Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

Copyright: © Presented by Chas Fisher & Stuart Willis. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Latest Episodes:

DZ-122: Escalating Antagonism Across Genres Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

Listen to learn how thinking of your hero as the horror (for your villains) makes your script dynamic.

In this episode Chas, Stu and guest Kim Ho continue their exploration into the power(s) of antagonism and how focusing on them can develop story.

While Part 1 looked at the horror film SINNERS, in Part 2 we venture into genres beyond horror with the action-thriller REBEL RIDGE, and the comedy classic MEET THE PARENTS.

To both these films we apply the generative story framework TOMBS (Transgression – Omens – Manifestation – Banishment – Slumber) and are surprised at just how well it maps. TOMBS comes from the MOTHERSHIP sci-fi horror table-top role-playing game. Which we love.

We explore how TOMBS, and thinking about antagonism in general, allows writers to deepen their understanding of their characters, their relationship of the heroes with the antagonists, and generate story fuel in a way that escalates the story.

We discuss how thinking of your hero as the horror for your villains helps everything become more dynamic.

Oh, and we talk about launching an actual play podcast. Which is happening. Stay tuned!

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"There's a great line from Don Johnson later where he says, the deal was fair. The issue is that you felt that you were allowed to offer it. He tells him that he has transgressed against the rules of the laws or the rules of this system of this world." — Chas Fisher @ 00:12:09

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:12 – Escalating Antagonism Part 2
00:03:29 – REBEL RIDGE
00:09:30 – › Writing loglines from the antagonist's perspective
00:14:36 – › Tombs cycle maps onto hero and villain escalation
00:25:07 – › Solve, survive, save structure in action films
00:33:16 – › Self-restraint as survival within systemic corruption
00:45:30 – MEET THE PARENTS
00:51:55 – › Greg's lying as the true transgression engine
00:57:41 – › Structural turning points and escalating disaster beats
01:01:28 – › Jack versus Greg's insecurity as twin sources of antagonism
01:19:33 – › Applying TOMBS structure to map omens and manifestation
01:30:29 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:34:38 – › Mapping antagonism sources to escalate story conflict
01:38:53 – › Expanding beyond Western storytelling structures
01:41:38 – Thanks to our Patreons

FILMS

REBEL RIDGE (2024) — (w) Jeremy Saulnier
MEET THE PARENTS (2000) — (w) Jim Herzfeld, John Hamburg (d) Jay Roach

LINKS

IMDB: Kim Ho
Explore: Mothership
YouTube: The Philosophy of Final Destination
Read: The Philosophy of Horror or Paradoxes of the Heart by Noël Carroll
YouTube: GinnyDI - "This Game used 5 steps to scare the crap out of me"
Listen: 1dZ-01: Arkyvrs - A Mansion Most Vile - Ep1

EPISODES IN THE ESCALATING ANTAGONISM SERIES

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-49: Antagonists! 1 - vs Humans

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-122/

DZ-121: Escalating Antagonism in SINNERS Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Listen to strengthen your story by focusing on the antagonistic forces in your script.

We often struggle to develop the middle stages of a story. Could this be because we focus on our protagonists’ journeys and plot structure more than on how the antagonistic powers are awakened, wronged, discovered, gathering strength and revealing themselves?

In this episode, Chas and Stu are joined by professional screenwriter and playwright Kim Ho to explore how a generative story cycle (from tabletop role-playing game MOTHERSHIP) can be used to develop stories, not just write them better. This cycle is TOMBS: Transgression – Omens – Manifestation – Banishment – Slumber. Kim also contrasts this cycle with the Onset, Discovery, Confirmation, Confrontation cycle identified by horror philosopher Noel Carroll, as well as the philosophy of the FINAL DESTINATION franchise as analysed by The Morbid Zoo.

By applying the TOMBS cycle to Ryan Coogler’s amazing 2025 original feature SINNERS, we discover how focusing on the rising power of the various sources of antagonism can generate narrative fuel (and make your second Act sing); force your protagonists to Survive, Solve or Save (pick one); and how this escalation in antagonism can be mapped quite separately from your protagonists’ character arcs.

To prove that TOMBS does not just work for horror stories, we polled our patreons for which other genres to explore. Stay turned for the next episode (DZ-122) where we apply the TOMBS cycle to thriller REBEL RIDGE and comedy classic MEET THE PARENTS.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"when you use those structures that are out there, they tend to be around plot and they tend to think primarily from the protagonist's point of view. And using this system, we can actually look at the forces of antagonism in a story." — Chas Fisher @ 00:06:31

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold open
00:00:18 – What is T.O.M.B.S?
00:06:31 – › How TOMBS shifts focus to antagonistic forces
00:15:22 – › Reading the five stages of the TOMBS cycle
00:24:12 – › Transgression as thematic and social boundary violation
00:31:04 – SINNERS
00:36:01 – › Delayed horror manifestation and the TOMBS framework
00:45:31 – › Mapping transgression and omens across dual antagonists
00:57:48 – › Confirmation, confrontation, and the stages of horror
01:08:09 – › Survive, solve, save as competing character objectives
01:17:51 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:23:51 – Thank you patreons!

FILMS

SINNERS (2025) — (w) Ryan Coogler

SCRIPTS

Study the script: SINNERS (2025) — Ryan Coogler

LINKS

IMDB: Kim Ho
Explore: Mothership
YouTube: The Philosophy of Final Destination by the Morbid Zoo
Read: The Philosophy of Horror by Noel Carroll

EPISODES IN THE ESCALATING ANTAGONISM SERIES

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-49: Antagonists! 1 - vs Humans

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-121/

DZ-120: Subtext is Overrated! Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

Listen if you're struggling to write subtext without it feeling forced!

Or, how focusing on good drama will result in good subtext. We often hear how subtext is important for good screenwriting. We're here to tell you it isn't. Good subtext is a result of good drama, and your focus should be on creating that good drama. But how?

In this episode, Chas Fisher and Stu Willis are joined by screenwriter and teacher Tom Vaughn (Winchester) to delve into the world of subtext.

We kick off the discussion by talking through Tom's article "Why Subtext is Overrated" and break down his core idea that subtext is a byproduct of character goals, tactics and fears.

We explore this further through close examination of "the other way" scene from MICHAEL CLAYTON, "the strudel" scene from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (both known for their subtext) and the "new years" sequence from THE SUBSTANCE.

Inevitably discussion also turns to the relationship of subtext to emotional truth, theme, symbolism, dramatic irony and filmmaker's subtext.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre & Natalie, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"You can't market subtext, man." — Tom Vaughn @ 00:36:51

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:20 – Intro: What is Subtext?
00:00:21 – Cold Open
00:18:59 – MICHAEL CLAYTON
00:23:18 – › How character tactics generate subtext organically
00:27:26 – › Scene structure breaks down three beats of deniability
00:35:25 – › Subtext requires narrative groundwork to land
00:42:59 – INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
00:46:34 – › French scene structure and dramatic setup
00:53:38 – › Filmmaker subtext versus character-driven tension
01:08:35 – › Writing the score: action lines as emotional music
01:13:48 – THE SUBSTANCE
01:17:41 – › Originality vs. universality in thematic storytelling
01:23:42 – › Reading the script's literal big print as filmmaker subtext
01:35:46 – › Irony and denial as competing interpretations of the ending
01:42:23 – › Subtext through fear: the date scene as contrast
01:46:13 – Wrap up & Key Learnings
01:48:00 – › Two layers of subtext: character awareness vs. filmmaker control
01:49:18 – › Subtext as spectrum between explicit and implicit meaning

FILMS

MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — (w) Tony Gilroy
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — (w) Quentin Tarantino
THE SUBSTANCE (2024) — (w) Coralie Fargeat

SCRIPTS

Study the script: MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — Tony Gilroy
Study the script: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009) — Quentin Tarantino
Study the script: THE SUBSTANCE (2024) — Coralie Fargeat

LINKS

Read: The New Literalism Plaguing Today's Biggest Movies
Read: Emotional Truth Over Subtext: Unlocking Compelling Scenes in Your Screenwriting
Website: Story and Plot
YouTube: Raising the Stakes - What is Subtext?

RELATED EPISODES

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-120/

DZ-119: Final Character Choices & Great Endings Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

Listen if you want to understand how to better dramatise a character's internal journey

In this episode, Stu and Chas focus solely on the final choices made by protagonists and how that reflects their character journey and successfully, or not, dramatises the internal.

We compare and contrast different uses of narrative POV in respect to these final choices. And in particular whether and when the audience is made aware of the options available to the character, the act of making the choice, and the consequences of the choice.

We breakdown examples from DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES, FINDING NEMO, MICHAEL CLAYTON, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and TALK TO ME.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"A character has to make the most difficult decision of their life, and it becomes the crisis because each alternative poses a loss as well as a gain. And so, therefore, characters have to weigh what really matters most to them." — Stu Willis @ 00:23:48

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Opening
00:00:18 – Why Final Choices?
00:03:49 – › Narrative point of view and the order of choice, decision, consequence
00:07:03 – › How withholding character decisions shapes audience perception
00:10:45 – DUNGEONS & DRAGONS
00:15:57 – › The hero's choice: want vs. need, self vs. family
00:19:09 – FINDING NEMO
00:23:30 – › Crisis decision, catharsis beats, and the anatomy of a powerful ending
00:28:45 – MICHAEL CLAYTON
00:33:26 – › The Snowpiercer moment: dramatising binary choice visually
00:40:37 – › Hero's choice made off-camera and revealed through Karen's perspective
00:48:36 – › Character arc, theme, and the cost of moral compromise
00:53:11 – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
00:58:28 – › Withheld plans and dramatic tension in the third act
01:05:52 – › Posthumous agency and the hero's choice after death
01:13:45 – › Logic problems and the power of cinema over narrative precision
01:16:38 – TALK TO ME
01:19:39 – › Story structure and setup of TALK TO ME
01:27:36 – › The withheld decisive act at the climax
01:35:11 – › Ambiguity versus clarity in the film's meaning
01:41:45 – Key Learnings
01:44:37 – › Setup work that empowers climactic decisions
01:50:13 – Thanks awesome patreons!

FILMS

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES (2023) — (w) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein, Michael Gilio (d) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
FINDING NEMO (2003) — (w) Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds (d) Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich
MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — (w) Tony Gilroy
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — (w) Emerald Fennell
TALK TO ME (2022) — (w) Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman (d) Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

SCRIPTS

Study the script: FINDING NEMO (2003) — Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, David Reynolds
Study the script: MICHAEL CLAYTON (2007) — Tony Gilroy
Study the script: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (2020) — Emerald Fennell

SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES

LINKS

YouTube: Michael Arndt - What makes an insanely good ending?
YouTube: Every Frame a Painting - Snowpiercer - Look Left or Right

RELATED EPISODES

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-119/

DZ-118: ADOLESCENCE -- How Questions Create Dramatic Tension May 01, 2025

Show notes

Listen when you need tension without external stakes--subtext, stillness, and thematic weight do the work.

In this episode, Stu and Chas delve into the cultural phenomenon of ADOLESCENCE. We try to find the craft tools that have made the show so compelling and such a catalyst for conversation.

In particular, we breakdown how the show’s emphasis on questions creates tension: not just tension through plot, but tension through character, and ultimately tension through theme.

We analsyse the show episode-by-episode, and discuss how the overall structure skilfully shifts from a plot-heavy police procedural towards a thematic-heavy melodrama and the impact that has on our experience.

We discuss how the decision to shoot the show in a series of “oners” affects the writing and what tools we can take from that to apply to our own writing (even if we’re not writing it to be a one-shot): POV characters, handovers, French scenes, emotional events, and more.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"The absence of plot does not mean the absence of tension." — Chas Fisher @ 00:00:00

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:13 – Why ADOLESCENCE? Craft tools behind a cultural phenomenon
00:03:35 – › Melodrama, stillness, and the emotional contract with audiences
00:07:28 – › Unity of time as a narrative constraint and creative tool
00:09:38 – EPISODE ONE: Did Jamie do it, the audience question vs character objectives
00:13:10 – › Every procedure scene tracks impact, not investigation
00:19:29 – › POV strategy withholds Jamie to centre Eddie's emotional event
00:27:35 – › Who is the protagonist when plot belongs to the detectives
00:32:18 – EPISODE TWO: School as world, motivation as a character question
00:36:03 – › Luke's emotional event with his son unlocks the plot
00:39:24 – › Melodrama broadens the world through shallow but purposeful characters
00:44:35 – › A dialogue scene resolves character questions and opens thematic ones
00:46:47 – EPISODE THREE: Briony and the forensic interview as character excavation
00:51:12 – › Win conditions are hidden when the goal is understanding, not confession
00:55:07 – › Jamie's rage, restricted access, and what we project onto him
00:57:49 – EPISODE FOUR: Social realism melodrama and a light plot engine
01:00:19 – › The van incident as a vehicle for Eddie's sense of agency
01:04:13 – › Responsibility, inherited anger, and the thematic endgame
01:09:05 – › Incomplete questions invite the audience to finish the argument
01:19:05 – Melodrama: Ordinary People, Big Emotion, and Genre as Emotional Contract
01:23:32 – Scene-Level Tools: POV, French Scenes, Handovers, and Tension Through Questions
01:30:51 – › Introducing characters before they appear controls audience questions
01:36:59 – › Handovers and French scenes solve pacing inside a continuous take
01:44:22 – › The point of view character of a scene is whoever is most impacted
01:51:12 – › Using a character question to resolve a plot problem
01:52:56 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:58:27 – Patreon Thanks

SHOWS

ADOLESCENCE 1x1 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w)
ADOLESCENCE 1x2 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w)
ADOLESCENCE 1x3 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w)
ADOLESCENCE 1x4 — Philip Barantini (d), Jack Thorne, Stephen Graham (w)

LINKS

RELATED EPISODES

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-118/

DZ-117: Pulling Off Tonal Shifts Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

Listen if you want to write tonal pivots that land on the page without a director's toolkit.

Following on from our episodes on establishing tone through action lines and through character, this is what we have been building up to: how to pull off a tonal switch… that does NOT throw the audience out of the film. And, in particular, how to pull that off on the page when writers don’t have framing, lighting, music, editing, etc. at our disposal?

With that goal in mind, Mel and Chas dissect specific moments on the pages of SHAUN OF THE DEAD, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU and SWISS ARMY MAN.

While there are definite craft tools identified - rhythm of action lines, varying use of unfilmmables and metaphors, establishing language patterns - the two big takeaways are:

(1) pulling off a tonal shift takes a lot of setup; and (2) when the time comes, contrast on the page is key.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon.
Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"Not only does it allow us to accept the mother's death, but it allows them to really go for emotion because they've already taught us that throughout the film, there will be these moments." — Chas Fisher @ 00:00:00

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:25 – What do we mean by tonal shift?
00:08:35 – Distinguishing between genre shift and tonal shift
00:13:08 – Shaun of the Dead
00:45:41 – Sorry to Bother You
01:28:07 – Swiss Army Man
02:02:10 – Key learnings and wrap up
02:06:35 – Patreon thanks

FILMS

SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) — (w) Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright (d) Edgar Wright
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) — (w) Boots Riley
SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) — (w) Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

SCRIPTS

Study the script: SHAUN OF THE DEAD (2004) — Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
Study the script: SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) — Boots Riley
Study the script: SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert

SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES

Framing [between] Them: SHAUN OF THE DEAD

LINKS

YouTube: Every Frame A Painting - Edgar Wright - How to Do Visual Comedy

EPISODES IN THE TONE SERIES

DZ-117: Pulling Off Tonal Shifts

RELATED EPISODES

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-117/

DZ-116: Writing Physical Comedy Feb 26, 2025

Show notes

Listen to learn how formatting--white space, caps, dashes--becomes your comedy toolkit without a director.

Mel joins Chas to tackle physical comedy. We limited our homework selection to extended scenes (as opposed to moments and sight gags) in live action projects and – with the help of our Patreons – selected early sequences from BRINGING UP BABY, the pilot for HAPPY ENDINGS and that wonderful food poisoning scene in BRIDESMAIDS.

We discover how these incredible writers take their time (on the page) to set up geography, framing and running gags. We also get tips on judicious use ALL CAPS, ellipses and M-dashes to recreate visual gags… and when to just let a paragraph go long and draw attention to itself.

This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription!

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"The words on the page and the repetition are mimicking the edit, so we can visualize the humor and the repetition of it." — Chas Fisher @ 00:19:03

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:19 – Writing Physical Comedy: Scope, Constraints, and Homework Selection
00:03:55 – › Defining screwball, farce, and slapstick as distinct forms
00:06:52 – › How three case studies represent different slapstick approaches
00:10:27 – BRINGING UP BABY
00:15:04 – › Slug lines as editing rhythm and geography
00:18:15 – › Repetition in action lines mirrors physical comedy beats
00:22:31 – › Camera direction versus character eyeline to frame visual gags
00:28:20 – › Script-to-screen reordering of physical comedy sequences
00:31:44 – Thank you, Arc Studio Pro!
00:34:34 – HAPPY ENDINGS PILOT
00:38:53 – › How tone is established through action lines and formatting
00:44:09 – › Setting up running gags early to fuel later physical beats
00:54:59 – › Directing the camera on the page to control comedic framing
00:58:15 – BRIDESMAIDS
01:02:11 – › Framing the BRIDESMAIDS food poisoning scene setup
01:08:00 – › How action lines build and escalate physical comedy on the page
01:20:03 – › When setup earns dialogue-only visual comedy
01:27:31 – Key learnings
01:33:56 – Thank you amazing Patreons!

FILMS

BRIDESMAIDS (2011) — (w) Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig (d) Paul Feig
BRINGING UP BABY (1938) — (w) Dudley Nichols, Hagar Wilde, Hagar Wilde (d) Howard Hawks
GAME NIGHT (2018) — (w) Mark Perez (d) John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein

SHOWS

HAPPY ENDINGS 1x1 "Pilot" — Anthony Russo, Joe Russo (d), David Caspe (w)

SCRIPTS

Study the script: BRIDESMAIDS (2011) — Annie Mumolo, Kristen Wiig
Study the script: BRINGING UP BABY (1938) — Dudley Nichols, Hagar Wilde, Hagar Wilde
Study the script: GAME NIGHT (2018) — Mark Perez

SHOT ZERO DEEP DIVES

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-16: Masters of Time and Whitespace

———

More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2025/dz-116/

DZ-115: A Christmas Special - Rewatching & Rituals Dec 23, 2024

Show notes

Listen if you want to understand what makes holiday films enduring parts of our seasonal rituals!

In this “backmatter” episode of Draft Zero, Stu, Chas, and Mel Killingsworth embark on a festive exploration of what makes holiday films so engaging and so re-watchable that they can become part of our rituals. To that end, we breakdown the charm of of Christmas films like KISS KISS BANG BANG, RIDERS OF JUSTICE, and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

We discuss what defines a holiday movie, the power of nostalgia, the importance of ensembles to a sense of family, and how voiceover, snappy dialogue and intricate plots can make something rewatchable. For each of us, we see these films as gateways to introspection and shared experiences during the holidays.

And we are briefly joined by filmmaker (and friend of the podcast) Damien Cassar who talks us through the meaning of nostalgia and it’s relationship with the "pain of homecoming", and how Christmas/Holiday films provide comfort and a sense of belonging amid ever-changing societal dynamics.

Merry Christmas!

This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription!

Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"What makes it rewatchable is not the Christmas elements. Like that's sort of what makes it rewatchable are all of the structure. The fact that like a lot of good noir mysteries, you forget exactly how things get solved." — Mel Killingsworth @ 00:30:20

———

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:01:00 – What do we mean by Holiday Movies?
00:18:52 – Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
00:41:16 – Riders of Justice
01:03:45 – Sponsorship: Arc Studio Pro
01:06:30 – It's A Wonderful Life
01:48:37 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up
01:51:03 – On Nostalgia
01:54:28 – Many thanks to our Patreons

FILMS

KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) — (w) Brett Halliday, Shane Black (d) Shane Black
RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020) — (w) Anders Thomas Jensen
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) — (w) Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra (d) Frank Capra

SCRIPTS

Study the script: KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) — Brett Halliday, Shane Black
Study the script: IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) — Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra

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More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-115/

DZ-114: Climaxes in CHALLENGERS Nov 29, 2024

Show notes

Listen to understand how withholding resolution can make your story great!

While Stu is on show, Mel and Chas sit down to analyse the meaning behind the ending of 2024's CHALLENGERS, especially when - upon reading the script - the most impactful moment of the ending on screen (for Chas in particular) is not written on the page.

Following on from episodes on Filmmakers Talking Directly To The Audience as well as previous explorations into Choices and Decisions (and hopefully serving as a prelude to our episode on Hero's Choice - aka DZ-119), Mel and Chas explore the choices the characters make in that final moment, what happens when filmmakers obscure character motivation, and ultimately how that final moment in CHALLENGERS impacts theme.

This conversation ends up being a deep exploration of what is the experience on the audience (and its impact on the perceived theme) when a story cuts out at the climax without further resolution.

This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription!

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Watch and comment on YouTube.
Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

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"It's nice that the climax of the movie is actually at the end of the movie like to me the movie climaxes at the point where it cuts to black which is awesome yeah." — Chas Fisher @ 00:13:10

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CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:24 – BREAKING DOWN THE ENDING OF CHALLENGERS
00:03:50 – › Plot summary and structural architecture of the film
00:08:48 – › How backstory layering builds dramatic tension in the final match
00:14:51 – Can one action line change everything?
00:19:36 – › Script vs screen: what the final point actually shows
00:27:35 – › Whose ending is it: Tashi's story vs the reunion embrace
00:33:42 – › Reading the tropes: why polyamory felt inevitable
00:39:41 – This episode is brought to you by Arc Studio Pro
00:42:29 – Giving characters decisions
00:47:46 – › Giving characters agency through deliberate decision-making
00:52:10 – Meta subtext
00:53:53 – Choices + feeling = theme?
00:55:17 – › Do the characters make choices in the final moment
01:00:25 – › Character feeling and what the film ultimately says
01:06:03 – Ending on the climax
01:09:27 – Key Learnings
01:15:59 – Thank you patreons!

FILMS

CHALLENGERS (2024) — (w) Justin Kuritzkes (d) Luca Guadagnino

SCRIPTS

Study the script: CHALLENGERS (2024) — Justin Kuritzkes

LINKS

RELATED EPISODES

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More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons.

If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser.

We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-114/

DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience Sep 22, 2024

Show notes

Listen if you want to explore how you can make your creative hand visible through meta-storytelling and structural choices!?!

In our final (ha!) episode looking at Talking Directly to the Audience, we turn away from character-and-text based craft tools to look at other ways that filmmakers - whether they be directors, writers, editors, or anyone else - can make the audience feel their 'hand' more. To that end, Mel, Stu and Chas dive into ADAPTATION, STORIES WE TELL and THE FORTY-YEAR-OLD VERSION.

We discuss structure (in particular how to structure more meta stories), the influence of TikTok and YouTube in portraying character authenticity, how to set up scenes where your characters can actually debate what your story is really about., and get into the gritty of where "in the story world" the communication from the filmmakers is.

Ultimately, in exploring these three powerful films through this lens, we discover that these tools give filmmakers more control in conveying their theme. Quelle surprise.

This episode brought to you by (drum roll) ArcStudio: go to https://www.arcstudiopro.com/draftzero for $30 off a pro subscription!

Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

LIKE THIS EPISODE?

Send us feedback.

Thanks to our Patrons, especially Lily, Paulo, Alexandre, Malay, Jennifer, Thomas, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Theis and and Khrob.

→ Read the transcript for this episode.

———

"I would guess that some of the most watched content in the world has people talking directly to the camera and that's stuff that people watch on YouTube." — Stu Willis @ 00:06:13

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CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open
00:00:28 – The Meta of Meta
00:04:20 – › How filmmakers speak without breaking immersion
00:07:48 – › Mapping the craft levers for filmmaker-to-audience communication
00:11:01 – ADAPTATION
00:14:11 – › How filmmakers communicate through diegetic versus direct address
00:20:30 – › When fiction blurs with reality in meta-storytelling
00:29:23 – › Structural devices versus overt meta-communication across all three films
00:34:28 – › What the work wants from its audience
00:36:43 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro
00:39:40 – Adaption (Part 2)
00:42:23 – STORIES WE TELL
00:44:24 – › Exposing the apparatus of documentary filmmaking
00:49:44 – › Reconstructed Super 8 footage and the ethics of misdirection
00:57:07 – › Sarah Polley's absence as subject and presence as author
01:07:55 – › Mapping diegetic control across the film's storytelling layers
01:12:13 – THE FORTY YEAR OLD VERSION
01:19:29 – › Black-and-white cinematography and the Woody Allen inversion
01:23:13 – › Locating the filmmaker's voice on the meta-storytelling spectrum
01:33:20 – › Extracting portable craft techniques from autobiographical filmmaking
01:43:39 – › Authenticity, truth, and what each film is ultimately arguing
01:48:14 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings
01:50:48 – › Black-and-white, artifice, and meta-techniques as thematic anchors
01:56:27 – › Sound design, structural play, and further viewing recommendations
02:01:24 – Many thanks to our Patreons <3