A recent article was posted with Franklin Leonard stating that people see films to "feel" and not for the plot. I completely disagree and so do his Black List readers judging by the comments in their reviews as well as the various competitions. Thoughts? Opinions?
Screenwriting : Franklin Leornard says people see movies to feel and not for plot. by Matthew Corry
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Different people go to the movies for different reasons. In my general opinion and my general opinion only; Producers/Directors go to see what works/doesn't work in today's economy. Screenwriters watch movies to emulate an learn. DPs and Editors look for the technical facets. For the general audience, a movie is an escape from the harsh reality of day-to-day life. For an unfortunate few, it's the only education they'll ever receive.
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Well I think Leonard is mostly right when he says "We don’t go to the movies for plot. We don’t go to the movies for information. We go to the movies to feel something, whether it’s to laugh or to cry, or to feel awe or to feel scared. If you don’t deliver those emotional sensations, no one is remembering your movie." I think many movie watchers do in fact care about plot and information but to a lesser extent than whether they get their feels.
I never watched a movie thinking: "Ok, here comes the inciting incident", or "I can't wait for the all is lost moment! I wonder how do they pull it off?", or "cool plot twist!"...
I agree with Franklin Leonard. Obviously screenwriters and readers would disagree. Studios know why people go see movies which is why they spend so much money on things like expensive action scenes, special effects and big name actors.
I like a movie to make me think personally. You can't have emotion without plot either. If IT had a poor plot those kids performances may have still been praised but the movie certainly wouldn't have been anywhere near as successful and I doubt a sequel would be in the works.
decide which business you want to be in, the movie business or reading scripts business? for FLeonard, it's more profitable to talk about movies than to make movies.
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Victor Titimas unfortunately, when I go to the movies, I do think about "inciting incident" and "plot points." Can't help it, dammit! :( That's why I don't go to the movies. :( But when I binge watch shows, after the first run-through, I can finally turn my writer brain off and just enjoy.
It's all chemical, baby!
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It"s my opinion that the vast majority of audience members attend films with the intent to not have to think at all - just entertain "em. A few intellectual/philosophical types like to analyze the nuance & crap outta every frame and those involved in the movie making business go to learn from others.
Formulaic script writing would be very difficult for me if I tried - I don't think I could do it. Making sure the inciting incident, call to action, whiff of death all fall on the correct pages is way to complex for me to wrap my brain around - so I just don't do it. Mercy, what would if I ever got it wrong?
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If it doesn't evoke emotion, it may as well be an encyclopedia subject.
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Doug. That is the only reason I watch movies. The last thing I want to do is think when I watch a movie and I don't do a lot of that even when I write a screenplay. I write what pops in my head.
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I don't want a paint by the numbers flick either but I also don't want a scary but completely incoherent horror or a passionate but highly confusing drama or even a funny but go nowhere comedy. Plot matters.