Christine Young
Forum Replies Created
-
What I was reminded of is that a writer can put a spin on traditional scene which would be the traditional bank heist where all the characters are working in unison to get the job done like a well oiled machine but in this film, it flipped that and made them a band of self-interested villains looking to be the last man standing all at the direction of a man who directed them to take one another out so that they wouldn’t have to share the wealth. The spin creates intrigue, surprise, conflict and makes it exciting.
-
This movie probably was an inspiration for someone like Aaron Sorkin. It has all the hallmarks of a Sorkin script. Conflict. Conflict. Conflict. I said it is a character study set in a contained space which helps raise the tension. It is an example of how choosing your subject matter, setting the location, and how characters with differing points of view help make a great story.
-
Challenging situation: 11 men vote guilty and 1 man votes not guilty.
Interesting action: For me this is a character study and how each person comes to their decision. The tension develops when Henry Fonda’s character is the lone hold out and when he suggests that they talk about the case, he is met with resistance from the men around the table.
Intriguing Dialogue: Fonda brings up the kid’s upbringing. Ed Begley cuts him off and makes a sweeping statement about knowing what “they’re like”. He then is cut off by Joseph Sweeney who takes him down a notch. Jack Warden taking offense that his voting for guilty was a rush to judgement. John Fiedler saying “I don’t know” as. to why he voted for guilty.
<font face=”inherit”>Something inside this character needs to go on the journey: Fonda’s character feels the moral obligation to consider everything and then discuss it because the fate of the 18 year old </font>defendant’s life is at stake.
-
We open on two men in clown masks ziplining between two buildings high above a city street. Immediate intrigue and interesting action.
A lone figure standing on a street corner holding a mask in one hand but remaining motionless until his ride picks him up (intrigue). Who is this guy?
The discussion that follows inside the moving car establishes there is no loyalty among thieves (plant for payoff) when the driver makes his position clear – he intends on cutting out the 6th guy – the Joker.
The thieves talk about the Joker. The intrigue is that no one on the team really knows who he is. They speculate about him. We learn the Joker instructed each one of them to take out anyone on the team when the moment presents itself which is the twist on traditional heist movies.
We cut back to the two men on the top of the building. Once the alarm is cut, one man puts a bullet in the man’s back (payoff).
It becomes clear this is a bank heist but it isn’t just any bank. A man, presumably the bank manager, takes a stand and asks the thieves if they know whose bank it is? (intrigue and a plant for payoff). He is shot. Falls to the floor.
Another thief breaks into the safe and is immediately taken out by another thief who collects the money (payoff). The number of thieves is shrinking.
The money is in the bank lobby in large duffle bags. Just as one thief prepares to take out the Joker without realizing it, a bus crashes into the building and kills the thief (payoff). The Joker loads the money onto the bus and then kills the last remaining thief (payoff).
One last exchange happens between the bank manager and the Joker before he leaves with the money. He reveals himself to be the Joker (payoff and twist).
-
My name is Christine Young. I’m a ScreenwritingU Alum. I’ve written maybe 6 or 7 features and my focus has been a pilot for a TV series. The truth is that I’m looking for something to spark an interest in writing again. I give a lot of feedback for friends who are writing scripts but haven’t felt the pull to write in some time. It is an odd feeling given that so much of my life I looked forward to writing. I’m hoping this course will jump start something for me.
-
Christine Young
I agree to the terms of this release form