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Lecture 3:Lecture 3:Make It FreshMake It Fresh

Professor Daniel Cutrara

Aliens (1986)Story by James Cameron,

David Giler, and Walter Hill, Screenplay by James Cameron

Previous LessonPrevious Lesson

• Scene Fundamentals

• Scene Analysis

Casablanca (1942) Written by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein,

and Howard Koch

This LessonThis Lesson

• Genre and Structure

• Conventions as Creative Limitations

• Reinventing Genre

• Mixing Genres

• Assignments

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Genre and StructureGenre and Structure

Lesson 3: Part I

““To anticipate the To anticipate the anticipations of the anticipations of the audience you must audience you must

master your genre and master your genre and it’s conventions.”it’s conventions.”

- Robert - Robert MckeeMckee

Genre and StructureGenre and Structure

• According to McKee:– Each genre imposes conventions on story

design.– Conventions are specific settings, roles, events

and values that define individual genres and their subgenres.

– To satisfy your audience you must master your genre.

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Audience ExpectationsAudience Expectations

• Conventions must be followed because:– Audiences go to movies with expectations that

must be met. • Horror, Action, Adventure, Mystery

– However, you can “break” conventions with well constructed “inventions” that will surprise and please your audience.

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An InventionAn Invention

• The Horror convention where the hero and audience believe the monster is dead, but the monster really isn’t, became standard for thrillers and action movies in the 90’s.

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Scream (1996)

Written by Kevin Williamson

Conventions as Creative Conventions as Creative LimitationsLimitations

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The Age of Innocence (1993)

Edith Wharton (Novel)

Jay Cocks and Martin Scorsese (Screenplay)

Convention CategoriesConvention Categories

• Settings– Historical, future, war, medical…

• Roles - type of characters expected– Nobles, aliens, detectives, arch-villains…

• Events– Love at first sight, a crime, a chase…

• Values– Love conquers all…

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Creative LimitationsCreative Limitations

• According to McKee:– The principle of creative limitations calls for

freedom within a circle of obstacles.– Genre conventions are the “rhyme scheme” of

a storytellers “poem.”– Genre convention is a Creative Limitation

that forces the writer’s imagination to rise to the occasion.

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Reinventing GenresReinventing Genres

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Lesson 3: Part III

Reinventing Genres - 1Reinventing Genres - 1

• “Genre conventions are not carved in stone, they evolve, grow, adapt, modify, and break apace with the changes in society.” (According to McKee.)

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Reinventing Genres - 2Reinventing Genres - 2

• The Western has shifted from the simplistic portrayal of good settlers versus bad indians in films like John Ford’s 1939 Drums along the Mohawk to the exploration of flawed humanity in the HBO series Deadwood, created by David Milch.

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Mixing GenresMixing Genres

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Lesson 3: Part IV

Mixing GenresMixing Genres

• Bringing different genres together in one story allows for fresh and exciting storytelling.

• However, if it isn’t done well, it can lead to a failed screenplay.

• Depending on the mix, Hollywood can find it difficult to market. – Boys on the Side - Road Story turns Aids

Drama15

Mixing Genres - Mixing Genres - AlienAlien

• Pause the lecture and watch the clip from Alien.

• What genre(s) are present in this scene?• What elements of the storytelling create

the genre conventions?

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Mixing Genres - Mixing Genres - Alien Alien (continued)(continued)

• Alien contains elements of Sci-Fi and horror.

• These can be found in the following:– settings, roles, events, values

• Horror is also communicated through the direction.

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Conventions - Conventions - AlienAlien• Settings

– Sci Fi - spaceship– Horror - enclosed space - like Haunted House

• Roles– Sci Fi - scientists, explorers– Horror - the preyed upon victims

• Events– Sci Fi - encountering aliens– Horror - encountering monsters

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Conventions - Conventions - AlienAlien(continued)(continued)

• Values– Sci Fi - knowledge of

new species– Horror - survival of the

human species

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The Action Description - The Action Description - AlienAlien

• Mood is created through the action description.– Lighting: shadows, enclosed spaces– Setting: stark, mechanical– Pacing: the slow build up of tension– Point of view: when we see what the character

sees and when we see more

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Mixing Genres 2Mixing Genres 2

• Pause the lecture and watch the clip from Aliens.

• What genre(s) are present in this scene?• What elements of the storytelling create

the genre conventions?

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Mixing Genres - Mixing Genres - AliensAliens

• Aliens contains elements of Sci-Fi and Action.

• These can be found in the following:– settings, roles, events, values

• Action is also communicated through the direction.

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Conventions - Conventions - AliensAliens• Settings

– Sci Fi - Colony in another solar system– Action - A devastated colony

• Roles– Sci Fi - Space Marines– Action - Space Marines

• Events– Sci Fi - The encounter with an alien species– Action - Battling the alien species

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Conventions – Aliens Conventions – Aliens (continued)(continued)

• Values– Sci Fi - saving the

human race– Action - saving the

human race

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Aliens (1986)

Story by James Cameron, David Giler, and Walter Hill

Screenplay by James Cameron

The Action Description - The Action Description - AliensAliens

• Action requires a different mood from horror.– Lighting; not the ominous look of horror. The

Marines bring the light into the darkness.– Setting: the weather and the structures are

embattled.– Pacing: fast, energetic, not the slow build of horror.– Point of view: we see the bigger picture.

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The Alien FranchiseThe Alien Franchise

• The same story can be told in different genres, and mix of genres, however, the genre choices help define the uniqueness of each story.

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Alien Resurrection (1997)

Written by Josh Whedon

The Importance for HollywoodThe Importance for Hollywood

• The Market - Hollywood identifies genre markets, caters to them, and works to sustain them over time.

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The Challenge for the WriterThe Challenge for the Writer

• Genre demands Mastery• Genre imposes Creative Limitations

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AssignmentsAssignments

Lesson 3: Part V

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E-Board Post #1E-Board Post #1• What genre or genres does your script

fit?• Explain why?• Is this the best genre to tell your story?

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E-Board Post #2E-Board Post #2

• Choose one of your peer’s analysis of their genre and post a comment. You can affirm their analysis and/or raise questions and offer suggestions.

End of Lecture 3End of Lecture 3

Next Lecture:

Subplots and Secondary Characters

Aliens 3 (1992)Story by Vincent Ward

Screenplay by David Giler, Walter Hill and Larry Ferguson