He didn't want to direct Robocop II, he said, and there was no way he would be talked into it.
The project wasn't going well. Unhappy with the screenwriter, the current director had hired a second writer, asking the two to work separately. There were additional concerns, and the studio wasn't seeing progress. Theaters had been booked nationally for a 4th of July holiday opening, his agent told him, and opening weekend was less than a year away.
He had no interest in directing a blockbuster. His agent wouldn't give up, and when he revealed what the studio was offering, he begrudgingly accepted.
As he told the story to our screenwriting class, he shared how exciting it had been to direct the blockbuster, the extreme size of the explosions during filming and what he had done when he was unable to make his original idea -- showing that it was possible for a human being to fall in love with a cyborg -- work.
It was the first time I understood the difference between a blockbuster (fast paced, explosions, cheap thrills) and feature film as literature (skillfully created, using masterful storytelling techniques to reveal deep layers of meaning). Learning to be able to create the latter would take years of study and work.
One of the most important things I learned while in the master of professional writing program that was reinforced later, in classes I took in the School of Cinematic Arts is that stories are powerful don't have to exist only as a screenplay.
A book or a play can become a feature film; a short story can become a bestselling book. Guest lecturers were writers who had achieved success in more than one genre.
When competing for views, clicks, shares, competition is fierce. While a post or video can go viral with a life of a few hours to several weeks, is it possible to use storytelling techniques to give content a better chance of reaching the audience that will benefit from creating a strong, positive connection with your brand?
It was the first time I understood the difference between a blockbuster (fast paced, explosions, cheap thrills) and feature film as literature (skillfully created, using masterful storytelling techniques to reveal deep layers of meaning). Learning to be able to create the latter would take years of study and work.
One of the most important things I learned while in the master of professional writing program that was reinforced later, in classes I took in the School of Cinematic Arts is that stories are powerful don't have to exist only as a screenplay.
A book or a play can become a feature film; a short story can become a bestselling book. Guest lecturers were writers who had achieved success in more than one genre.
When competing for views, clicks, shares, competition is fierce. While a post or video can go viral with a life of a few hours to several weeks, is it possible to use storytelling techniques to give content a better chance of reaching the audience that will benefit from creating a strong, positive connection with your brand?
Connecting with anything costs the audience. There is the cost of a mobile phone, iPad or flat panel; Internet, Netflix, Hulu. They're also paying with time. Content fights for space within the constraints of their pressure-filled lives.
The most powerful stories are packed with code the audience understands. One of my favorite teachers, Ron Friedman, asked why films created in America are appreciated around the globe. His theory -- because America was a melting pot, from it earliest days stories had to be fashioned so that people from many cultures who had gathered to watch a play or a movie, could understand and appreciate the content.
Next time I will begin to share some of these creative, storytelling theories and tools.
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