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Lecture 6: A Different Vision

Lecture 6: A Different Vision. Professor Daniel Cutrara. Little Miss Sunshine ( 2006) Michael Arndt (screenplay). Previous Lesson. Industry Tools The Treatment Coverage Character Breakdown. This Lesson. Independents Little Miss Sunshine Journey to Production What makes it work

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Lecture 6: A Different Vision

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  1. Lecture 6:A Different Vision Professor Daniel Cutrara Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Michael Arndt (screenplay)

  2. Previous Lesson Industry Tools The Treatment Coverage Character Breakdown

  3. This Lesson • Independents • Little Miss Sunshine • Journey to Production • What makes it work • Assignments

  4. The Independents Lesson 6: Part I

  5. What do they have in common? • Low Budget • Production Values • Variations on the Hollywood Narrative • Genre B movies • Art house • Stars • Their value • Distribution • Probably not guaranteed

  6. Festivals • Sundance Film Festival Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Steven Soderbergh, garnered resounding critical acclaim from Sundance along with unprecedented box office sales. In 2005, about 15% of the U.S. domestic box office revenue was from independent studios.

  7. Low Budget • Fundraising • Investors • The marketability • The problem of stars • Distribution • Production Values • Locations, sets, props, effects 7

  8. Financing • Specialty Divisions • The decline in 2008 • Production • A question of control • Distribution • Theatrical release and beyond

  9. The Narrative • Genre B movies • Roger Corman • Blair Witch Project • Art House • “Character Driven” • ensemble

  10. Stars George Clooney in Syriana (2005) Also Executive Producer • Stars • Guild minimum • Stars as producers and directors • Essential to fundraising 10

  11. Distribution • No Guarantee

  12. Little Miss Sunshine Lesson 6: Part II Michael Arndt, Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton and co. 12

  13. The Backstory • Little Miss Sunshine • Screenplay by Michael Arndt • Quit his job as Matthew Broderick’s asst. • Put his script in the hands of the “Election” producers. • Recruited directors- Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton. (docs, commercials) • Seed money for casting • Arndt fired- wouldn’t make Richard central protagonist.

  14. From Script to Screen • Producers unhappy with the new writer’s draft. • Re-hire Arndt. Minor compromises made. • Minor changes in production. • Sundance success • Fox Searchlight distribution deal- 10 million dollars.

  15. Academy Award Winner • Best Original Screenplay. • Beat out Pan’s Labyrinth, Letters from Iwo Jima, and Babel.

  16. What Makes it Work? Lesson 6: Part III Little Miss Sunshine 16

  17. Engaging Characters • Multiple Storylines • Richard and his 9 step program • Sheryl holding the family together • Frank and his boyfriend • Grandpa and the nursing home • Dwayne and Flight School • Olive and Beauty Pageants

  18. Inherent Conflict • Richard and his family • Richard and Frank • Grandpa and Frank • Dwayne and the world

  19. Throughline • Family sacrifices for Olive’s desire • To compete in the beauty pageant • Sets up Second Act tension • To get there on time • Bus as a visual motif for family • Creates Third Act climax • Claiming victory • Leads to satisfying resolution

  20. The Crises • Structure the narrative • Richard’s deal falls through • Frank encounters his ex-boyfriend • Grandpa dies • Dwayne discovers he’s color blind • Olive’s dance

  21. Economical Set Up • Pause the lecture and review the first five pages of the script. • Character introductions • Their problems • The theme • Conflict

  22. Format Note • The asterisks • script development • Page colors • White = 1st draft, then blue, pink, green, yellow, goldenrod, and finally salmon.

  23. Character Introductions • Olive • Juxtapose desire with appearance • Richard • Juxtapose message with reality • Sheryl • Takes care of family, perhaps better than herself.

  24. Character Introductions (cont’d) • Frank • Reluctant survivor of suicide • Grandpa • Juxtaposition of opposite expectations of the elderly. • Dwayne • Driven toward a goal

  25. A Scene Sample • Dinner, pp. 10-20. • The family has chicken again. • Dialogue • Reveals character • Delivers Exposition • Advances the plot • Subtext

  26. Character Arc • Pause the lecture, and view the first clip from Little Miss Sunshine. • How does this complete the arc for Richard, Frank, and Dwayne?

  27. Growth in Adversity • Multiple Arcs • Richard • Frank • Dwayne

  28. Breaking the Rules • Ensemble cast • The long dinner scene

  29. Changes in Development • Addition of Richard’s confrontation of Stan. • Beef up Richard’s role, i.e. traditional • Commercial implications, casting • Sheryl’s ex-husband cut • Change from East Coast to Southwest

  30. Representation • Pause the lecture and watch the second clip from Little Miss Sunshine. • How are these little girls represented? American Beauty

  31. Theme • Success is not about material wealth or vanity. Little Miss Sunshine

  32. The Wrap Up • Independents • Pursuing a vision • Pursuing profit • Pursuing an audience

  33. Assignments Little Miss Sunshine Lesson 6: Part III

  34. E-Board Post #1 • Approximately 200 words. Pick a scene from Little Miss Sunshine and answer the following questions. • How does it reveal character? • How does it give exposition? • How does it advance the plot? • Comment on two of your peers.

  35. End of Lecture 6 Next Lecture: What’s Funny? There’s Something About Mary (1998) Ed Decter and John J. Strauss (story) Ed Decter, John J. Strauss, Peter Farelly, and Bobby Farelly

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