I’m still reading Alexander MacKendrick's ‘On Film-Making’ and was excited to come to a chapter called, ‘A technique for having ideas.’
It begins, ‘There is no technique for having ideas.’
I'm a big fan of this man. Not just for his films, not just for his prose, but also for his pose in this photo, which I think was taken in Africa. I am assuming he is the man on the roof, not the shadow on the door.
Later in the book (in today's post, I am telling you cool stuff dead people said) he says that in a story, what is happening now is not as interesting as what may or may not happen next. He thinks a story should spend as much (if not more) time on the preparation and aftermath as the event itself.
I’m reading through my script again, looking at the chain of events – am I digging as deep into the meat there as I can? Are we seeing all the motivations and fears and worries and hopes that go into the big events of the play - and the human consequences of the brothers' battles?
It’s not quite a technique for having ideas, but it helps refine those I've already had. At this stage of the writing process, that's probably more important.
1 comment:
Interesting post today. You don't hear much about A. MacKendrick. "Sweet Smell of Success" is one of my all time favorites.
I wonder if what he means by "what may or may not happen" could be a brother to 'suspense' which you'll agree is critically powerful in any story. It's all about audience involvement in any case.
Personally, I'm a big fan of the mythic structure school: Vogler, Campbell and Aristotle.
Post a Comment