Beyond The Screenplay

The BTS team discusses Fincher's take on the original Swedish novel and film, how it efficiently delivers story and character exposition, and when a perfectionist's touch can go too far... NOTE: Our Patreon episode on Little Miss Sunshine is still being edited as of the release of this episode, but it will be out by the end of the month!

The BTS team discusses Rian Johnson's satire on new money, how and when the story reveals information, and of course, the return of Benoit Blanc.

In this episode pulled from Patreon "Vault," the BTS team shares their hot takes on Top Gun: Maverick. Originally released to patrons June 1st, 2022.

In this preview of our patron-exclusive episode on Avatar: The Way of Water, the BTS team shares their initial reactions to the film. Listen to the full episode over on the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: https://bit.ly/3C1RLw9 Find us on Twitter Beyond the Screenplay: https://twitter.com/BTScreenplay Michael Tucker: https://twitter.com/michaeltuckerla Tricia Aurand: https://twitter.com/TriciaJeanA Brian Bitner: https://twitter.com/BrianBitner Alex Calleros: https://twitter.com/Alex_Calleros Produced by Vince Major: https://twitter.com/VinceMajor Website: http://lessonsfromthescreenplay.com For Inquiries and Booking: Vince@Plusfortyseven.com

The BTS team discusses how Elf delivers on its premise, the pacing and structure of the character beats, and why it instantly felt like a timeless classic.

In this preview of our patron-exclusive episode on Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the BTS team shares their initial reactions to the film. Listen to the full episode over on the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: https://bit.ly/3VtvizV Find us on Twitter Beyond the Screenplay: https://twitter.com/BTScreenplay Michael Tucker: https://twitter.com/michaeltuckerla Tricia Aurand: https://twitter.com/TriciaJeanA Brian Bitner: https://twitter.com/BrianBitner Alex Calleros: https://twitter.com/Alex_Calleros Produced by Vince Major: https://twitter.com/VinceMajor Website: http://lessonsfromthescreenplay.com For Inquiries and Booking: Vince@Plusfortyseven.com

The BTS team discusses Avatar's astounding technical achievements, how it challenges the traditional hero's journey, and the disconnect between the film's box office performance and its cultural impact.

John Truby (author of one of our favorite screenwriting books, The Anatomy of Story) joins us to talk about his new book, The Anatomy of Genres. We chat about movies and breakdown why people don't talk enough about genre, if they talk about it at all.

The BTS team discusses The Truman Show's steady reveal of information, the design of the protagonist—by both the filmmakers and the antagonist—and how the story functions as a contained fable.

The BTS team discusses the complex character web, the shared theme present in each character's arc, and the early days of Wes Anderson's style.

The BTS team discusses the design of the central characters, the film's masterful use of setup and payoff, and which elements of the story were not in the script but rather discovered during production.

In this preview of our patron-exclusive episode on Saving Private Ryan, the BTS team shares their initial reactions to the film. Listen to the full episode over on the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: https://bit.ly/3Cx9rPV Find us on Twitter Beyond the Screenplay: https://twitter.com/BTScreenplay Michael Tucker: https://twitter.com/michaeltuckerla Tricia Aurand: https://twitter.com/TriciaJeanA Brian Bitner: https://twitter.com/BrianBitner Alex Calleros: https://twitter.com/Alex_Calleros Produced by Vince Major: https://twitter.com/VinceMajor Website: http://lessonsfromthescreenplay.com For Inquiries and Booking: Vince@Plusfortyseven.com

The BTS team discusses 28 Days Later's stylized aesthetic, how the alternate endings help contextualize the theme, and how the film walks the line between a high budget blockbuster and a B horror movie.

The BTS team discusses the enigmatic character design of Andy Dufresne, the film’s vignette story structure, and the devastating one-two punch of Red’s narration and Thomas Newman’s score.

The BTS team discusses Lady Bird's vignette format and pacing, the characters' complicated relationships, and how a 350 page script becomes a 94 minute movie.

The BTS team discusses how Ridley Scott's masterpiece manages to work despite ignoring several common screenwriting rules, the unforgettable tone set by H.R. Giger's amazing designs combined with the production and direction, and Ripley's slow reveal as the film's protagonist.

Part of the BTS team is joined by Tom Van der Linden and Thomas Flight, co-hosts of the podcast Cinema of Meaning, to discuss Gladiator: its many fascinating themes, the construction of Maximus as a protagonist, and what makes all the swordplay meaningful as well as thrilling.

In this preview of our patron-exclusive episode on Nope, the BTS team shares their initial reactions to the film. Listen to the full episode over on the Beyond the Screenplay Patreon: https://bit.ly/3JB2BvK Find us on Twitter Beyond the Screenplay: https://twitter.com/BTScreenplay Michael Tucker: https://twitter.com/michaeltuckerla Tricia Aurand: https://twitter.com/TriciaJeanA Brian Bitner: https://twitter.com/BrianBitner Alex Calleros: https://twitter.com/Alex_Calleros Produced by Vince Major: https://twitter.com/VinceMajor Website: http://lessonsfromthescreenplay.com For Inquiries and Booking: Vince@Plusfortyseven.com

The BTS team discusses the design of the film's dual protagonists, the escalation of the stakes and pacing, and the story's enduring thematic resonance.

The BTS team discusses Jordan Peele’s use of horror genre expectations, examines the film’s many setups and payoffs, and manages to say “well-observed” a record number of times.