This Is How A Director Can Ruin A Movie Without Realizing It - Mark W. Travis
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
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#filmmaking #filmmaker #directing - Фільми й анімація
"The characters in your movie, the characters in the scene, these two people; this husband and wife whoever they might be -- are NOT in a movie." I am f-king floored. Thank you, FC. Mainstream Hollywood need to start watching (and funding) your videos. I almost don't want to share this channel, but alas, it's the very top recommended channel on my page. Love you guys.
Byron, thank you so much for your passionate response. I'm thrilled that that observation floored you. It did the same thing to me many years ago when it suddenly appeared on my mind and came out of my mouth. And thanks for your support of FC. We all need them. Stay in touch.
I love this perspective. That single piece of wisdom can change an entire film.
causbury, great observation. And you are right. It can change and entire film and that's what we need to be aware of. And not only our own assumptions but the assumptions of others on our staff and cast and crew. Stay in touch and keep watching for future clips.
This man is so mind-blowingly brilliant in his craft. I never tire hearing him explain/describe the process to achieve authenticity.
I recently started watching Film Courage. This channel made me think lots of things that I was not aware off.. Thank you for this content. And I really like the questions that you guys put forward.
Hi Mithun, welcome! We're learning with you at the same time. Our best to you as you move forward.
Thank you. I will.
Thanks, Mithun. I'm pleased that this interview has you thinking. That is what I hope for. Thanks. Stay in touch.
Me too! I'm learning so much!
That’s why some writers write so much backstory about the characters even tho that information isn’t shown in the movies because it just helps the director and actor translate the character in the story
He doesn't say it explicitly, but when he talks about "everything we do should be to serve the characters", he hits on a very crucial issue, namely *backstory.* Amazingly, many screenwriters *do not* create [any/much] backstory for each of their [primary/important] characters. This is a monumental mistake, and while he doesn't say it explicitly, he addresses it implicitly. The point is, if you don't know the backstory of the characters, you don't really know the characters [very well], and if you don't really know the characters [very well], you cannot know how to "server the characters". You don't know what they would do, say or react in many situations. And that makes the characters inconsistent or even incoherent with the story and theme, which makes the whole film seem like actors speaking lines rather than a real reality the audience is watching.
@Box Jabber : Yes, intentional ambiguity can. Unintentional arbitrary lazy ambiguity weakens story, coherence and character development.
@Box Jabber : If you're pointing out that "nobody is perfect", I sure can't argue with that. But I might not understand what you're trying to point at.
Love his perspective of how to tell stories, my process of writing comes from developing characters first as well, then following their decisions in the script. Makes the writing and directing process so much easier especially when having discussions with actors. Thanks Mark for breaking this down! And Film Courage I love all of your interviews with him!
Mustafa, you are most welcome. And you make some great observations, "follow the characters". The characters are actually creating the journey of the story, not the writer. The writer and director and even the actors have to get out of the what and 'let the characters lead'. Stay in touch, Mustafa.
I see this any time I watch something in the horror genre, be it a movie or whatever else. The creator assumes what they're making is creepy or scary but usually I end up laughing at it.
Good point, enginesnblades. That's the great danger or trap of filmmaking. I look forward to your comments on future clips from this interview.
Your comments about serving the story are very welcome to me. In my work as a theatre director and theatre actor I grew to have this feeling of being the servant to the story. The script is the words on the page but the character is saying them for the first time. The trick in theatre is how does one preserve this energy over many repetitions? Thank you Mr. Travis and thank you FilmCourage you guys are my favourite UA-cam jam at the moment.
Thank you!
Very helpful, and a great line to inspire your actors is " Your character is not in a movie. He is in his life."
Beautiful. He got to the bottom of it. I just would like to add that it is not always the characters whose reality that we need to serve. It is sometimes the experience of the viewer we need to serve. Let’s take a scene where a character walks into a room. We have the reality of the character out there that we need to serve, but we also need to understand what do we want the audience to feel. Darkness ? Fear ? Curiosity ?
I read his book each time I make a film, it's full of great advice.
Martyn, thanks for the plug for my book. I assume you mean "Directing Feature Films". Have you also read "The Film Director's Bag of Tricks"? Please stay in touch and keep watching for more clips from this interview.
What is the name of the book?
Interviewing the characters: I've heard and read of this many times. There are worksheets and articles to make it simple. But I have only thought of it as a creativity prod until now. He says, they are not in a movie. They are not in a story. This is changing the way and the seriousness I apply to character design. If I can tap into that one thing I think my characters may turn into something memorable. However, some of my characters, some of my characters scare me. Do I really what to go there with them? I probably need to, but I think I'll interview them with bars between us.
I think, Many films which was a Box Office disasters' are having big reasons for failure but "Trap of Assumption" is one amongst the reason for film unsuccess.
I love, Mark, that you speak about the director/actor getting to decide. Sometimes the best stuff comes from how it isn't suppose to play!
This is deep. A lot of filmmakers won’t get it. Not 101 filmmaking here
This is really insightful and helpful. It's also quite dismissive (IMO) of the screenwriter as an "automated creator" that seemingly pumps undeveloped stories without intention.
If we ask "how do you know this is right?" Usually it's because you've been there yourself or have explored this story/life thoroughly. You know what's it's like to be heartbroken, hungry, happy, jealous, vindictive, etc.
I get his point, and overall I agree but I don't think it's an unknowable fact because of implied perspective. I just think people at all levels of the creative process can choose to ignore the genuineness of a character/story for the sake of or something "interesting".
That was my big take away from this, allow the characters to be genuine to the world, people, and story around them. I appreciate his insight.
Thank you for your thoughts, beyondcleon. The goal is to present the characters and the events as authentically as possible. This is the actors' job under the guidance of the director. Taking nothing away from the writer. In fact, working this way, many times the writer begins to see the characters in a new light that he/she only felt but didn't render completely.
just watched sorkin saying the exact same thing a few seconds ago...lool God is trying to tell me something "stop assuming nigga"
afro symphony ... thanks for watching, and for your support. Stay in touch and keep watching. More coming.
Notes:
Writer, director and the actors'. We're all wrong.
1) Characters do not have a script.
2) The characters in your movie, the characters in the scene, these two people, husband and wife, whoever they might be, are not in a movie.
3) Know from the character what they want, what they think, what they feel. Get to the truth of who they are.
4) The only opinion that matters is the opinion of the characters not that of the writer, director and the actors'.
5) The job as the director is to serve the characters.
Mark W. Travis,
I'm buying your books.
This is a lot like what I call "audience advocacy" when I lecture my students. Most have no ability to understand how to connect with the audience. They think everyone thinks the way they do.
Wow, great insight! I'd never considered the idea that neither the director, the actors, and to a great extent even the writer knows exactly what's going on with the characters and their emotions. This really helps me. Thank you for this video!
Waw..waw..waw....awesome..1
This is not only usefully for directors but for Actors as well...,well done ...
Thank YOU guys so much! This is way 1 of the best! Take our narcissistic self out. We're just servants of the stories we're trying to tell.
Thank you. I am always at a loss when they say "Just Play Yourself".
Brilliant! He just made it clear. Demystified the whole process. Thanks.
Mark is an excellent teacher. Glad you found this video.
my most anticipated interview on your channel
We are thrilled we had the opportunity to visit with Mark again. If you enjoyed these first two segments with Mark, we believe you are going to really get a lot out of this full interview. Looking forward to working on this one and sharing more with you in the coming weeks.
Serg, thank you so much for your support. And I look forward to your comments on future episodes of this interview.
The assumption behind his "trap of assumption" is that audiences are inherently interested in the truth of a character. Yes, the director must deeply understand the characters, but I think this character-centric approach is helpful for only certain kinds of scenes.
recently subscribed to the channel. awesome contents and very helpful. i saw the earlier contents were longer and now been clipped.. may i suggest making playlist of the series so we may not miss the overall full interception. thanks . keep uploading thumbs up
Santos, I believe they will post the entire interview at some time in the future, after all the clips have been posted. Much like they did with the interview I did with Michael Hauge. You'll get to see it all, eventually. Stay in touch. Thanks for you interest and for writing.
Wow... genius. Sharp observation.
Informative, thought-provoking and inspiring. Very smart guy.
Serve the character, serve the story.
Great channel, thanks a lot for these videos! :)
When I write I am afraid that I set up "straw men" to be knocked over by my character who agrees with me on important points. After watching this I understand that I have to assemble characters with thoughts and feelings and histories different from mine. There is a sotry about Burt Lancaster who made a film called "The Train." it was set in France during World War II. The Germans are falling back. A German officer is charged with taking a cache of modern art to Germany. Lancaster's character is one of a group of French men and women determined to keep the art in France denying the Nazis any money they could get for the art. When looking for a director, Lancaster asked one candidate what he thought the story was about. He answered that the film was about art, because all Frenchmen love art. John Frankenheimer, who Lancaster's company finally hired, had a different point of view. He said the story was about resistance. All of the people from all walks of life in this resistance action, whether they were members of the armed resistance against the Germans or not, had different reasons to resist but they joined together in a common cause.
Hollywood has a big problem with "straw men" at the moment. They've become accustom to preaching to their audiences, rather than telling a good story, so they take the people they disagree with and paint them into inept villains that their heroes can smartly take down.
Steven, great observations, my friend. And I love the Burt Lancaster story. It shows how the selection of a director, simply on one topic, what the story is all about, is so crucial. Thanks so much for sharing it. Stay in touch and keep watching for more episode from this interview.
Amazing... So amazing.
I never understood film, nor characters in the way he explained.
Where has this channel been all my life ?
Cheers!
thank you mark
You are most welcome, Rutanya. Keep watching and writing. I love your support and enthusiam
I have seen too many wannabe directors create dumb stuff to know this guy is absolutely right.
Brilliant answer
I wish more bid budget movies, were directed by assumption but when a big budget film is investing millions, it is highly unlikely.
He’s so great! Thank you!
omg...this is just like my idea of what a movie is. I'm trying to share with people...its the paralel reality that you can think of with a kind of insight. To me a good movie is real..its the ultimate reality..a better one..with boring bits trimmed:=)
This guy is good!
You don't move the character. The character moves you....
Mind blowing…
Deep
Beautiful...Great interview! :)
Didn't know Al Pacino is a director
Say helloooo! To my little film.
When do we get to see this little film?
Welp... It might be a while it's in production hell. I cant find the right actor been through 2 of them already (They thought it would be fun to act but not serious for them) I am from Oklahoma so the film making community here is small. I think the story is great and the visuals I have in mind will be amazing but you know... hurdles. I rather take time and put out something great instead of throwing it together just to say I made a film. Do you happen to produce by any chance? ;)
My initial thoughts as well lmao
There's this thing called telephone or get your freaking writer with you ... Never heard a director speak so much to my beliefs and yet he has done nothing worth mentioning? And yes, the writer might be wrong as well, despite spending a considerable amount of time more with the characters. So 4 peoples POV right then and there might solve issues that otherwise would end up breaking a movie.
Insightful
Legendary
Brilliant!!!!
I respectfully disagree
The character is from the writer he is the one who created it so he is the one that knows it the most , but I think the only one person who can add things to the character is the actor he has to create something in it in order to relate more like ledger in the joker
But still the one who knows the red line that the actor cannot pass is the writer .
Why directors get this position I don't know .
Turns out Avolation Media has ruined every one of their movies.... oops!
Sorry to hear that, Avolation. But, better to realize that now and not years from now after many more films. Now you can turn a new corner. Stay in touch and keep watching for more clips from this interview.
This is some inception shit lol
NO! Karen, A director is always right.
Wouldn't it be hilarious if her name isn't Karen
How do you dismiss the writer ? Lol he created the damn characters so essentially he’s god. Good play on words but stop telling us that the characters are actually real (unless nonfictional) I’m like 50/50 disagreeing here.