Try as we might to generate completely new ideas, the truth is that almost every plot line boils down to one of several root stories. The “original” root stories, or at least the oldest recognized forms of them, come from ancient mythology or classic fairytales. They operate as basic frameworks of storytelling, but they can be easily disguised by unusual settings, secondary plots, and extra or altered characters. The following seven root stories can serve as great building blocks as you create your own story. They could also help you characterize a story you’ve already written.

After you thoroughly read each line of this post, make sure to apply for Summer Session of the 3-Week Intensive! Time is ticking – class starts on July 13. Don’t miss your chance to learn about screenwriting from our amazing faculty members. 

1. Achilles

Achilles is one of the most talked-about narrative archetypes, thanks to everyday use of the term “Achilles heel.” Each Achilles story features a character with a tragic flaw that causes him or her to meet a tragic end. The Great Gatsby, MacBeth, and Hamlet are a few examples. 

2. Cinderella

Stories based on this root don’t necessarily involve a Prince Charming-type rescue figure, or even a rags-to-riches theme. The Cinderella archetype is a character whose virtues are overlooked or outright denied until the end of the story. Films that immediately came to my mind were James and the Giant Peach, A Little Princess, Matilda, and Pretty Woman. But after getting in touch with my inner paleontologist and scraping off some narrative dust with a proverbial toothbrush, I realized that The Tortoise and the Hare also falls into this category. 

3. Circe

This root, named after the minor Greek goddess, is the story of the seducer or the temptress. In Homer’s Odyssey, Circe invited Odysseus’ men to her home and served them poisoned food that turned them into pigs. Apparently she had also been known to cut off certain body parts belonging to her lovers. So, you can see how she got a bad reputation. 

Mary Howitt’s poem “The Spider and the Fly” is a perfect example of Circe’s root story. Some films that follow the Circe template include Cruel Intentions, Basic Instinct, Poison Ivy, and To Die For. 

4. Faust

Faust stories are about debts that must be paid. The semi-historical figure Johann Faust was said to have sold his soul to the devil. Phantom of the Opera, Ghost, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, and Ghost Rider exemplify this root story. 

5. Orpheus

The Orpheus root story concerns a valuable gift that is somehow lost. The story might end with the loss, or it might begin with the loss and follow the characters on their quest to find the gift. Virgil’s Aeneid, The Wizard of Oz, and Jason and the Golden Fleece are notable examples. 

6. Romeo & Juliet

This archetype barely needs explaining. Two lovers meet; at some point, they become separated. In the end, they either happily reunite or lose each other forever, depending in the tone of the story. West Side Story, Titanic, Friends With Benefits, and many movies based on Nicholas Sparks novels fall into this category. 

7. Tristan

Films like The Graduate, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Closer follow the Tristan root story, which is about the classic love triangle. Tristan was sent to bring the beautiful Isolde (or Iseult, or Essylt, depending on who you talk to) back for King Mark to marry. Unfortunately for the king, Tristan and Isolde accidentally drank a powerful love potion during the journey, and they fell madly in love with each other. 

And now a little public service announcement about making marriages last: Watch out for those love potions, people. 

If you read this post, you’re probably a writer. Which means…you should probably – no, make that DEFINITELY – apply for Summer Session of our 3-Week Intensive. The session will run from July 13 to August 3. We’re only accepting applications until July 6, so act fast!

Did we miss a classic example of a root story in modern film? Let us know in the comments!

Take Two blog posts offer a critical look at some contemporary and classic Hollywood remakes, and breaks down the differences between the original film and its successor. If you think you’ve got what it takes to write the next big remake, or if you’re tired of remakes and want to see something new, check out our Three-Week Intensive Screenwriting Course, accepting applications now for Summer 2013!

This installment of our Take Two series of blog posts looks at another Swedish film with an American remake. This time, we’ll be focusing on the 2009 adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tatoo, and the 2011 American remake of the same name.

The Original

Stieg Larsson’s posthumous bestselling millenium trilogy was originally adapted by Swedish director Niels Arden Oplev.

The 2009 film was a box office success worldwide, though it performed relatively poorly in American cinemas. It was also followed by two sequels based on the remainder of Stieg Larsson’s trilogy, which released in the same year.

The Remake

Two years later, a Hollywood remake starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara and directed by David Fincher was released. Like the original, the movie closely followed the plot of the novel it was based upon, albeit with a significant increase in star power.

Major Differences

The two movies are very similar overall, even more so than the previously discussed Let the Right One In and Let Me In. Still, there are some differences to be found.

• The framing plot featuring Mikael Blomkvist’s conflict with Wennerstrom is handled differently in the two versions. In the 2009 Swedish version, Blomkvist actually serves jail time after the conclusion of the trial, and in the American version, the promise of additional evidence to convict Wennerstrom has a more prominent role in motivating Blomkvist to help Henrik Vagner.
• Harriet, though alive in both versions, is relocated to London in the 2011 remake, and Blomkvist’s visit with her, while thinking she is Anita, is added earlier in the movie.
• Played by different actors, the feel of the protagonists varies considerably in the two films.
• The total budget of the 2009 version was $13 million, while the 2011 remake had a budget around $100 million.

Same Characters, Different Actors

It goes without saying that when the same character is played by different performers, the character is going to feel different in certain ways. This is true in any remake, but I am mentioning it here because, in a movie so superficially similar, the differences stand out more than they otherwise would.

In the character of Lisbeth Salander, Noomi Rapace delivers what is, in my opinion the superior performance. Although a protagonist and, ultimately, a likable character, Lisbeth is also socially maladjusted and has genuine issues which make it difficult for her to fit into society. Although Rooney Mara does an excellent job of conveying Salander’s brash, standoffish charm, Rapace ultimately better presents the deep internal conflict of Lisbeth Salander’s character.

Daniel Craig, on the other hand, offers up a superior interpretation of Mikael Blomkvist. While he arguably does not function as well as Nyqvist did in presenting a foil for Lisbeth’s character, I think Craig presented a more relatable and engaging version of the character. Given the amount of time the audience spends seeing the story through Blomkvist’s eyes, that’s an important distinction between the two.

Cost Effective

Though the cost of the Hollywood remake was around eight times that of the original, you wouldn’t know it by looking at the two. The movies were visually very similar, and achieve comparable results in terms of lok and feel. Why then, the large budget gap between the two? 

Here’s one perspective. Obviously, larger salaries went to Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara for the star power draw. However, there’s also an explosion inserted in for little reason and then there’s the title scene. The title scene, while visually stunning (and I also loved the cover of Immigrant Song), added nothing to the feel or message of the film. It was so jarring when viewed in contrast with the scenes it bookended that it ultimately took me out of the movie and was not, in my opinion, a worthy addition.

Conclusion

If I had to summarize my opinion of the 2011 remake of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, it would be ‘unnecessary’.

I should clarify, for the record, that I ultimately have a high opinion of both films, and I think they were each successful at capturing and delivering the message of the novels. However, in my mind the remake had nothing in it to justify its existence, other than a repackaging to make additional revenue in American theaters. 

No artistic risk is taken, the message remains the same, and the feeling one gets upon finishing the film is largely the same in both versions. I’m not condemning either movie, but I do think, if you’ve seen one, you don’t need to watch the other. That’s about all I have to say.

If you’re into this kind of thing, consider sighing up for our Three Week Screenwriting Bootcamp. If you have questions comments, or feedback on the format of the post, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below!

Happy Father’s Day, everyone. First of all, sorry about the lack of a highlight reel last week. I was busy all weekend doing some work on a film set (which may be the subject of a blog post yet to come). At any rate, we’re back on schedule now, and we’ve got a normal ol’ highlight reel for you to check out. Here’s a quick sampling of what’s new this week in the film industry.

• Dumb and Dumber 2 has been dropped by Warner Bros.
  
• According to Joss Whedon, the cast of Guardians of the Galaxy will not be making an appearance in Avengers 2.
  
• The rights to Ghost Rider continue to be disputed in court.
  
• Rumors have surfaced that Star Wars Land may be coming to Florida in 2018.
• Arnold Schwarzenegger will be reprising his classic role in the newly confirmed Terminator 5.
• In related news, it’s worth knowing that the rights to Terminator will revert back to James Cameron in 2019.
• In a new blog post, Scott Myers goes into one habit of successful screenwriters.
• J.J. Abrams has given a new update on Star Wars Episode VII.
• Starz is picking up a new drama, Power, which will be produced by 50 Cent.
• Finally, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have offered up some pessimistic predictions about what the future of the film industry has in store.

That’s all we’ve got for you this week. As always, if you think we’ve missed anything worth mentioning, or you’d like to share your thoughts or opinions, please let us know in the comments below!

Filmmakers have brought us a host of war movies over the decades, from The Battle of Algiers in 1966 to The Hurt Locker in 2008. There are war movies about front-line soldiers, civilian uprisings, escape-minded prisoners, and many other groups. Some directors of these films are veterans themselves, while others worked hard to understand a world they’ve never fully been a part of. But all war films have at least one thing in common. They move us away from dry statistics toward a more human understanding of war.  

If want to spend more time reflecting on war and the stories we tell about it, come to our July First Tuesday: War Stories. We’ll be hearing from several veterans, including TheFilmSchool faculty member Stewart Stern, who served in World War II. 

1. Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

Letters from Iwo Jima highlights the strange contradictions of war. An enemy soldier seems so cruel in combat, yet he always carries a letter from his loving mother. Hate between countries does not necessarily translate to hate between individuals. And sometimes, doing the right thing means being dishonorable. 

The film follows the Battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese point of view. It was directed by Clint Eastwood, who had previously directed Flags of Our Fathers – the same story from the American point of view. Letters did much better than Flags, and was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. 

2. Platoon (1986)

Platoon begins with the young Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen) volunteering for combat duty in Vietnam. Once there, he discovers that the situation is much more complicated than us-versus-them. It’s difficult to make sense of the platoon dynamics, the questionable leadership, and the randomness and rules of war. For instance, in the end, a sergeant who wants to go home more than anything is instead given a promotion, while Taylor and another soldier are sent home for injuries. 

Platoon was written and directed by Oliver Stone, who served in the Vietnam War and was honored with a Bronze Star for heroism. Throughout the film, Stone chose to juxtapose sickening images of war with a feel-good, 1960s soul soundtrack. At first listen, it seems like an odd choice. After all, most people don’t think of armed combat when they hear The Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. However, the music is era-appropriate, and furthermore, it reminds us of the strong sense of camaraderie that develops in the face of dire situations. 

3. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) and the soldiers of the 2^nd Ranger Battalion are fighting in the invasion of Normandy in WWII when they receive unusual orders from their superiors. They are ordered to find Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), who is missing in action. All three of Ryan’s brothers have recently been killed in the war. Concerned for the boys’ mother, the Army Chief of Staff is determined to get Ryan home safely.

Saving Private Ryan was written by Robert Rodat and directed by Steven Spielberg. The film won Spielberg an Academy Award for Best Director. 

4. Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

When we watched Dr. Strangelove in my 10th grade history class, I doodled the entire time. Years later, I realize I really should have paid attention. The film is a fantastic satire of the nuclear scare, and the brainchild of the legendary Stanley Kubrick.

At the beginning of the film, General Jack D. Ripper develops a paranoid theory that the Soviets are trying to poison Americans’ bodily fluids. In response, he secretly deploys a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Unfortunately for the Americans, the Soviets have a large-scale – no, make that a humongous scale – retaliation plan.  

5. Apocalypse Now (1979)

Apocalypse Now follows U.S. Army Captain Benjamin L. Willard (Martin Sheen) on his mission into the jungle to kill a colonel who has allegedly gone crazy. Along the way, Willard risks going crazy himself. The screenplay was adapted from Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, and the film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Marlon Brando and Robert Duvall star alongside Sheen. 

In his review of Apocalypse Now, Roger Ebert wrote, “It is not about war so much as about how war reveals truths we would be happy never to discover.” Ebert was right. How many of us, when faced with the pressures of war, would make the right decisions? Who would turn out to be a coward, and who would turn out to be a hero? Most of us would rather not know, and luckily, most of us will never be forced to find out. But maybe that’s why war movies are so important. They call into question the depth of our moral convictions.

Join our discussion of war and storytelling at Roy Street Coffee & Tea on July 2. Click here for more information about this event and other First Tuesdays, and don’t forget to RSVP on Facebook.

There are countless other great war films out there. Did we miss one of your favorites? Let us know in the comments. 

We are pleased to announce that Diana Dotter is starting in June as the new Executive Director of TheFilmSchool. It’s an exciting time for the school, now in our tenth year, as we kick off our summer classes and look to expand our offerings. Diana brings two decades of experience in entertainment media, marketing, and business strategy, as well as a passion for story. Outgoing Executive Director John Jacobsen will work closely with Diana to ensure a smooth transition. The change allows John more time for his own writing and directing. John will continue to teach for our signature 3-week intensive and other classes. Please join us in welcoming Diana, and also thanking John for all that he has done for the school.

ABOUT DIANA DOTTER

Diana Dotter is a senior creative leader with two decades of experience in entertainment media, marketing and business strategy.

As an accomplished entrepreneur Diana founded four startup companies including Vinda Media, a Seattle based company that creates innovative media, business and marketing strategies for organizations. She is also co-founder and past COO of Vast Entertainment, a Los Angeles based Development Company that fosters book-to-screen adaptations for film, television and web.

Diana Co-Produced the feature film: “Zaytoun”, which was chosen for Special Presentation at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, screened at The London Film Festival, AFI, The Jewish Film Festival and most recently SIFF. In addition, Diana recently Executive Produced the made for television/web comedy pilot, “Throw Me A Bone” and has co-created and developed a slate of 6 reality and 2 comedy shows for television with Los Angeles based producing partners.

She currently sits on the advisory board of Smrtfox, a Los Angeles based social media startup, where she provides product development, strategic planning and marketing guidance.

June is here, film fans. Along with sunshine, ice cream, and the end of school, we’ve got more summer blockbusters to look forward to. Of course, as always we’ll be recapping the news every week as we wait and giving you a highlight reel of the latest. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new this week in the film industry.

• Alcon Entertainment has announced that their script for the Blade Runner sequel will be rewritten by Michael Green.
• Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, Nicolas Cage, and Milla Jovovich are rumored to be in talks to star in The Expendables 3.
• ArnoldSchwarzenegger is officially onboard for Terminator 5.
• The Movie Blog has posted a review of The Kings off Summer, starring The Film School alum Nick Robinson.
• Dan Harmon will return to Community as the showrunner for season 5.
• Matt Smith will be leaving Doctor Who after this season’s holiday special. 
• Neil Patrick Harris will be hosting the Emmys for the second time.
• A movie centering on internet meme Grumpy Cat is in the works.
• In a move that surprised absolutely nobody, Arrested Development has shot past House of Cards to become Netflix’s biggest success of all time.
• Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg will direct Pirates of the Caribbean 5.
• Will Smith may not participate in Men in Black 4.

That’s all we’ve got for you this week. Did we miss anything news worthy? Got anything you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments below!

First things first, a huge thank you to everyone who entered the contest. Of the eighteen entries, only one could win the scholarship to this year’s Prodigy Camp. There were many excellent entries, so picking the winner was no easy task. Sometimes you just have to make the hard decisions though, and now that decision has been made.

It is our pleasure to present the winner of the 2013 YouTube scholarship to Prodigy Camp.

Drum roll please…

Eric Hanson – House of Psychos

Congratulations, Eric. We look forward to having you join us for Prodigy Camp. Condolences to those who didn’t win. We truly appreciate your participation in the contest.  Please enter again next year, or if you’re getting on in years, consider applying to our Three Week Intensive next year.

Take Two blog posts offer a critical look at some contemporary and classic Hollywood remakes, and breaks down the differences between the original film and its successor. If you think you’ve got what it takes to write the next big remake, or if you’re tired of remakes and want to see something new, check out our Three-Week Intensive Screenwriting Course, accepting applications now for Summer 2013!

In the second installment of our ‘take two’ blog series, we’ll be taking a look at the Swedish film Let the Right One In (2008) and it’s American counterpart Let Me In (2010), a pair of films unusual due to the remake following less than two years on the heels of its predecessor.

The Original

 Let the Right One In follows the relationship of Oskar, a boy bullied at school, and his new neighbor Eli, a young girl a lot older than she appears. As Oskar comes to realize Eli is a vampire, he finds himself trapped between his connection to Eli and his life before.

The Swedish film, based on a novel of the same name, was released in 2008 to Swedish as well as international critical acclaim, winning multiple awards at film festivals and widely praised for its simultaneously dark and subdued tone. 

The Remake

Following two years on the heels of the Swedish film, Let Me In was initially planned before Let the Right One In premiered in Sweden, which probably accounts for the very short time lapse between the two.

Allegedly intended to present a different take on the story than the Swedish film, the American adaptation of the novel which manages to convey strong differences in theme and focus despite being superficially very similar to Let the Right One In.

Major Differences

These two films are quite similar, so much so that some scenes even have identical shots. There are, however, differences to be found.

• Easily the most notable change is the relocation of the film from Sweden to New Mexico.
• Along with the shift in location, the characters are renamed (to Owen and Abby) and speak English.
• Let Me In boasted larger special effects budget, which translated to some differences we’ll touch on later.
• Let Me In makes use of non-linear storytelling to present a beginning to the film that takes place half way through the diegetic timeline.
• The adults in the world, particularly Oskar/Owen’s parents, are much more present in Let the Right One In. More on this later, too.
• One character, a detective, is added to Let Me In, replacing an adult character in Let the Right One In.
• The time period (set in the early ’80s) is much more obtrusively present in Let Me In.

Blood and Guts

American movies have a reputation, perhaps deserved, for large budgets and over the top special effects. In the case of Let Me In a larger effects budget, though still comparatively modest  alongside summer blockbusters, was used to add some more explicit shots to many of the film’s horror scenes. 

On the one hand, certain applications of this budget serve the film. Eli/Abby’s vampire transformations, particularly when she is seen by Oskar, are more striking. The scene in which Abby feeds on the detective in the bathroom is more horrific than its Swedish counterpart, making Owen/Oskar’s decision to turn away feel heavier.

However, the subdued tone of both movies is important, and at other times the increased budget works against this. The previous example of the bathroom aside, Abby’s vampire attacks feel are not as unsettling as their quiet Swedish opposites.

Parenting

Let the Right One In features a group of adults who are given plenty of screen time, one of whom survives being attacked and turns into a vampire.  This subplot is present in Let Me In as well, but is given very little time on the screen. This is achieved, in part, by replacing one of the adults with a detective archetype, who is instantly recognizable and does not need time to be established.

The relative lack of adults in Let Me In is one of the few major creative departures from Let the Right One In. Owen’s father is not present in the film at all, save for a single, brief phone call, and his mother’s face is never directly shown. This decision simplifies Owen’s relationship with the adult world, and indirectly places more emphasis on his position relative to Abby.

Shifts in Focus

This last aspect of the missing adults seems to me to get at the heart of the difference between the films. While both films focus on the relationship between a boy and a vampire, they examine that relationship in subtly different ways.

Let the Right One In examines the relationship in the context of other relationships. Oskar’s connection to Eli is shown to be different from the connection he has to his parents or his teachers or even his bullies. It is even contrasted with the relationships other adults have with each other. In the end, Oskar chooses between the relationship with Eli and the other relationships in his life.

Let Me In, on the other hand, examines the relationship between Owen and Abby in isolation. His connection to his parents, and the relationships between adults, are absent from the film. Instead, it makes the relationship between Abby and her ‘father’, who was once much the same as Owen, to call attention to the difficulties inherent in their relationship with each other.

Conclusion

Comparing these two movies is difficult, since both are excellent and highly regarded movies independently of each other. Additionally, their similarity makes choosing a superior film really a perfunctory distinction to make.

Overall, I enjoyed the tone and more subtle creepiness of Let the Right One In. It was mostly a creepier movie, and the additional relationships make Oskar a more interesting character, in my opinion, than the simple ‘loving something evil’ dilemma in Let Me In.

The end of the movie, in which Owen/Oskar leaves his home to be with Eli/Abby, is bone-chilling in both versions of the movie. Let Me In, with its added emphasis on Abby’s prior relationship with her father, makes the implications of Owen’s decision more readily apparent. However, the added relationships in Let the Right One In makes Oskar’s choice, once realized, the more upsetting one.

An Afterthought

The author of the novel, John Lindqvist, has his views:

“Let The Right One In is a great Swedish movie. Let Me In is a great American movie. There are notable similarities and the spirit of Tomas Alfredson is present. But Let Me In puts the emotional pressure in different places and stands firmly on its own legs. Like the Swedish movie it made me cry, but not at the same points. Let Me In is a dark and violent love story, a beautiful piece of cinema and a respectful rendering of my novel for which I am grateful. Again.”

If you’re into this kind of thing, consider sighing up for our Three Week Screenwriting Bootcamp. If you have questions comments, or feedback on the format of the post, we’d love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below!

The Cannes Film Festival is done. For those of you who didn’t go (Which is only a few of you, I’m sure.) we’ve got some interesting headlines from the end of the festival, plus all the other news from this week, compiled here for your ease of reading. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in the film industry.

• A new red band trailer has been released for The Kings of Summer, starring The Film School graduate Nick Robinson.
• Seth MacFarlane will not be hosting next year’s Academy Awards.
• Blue is the Warmest Color won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival.
• A man at Cannes has paid 1.2 million euros for a trip to space with actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
• Ryan Gosling’s Only God Forgives was not well recieved at the Cannes Film Festival.
• Robert Downey Jr. is in talks with Marvel to star in Avengers 2 and Avengers 3. 
• A new Star Wars television series will air in 2014.
• Steven Spielberg will be directing a television show based on the Halo video game series.
• Tom Cruise has dropped out of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. to focus on Mission:Impossible.

That’s all the news we’ve got for you this week. Did we miss anything important? Have any questions or comments to add? Let us know in the comments below!

The summer blockbuster season is here, but the news is already looking to the future. We’ve got a bunch of new trailers this week, plus confirmations and speculations about new movies on the horizon. As always, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best news here for your convenience. Here’s a quick sampling of what’s new this week in the film industry.

• Joss Whedon has confirmed that Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch will be new characters in The Avengers 2. 
• An official release date has been set for Assassin’s Creed, starring Michael Fassbender.
• Christopher Nolan has been offered the directorial position on the next James Bond film.
• Scarlett Johansson will be making her directoral debut on Summer Crossing.
• Brad Bird is reported to be considering a sequel to The Incredibles.
• Will Smith is considering a remake of The Wild Bunch.
• The Angry Birds movie adaptation is set for a 2016 release.
• Warner Bros is working on a Gremlins reboot.
• Michelle Yeoh will star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – The Green Destiny.
• New trailers are out this week for This is the End, Riddick, Broken, The Hangover Part III, V/H/S/2, As I Lay Dying, Rio 2, Pacific Rim, Europa Report, Girl Most Likely and Las Vegas.

That’s all we’ve got for you this week. Did we miss anything important? Got anything you’d like to add? Let us know in the comments below!