Step 1: Forgery with McDonaugh and Rubin
Topic · 2 minutes
Three Billboards In Ebbing, Missouri (Drama)
Don’t you envy Martin McDonaugh? He once revealed that he writes fast, from conception to THE END in a matter of weeks. And he only needs to write one script to live well for a year. Using this modus operandi, he punched out masterpieces like IN BRUGES and this one, THREE BILLBOARDS IN EBBING, MISSOURI.
McDonaugh’s character work is outstanding, and I love his dialogue more than Aaron Sorkin’s. His scripts are brilliant examples of how to write strong low budget drama.
In today’s scrippet, we watch Mildred (Francis McDormand in the film) taking spectacular action against her nemesis Dixon (Sam Rockwell), while we listen to a V.O. by Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson).
Observe how McDonaugh weaves these 3 realities: Mildred’s action, Dixon’s oblivion, and Willoughby’s thematic monologue. Sheer brilliance. The fact that he formats the names in an unorthodox way is never an issue in superbly crafted scripts like this.
Did you know…
As of 2018, McDonagh is in a relationship with actress and writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
Ghost (Supernatural)
If you were born in the ’60s or ’70s and you hear the song Unchained Melody, there’s a chance you have visions of Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore.
The movie GHOST was a monumental blockbuster in 1990, and writer Bruce Joel Rubin’s did very well off it.
The scene we are copying today is the film’s Call To Adventure (or inciting incident), where Sam (Swayze) is trying to figure out what happened after he got mugged, and he sees his own body lying in the street.
There’s a lot to learn from the classics, but we’ll have to be cautious with their formatting style.
The camera direction used in this script is not something you want to adopt in your own work. So, avoid “CLOSEUP” or “THE CAMERA TRAVELS WITH HER” unless you are going to direct this yourself AND you have the money in the bank.
Otherwise, readability is key and any technicalities may take the reader out of the story.