Mar 7, 2011

Eszterhas video

Herb Minsky said:
Here is a thought by Joe Eszterhas on the subject of the threat title.

http://fora.tv/2006/09/26/Joe_Eszterhas#chapter_03

I just watched the whole thing - he's so down to earth, was great!

MarcMcClure · Mar 14, 2011

Too funny!

But can I say, there is nothing wrong with formulas?

How to Write an Oscar-Winning Script

Maryn

I Tried

Kosh

Will Write for Food

Wayne K

profen4

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

Herb Minsky

Life is......ugh, who cares

Jake G

xtine

A hundred words at a time

ricetalks

Plot Device

A woman said to write like a man.

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

WMcQuaig

insert something original or whitty

ricetalks

mario_c

Your thoughts are not real...

PrincessofPersia

Nightmirror

Not so happily ever after...

clockwork

In the zone...

PrincessofPersia

Curfew Gull

Feeding my Muse

MarcMcClure

Dammit Jim! I'm a doctor, not a ...