DZ-89: Opening Sequences

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast

How does your opening sequence set up your audience? Inspired by her tweet on how subversive an opening OCEAN’S ELEVEN has, Chas and Stu invited amazing writer/director Jessica Ellis onto the show to deep dive into opening sequences. How does a good opening setup character, genre, and theme?

In exploring how best to open your story - instead of looking at the almost mandatory studio note of “dropping you in the action” - Stu, Chas and Jess look at the inventive openings of OCEAN’S ELEVEN, LONG SHOT, ARRIVAL and A SERIOUS MAN. Each of these films opens in a way that seems to defy its genre conventions and yet still provide all the set-up it needs to perfectly tell its story.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND.

Audio quotations used for educational purposes only. Timestamps indicated below. Chapter markers included in the mp3.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

CHAPTERS

• 00:00:56 - Intro
• 00:12:04 - Ocean’s Eleven
• 00:30:26 - Long Shot
• 01:01:32 - Arrival
• 01:22:22 - A Serious Man
• 01:41:17 - Wrap Up
• 01:46:47 - Patreon thanks

LINKS

• Jessica Ellis: https://twitter.com/baddestmamajama
• What Lies West: https://linktr.ee/whatlieswest

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-15: World Building Rules, Okay?
• DZ-43: Driving Sequences – Character and Plot Intensity
• DZ-44: Marvel, First Acts and Establishing Characters

This episode brought to you by ScriptUp – https://www.scriptupstudio.com – use promo code DZ10 to get 10% off.

Thanks to all our patrons, especially Casimir, Lloyd, Eduardo, Jennifer, Leigh, Thomas, Garrett, Bjorn, Randy, Jesse, Sandra, Alex and Khrob. You rule!

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