How I Wrote True Detective

Listen to the creator of True Detective, Nic Pizzolatto, break down how he wrote the hit TV show in this video essay. He talks about writing realistic, deep characters and having deep philosophical conversations in the midst of a crime scene.

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True Detective is an American anthology crime drama television series created and written by Nic Pizzolatto. The series, broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States, premiered on January 12, 2014. Each season of the series is structured as a self-contained narrative, employing new cast ensembles, and following various sets of characters and settings.

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This channel is a way for me to share the best nuggets of knowledge for filmmakers I find. It's an attempt to take a look inside the greatest films and TV shows and learn from the creators themselves how they do what they do.

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Drama Master Class: Nic Pizzolatto, Creator of True Detective
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True Detective — Writing Realistic Characters

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[sidolanters]

True Detective Season 1 is probably one of the best seasons of any TV show ever. It's impeccable.

[ralphiecifaretto]

Everyone loves Rust but you need him bouncing off Marty to be so captivating. You can't have one without the other.

[ThePrecipice]

Season One True Detective is pretty much the finest eight hours of television anywhere.

[MayurKoitiya]

I don't know why but i keep watching True Detective season 1 again and again.. Time is indeed a flat Circle i guess

[ricardofeldmann]

Rust is one of the best and most interesting characters ever.

[Rkitt]

That first season is so heavily steeped in mood that when you watch it you are transported to southern gothic Louisiana. Fuck. I can watch that season over and over again. And I will for the rest of my life.

[Brothercole]

So stoked to see content still being made on True Detective, over 5 years later.

[shawnenglish]

I’m a writer. I work hard. I’ve never written anything that is half as rich as this story. I’ll try harder. Thanks for being you, Nick.

[RazeAndJadith]

first season of true detective is my favorite tv show next to breaking bad

[SofaKingAwesome]

Amazing series. That 6 minute long tracking shot through the stash house and police raid was absolutely brilliant.

[geordiejones]

The unique blend of conspiracy, philosophy, government, family, religion, police, murder, southern gothic and the hint of cosmic horror is what makes this first season such a timeless classic. Maybe the single greatest self contained story ever told on television. The acting, the direction of action, and the script just merge together into a real masterpiece. It's more Cormac McCarthy than even the Coen Brothers, just brutal and precise from beat to beat and the unwinding of the scale of the horror is spellbinding. The creep that builds around the Tuttle family is spookier than just about any horror I've ever come across, other than Lynch and Ligotti.

[outriderjuno]

"Nobody was gonna let me make a TV Series that was just about two men riding around talking... So I put a murder in there"
I found it quite amusing

[jbbyaboo]

"If you're worth a damn as a writer, there's no character whose point of view you can't imagine and understand empathetically." GREAT quote.

[WafflyTerror]

I lost count for how many times I've watched this show.. An absolute masterpiece

[JoeKing]

"He's Hypersensitive."
YES! This is exactly what I thought when I first watched Cohle. It's precisely his hypersensitivity that leads him to being so detached and stoic; if he didn't regulate his emotions so ruthlessly he'd be a mess unable to do his job and in general wouldn't be able to function in society.

People who are empaths often take on very similar traits and are actually often ironically mislabeled as being psychopaths because of it.

[tomsta]

there's something about the setting in season 1 which is almost indescribably perfect. It's so grim and empty and the characters fill it with their own perspectives

[clm]

Matthew crying in the end was so real. Good actor

[kaemae]

I was blown away by the first season. Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson did such an amazing job I'm currently watching the S3 but S1 is just an HBO Classic & will always be my favorite. Its great to see behind the scenes from the Directors perspective. Thanks for making this video & looking forward to see the Black Mirror video .

[danvocals]

One thing to remember about pizzolato is that he grew up around a weird version of southern religious society. It shaped him profoundly and made for an interesting backdrop. One recommendation I'd give to people is to stop looking at media for inspiration for the settings of your story. You need to invent and be inspired by something perhaps a bit more intimate to you. I always hear people talking about making the next dexter or doctor who but with a slightly different setting. Or "this" but gritty. I think there are infinite stories to be told but we always need to be reaching somewhere new.

[warrens.]

I absolutely loved this show. The intro alone would give me chills. It was one of the most captivating seasons of any show Ive ever watched . Woody and Mathew, what a dynamite pair of actors