Key points for this class
Business questions
Action, objective, and conflict
Business questions
Theatre is actor's medium. Film is director's medium. TV is writer's medium.
Producer, executive producer, line producer, unit production manager.
In film, producer is the head honcho (gets Oscar). In TV, executive producer is the creator.
Sitcom writing involves a bunch of writers in a room. Hour-long drama is more like film.
Teresa Rebek - "The Family of Man", about sitcom writing.
Action, objective, and conflict
Action and objective. Every scene is driven by your idea of what you're trying to do.
Conflict makes a scene happen. Conflict ---> obstacle. No scene with no obstacle.
David/Erin -- tapes. Obstacle -- feelings of obligation, fear of rejection. David -- tries to attract Ann, but scares her off. Erin -- tries to learn more about the guy I'm attracted to. Revised objective: I struggle past my feelings of obligation and fear to get Graham to love me.
Make more dramatic by upping obstacle. Asking girl out on date. Guy A is smart, popular. Guy B not smart and popular -- more dramatic.
Crank up obstacle, crank up objective. Graham is Ann's last best chance of happiness.
Poker over a long run is not about chance -- high stakes winner not necessarily one with best cards. Stakes (money) changes what you think of your hand. Also horse racing.
What's at stake? High-stakes scene, especially for Ann.
The best objectives fail.
Don't play the end of the scene.
Element of surprise. Maybe, just maybe, I'll do it again.
Have to listen.
Bob/CeCe -- Graham, Cynthia at start of first meeting. Hostile, challenging.
Up and in is better than down and out. Choices that bring stakes up or pull in other work better than choices that lower stakes or push other actor away.