February Q&A: Submit your questions!

Beyond the Screenplay

These are awesome questions! Thanks everyone!

Would love to know your thoughts on the obligations film-makers have towards real people they’re depicting, e.g.: to what extent can they legitimately fall back on artistic license / the assumption that viewers know that a film depiction isn’t “real”; how is that affected over the passage of time / is there a point at which it’s basically fine to show any historic person as having done or experienced anything at all; are certain things off limits etc.

Jazz Jackrabbit

What are some of the biggest/most popular movies you're ashamed to say you've never seen?

Where’s the line between “distant hills” and things that appear in a movie/series that becone frustrating because you don’t elaborate?

Brian Bitner

Sorry, I must not have seen your tweet! It was Always Be My Maybe and Long Shot. As the trailers pretty much tell you right up front, the couples get together right at the midpoint of the movie, but then circumstances keep them from staying together in the second half. Like with When Harry Met Sally, it makes the story more rich and complex than if the whole movie is just will-they-won't-they until the end. Thanks for listening!

es arg

i asked this on twitter but brian, what were those two 2019 romcoms you mentioned watching in the when harry met sally episode?? anyway great work as always guys!

What are your individual tools to figure out the central theme in a screenplay, book or any story? And how do you decide your own theme when writing a screenplay. Thank you for your inspiring podcast!

Have you ever adapted pre-existing material? And if so, how do you decide which elements stay in there and which ones you can leave out?

Nate Dickson

You guys should play a game where each of you picks 1 movie for each other that you think is essential they see. Eg. Michael picks a movie he thinks Brian slept on, a movie Alex would love, and one that Tricia might actually enjoy despite it’s quick synopsis.

If you had a Marvel-sized budget, what book, comic, video game, film property, etc. would you adapt or remake into your own film franchise? And how would you approach it?

Stable_Person_

Michael, what other video game stories/scripts have you been interested in lately? As an avid gamer, I've been super excited about your recent video and podcast coverage in this area.