1. Everything Has to be Connected to Everything Else
2. The Only thing that Matters is Dramatic Order
3. The Audience is the Main Character in the Story
Showing posts with label Ken at Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ken at Work. Show all posts
The Assumption That Most Writers Get Wrong
"The Road to Hell is Paved With Works in Progress
~ Philip Roth
The Writer's Digest Guest Post: How to Design Your Novel For Film Adaptation
Mid-career novelists seeking representation complain that none of
their books have been made into films. At any given moment, we in Los
Angeles have literally stacks of novels from New York publishers on our
desks. Going through them to find the ones that might make motion
pictures or television movies, we—and other producers, managers, and
agents—are constantly running into the same problems:
This guest post is by writer/editor/literary manager/producer Ken Atchity. Atchity
has made hundreds of film and television deals for storytellers wanting
their books to be films–including movies, series, and reality
shows–since he began producing in 1987 after retiring from his tenured
professorship at Occidental College. Also, as literary manager his
authors have logged nearly twenty New York Times bestsellers. His own
most recent novels are The Messiah Matrix and Brae Mackenzie. Dr.
Atchity is also the creator of the free on-demand webinar presentation
“Sell Your Story to Hollywood” for aspiring storytellers available at realfasthollywooddeal.com.
But if you regard your career as a business instead of a quixotic crusade, you should be planning your novel at the drawing board to make it appealing to filmmakers.
Revise accordingly.
Though I’ve observed the phenomena for several decades now, it still surprises me that even bestselling novelists, even the ones who complain that no one has made a film from their books yet, don’t write novels dramatic enough to lend themselves easily to mainstream film. It’s a well-known, but lamentable, phenomenon in publishing that, with very few exceptions, the more books a novelist sells the less critical his publisher’s editors are of his work. So time and again we read novels that start out well, roar along to the halfway point, then peter off into the bogs of continuous character development or action resolution.
A publisher invests between $25,000 and $100,000 or more in publishing your novel. A low-budget feature film from a major Hollywood studio today costs at least $50 million. There is, from a business point of view, no comparison. Risking $50 million means the critical factor is raised as high as can be imagined when your book hits the “story department”—much higher than the critical factor of even the biggest publishers. Hollywood studies what audiences want by keeping track, in box office dollars, cents, and surveys–what they respond best to.
If you want to add film to your profit centers as a novelist, it would behoove you to study what makes films work. Disdaining Hollywood may be a fashionable defense for writers who haven’t gotten either rich or famous from it, but it’s not productive in furthering your cinematic career or building your retirement fund.
Read more
Brian A. Klems is the editor of this blog, online editor of Writer’s Digest and author of the popular gift book Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl: A Dad’s Survival Guide to Raising Daughters.
Follow Brian on Twitter: @BrianKlems
Sign up for Brian’s free Writer’s Digest eNewsletter: WD Newsletter
Listen to Brian on: The Writer’s Market Podcast
This guest post is by writer/editor/literary manager/producer Ken Atchity. Atchity
has made hundreds of film and television deals for storytellers wanting
their books to be films–including movies, series, and reality
shows–since he began producing in 1987 after retiring from his tenured
professorship at Occidental College. Also, as literary manager his
authors have logged nearly twenty New York Times bestsellers. His own
most recent novels are The Messiah Matrix and Brae Mackenzie. Dr.
Atchity is also the creator of the free on-demand webinar presentation
“Sell Your Story to Hollywood” for aspiring storytellers available at realfasthollywooddeal.com.
Common Problems in Novel-To-Film Adaptation
- “There’s no third act…it just trickles out.”
- “There are way too many characters and it’s not clear till page 200 who the protagonist is.”
- “I can’t relate to anyone in the book.”
- “At the end, the antagonist lays out the entire plot to the protagonist.”
- “There’s not enough action.” Not just action but dramatic action.
- “There’s nothing new here. This concept has been used to death.”/“We don’t know who to root for.”
- “The whole thing is overly contrived.”
- “There’s no dialogue, so we don’t know what the character sounds like.”
- “There’s no high concept here or a new way into a familiar concept. How do we pitch this?”
- “There’s no real pacing.”
- “The protagonist is reactive instead of proactive.”
- “At the end of the day, I have no idea what this story is ”
- “The main character is 80, and speaks only Latvian.”
- “There are no set pieces.”
But if you regard your career as a business instead of a quixotic crusade, you should be planning your novel at the drawing board to make it appealing to filmmakers.
Characters
Characters are the most important element of the story and should generate the action, the setting, and the point of view. Your job as a writer is to give us insight into each and every character in your story, no matter how evil or virtuous his or her actions may be. Characters are the heart of the drama.- Give us a strong protagonist whose motivation and mission shape the action and who, good or bad, is eminently relatable—and who’s in the “star age range” of 35-50 (where at any given moment twenty male stars reside, and maybe ten female stars; a star being a name that can set up the film by his attachment to it).
- Make sure a dramatist looking at your book will clearly see three well-defined acts: act one (the setup), act two (rhythmic development, rising and falling action), and act three (climax leading to conclusive ending).
- Express your character’s personality in dialogue that distinguishes him, and makes him a role a star would die to play.
- Make sure your story has a clear-cut dramatic premise, e.g., unbridled ambition leads to self-destruction or you can’t go home again.
Revise accordingly.
Though I’ve observed the phenomena for several decades now, it still surprises me that even bestselling novelists, even the ones who complain that no one has made a film from their books yet, don’t write novels dramatic enough to lend themselves easily to mainstream film. It’s a well-known, but lamentable, phenomenon in publishing that, with very few exceptions, the more books a novelist sells the less critical his publisher’s editors are of his work. So time and again we read novels that start out well, roar along to the halfway point, then peter off into the bogs of continuous character development or action resolution.
A publisher invests between $25,000 and $100,000 or more in publishing your novel. A low-budget feature film from a major Hollywood studio today costs at least $50 million. There is, from a business point of view, no comparison. Risking $50 million means the critical factor is raised as high as can be imagined when your book hits the “story department”—much higher than the critical factor of even the biggest publishers. Hollywood studies what audiences want by keeping track, in box office dollars, cents, and surveys–what they respond best to.
If you want to add film to your profit centers as a novelist, it would behoove you to study what makes films work. Disdaining Hollywood may be a fashionable defense for writers who haven’t gotten either rich or famous from it, but it’s not productive in furthering your cinematic career or building your retirement fund.
Read more
Brian A. Klems is the editor of this blog, online editor of Writer’s Digest and author of the popular gift book Oh Boy, You’re Having a Girl: A Dad’s Survival Guide to Raising Daughters.Follow Brian on Twitter: @BrianKlems
Sign up for Brian’s free Writer’s Digest eNewsletter: WD Newsletter
Listen to Brian on: The Writer’s Market Podcast
Nadine Maritz of My Addiction Interviews Ken About The Story Merchant
Interview - Kenneth Atchity the American Story Merchant
Kenneth Atchity is an American producer and
Author who has worked as a literary manager, editor, speaker, writing coach,
brand consultant and professor of comparative literature. He’s been called the
story merchant.
He is the captain of ships such as www.storymerchant.com ; Atchity
Entertainment International, inc (www.aeionline.com
); The Writers Lifeline, Inc (www.thewriterslifeline.com
) and The Louisiana Wave Studio which together produce films and develop books
for publication, screenplays, and films
for television and cinema--and consult with writers about their career
strategies and tactics.
In this interview we are aiming to discover more about
Kenneth himself and the world he lives in. As per the first interview http://ow.ly/dx211 which was
based on the launching of the Messiah Matrix – we are enormously grateful for
Kenneth to stand off his time for a written interview.
Kenneth, your entertainment career started
in 1967 and is still flourishing can you tell our readers a bit more about your
journey?
My
journey has been a rollicking literary adventure, from my days as a professor
at Occidental College and the University of Bologna, Italy, to the decision I
made to leave the academic world and enter the commercial world of
storytelling. There’s literally never been a dull moment—and the one thread
that weaves through it all is my passion for stories of all kinds. I’ve been a
first-hand witness to the world’s hunger for stories, and privileged to be able
to bring them to their audiences.
You are known for producing filmography
such as “The Lost Valentine,” “Life or
Something Like It,” “14 Days with Alzheimers,” “Hysteria,” “The Expatriate,”
and “The Kennedy Detail,” which is but a few. What do you feel has been your
best work in the filmography range?
Much
as I love the movies I’ve been lucky enough to work on, I feel my best work is
yet to come.
You founded Story Merchant for strategic
coaching in writers in 2010. What inspired the idea behind these two new
divisions?
I
founded Story Merchant because the world of publishing and entertainment has
changed so much in the last few years I found I was unable to spend time with
individual writers in a way that made business sense—and Story Merchant allows
me to do that through its (1) coaching services; (b) its publishing arm, Story
Merchant Books; and its marketing arm, Story Merchant Book Marketing. We began
(c), with my partner a former head of Fox Family Films, because the number one
challenge of any author publishing a new book is how to make it VISIBLE in a
world where thousands of books are published every single week. VISIBILITY is
the published writer’s biggest challenge, so SMBM is focused on making writers visible.
Your academic career started in 1970 up to
1986 where you received the Faculty Achievement Award and the Distinguished
Instructor at UCLA Writers program. How did you accomplish such awards within
the same year?
You
don’t really achieve awards—you just do your thing, and they either come or
not. For people who love what they do, it’s not the awards that motivate it’s
the privilege of getting to do what you love on a daily basis. It’s nice to be
recognized, but an authorpreneur needs to be self-motivated because there’s a
long wait between moments of recognition.
Your work has appeared in numerous journals
and newspapers such as the American Quarterly, Classical Philology, Comparative
Literature Studies, Contemporary Literature Criticism etc – how does it feel to
be seen as such a popular and sought after writer?
It
feels great to do the work of writing—the research, the composition, the
revision. The more you publish the more you will publish. And it’s very
satisfying to look back down a long road and see that many of my dreams—and
those of my clients and partners--reached fruition.
You have written books such as : How to Publish Your Novel (SquareOne) (2005); How to Quit Your Day
Job and Live Out Your Dreams
(Skyhorse) (2012), plus Writing Treatments That Sell: How to Create
and Market Your Story Ideas to the Motion Picture and TV Industry (Owl Books, 2003) and Write Time
(2012, available through amazon.com).
How has exposure been on these books?
It grows over the
years. It’s nice to know that several of the books have been through several
editions and continue to resonate with writers year after year. It’s an
extension of my years in the classroom to reach out and help people accelerate
their progress along the success curve.
Have readers ever given you input on how it has assisted them with their career
requirements and goals?
I couldn’t have
written any of these books without constant input from students and clients
along the way. It’s their experiences, in failure and success, that I describe
in these books.
Your companies - Atchity Entertainment International, Story
Merchant, and The Writer's Lifeline have been responsible for launching
numerous books and films. I mean the list of stuff you have done is never
ending, where to from here?
If
I’m lucky enough to continue, I will continue pushing forward the projects I’m
involved with—both my own personal projects like my first novel The Messiah
Matrix which we talked about here earlier, and the many projects of my
clients—wonderful books, screenplays, and stories that are just waiting their
turn to see the light of day. And my honor and responsibility is to move them
toward the light!
Have you ever thought about stretching your
skills into countries that are not as skilled as America?
I
did experiment a few years ago with reaching out to Brazil, at the request of a
consultant from that country. I wish there were a way to do that at least in
other English-speaking countries around the world because the world I work in,
publishing and producing, is increasingly global so the principles I propound
are universal.
In 1990 you founded the editorial and
consulting company The Writer’s Lifeline, Inc. I am told that this company has
been responsible for over a dozen best sellers. Can you tell our readers a bit
more about what the company consists of?
The
Writers Lifeline, consisting of select editors I’ve chosen over the years to
work with clients, is all about bringing “a writer’s skill and craft to the
level of their vision and ambition.” On one hand, we ghost-write stories and
information that the author needs put into the world; but on the other, our
primary mission, is we make books and scripts ready for publication and
production by giving them the conceptual, structural, style, and copy editing
they need to stand out as professionally worthy of commercial acceptance.
You also do a lot of television, radio, web
and television interviews and classes on contemporary literature, creativity, dreams,
myth, writing, producing, publishing, time-management, business expansion,
brand launching, and various other academic and entertainment-publishing
subjects.
Where do
you see yourself going with all of this within the future?
I
am consolidating more and more of this into Story Merchant Book Marketing so
that I can buy the time to help writers more. Writers need to remember the
simple arithmetic, money buys time (that’s what the saying “Time is money” is
all about). We all want unlimited freedom to create, so that means we need to
achieve unlimited financial reward for the fruits of our creation. Anything I
can do to concentrate and streamline my time helps me get more stories into the
world.
In 2011 you were nominated for the Emmy for
Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Documentary Programs on The Kennedy Detail
– this was shown on Discovery Channel last year. And now you’ve turned the same
book into a feature film, currently being written by director Stephen
Gyllenhaal that will be released in 2013..
What do you expect to see from viewers on
this release?
I
know we will see respect for the amazing men who served President Kennedy even
at the moment of this death—and had to endure the pain of it, and then go on
with their work of attempting to protect the next president, and to move the
country forward despite tragedy. I’ve seen that respect pouring out throughout
the book tour for The Kennedy Detail and in the television audience’s reaction
to the documentary—so I know the feature audience will express it as well.
How did it feel to be nominated for such an
award?
It
felt surreal to be in the room with the icons of television news and get to
meet some of them at the pre- and after-party. There’s something so ‘arbitrary’
about awards and nominations—as I said earlier, you just do your work and focus
on it, and sometimes it’s recognized. The recognition is time-consuming—I could
be at my phone working on future deals. But it’s good to pause for them, take a
breath, and put it all in perspective. There are SO MANY wonderful people
working in publishing, television, and film that just being in the same room
with them makes you realize that dreaming is the foundation for the reality we
all live in. I got to be in the room with fellow dreamers. That’s like dying
and going to heaven!
South Africa seems to be a country that holds
a lot of promise in many things. Filmography and publishing are but some of its
lesser opportunities.
How do you perceive these two factors to
grow in the future?
As
the world continues to shrink thanks to the technologies and the internet, film
and publishing will grow in all parts of the world. I’ve been offered to
amazing South African projects in the last two months, and there are many out
there being dreamed at this very moment—persistence will turn them into
realities.
For someone like me – Hollywood and big
novel publishing brands seems to be something that is not easy to come by. It’s
as if success is mostly concluded through the people you know and the money you
could spend. Have you ever thought about branching out internationally?
I’ve
become all too aware of my limitations—primarily the limitation of the hours in
the day. The only way I could conceive of branching out further is with the
help of energetic partners who can build the infrastructure. Otherwise I’m
happy with my present base, though I have clients in South Africa, Hong Kong,
Germany, Belgium, France, England, Australia, Canada—and probably a few others
I’ve forgotten at the moment.
If someone wanted to submit a manuscript or
screenplay for your recommendation – what steps do they need to follow?
The
best way to get my attention these days is to submit it to the ‘project launch
analysis’ on www.thewriterslifeline.com
That way your project gets read, analysed, and reported back to me—for me to
take a look at if it’s ready to move forward. If it’s not ready, you’ll be told
why and we can help you do something about it.
What genres do you follow?
We
have worked in every imaginable genre. I just love GOOD STORIES of all kinds.
Which age groups are you limited to?
We
aren’t limited to any age groups. We’ve found ways to work with them all.
Where can people follow your work and
access your sites for possible submissions and enquiries?
My
personal blog is a nexus that changes daily but gives you access to all the
websites: its http://www.kenatchityblog.com/
What
do you prefer – reading, writing or screen?
I
equally prefer reading and watching movies.
These days I find that the line between
novel publishing and putting it to screen has become fairly narrow. There are
very few books I have read that hasn’t made it to film or possible future
filming.
I’m
surprised because it’s my experience that the book that makes it to film is 1
in a hundred or more. Great books are the exception, but it still can take
years to get to the screen.
What is your viewpoint on such a matter?
Persist.
Do it right. Learn everything you can, especially from other people’s
experience.
What are your views when it comes to online
kindle reading and actual printed novels – do you feel that the market will
always remain for physical publishing?
I’m
sure it will remain for another 50 years, though I’m not sure it’ll be that
long. When Gutenberg invented the printing press I’m sure folks still said, “I
prefer my scroll.” But 50 years later I doubt that anyone was still making
scrolls, and few still reading from them.
Final words for striving authors and
producers around the world.
If
you have a dream, you have a responsibility to yourself and to us to make it
come true. That’s the most important thing in your life. Don’t let anything
stand in its way. And let me know if we can help you get there!
Opening The Houston Writers Guild Annual Conference on April 13-14 With My Keynote Speech On ...
“The Story Marketplace Today: How Changes in Publishing and Entertainment Impact Your Career”
Houston writers will gather April 13-14, when the Houston Writers’ Guild (HWG) holds the 2012 4th annual writers’ conference in Sugar Land.
“There’s something for every writer—published or unpublished, fiction
or non-fiction,” said Tina Winograd, 2012 HWG conference director. “The
publishing world is changing. In some ways, it is easier to get a book
published today. Our experts will address traditional publishing as well
as online publishing and e-books. Make an appointment to have your
writing critiqued by a published writer or to run your story idea by a
literary agent.”
Would-be Writers to be Focus of April 13-14 Writers Conference
Houston writers will gather April 13-14, when the Houston Writers’ Guild (HWG) holds the 2012 4th annual writers’ conference in Sugar Land.
Writers
may choose between several tracks, including mystery, nonfiction, young
adult and writing/publishing basics. The two-day meeting includes
presentations from:
· Hollywood ‘Story Merchant’ Ken Atchity, producer and literary manager
· Self-Publishing super-star and zombie thriller novelist Rhiannon Frater
· Young Adult author Nikki Loftin, author of two novels and numerous short stories
· True crime writer and novelist Kathryn Casey
· Larry Thompson, author of legal thriller, “The Trial”
· Award-winning novelist and poet Chitra Divakaruni
· New York literary agents
Conference
cost is $125 for Friday and Saturday; $100 for Saturday only. Saturday
lunch is included in the fee. Friday night dinner optional. For an
additional cost, attendees may schedule brief one-on-one sessions with
literary agents and published writers.
For online registration and further program information, see HWG website, www.houstonwritersguild.org or call 281-498-5025.
Join My Next Webinar on March 8th at 2:30 pm (est)
7 steps for finding an agent
In today’s publishing turmoil, as the internet challenges traditional
publishing and traditional agents are retooling to stay abreast of the
changing tide, it’s become even more difficult to find an author’s
representative. Dr. Atchity will lead you through the steps that will
give you a fighting chance to find someone who will take you and your
book seriously in this session based on his book How to Publish Your
Novel (useful also for nonfiction writers). About the Presenter
Dr. Atchity is the author of 15 books, including A Writer’s Time,
Writing Treatments That Sell, and How to Publish Your Novel. He’s worked
successfully in nearly every area of the publishing and entertainment
business, and has spent his lifetime helping writers get started with
and improve their careers. As founder and head of Atchity Entertainment
International, Inc., The Writer’s Lifeline, Inc., including Atchity
Productions and Story Merchant, and The Louisiana Wave Studio, LLC. he
has produced nearly 30 films in the past 20 years for major studios,
television broadcasters, and independent distribution. He is currently
nominated for an Emmy for “The Kennedy Detail,” based on the New York
Times bestselling book he developed. For nearly twenty years before, as
professor of literature and teacher of creative writing at Occidental
College and UCLA, he helped literally hundreds of writers find a market
for their work by bringing their craft and technique to the level of
their ambition and vision. During his time at Occidental, he also served
as a regular reviewer for The Los Angeles Times Book Review.
Register Now
March 8, 2012 at 02:30PM
Join My FREE Webinar March 8th At 2:30 pm (est)
7 steps for finding an agent - Author Learning Center
In today’s publishing turmoil, as the internet challenges traditional
publishing and traditional agents are retooling to stay abreast of the
changing tide, it’s become even more difficult to find an author’s
representative. Dr. Atchity will lead you through the steps that will
give you a fighting chance to find someone who will take you and your
book seriously in this session based on his book How to Publish Your
Novel (useful also for nonfiction writers).
About the Presenter
In today’s publishing turmoil, as the internet challenges traditional
publishing and traditional agents are retooling to stay abreast of the
changing tide, it’s become even more difficult to find an author’s
representative. Dr. Atchity will lead you through the steps that will
give you a fighting chance to find someone who will take you and your
book seriously in this session based on his book How to Publish Your
Novel (useful also for nonfiction writers). About the Presenter
Dr. Atchity is the author of 15 books, including A Writer’s Time,
Writing Treatments That Sell, and How to Publish Your Novel. He’s worked
successfully in nearly every area of the publishing and entertainment
business, and has spent his lifetime helping writers get started with
and improve their careers. As founder and head of Atchity Entertainment
International, Inc., The Writer’s Lifeline, Inc., including Atchity
Productions and Story Merchant, and The Louisiana Wave Studio, LLC. he
has produced nearly 30 films in the past 20 years for major studios,
television broadcasters, and independent distribution. He is currently
nominated for an Emmy for “The Kennedy Detail,” based on the New York
Times bestselling book he developed. For nearly twenty years before, as
professor of literature and teacher of creative writing at Occidental
College and UCLA, he helped literally hundreds of writers find a market
for their work by bringing their craft and technique to the level of
their ambition and vision. During his time at Occidental, he also served
as a regular reviewer for The Los Angeles Times Book Review.
Register Now
Monetizing Your Knowledge With Creativity
My intention to surround myself with the finest minds in the world has certainly made an impact on my ability to tap into my own creativity.I recently attended a Marketing Mastermind meeting and found myself surrounded by an amazing circle of influence. Each of us brainstorming our creative powers with the other members of the group as we discover new ways to bring our knowledge and services to the marketplace.
After the meeting we joined for dinner and as I looked around I realized just how amazing this circle of fine minds was! Creative energy flowing, laughing, learning and enjoying the company of genius leading edge thinkers…. and I couldn’t help but acknowledge that I created this experience through the intention I had set years ago.
Here I was sitting across the table from Award Winning Architect Julie Lineburger, Musical Genius Lisa McCormick, Founders of Magical Earth Retreats Don and Jane Jones (Don is also known as The Wizard of Wisdom) and
Internet Marketing GENIUS- Tellman Knudson! (Tellman is also the worst banjo player in the world…. but that’s another story) I found myself learning new things, stretching myself a little out of my comfort zone…. but finding my balance and stepping into the fullest version of myself by seeking out, connecting with and recognizing the power of Creativity.
Creativity is such an important part of our life, much more powerful than most people realize, and we all have it in us. All of us…. no matter what…. no exceptions.
Recently I had the honor of being joined in the LeadingEdge Talk studio by Hollywood writer/producer, author of 15 books and nominated for an Emmy for his work in “The Kennedy Detail” -Dr. Kenneth Atchity, whose industry depends on this very power. During the show we talked about What is Creativity and Why is it so powerful? And you can listen to the entire show here to find out why Dr. Atchity says “Creativity is more important to humans than breathing”.
Enjoy the replay here
Whatever path you are following to wealth…. it will take creativity to get there. Sometimes that means learning, which is what you are doing right now by reading this blog and taking advantage of the wisdom and resources my guests share. You are a Creative Genius…… it’s already in there, you just need to connect with it.
Another way to get creative in learning is to READ! I HIGHLY recommend you check out Dr. Atchity’s Book
“How To Escape Lifetime Security And Pursue Your Impossible Dream”
It is possible for you to have the life you want to have, and to connect with the creative power you already have within yourself. Believe it. Believe in You. There is a saying (by who I don’t remember at this moment, but it goes something like this
“I have discovered as truth as I look at what I myself am creating…… When you believe in yourself, the world has no choice but to Believe in you too”.
Your experience is valuable, and you can learn to monetize what you know. Open yourself up to learn and the most amazing teachers will find their way into your life.
This I know for sure.
Be sure to follow the “Aware to Millionaire” blog and get your inbox Rocked by Wisdom.
Stephanie Kathan.com
Myth to Movie: REDEMPTION
First published in Produced By, the official magazine of the Producers Guild of America
Because of a previous failure, a hero has withdrawn from the world. Faced with the opportunity to test himself again in the same arena where’s he’s failed before, he refuses, having lost his confidence. But when the stakes are raised and allies and/or provocateurs force his hand, he’s inevitably drawn into the situation that forces him to reenact his trauma. This time, overcoming his own fears, he succeeds.
Films as distinct in flavor as Reign of Fire (2002) and Seabiscuit (2003) draw story pattern from the core myth of redemption.
Analyzed with reference to this “underlying mythic story structure,” two 1993 films, Cliffhanger (directed by Renny Harlin) and In the Line of Fire (Wolfgang Petersen), for example, are retelling the identical mythic pattern. Though one appeals to the popcorn crowd and the other to the smart set, they deliver identical satisfaction to the audience’s universal longing for self-redemption--for getting a second chance, and succeeding.
In the Sylvester Stallone thriller, Gabe Walker has retired from a mountain-climbing rescue team because he believes his recklessness, shown in the breathtaking and perfectly ambiguous opening scene, led to the death of his best friend’s girlfriend; the mythic protagonists we relate to the most seem always to be ones with the greatest hubris, taking the weight of the world on their shoulders. When a plane is downed in the inaccessible Rockies by a daring midair heist engineered by madman Eric Qualen (John Lithgow), even the pleas of Gabe’s former girlfriend Jessie (Janine Turner) fail at first to move him to action. Only Gabe’s knowledge that he alone can pull off this rescue finally triggers his decision to join the purported rescue team, face the antagonist and his own fears, complete the impossible task, and earn back his self-respect. Testimony to the power of a movie story well-shaped by its underlying myth was Roger Ebert’s comment, “True, there’s not a moment in the plot that I could believe. That didn’t bother me for an instant.”
Line of Fire’s Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) has been nursing his failure to protect President Kennedy with alcohol for nearly three decades when an antagonist straight out of his nightmares, John Malkovich’s Mitch Leary, draws him out of his loser-stupor by announcing that he’s going to kill the present President (played by Jim Curley)—and that Horrigan and Horrigan alone can stop him. Tightly wrapped agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo) shames Mitch into action and, in a well-orchestrated final sequence, the failed hero relives his past but this time throws himself between the assassin and the President--and rises to a new life.
More recently, The Legend of Bagger Vance shows the redemption and rebirth of Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon), an Old South protagonist whose previous failure came from being bested by the brutalities of war, a game with no gentlemanly rules about how it’s played. Despite his engagement to blue-blood Savannah belle Adele Invergordon (Charlize Theron), Rannulph can’t bring himself to face life and disappears into a self-imposed limbo of smoke-filled back rooms. But, like the plane crash in Cliffhanger and the assassin in Line of Fire, fate—this time in the person of Adele, who misses her handsome and absent beau—intervenes to give him a second chance: a golf tournament, a game that “you don’t win, you can only play.” Junnuh’s redemption is assisted not only by the charming connivance of Adele but also by unlikely allies in the person of Bagger Vance (Will Smith), a wise caddy who walks straight out of the mists of myth, and the young boy (J. Michael Moncrief), who believes in Junnuh almost as much as he believes in the game of golf.
Most recently, we see redemption reworked in two 2004 films Alexander Payne’s Sideways, and Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. In the former, Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) is a failed San Diego writer biding his downward spiral as a disaffected English teacher. His pal Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is an almost-as-failed hero whose few moments of fame have allowed him a faux joie de vivre that leaves Miles in his pale. Their road trip to Santa Ynez explores not only wine country but their own discontent; their allies, Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh), lead them through oenophilia to sex to self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the hope of a new, more honest life.
In contrast to the rosé- and Pinot Noire-colored glasses of Payne’s film, Million Dollar Baby is equal parts noir and noir. The redemption of Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), drifting rudderless through a meaningless life, is accomplished through young Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) and ally ex-boxer Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman). Maggie’s indomitable dream combines with the wisdom Eddie has distilled from forty years of rejection to reenlist Frankie’s motivation. Though the film ends with a tear-jerking trauma, Frankie emerges reborn with the courage to accept, if not embrace, life one day at a time.
We love redemption because it leads to rebirth, so redemption stories should be classified as a branch of the rebirth family tree. Other rebirth stories that aren’t motivated by redemption include Ron Howard’s Cocoon (1985), where the rebirth of old folks choosing a stellar journey has nothing to do with their merits; My Fair Lady, discussed in a previous column, where Henry Higgins’ rebirth comes from willfully taking on an impossible challenge; or even Rocky (1976), where Rocky Balboa is reborn as a winner through the strength of his inner vision backed by sheer determination.
Among Atchity’s other films in development, John Scott Shepherd’s Henry’s List of Wrongs (New Line Pictures), is based on the redemption myth.
Myth to Movie
By Ken Atchity
Redemption
By Ken Atchity
Redemption
The formula of the perennial family of stories inspired by the redemption myth:
Because of a previous failure, a hero has withdrawn from the world. Faced with the opportunity to test himself again in the same arena where’s he’s failed before, he refuses, having lost his confidence. But when the stakes are raised and allies and/or provocateurs force his hand, he’s inevitably drawn into the situation that forces him to reenact his trauma. This time, overcoming his own fears, he succeeds.
Films as distinct in flavor as Reign of Fire (2002) and Seabiscuit (2003) draw story pattern from the core myth of redemption.
Analyzed with reference to this “underlying mythic story structure,” two 1993 films, Cliffhanger (directed by Renny Harlin) and In the Line of Fire (Wolfgang Petersen), for example, are retelling the identical mythic pattern. Though one appeals to the popcorn crowd and the other to the smart set, they deliver identical satisfaction to the audience’s universal longing for self-redemption--for getting a second chance, and succeeding.
In the Sylvester Stallone thriller, Gabe Walker has retired from a mountain-climbing rescue team because he believes his recklessness, shown in the breathtaking and perfectly ambiguous opening scene, led to the death of his best friend’s girlfriend; the mythic protagonists we relate to the most seem always to be ones with the greatest hubris, taking the weight of the world on their shoulders. When a plane is downed in the inaccessible Rockies by a daring midair heist engineered by madman Eric Qualen (John Lithgow), even the pleas of Gabe’s former girlfriend Jessie (Janine Turner) fail at first to move him to action. Only Gabe’s knowledge that he alone can pull off this rescue finally triggers his decision to join the purported rescue team, face the antagonist and his own fears, complete the impossible task, and earn back his self-respect. Testimony to the power of a movie story well-shaped by its underlying myth was Roger Ebert’s comment, “True, there’s not a moment in the plot that I could believe. That didn’t bother me for an instant.”
Line of Fire’s Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan (Clint Eastwood) has been nursing his failure to protect President Kennedy with alcohol for nearly three decades when an antagonist straight out of his nightmares, John Malkovich’s Mitch Leary, draws him out of his loser-stupor by announcing that he’s going to kill the present President (played by Jim Curley)—and that Horrigan and Horrigan alone can stop him. Tightly wrapped agent Lilly Raines (Rene Russo) shames Mitch into action and, in a well-orchestrated final sequence, the failed hero relives his past but this time throws himself between the assassin and the President--and rises to a new life.
More recently, The Legend of Bagger Vance shows the redemption and rebirth of Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon), an Old South protagonist whose previous failure came from being bested by the brutalities of war, a game with no gentlemanly rules about how it’s played. Despite his engagement to blue-blood Savannah belle Adele Invergordon (Charlize Theron), Rannulph can’t bring himself to face life and disappears into a self-imposed limbo of smoke-filled back rooms. But, like the plane crash in Cliffhanger and the assassin in Line of Fire, fate—this time in the person of Adele, who misses her handsome and absent beau—intervenes to give him a second chance: a golf tournament, a game that “you don’t win, you can only play.” Junnuh’s redemption is assisted not only by the charming connivance of Adele but also by unlikely allies in the person of Bagger Vance (Will Smith), a wise caddy who walks straight out of the mists of myth, and the young boy (J. Michael Moncrief), who believes in Junnuh almost as much as he believes in the game of golf.
Most recently, we see redemption reworked in two 2004 films Alexander Payne’s Sideways, and Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. In the former, Miles Raymond (Paul Giamatti) is a failed San Diego writer biding his downward spiral as a disaffected English teacher. His pal Jack (Thomas Haden Church) is an almost-as-failed hero whose few moments of fame have allowed him a faux joie de vivre that leaves Miles in his pale. Their road trip to Santa Ynez explores not only wine country but their own discontent; their allies, Maya (Virginia Madsen) and Stephanie (Sandra Oh), lead them through oenophilia to sex to self-awareness, self-acceptance, and the hope of a new, more honest life.
In contrast to the rosé- and Pinot Noire-colored glasses of Payne’s film, Million Dollar Baby is equal parts noir and noir. The redemption of Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), drifting rudderless through a meaningless life, is accomplished through young Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) and ally ex-boxer Eddie Dupris (Morgan Freeman). Maggie’s indomitable dream combines with the wisdom Eddie has distilled from forty years of rejection to reenlist Frankie’s motivation. Though the film ends with a tear-jerking trauma, Frankie emerges reborn with the courage to accept, if not embrace, life one day at a time.
We love redemption because it leads to rebirth, so redemption stories should be classified as a branch of the rebirth family tree. Other rebirth stories that aren’t motivated by redemption include Ron Howard’s Cocoon (1985), where the rebirth of old folks choosing a stellar journey has nothing to do with their merits; My Fair Lady, discussed in a previous column, where Henry Higgins’ rebirth comes from willfully taking on an impossible challenge; or even Rocky (1976), where Rocky Balboa is reborn as a winner through the strength of his inner vision backed by sheer determination.
Among Atchity’s other films in development, John Scott Shepherd’s Henry’s List of Wrongs (New Line Pictures), is based on the redemption myth.
Join Me April 13th - Key Speaker at the Book Publicists of Southern California
Waterfalls Room at the Sportsmens Lodge
12833 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA
Evening Program includes Cocktails & Networking, Buffet Dinner
5:30pm - 10:00pm
$29.00 /$10:00 (Program Only)
BPSC March April 2011
12833 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA
Evening Program includes Cocktails & Networking, Buffet Dinner
5:30pm - 10:00pm
$29.00 /$10:00 (Program Only)
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