How does removing character and plot questions force your audience to engage with theme?

Chas and Stu are joined, once again, by the inestimable Stephen Cleary. This episode is a spiritual sequel to our last episode with Stephen on sequence structure. That episode explored how sequences could be broken into plot, character, and plot/character sequences.

Well, Stephen's back to talk about a different type of sequence: the thematic sequence. By limiting (or removing all together) questions related to character or plot, filmmakers can force their audience to engage with the deeper, underlying meaning of the story.

Our deep dive onto this topic focuses on LOVE ACTUALLY, THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL, APOCALYPSE NOW, and IN THE BEDROOM. But it wouldn't be a Draft Zero without numerous digressions including into HUNGER, GET OUT, INFINITY WAR, and THE THIN RED LINE.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND!

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

Read the transcript on GitHub or in HTML.

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EPISODE LINKS

DRAFT ZERO RELATED EPISODES
INTRODUCTION: Thematic Sequences
- Sequence Structure Refreshed [@ 1m 51s]
- What is a Thematic Sequence? [@ 10m 21s]
LOVE ACTUALLY written by: Richard Curtis [@ 13m 33s]
- JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/love-actually
THE EXTERMINATING ANGEL story by: Luis Alcoriza & Luis Buñuel, screenplay: Luis Buñuel [@ 42m 29s]
- JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-exterminating-angel
GET OUT(briefly) written by: Jordan Peele [@ 1 h 13s 28s]
- Watch: Get Out - Dinner Party Scene
- JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/get-out
APOCALYPSE NOW written by: John Milius and Francis Ford Coppola, narration by: Michael Herr [@ 1h 17s 10s]
- Watch: "Because it's judgement that defeats us"
- JustWatch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/apocalypse-now-redux
IN THE BEDROOM screenplay: Robert Festinger and Todd Field [@ 1h 57s 04s]
WRAP UP AND KEY LEARNINGS [@ 2 h 42m 41s]
- Watch: The Thin Red Line - Opening Scene

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DZ-54: Thematic Sequences

Draft Zero: a screenwriting podcast