Formula For Writing A Bad Story - Travis Seppala

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In this Film Courage video interview, Author/Screenwriter Travis Seppala on the Formula For Writing A Bad Story.

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#screenwriting #screenplay #writing

[TheFeelButton]

Unfortunately there is no shortage of bad story formulas. Cheers Film Courage!

[davidlavalleejr]

Good points but I actually don’t buy the Superman analogy here. I think Tarantino’s analogy(Clark Kent is the fabricated alter ego of Superman. Superman is the actual identity, Clark is what he thinks of the human race) is arguably more accurate imho

[guywainer]

There are many ways to make a bad story. However I think formula is the wrong word because if you have a formula thats a good thing. It's just to learn to use it and wield it to yield the best results. A way to make a bad story is primarily to think you're better than a system of process. There are many writers who think and believe that the way to write and the best way to write is just sit at the typewriter and to quote a famous author - sit at the typewriter and bleed. This is one sure fire way to write something doesn't fully entertain and a definitely a way to create a story that doesn't have a certain amount of design. It's all about process and the best way to write is to develop a way to formulate your stories from idea to finished article. There's so many ways to do this but definitely have a structure in mind and definitely learn some narrative theory. Avoiding any kind of prep and understanding of the craft is definitely one way to write something that's not entertaining. I wish that process was talked about more because figuring that out is the one early step being able to write well. There are thousands of things one could learn. Film Courage is a good way to learn such insights.

[Corn_Pone_Flicks]

This is really a video about Superman more than a general look at what makes a story bad. It kind of went off on a tangent rather quickly.

[jamesbok]

In terms of the Anti-Hero segmant, Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance is a good example of wanting to sympathize with someone despite them doing terrible things.

[baddunwell]

Came for tips on how not to write a bad story, got a meandering conversation about Superman instead.

[ceramicshot]

1:14: "If anybody liked the character in Joker there's something wrong with them." Yeah, I feel like a lot of the interviewees on this channel are totally unprepared or have no idea what they're talking about. "Arthur" in the Joker movie was very, very obviously designed as a sympathetic character; it's what made the movie supposedly controversial in the first place with the violent turn it took.

To wit, he's got:
-a disability that he does his best to work through
-a sick mother that he's endlessly patient with in spite of his suffering abuse at her hands
-a longing for a father figure
-the desire for romantic partner he can love and provide for in spite of her already having a child

He's also regularly set upon by vicious bullies simply because he's trying to (1) make a living, or (2) protect a woman being harassed by assholes.

He makes children smile and works at a goddamn children's hospital! In what possible sense could you think that he's not designed as a sympathetic character that we shouldn't like on some level?

[alakabaz]

Superman made the choice to save human life in Man of Steel? He needs to rewatch the second half of that film again because Superman does absolutely nothing to save any human life and in fact contributes massively to what can only be considered a genocide of Metropolis

[commonsense]

I would like to learn more from Travis Seppala as guidance for super hero stories. I want to make and pitch a Marvel cartoon series on a comic I’m very passionate about in the future. But I am worry about writing bad decisions. That why I want to learn to make a good and original story in Marvel cartoons

[haynesrobert]

Superman powers molecular structure by the yellow sun. Kryptonians are less vulnerable from the red sun cause his dying planet to explode. He's odd here with such gifts around the yellow Sun. Watch superman 1 and 2

[yappygm]

Passive protagonist (cough Rogue One cough).

[futurestoryteller]

Not gonna lie, if this was Travis' channel I'd consider downvoting for arguably misrepresenting what Martin Scorsese said while refusing to say his name, and then his further misrepresenting Pa Kent from "Man of Steel" would drive the final nail in, and force my hand. Superman's adoptive father didn't teach him how to be a hero, Travis acknowledges that Clark's father encourages him not to be Superman, but says it's to save other people? When actually Pa Kent explicitly encourages Clark to let people die to protect himself. It's one of the most contentious things in the whole movie. I don't know anyone that likes it. I'll say this about it: his interpretation of the function of that relationship within the story is about as articulate and makes about as much sense as it does in the actual movie...

[Amelia_PC]

"Formula For Writing A Bad Story" - Pfft, that's easy. Just write like me!
(I should create a Udemy course teaching how to write a bad story!)

[luizantoniosouza]

If there is a formula, the movie is bad already. Stories should be organic.

[jikoko]

anyone else here so they can write the worst story possible? please tell me im not alone.

[southlondon]

Yeah but how many times do you need to see a character you care about in a costume flying around and blowing things up with their superpowers before it gets mind numbingly boring? Superhero movies are just cgi trash, like the fast food of the film industry. Not even the Mcdonalds, rather a cheap chicken shop that everyone will go to when they’ve got spare change.

[SchmokinJoe]

The interviewer is so confused by the end.