Archive for 'Analysis'
Reshoots
The conventional wisdom is that reshoots are expensive. Something’s not right about the scene that’s discovered later in the process (typically post production or during focus group testing).
The reasons why you need to reshoot are many: technical glitches, rewrites for clarity or intent, or recasting to name a few.
Now you have to get your actors [...]
Posted: April 12th, 2010 under Analysis.
Comments: none
The Third Act Statement of Theme (2009 Pilot Season Edition)
A while back I observed that in pilot episodes, consistently around the third act (roughly about 28-32 minutes in without commercials), a character will explicitly state the theme of the series.
With a few notable exceptions (Sarah Connor Chronicles breaks this rule successfully), this has been the rule more than the exception.
Here is the 2009 pilot [...]
Posted: February 16th, 2010 under Analysis, The Craft.
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Sci-Fi, Technology and Storytelling
I’ve been thinking a lot about the telephone and how it affects storytelling. There was a musical from the 1920s (I can’t recall the title), but the opening scene was of the maid answering the telephone and the dialogue went something like this:
INT. MANSION – PARLOR – DAY
The MAID answers the ringing telephone.
MAID
Carmichael residence... No, [...]
Posted: March 6th, 2009 under Analysis.
Comments: 1
Dexter on CBS
Dexter was made for premium cable. The violence is graphic and disturbing, but not gratuitous, the episodes are littered with colorful profanity, and the protagonist is a sociopath, serial killer who fully demonstrates the theme that some people deserve to die — and die painfully.
When CBS announced that it would air Dexter on broadcast [...]
Posted: February 21st, 2008 under Analysis.
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Product Placement
…starring Jennifer Garner.
Download link
Posted: February 16th, 2008 under Analysis.
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WGA Strike – Week Six Summary and Analysis
Week six of the writers strike has concluded and I have some thoughts.
Next week the force majeur blood letting will begin. Most talent deals allow six weeks of suspended services due to an act of God before they can be terminated without penalty. I’ve always viewed this as the first of the unfortunate [...]
Posted: December 13th, 2007 under Analysis.
Comments: 1
Law & Order: The Reboot
In 1995, after five season on the air, Law & Order got a significant boost to its storytelling. Governor George Pataki signed the death penalty into law in New York State. The series transformed from your average “whodunit” into a thoughtful debate about the merits of the state taking a life.
Whether or not you [...]
Posted: June 29th, 2007 under Analysis.
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