Gone Girl - Don't Underestimate the Screenwriter
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- Опубліковано 24 тра 2024
- Gone Girl uses classic screenwriting techniques to tell its twisty, modern noir story. This video examines three of the techniques used by screenwriter Gillian Flynn to see how and why they work so well.
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BOOKS IN THIS VIDEO
“The Anatomy of Story” by John Truby: amzn.to/2pKIO49
Check out all the screenwriting books we use as resources: kit.co/LFTS/screenwriting-books
Original music by: Bryan Ricker
bryanricker.com - Фільми й анімація
Fuck film school. I've got youtube.
lolol
I learned more about screenplay from youtube than from school.. film school allowed me to spend as much time as possible to actually making videos though.
i would think dedicated film schools would be a waist of money. But a normal college that has a film program isn't the worst thing in the world. Its a real degree but it gets you into the industry most of the time (even just a foot in the door)
depends. lots of dedicated film schools get you a crap ton of opportunities. and in the industry that's the most important thing. connection and opportunity
my hero
*_"i really appreciate films that respect the audience."_*
and *_i,_* sir, REALLY appreciate UA-cam CHANNELS that respect the audience. this is really, really good stuff. thank you for all this.
:) I also really appreciate people who take the time to comment encouraging comments. Thanks!!
@@LessonsfromtheScreenplay and i appreciate the youtuber who replies the reply.
AG47 and I appreciate the person who replies to the UA-cam who replied to another persons reply
@@LeesProWash1......................I am Spartacus !
@@billmcpherson I have a red pencil box.
If the term “ugly pause” can convey THAT much then I feel a lot better about becoming a writer. I forget that the words don’t have to be hard to pronounce or overly fancy, ya know? Sometimes less means more.
xD a fictional character's hair could be brunette, mocha, cinnamon, gingerbread, tawny, or chestnut. But sometimes you just gotta know when to call it brown! xD
@@Brindlebrother YESSSSS
The thing about beautiful writing- it's not about using big, fancy words. It's about effect. It can use big fancy words. You can use pretentious prose. But the best writing doesn't care what type of words you use; just the atmosphere and the ideas you create.
"The woods
do that to you, they always look familiar, long lost, like the face of a long-dead relative"
Professional ghostwriter here. Less is ALWAYS more.
she should've won the Oscar for screenwriting for this, she did such an amazing job
you mean he
jesus walkswithus No. She. Gillian Flynn is a woman. Lol
Not that I'd bother to look it up, but it has to have been a woman to design such a crappy plot. Made for the Lifetime channel.
+Dan Davis Have you done better? I can smell your insecurity from here.
+Killer Queen Sexist at that.
Gillian Flynn is an amazing writer, if you read her books you will be mesmerized by how she writes flawed characters and dark stories. The fact that she is so talented to write a screenplay for her own novel adaptation is awesome.
Yes, unlike J. K Rowling, who knows nothing about screenplay writing and still gets to do it.
Gone Girl is two stories merged into one. The first is Gone, and the second is Girl. Gone is a slow revelation of Amy's whereabouts, where the story ends at Amy driving away. Girl is the settling of Amy and her husband into their new, fake lives and marriage. Brilliant story telling despite pretty straightforward story.
It reminded me of Hitchcock film like Psycho or Vertigo a bit since at first you expect the movie to be a murder mystery but at the half point it spoils the mystery and turns into a drama/suspense movie that's more about showing how deranged Amy is.
Also, the title kinda alludes that this Girl is Gone...as in, gone in her head... delusional, megalomaniacal, lying, scheming, conniving, psychopathic killer.
izzad ibrahim I just find the story disgusting that she is so evil and gets away with it because she is a woman
she gets away with it because the story requires her to get away with it so that it can comment on the so called 'perfect' modern couple, the media's harmful role in manipulating how the public feel and how far someone will go in order to get their own way.
The woman narrative and good manipulator angles are only partially true. especially since there are a few potential plotholes where her manipulation could be criticised and because her being a woman is kinda *why* she goes ahead with the extreme plot but not why she gets away with it.
Never thought of it that way
This movie gave me so much anxiety and had me literally saying “for fucks sake” the whole entire second act
for realll
bro the music made me scratch my ears out oh my god
THAT'S why this movie really brought the book to life. The author wrote the screenplay! Gillian Flynn is such an amazing writer. Honestly, the book and movie are everything
I really wonder whose idea it was to change "I think I need a lawyer" to "I don't want to to talk to you again, EVER, without a lawyer." The script line was pretty meh and doesn't fit the tone but the film line was epic.
Agreed. Pretty much every line was changed to something better.
Ben Affleck is also a writer/director, so it’s quite possible that he suggested the changes. If you notice in the examples given in this video, he’s the one who has the biggest changes to the lines.
I always think that about movies sometimes, like how was it finally decided to go with that one line, and know what needs to be said, or how to best say what needs to be said.
*****
Nope, that's a definitely a line of dialog. It has the name of the character capitalized above it. In the screenplay format that means dialog is meant to be spoken from that character. Usually actors follow closely the lines of dialog but the line can be changed if the director agrees to.
Like it’s usually said a film is written 3 times: in the script, when it’s shot, and when it’s edited.
+HelloLillyTV I don't think Amav was debating that it was dialog (nowhere in his comment does it say that he believes it wasn't dialog).He just expressed himself a little poorly. He meant that every line of dialog usually included by a screenwriter isn't meant to be followed with exact precision. They written dialog is merely a guideline, a thought from the screenwriter that sets the tone of the scene. The director can change the line as long as the tone and the intent behind the original dialog is preserved in the new one. Michael says this from 2:00 to 2:10.
You two are basically agreeing with each other without knowing it.
Between this, Every Frame a Painting, Channel Criswell, Film Riot, Nerdwriter1, and a bunch of other channels that are so numerous I can't be bothered to list them, film school is practically obsolete.
KaptainKristian is amazing too
now you see it is good too
Cinefix too
ts bs just watched a couple of his videos, good stuff
You'd be surprised. Film school is still better, really, as it allows you to APPLY the stuff you learned with all the equipment you want/need. And you get instructed by some of the best in the world depending on the film school.
Gone Girl was truly amazing, my brain was frozen for a week after I watched it. Everything was done with so much care, it really paid off.
Please analize Ratatouille :D . I consider it one of the nearly perfect scripts.
rafael Serrano Sansón yes!!! do ratatouille!!
Just watched it again the other days and my god. That script is polished into a mirror shine.
I'm friendly sociallly with a couple of people who work over at Pixar and they compare that shop to a rock polisher.
rafael Serrano Sansón The scene with the food critic is just divine
Really? Should i watch it?
Your Whiplash/Black Swan video was absolutely fantastic! Hope to see more videos like it
Lexi France This just proved the point (don't underestimate the screen writer) this is a comment made by the creator of this very video, he wants to know how many people watched the other video toom
I literally just watched that!
Someone who's actually read the script before talking about it, wow! A rare breed. Great work here.
I'm a novel writer and this channel is incredibly helpful! I love deconstructing how the writing is done in just about anything to serve its story. How do you get a hold of these original screenplays to be able to caption them in your example scenes?
Same! this is a really helpful tool for writers as well as screenplay writers
The screenplays are all available online. In Pakistan, I also request a local shop to import them for me. Reading them is very helpful for me as a Literature student for analysing plays
ah yeah I just learned a little after I posted this comment that the original script for Mean Girls is really easy to find.
the writers guild or some kind of building has the original scripts and then shows what was filmed. the other building is on lacienga blvd.
@@shehreenumair9813 hey, I'm a literature student too in Lahore, it would really help if you could let me know the name of that shop.
I think Gillian Flynn did a FABULOUS job with the screenplay. The ONLY thing I would have changed, is that you don't know, when watching the movie, that you're supposed to think the husband's guilty. You're totally with him and know that he's innocent. The reason the book was so unique was that you thought the husband was guilty and then there was a big twist when you realized he wasn't! Lines like, "that was the first time I lied to the police" made you think he could have killed her.
In any case... I like that you highlight good writing and breakdown what often goes unappreciated. Thanks for that!
This, and Every Frame a Painting, is all I need
check out nerdwriter1 and channel criswell too
lol I'm subscribed to them as well
me too!
You should check out Now You See It as well. Its excellent!
What It All Meant
easily smashed that subscribe button. dude, this is quality content, and it's obvious how much time you had to invest in these vids.
Ikr but seriosuly its giving me new respect for the art industry and ppl with a degree in it
I m a loooooser i know
Another great example for teaching effective screenwriting. Thank you. I'm learning valuable lessons.
My pleasure! Glad they're helpful :)
I love your vids man, the explanation is perfect. Can you do Taxi Driver?
Thanks! That's a popular request, on my list.
Lessons from the Screenplay I know it’s been a year since this reply but I’d love your take on the screenplay, as my contention is that Taxi Driver is a story meant to be told in cinema, from the hypnotic scene transitions to the voice over monologues. I’d be interested to hear your take on the screenplay as well as Scorsese’s direction to make the masterpiece.
Lessons from the Screenplay ooooooooh, yesssssssss! 🙏🏼
YESSSSS
This is fantastic. I'm leaving a comment here as proof so when you hit 1,000,000 subscribers I can humblebrag that I was there since the first video. With this quality I'm calling you'll hit that milestone in a year.
Thank you! Here's hoping :)
I second that. For similar reasons :-)
Leaving my comment here cos the video is amazing.
Same.
We're the Lessons-Crew now.
See, I liked the way subplot characters were handled in this film, but let me tell you, they are my number one pet peeve in most narratives (mostly tv shows). Oh, the protagonist is going through a hard decision, let's throw in some characters that are going/have gone through THE SAME EXACT THING so they can make moral decisions, blah blah blah. At some point it becomes cringe-worthy cause it seems like characters can't make up their own mind. In Gone Girl it's great cause Nick uses it as a tool to learn about Amy and utilize that for his own scheme to get her back, whereas in most instances it's "oh gosh, this person fucked up their life with option A so I'll pick option B" and everything works out perfectly.
Nicely put.I need to keep this in mind,as a writer
Would be great if you could analyze "Lost in Translation" by Sofia Coppola. I find that script really captivating and it's different from the typical Hollywoodian screenplays.
Also, it would be great if you could do in the future analyze something from Kenneth Lonergan. "You Can Count on Me" or "Manchester By The Sea". I find his screenwriting interesting.
Really great job!
the cool girl monologue has lived in my head rent free ever since I read the book n now I watch it on yt often!
Dude these videos you are making are absolute dynamite! So glad i came across your channel, looking forward to new videos
Thanks Howard!
Yeah I have to agree, this is not a freshman attempt at a UA-cam video. Looks like you've been making these for years. Can't wait for more!
It was a fantastic novel and a fantastic movie. I re-watched the movie so many times over the course of a summer a couple of years ago, even got my mom hooked on it. I read the book, and re-read some chapters over and over again. The points of the plot were all woven together like a quilt.
Finally someone who is sharing my opinion. The pacing and portrayed emotions have been a masterpiece to me. I almost cried at how perfect it was. I even enjoyed it the second time I watched it, although at first I thought the first time I was so thrilled because of the "shocking reveal", but it is just a really, really good movie. Everything I ever wanted from a thriller.
Amazing work man. Since you asked, I'd love to see any sort of analysis of Memento, Eyes Wide Shut, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ex Machina, Sicario, The Master, The Thing (1982), District 9, Prisoners, Enemy and The Fountain. Sorry that list got really big really fast, no pressure or anything! Keep up the great work.
Perfect Blue.
I just saw your whiplash and Black Swan review, and am now looking at all of your videos. Good Job
Do the Danish Girl? I love the first description of the screenplay. The way the external merges into the internal and how this symbolizes what the character of Lily goes through.
I love your videos btw!!
Thanks! I still need to see that one!
+Lessons from the Screenplay
I'm curious to know. Is this channel a one-man thing or is there a production behind it?
Just found your channel and I'm loving it. I'm not a screenwriter (I'm in film school majoring in cinematography), but the things you talk about are so important and useful in film as a storytelling device all together. It's always great to discover new sources like this where people like you take the time to break down and analyze these filmmaking tools and share your analysis with your ever-growing audience.
You got a new subscriber, keep up the good work. Greetings from a Norwegian film student :)
Thanks Jonas! I agree, film-making is all about storytelling, and especially as a cinematographer your responsibility is to help tell the story through the visuals, so the more you know about story, the better you'll be. Best of luck!
can you please analyze Pulp Fiction?
Yep. That's a must-do.
On why shit happens everytime Vincent Vega go the bathroom?
That movie's choice of words, I found it shows different stereotypes, cultures, and race of america. Also the plot line maybe means something.
Andam Annisa Indonesia ya. Iya non-linear. QT is something when it comes to screenplay. And don't forget why he always have bar scene in every movie he directed.
Iya haha Indonesia :)
LOVE this. So much substance and real, helpful lessons delivered with style. The "efficient action lines" analysis alone is getting me excited / inspired to read more screenplays and work on my writing.
I really respect the channels that took time and effort to make quality videos like this. Kudos.
The upside triangle is the best piece of new advice I’ve gotten all year. I see it as clear as day, how that can improve my scenes. I’m going to put an upside down triangle about my computer just to remember what I’m writing to achieve for each scene. Thanks.
Man, I am absolutely loving these videos. I'd love to see your take on the move Contagion. Watched it last week - I've never seen someone tackle such a large subject and still find a way to preserve humanity's humanity.
Okay first off...first...Second...SUBSCRIBED THAT MF CHANNEL. Third, I think I just learned something very...very valuable today. Fourth, DAMN IT that's his only video...
Sir you honestly sound like you've held this channel for years...Keep it up! Great explanation on how to make a dialogue scene feel like it matters.
Thank you for being my first comment ever on UA-cam Mikael! I assure your more videos will be coming soon... :)
+Lessons From The Screenplay
Consider me hyped. Also off question, but you don't happen to have any movie books that you'd recommend? I'm looking to get into film analysis myself, but I have no idea where to start reading. The most I've read is Save the Cat! Strikes Back, and soon to be the book you recommended. But I am looking for more books to read. Any advice?
The ones I've read: Story by Robert McKee, Screenplay by Syd Field, Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler, The Art of Dramatic Writing by Lajos Egri.
I've liked some and disliked others, but all help you calibrate yourself
I second this, everything is said.
I came across your channel when I was searching for videos about Gone Girl, one of my favorite movies of all time. I remember, the first time I watched this video, I was blown away by your ability to articulate your thoughts in a way that keeps the audience engaged and just how great the content is. I've just watched your Whiplash and Black Swan comparison (by the way, brilliant work! I've watched both movies but never made a connection between the two), your Nightcrawler, and The Dark Night analyses, and I have to say, you're one of the best channels I've seen in a while. Keep up the fantastic work, and I can't wait to see what you have to say about The Social Network!
Excellent! I wouldn't have known the screenwriting discipline was so intricate without this video. I have a whole new appreciation for the art. Thanks for making this video!
Love these types of film analysis! Keep up the great work!
Thanks! Will do!
I love this. Thank you for this wonderful video!
Thank *you* for watching!
Woah, its nice to see both great content creators see here (even though these comments are old)
I'm glad i found your channel! i really love your work! I've been interested in screenplay or drama movie in general. and you've been so smart on editing the video, the voice over, and the whole package, that makes people want to watch all of your videos! it is entertaining and educating at the same time in not boring way. this is the channel I've been waiting for! keep it up!
Your first video was already of amazing quality. You are one of the best youtube channels out there, LFTS.
Wonderful analysis MT. And such an excellently crafted UA-cam vid, dude Adam said it. Excited to see what's next.
This is one of those films I can watch over and over and still be captivated by it just like the first time I saw it. I'm probably gonna rewatch this movie tonight after watching this script analysis!!🙈🍿
Exactly I'm watching it every year since the release and always find something new to discover.. it's an amazing one.
i love your videos so much, man!! your voice is actually really soothing and it’s clear you have a passion for film 💗
just discovered your channel and your effort is simply amazing and inspiring, I'm loving your videos so much and it helps me getting better at screenwriting.
This is a fantastic video.
Thank you so much for sharing this video.
"Now i am so much happier when i'm death", that is the best line in the movie.
Ive seen the movie once and what i though while watching the film was how i constantly changed whos side I was on. CONSTANTLY. this movie is so good i love it.
Love your apt analysis on screen play. Spot on.
This is incredible. Gone Girl is one of my favorite movies and I'm working through Truby's Anatomy of Story to outline my novel right now. These insights are wonderful and your editing is astounding. Subscribed. Thank you!
Thanks so much! :)
these are so well put together
great content, as always.
I've been binge watching your videos all afternoon; really fantastic stuff.
Straight up, you are probably one of my favorite UA-camrs. Thanks man for what you do.
Addicted to your channel. As a video producer, I love your work and how you narrate and create the plot together! Hope to see amazing success come your way.
Thanks Jacky! That's very kind of you :)
just found your channel, it's brilliant!!! I'm so excited for future videos, these are right up my alley, notifications on! :D
I love your channel. Thank you for existing.
Saw this video in my recommendation and instantly subscribed after watching yet. Now I'm about to binge the rest. Keep up the good work!
You've earned another sub, and I'm going to recommend you to everyone that I know. Both personally and professionally. This is amazing, and is made with so much passion, it's inspiring.
Awesome! I'm flattered :)
Can you analyze the Social Network movie?
Any David Fincher movie honestly!
YES! I love that screenplay! Also, The Zodiac
Yes please....
great video!!! really highlights what makes gone girl such a great film and adaptation. always loved the dialogue and how amy’s role as an unreliable narrator relates back to the thematic and narrative elements in particular.
you're a great teacher. This was one of the best way someone described how to write a screenplay for me. Thank you.
...aaannnddddddddd subscribed.
Thanks Blue Monkey!
Great video! I can't wait to see what you do next!
Thanks cait! :)
such a brilliant channel and resources you've provided, thank you so much!!
Absolutely loved this breakdown. Who knew you could be inspired by the phrase, "ugly pause." Gillian Flynn is a master, as are you for this fantastic video.
Brilliant video, thanks! Very informative.
Gone Girl is one of my favourite films (as is most of Fincher's work - The Game being my favourite), although I know Gillian Flynn deserves most of the credit here. A great example of how both the novel (which is also great) and film adaption can both be enjoyed, because of great adaption! ☺️
Indeed! I love Fincher. I think "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is my personal favorite. Lisbeth is just so cool!
Can't wait to see this channel grow. You make great content.
Thank you Mr. Holmes!
Awesome awesome breakdowns. Have a truly Merry Christmas.
A good sign when I wanted the video to keep going. I could have watched your take on this amazing script for an hour. Very well done! Watched them all now.
Thanks Andrew! :)
I watch videos about film, and screenwriting, and all that shit every day.
Honestly, I think you are the very best channel that breaks down films.
damn thats great, dude. keep up the good work and you could be on par with channels like every frame a painting in both your context and presentation.
Really excellent and helpful information. It makes planning any scene so much easier if you know all you must do is funnel down to that high point. Thank you for this video
I love this book. I think I’ll go check it out at the library and give it another read. Thanks for the reminder of Flynn’s mastery.
im in love with you dude and your vids. cant wait for your channel to grow even more
Thanks Barbara, I appreciate it!
very practical and zero presumptuous movie analisis. well done. Please do one Sci-fi, like 2001
Thanks! Sci-fi will happen for sure.
Love all the content, Michael. Great job
i absolutely LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!!! keep them coming dude!
Not surprised she is AMAZING. As a child, her dad was a Film Professor at a University and he would tell her to analyze the movies they watch together horror movies and all never minding she was a young girl.
Amazing!! Gone Girl is a masterpiece and I love vids like this that give it the critical analysis and praise it deserves. I loved your Black Swan/Whiplash vid as well. Your channel is A+!!
I come back to watch this episode every two weeks. Not even exaggerating. It’s that good and is what got me into my interest in film making/screenplays
This series is incredibly helpful as a writer. Please do more of it. I have no idea how to write screenplays as opposed to novels
This is so interesting. As a screenwriter, in my studies I was always trained to avoid "thinks" because it suggests getting into what characters/actors think, when scripts are supposed to be blueprints of action. Writing "She's sad" or "She thinks he's sad" would be considered weak writing because it doesn't deliver visceral action on screen. So the line "Desi thinks Nick is guilty" would be something like "Desi watches Nick with judgment. Distain. A guilty man on his doorstep." Or something like that. But I guess as the author, Gillian has the luxury of doing whatever because she already knows what they're thinking since she wrote the book.
You HAVE to do The Revenant.
could be cool
Dennis, the script isn't all dialogue, though.
How about All is Lost? A 31 page script with hardly any dialogue at all, haha.
Let me sum it up for you : ARRRRGHHHH!!!!! UUUUUUURRRGHHHH!!!! *pulls himself across the ground* AAARRRGHHHH!!! UUURHHHGHGHHG!!!! *POW POW* AAAARGGHHH!!!
Let's pick a real challenge. Do Max Dugan Returns!
your videos are art within itself! i never even though about screenwriting before but your videos are mesmerizing and really make me think and appreciate the art of films...well done sir!
you are fabulous, i wish you made more content, i know its hard to always produce quality work like this, but so much love for this respect to cinema
This was a great analysis of the movie. I was pretty surprised by NPH. Can you analyze The Silence of the Lambs? I would love to see that. Thanks.
Ooo, that'd be fun!
This is the second video I've seen from this channel and I'm already hooked. Can't wait for more films you'll tackle. Subscribed and shared! :D
Thank you!
I think i love you dude. This is one of the greatest video film analysis's I have ever watched.
Amazing video, I learn a lot after watching this, need to watch this film again tomorrow. Cheers for this video
I really liked Gone Girl, it was one of my favourite 2014 film and I was really surprised when I came to the internet to read that there's people who didn't like it.
As someone who studies media production, I tend to look at more than the film itself: Editing, Colour Grading, Screenplay, Cinematography etc. Gone Girl nailed everything with the right hammer.
Also I wanna say Ben Affleck was amazing in this film.
Don't get to say that often, lol.
Plus, your work has helped me a lot as English student and I'm always recommend your channel as a goo source of information. Really thanks. Keep going!
I have never read or watched a story with such thoughts, I have learned so much from this video. Gone Girl is one of the best stories ever written, it is just so freaking clever. I was both sympathetic and scared of Amy. I understand her motive for vengeance and in awe of the lengths she was willing to do to exact it. Definitely one of the most intelligent and manipulative characters I've ever seen.
This is the fisrt video of yours I've seen. Really enjoyed it, think is a great channel.
lovely video essay, more please!
Finally got to see this movie tonight. MASTERPIECE. Thoroughly enjoyed this video you made as well, super informative 🤙
Another great screenwriting theory/ movie analysis breakdown Michael! Thumbs up.