Wash ,'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
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Ignoring the asscaps and overall Mamet-y-ness of it, it's actually pretty solid writing advice.
HERE ARE THE DANGER SIGNALS. ANY TIME TWO CHARACTERS ARE TALKING ABOUT A THIRD, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.
ANY TIME ANY CHARACTER IS SAYING TO ANOTHER “AS YOU KNOW”, THAT IS, TELLING ANOTHER CHARACTER WHAT YOU, THE WRITER, NEED THE AUDIENCE TO KNOW, THE SCENE IS A CROCK OF SHIT.
DO NOT WRITE A CROCK OF SHIT.
Any time two characters are talking about a third? Really? I beg to disagree with the mighty man on that one. I can think of many narrative moments I've enjoyed one way or another that definitely fell into that category.
Any time two characters are talking about a third? Really? I beg to disagree with the mighty man on that one. I can think of many narrative moments I've enjoyed one way or another that definitely fell into that category.
I'm guessing a certain level of hyperbole is involved here (From David Mamet? Shocking.) and that he's just saying it's a warning sign. Because I have seen plenty of scenes of that nature that were purely Basil Exposition moments.
I do agree that I have seen enough of those type of scenes that work for various reasons that's it's dangerous as a blanket rule. Not so much with the "As you know" cavaet.
You can't pronounce "Mamet" without "meh."
There are valid points in there. There is also a lot of nonsense. I was mostly amused that David Fucking Mamet is telling people to try to write scenes without dialogue.
Oh, the bit about how it's the director's job to remind the actors to talk fast did make me laugh. Although I think that's more important with Aaron Sorkin's shows.
No really. If you don't regularly remind actors to pick up the pace, they will savor every line until the glaciers melt.
And come back.
Not bad, but I'm fucking ambivalent about fucking Mamet. Although I am very anxious that my scripts not be CROCKS OF SHIT, natch.
I love Mamet mostly, but I did get to tell him face to face that his version of Faustus was a crock of shit.
man it is like Deadwood in here.
I fucking love it.
Swidgin'!
No really. If you don't regularly remind actors to pick up the pace, they will savor every line until the glaciers melt.
HAHAHAHA! Oh, so fucking true.