Solve Your Story Structure Problems In 11 Steps - Pat Verducci [FULL INTERVIEW]

0:00 - Great Movies Have These 3 Essential Story Elements
13:53 - Writing Can't Be Taught
26:29 - If I Don't Write I Don't Feel Good
34:28 - How To Find The Emotional Spine In A Screenplay
45:05 - Theme Comes Last In The Writing Process
55:20 - 11 Step Story Structure Made Easy
1:09:27 - Story Structure Is A Form Not A Formula
1:21:00 - A Writer's Job Is To Create Questions, Not Give Answers
1:29:58 - How To Figure Out What A Character Wants

Writing Coach, Teacher, Mentor and Screenwriter Pat Verducci teaches two Advanced Screenwriting courses at UCLA TFT. She has written scripts for Touchstone Pictures, Witt-Thomas Productions, and Walt Disney Animation Studios. She has also worked as a story consultant for Disney/Pixar. She wrote and directed the feature film True Crime, starring Alicia Silverstone, and her writing credits also include documentary shorts for HBO and Showtime. She co-produced Somewhere Between, a feature documentary about four teenaged girls transracially adopted from China, and served as a story consultant on the Tinkerbell franchise for Disney. She is currently the script editor on several feature film projects for Film Victoria and Screen Australia, and is writing Citizen Bella, a documentary on the life of modern dancer Bella Lewitzky. Verducci serves as a mentor at Cinestory and the Meryl Streep funded IRIS/New York Women in Film and Television’s Writer’s Lab for Women. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America.

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#writing #writers #film

[melaninandaura]

I’m at work doing patient care and listening when she said “whether you’re getting paid or not, if you’re writing, you’re a writer” I effing LOST it.

When I’m not writing I don’t feel good … ooft! All I think about is writing. It’s to the point that it physically hurts.

I needed to hear this.

[christrites]

Even though I have nothing to do with the film business (I write Novels only) I still find this one of the best channels about writing and storytelling. I love listening to the guests you have on here, they have a wealth of knowledge that can only be gained by extensive experience in the field telling stories to an audience. Also, love the interviewer, your questions, tone and pace are excellent.

[eddiethecurler]

I could watch this interview forever. And I will never write a screenplay. Very interesting and fufilling to hear a true professional talk about her craft.

[DovieRuthAuthor]

This was a terrific interview. Initially, I thought it was going to be 14 minutes long but it was 1 hour 40 minutes. I listened to the entire dialog and even backtracked on some points. I especially found the info on plotting structures the most informative. Thanks!

[toad]

I have listened to this interview multiple times and it is easily one of the best on this channel. The amount of information and wisdom is incredible! And so much of the wisdom applies to creativity in general and other artforms. One point in particular that rings so true about the 20 minute mark is that "the magic doesn't happen unless you are in the chair". I am an artist who is interested also in writing - mostly I do digital art and comics but used to do a lot of traditional art also - but I have learned this lesson over the years that one must be in the drawing chair (or for other artists behind the easel) every day just making the work. Some days are not as good or less inspired and some days are good and a few are great. The progress is made through the daily practice of making the work. There are in fact a few days I struggle to start, but once I do the "magic" usually flows. You are always making progress and some improvement but is gradual so you sometimes won't feel like it. But you must keep moving forward. The daily schedule is also important because as you see yourself making progress you become motivated by that progress and that makes you want to continue on, finish a project, and start another one. So keep working! Start something, finish it knowing it's imperfect, and take what you learned and make another one! Also don't compare yourselves to others in a harsh way or you are robbing yourself of what is unique about you - and finding your own voice is definitely the point of being an artist - that's the entire point. So learn the rules, keep working to master them but enjoy becoming who you become - embrace your own voice and enjoy the process. It took me 30 years to figure this out!

[jeffgraham]

Pat's brilliant - she's a genius but also incredibly warm and supportive - super rare. If you haven't consulted with her it's worth it

[danieljackson]

"It won't happen unless you are sitting in the chair." AMEN. Wonderful words. This makes her lecture. Thank you

[effieskitsa]

As a filmmaker who wants to start writing, this interview is really helpful and it clarifies in my mind a lot of things. I always say that I can't write. But now I will try. Thank you so much.

[L.SMcClure]

I've been watching Film Courage for the past three months. I love the advice given by the guests that come onto this channel. It is great getting advice and listening to their story's and writing process. It helps me in figuring out my own writing process.

[vandanachandekaranand]

I am only 11 minutes into this and I already got a great clarity about my WIP. Paused the video to go back and change the first chapter. Thanks a lot for the upload.

[callumdavidson]

I definitely think that you need to give yourself the freedom to find new things as you go along. Give your character a goal but don't worry about how they get there until you actually start writing it.

[gamewriteeye]

It's crazy how far and back I can relate to the struggles of even these experts in the field! Like the Spine, right, well that is something writers in the field or just starting out almost never hear about. What this interview said is spot on, and what I'd like to add, is that Spines only occur for a character's arc _if_ there's a defense mechanism in place, a way for the character to cope with something that happened in their past(their backstory/Ghost).

I know how this interview, she was talking about that struggle to find the Want, the character's ultimate external plot goal that thinks "makes them happy" but it doesn't. Well, the Spine is a character's Flaw, and that Flaw goes hand-hand as the core reason externally why they can't get what they Want internally to satisfy making them happy. It's going on this journey from beginning to end if it's a positive change let's say, they shed this Flaw, the Spine, and replace it with a Strength after attaining the Need they find in the Climax, what truly makes them happy to sacrifice what they Want(and by extension, conquering that inner demon of the Ghost to shed their Spine in this too).

This allows for the transformation of their character Lie at the start to their character Truth they learn in the end. Beautiful Truth, innit?

[Tarazed]

1:11:50 It actually speaks to me this part about just writing it, and not overthinking. I'm also the type that has a board with all the connecting red lines and structures inside the structure. I had that one scene which didn't feel like it had come to an end. I already knew what scene came after it next, so I really didn't want to dwell on the current one anymore because I was on a bucket list type of journey, and furthermore had no idea where to park it anyway. Against my first instinct, I just started devolving in what i though would be a boring campfire slow time, but it ended up being so much more fun to write, and important to the rest of the plot once I just threw it out there. Definitely take chances if in doubt.

[debbyliu]

This interview probably taught me everything about "How to write a great story" a huge thanks to the team and the writing coach for sharing this phenomenal experience.

[heatherheadley]

Film Courage is the best ever!!!
Produced three short films and a docudrama since I began in 2019. Now there is another film being prepped.

[teddytheman]

I am first time to the university I named. I am not good in English but I understand almost all of them. Because it's simple and clear everyone can understand. I like also the interviewer she know how to get from others. Thanks so much you guys make clear that I could not see.❤❤❤❤

[elgonzo]

Main character. Obstacles. Emotions. (Check, check and check)

[cmagnusnorthfleet]

Wow, this is a GREAT interview. Pat Verducci makes a lot of sense. I can almost see in my mind what she's saying. You could learn a lot from her. Bravo!!

[kuramobay]

Writing even a half-decent story involves so many moving parts that it's easy to simply follow a template based on a genre or a previously successful movie. So, to write anything with fresh elements requires a degree of intuition or talent so great that most of the process of writing takes place under the surface, while the tip of the iceberg would involve the editing and rewriting process.

[joepeezly]

Wow. I got a TON out of this one. I'm a concept artist/illustrator trying to understand story-telling to further my craft, and have a story I'm working on. Some things Pat said about "what the character wants" have made me consider what I'm up to in a whole different light. Great interview too!