It’s legit.  The movie did not lie.  The laid back parking attendant smoked, swore, and insulted my camera phone.  I was amazed.  He was getting ready to battle some drunken vandals emerging from a nearby bar, but he was nice enough to stop and take this picture for us.  He waved at us dismissively as we drove out.

A memo written by David Mamet to his writing staff at CBS answers this question.  This short, sweet document gives practical tips on how you can ask the right questions to analyze the scenes you write.  It’s meaty, with deep insight on the nature of drama from a seasoned writing professional.

I have compiled highlights from the memo that summarize his central points, which are applicable to all writers.  The original source of this is MovieLine.com.

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QUESTION:WHAT IS DRAMA? DRAMA, AGAIN, IS THE QUEST OF THE HERO TO OVERCOME THOSE THINGS WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM ACHIEVING A SPECIFIC, ACUTE GOAL.

SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.

1. WHO WANTS WHAT?
2. WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT?
3. WHY NOW?

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE LITMUS PAPER. APPLY THEM, AND THEIR ANSWER WILL TELL YOU IF THE SCENE IS DRAMATIC OR NOT.

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EVERY SCENE MUST BE DRAMATIC. THAT MEANS: THE MAIN CHARACTER MUST HAVE A SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD, PRESSING NEED WHICH IMPELS HIM OR HER TO SHOW UP IN THE SCENE.

THIS NEED IS WHY THEY CAME. IT IS WHAT THE SCENE IS ABOUT. THEIR ATTEMPT TO GET THIS NEED MET WILL LEAD, AT THE END OF THE SCENE,TO FAILURE – THIS IS HOW THE SCENE IS OVER. IT, THIS FAILURE, WILL, THEN, OF NECESSITY, PROPEL US INTO THE NEXT SCENE.

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THE JOB OF THE DRAMATIST IS TO MAKE THE AUDIENCE WONDER WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. NOT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT JUST HAPPENED, OR TO*SUGGEST* TO THEM WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

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START, EVERY TIME, WITH THIS INVIOLABLE RULE: THE SCENE MUST BE DRAMATIC. it must start because the hero HAS A PROBLEM, AND IT MUST CULMINATE WITH THE HERO FINDING HIM OR HERSELF EITHER THWARTED OR EDUCATED THAT ANOTHER WAY EXISTS.

LOOK AT YOUR LOG LINES. ANY LOGLINE READING “BOB AND SUE DISCUSS…” IS NOT DESCRIBING A DRAMATIC SCENE.

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REMEMBER YOU ARE WRITING FOR A VISUAL MEDIUM…

IF YOU PRETEND THE CHARACTERS CANT SPEAK, AND WRITE A SILENT MOVIE, YOU WILL BE WRITING GREAT DRAMA.

IF YOU DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF THE CRUTCH OF NARRATION, EXPOSITION,INDEED, OF SPEECH. YOU WILL BE FORGED TO WORK IN A NEW MEDIUM – TELLING THE STORY IN PICTURES (ALSO KNOWN AS SCREENWRITING)
THIS IS A NEW SKILL. NO ONE DOES IT NATURALLY. YOU CAN TRAIN YOURSELVES TO DO IT, BUT YOU NEED TO START.

I CLOSE WITH THE ONE THOUGHT: LOOK AT THE SCENE AND ASK YOURSELF “IS IT DRAMATIC? IS IT ESSENTIAL? DOES IT ADVANCE THE PLOT?

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY.

IF THE ANSWER IS “NO” WRITE IT AGAIN OR THROW IT OUT.

What is your unique perspective and why does it work?
What is the story outside the story?
What’s the idea?
What are you selling?  What does the poster look like?
Who are you trying to reach?
What will the website look like?  Promo, network, etc…
You’re not just making a movie, but planning a campaign…

1. it’s a business plan — executives are looking for a comprehensive plan
2. be rigorous and critical – how much? how long will it take?
3. how will you get the product to market?
4. treat exhibitions like a client
5. one option is to hire a publicist and pay for screenings (coupled with social media this could work)

Get ASSETS – during the shoot, get unit photography.  Get a wealth of footage for promotional purposes (most common mistake with indies is lack of pre-production planning)
Website, logline, trailer, stills… you gotta think of everything
What executives are looking for (TOP ADVICE)

1. what is the event?  what’s the incentive?  what will people get from it?
2. get an attorney!!!
3. It’s ART and COMMERCE
4. anticipate how the film will get to the market place
5. feed the crew!!!
6. be teachable

KNOW YOUR ELEVATOR PITCH!

Today I leave for SXSW in Austin, Texas.

My primary goal is to eat a breakfast taco.

What, you say.  You’ve never had a breakfast taco?!

No.  I haven’t.

I’m a newbie at SXSW, so I’m a little overwhelmed excited.  But I have good company (riding on the plane with my friends from Out:think Group).  My friend Dan tells me the conference is insane.  That is the word he uses.  INSANE.  Though he’s never been before so he doesn’t really know.

Looking forward to seeing some old friends and meeting new people.  I’ll be running a camera at this non-profit event, which is cool.  I’ve never been to Austin before.  It’s in the 70’s today, and sunny, which is, of course, also pretty cool.

I imagine I will be tweeting a lot.  You can follow me, but if you only want one person to keep you up to speed about SXSW, follow this guy.  Thanks, Abandon Films, for sending me on this trip.  I will do my best to be where I am.  I have packed some deodorant and Purell hand sanitizer, so I should be good.

The lowdown: South by South West is a trendy and cutting-edge convergence of music, film, and technology.  I will be attending the film and technology conferences.  Quentin Tarantino will be there, though I doubt I will get to meet him.  But I will try.  That will be second priority after the breakfast taco.

I had the privilege to meet Gregg at The Idea Camp last year, and he told me that making a film that focuses on the issue actually does injustice to that issue.  Focusing on telling a good story is what captures the heart of an audience.  Diatribe, preaching, and fear-tactics will leave audiences feeling skeptical.  Beautiful storytelling, however, touches hearts and inspires action.

There is more slavery today than there was during the African slave trade.  Kavi is an important film.  If you are a social advocate or work in non-profit work, you should get a copy.  Audience screening packages are available on the website.

What other social-issue films do you know of that tell a pure story?

We had a lot of fun coming up with this spot.  I wrote and storyboarded the project, and was slated to direct, but due to scheduling conflicts couldn’t be at the shoot.  So my awesome partners in crime Justin Rossbacher and Won Novalis took the reigns and, along with Marc Hutchins, made the spot happen.  Couldn’t have been more pleased with the outcome and am thrilled that the Ad community in the Roanoke Valley is recognizing it.  Thanks again to all those involved!

Here’s the behind-the-scenes look at the production of the ad…

I was recently doing some research on Christian songwriting legend Steve Taylor (he makes movies now), and I came across this poignant statement from a 2008 interview:

I found it difficult as both a Christian and an artist to continually do stuff that’s centered on your persona. It becomes hard to reconcile it with your ego…  …As you go on, it becomes hard to balance all that self-promotion with being a follower of Jesus. I appreciate those who are able to do it well, but it’s just something that can wear you down.

This is especially true for artists, but I think it applies to all God-fearing people in general.  Right?  Don’t all Christians struggle with reconciling their ego with their faith?

Taylor went on to quote a teacher, “…if you were a totally well-rounded mature individual, you wouldn’t need to get up on stage in the first place.”

Hmm…

That may or may not be true.

You should come to the show.  Here’s the low down…

• What:  a local show at a coffee shop.  very cozy and communal.
• Where: @ The Muse in Lynchburg.
• When:  @ 8pm on Saturday, March 6
• Who (the artists):  Ivorywood (Jacob Russo and Harrison Peaks), Justing Snyder, and Set Sights North

During their Twitter game to give away free iPads, they made a hilarious rule that you would be disqualified if you used the word fail incorrectly (as in not posting on my blog for a month is an epic fail).  I started thinking about this and I suddenly started to disdain the phrase.  I’m not judging anyone.  I’m just not going to use the word fail incorrectly.  It’s a thing I have now, thanks to Dreamhost.

On the issue of epic failure (as was mentioned), I have not posted on my blog for over a month.  And though I’m not sure how epic this failure actually is (epic usually means that lives are at stake), it still makes me look really stupid.

At the beginning of the year I created this theme, made goals for my website, and announced that I would post every week.  I posted one other time since then.  That was six weeks ago.  To make matters worse, I hastily created a theme (“other life projects”), and am now looking at the title of that theme and cringing.  I hate it.  Again, really stupid.

I’m not going to say sorry, however, lest mine becomes a blog in which the primary theme is apologizing for not blogging.  I’m not going to apologize for not blogging.  That should be a rule for all bloggers.  If there’s no post for two months, so be it.  Don’t apologize to me for not blogging.  That has got to be the lamest content EVER.

I’m going to write as if millions are reading.  That will be my modus operandi from now on.  I woke up the other morning with a sudden insatiable motivation to write.  I’m going to start.  Now.

Here is our 2009 reel, which showcases a collection of TV ads, promo videos, and video branding campaigns that we worked on last year.

Life is a project.  To me it is like waking up in a room with amnesia.  There are some pictures and some books, and you have to figure out who you are and what you are suppose to do.  And this existential project [of life] is comprised of all these sub-projects.  These are things in the areas of careers, hobbies, life goals, etc.  I’ve decided I’m going to be a better steward of these projects (and thus, hopefully, a better steward of my life).

This blog is one of those projects.  I have a new blog design, which is suweeeet [special thanks to Jason Schuller for this awesome free Wordpress theme that integrates Twitter and Flickr fantastically].  I have three goals for JustinSnyder.net in 2010:

1. To fully integrate my blog with social media and foster connectivity and interaction with those in my industry and network
2. To leave a trail of content detailing a history of the projects I’m a part of by publishing at least one blog post a week
3. To publish articles and links promoting others that I work with or those of whom I admire their work

See you next year!

Just kidding.  I’ll post again in a week.