Writer, Rob Sprackling talked about comedy in film and how to keep the audience engaged. He emphasised that each scene should be a self contained story or joke while also contributing to the main narrative.
He explained a good way to come up with high concept, big ideas, by combining things that wouldn't normally fit together. First start off with a world, then clash it with something completely out of that world. His upcoming film 'Gnomeo and Juliet' illustrated this perfectly with a classic romance inside the strange world of gnomes.
Character is critical- Often more important than story...
The central character takes us on a journey, he goes through an emotional change, learns something. The central character must be 3D, with a back story and a future (or goal). Other characters are 'one note' each one bringing out different qualities in the central character. Rob showed us clips from Mike Bassett: England Manager where the audience follow the story of the central character, who goes on an emotional journey as he is knocked from a fan favourite to one of the most hated men in England after several big losses.
Theme- Have something to say
Have a think about what the film is about, is there an underlying message? In Toy story, the theme is jealousy. Rob talked about 'The Queen's Corgi' where the themes are leadership, responsibility and self sacrifice.
Structure- 3 acts and more
First 10 minutes- Find out what the film is about.
End of first act- Turning point, change.
Middle act- solve the problem, find out what to do.
Third act- take action and resolve the problem.
Green Monkey
Rob's film Green Monkey is a short, simple film where there is a pay off at the end. It uses a interesting device where an event has happened and is re-told through several points of view to a detective.
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