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Episode 101: Reaction Shots

Episode 101: Reaction Shots

by | May 28, 2019 | Show

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In today’s episode Angie and Elizabeth discuss reaction shots and how they differ between screen and prose. In film, reaction shots are indispensable. The audience turns to the reactions of others to understand how they should react themselves. In a novel, however, “reaction shots” take on different forms. Elizabeth reads two snippets from her book to highlight how specificity helps to make the characters more relatable.

A Visit From the Good Squad by Jennifer Egan

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Empire Strikes Back Recut Scene

Jhumpa Lahiri

David Mamet

Chemistry by Weike Wang

Department of Speculation by Jenny Offill

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

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Episode 101: Reaction Shots

Episode 100: Story is a Side Effect

by | May 21, 2019 | Show

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This week’s episode is episode 100!!! In "Story is a Side Effect," Angie and Elizabeth discuss how story engages the same things that therapy does in order to catalyze growth. Both modes focus on human beings changing. Angie and Elizabeth dive into talking about reframing, pattern interrupting, and timeline therapy, in the contexts of both therapy and narrative. Elizabeth champion story as a human need, while Angie claims that story is merely a side effect.

Conjunction Junction

The Life of Brian - Monty Python

Wired for Story - Lisa Cron

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake - Aimee Bender

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Episode 101: Reaction Shots

Episode 99: Waiting for the Steaks

by | May 14, 2019 | Show

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Today, Angie and Elizabeth are sitting outside at a restaurant as they discuss how the 7 steps can be seen even in a short scene. They take an excerpt from The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai and look at how each beat is a different step, perhaps one through seven, or a waltz of one-two-three one-two-three. The level of details create a more precise picture, explaining how in this situation, with these individuals, the stakes remain incredibly high.

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai

Comin thro’ the Rye by Robert Burns

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS

Episode 101: Reaction Shots

Episode 98: Writing It and Reading It

by | May 7, 2019 | Show

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In today’s podcast Angie and Elizabeth discuss how the quality of writing is not as markedly varied as our emotions tell us. This came up because Elizabeth is currently retyping her novel, something she has never done before and adores, and during the process she found a section that sounded awkward as she wrote it. After letting the “problematic” section sit for a few days, she read it aloud to Angie and they both found it better than Elizabeth had felt while writing it. There is always a difference between how you feel when you write it, and how it is when you read it. And just like any other work, there will be moments that writing doesn’t feel as pleasant, but you buckle up and keep driving forward.

My Absolute Darling by Gabriel Tallent

A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

The Keep by Jennifer Egan

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS