tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post1232109943544985609..comments2024-01-05T10:46:06.674-06:00Comments on Scott D. Parker: Writer: Lessons from "Raiders of the Lost Ark"Scott D. Parkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15293540073601809197noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-47582175893490454012009-06-03T09:15:52.293-05:002009-06-03T09:15:52.293-05:00Jay - As I study Raiders, character definition via...Jay - As I study Raiders, character definition via action is the one thing I'm seeing a lot of. I was talking about Raiders with a friend yesterday and he pointed out something so blatantly obvious that it slipped my notice: Indy fails at everything he does. He doesn't get the idol, he doesn't get the headpiece, he doesn't prevent the Nazis from getting and opening the ark, and, finally, he doesn't get the ark for the museum. Perhaps that's why we all love Indy so much: he just keeps going.Scott D. Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293540073601809197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-57274965071111594772009-06-03T07:44:50.370-05:002009-06-03T07:44:50.370-05:00and wow my spelling was off the char bad in that o...and wow my spelling was off the char bad in that one.<br /><br />"i could write for hours about the film"Jay Stringerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08764183157841848163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-53282791409704203812009-06-03T07:44:04.853-05:002009-06-03T07:44:04.853-05:00i could write for hot the film. its my favourite, ...i could write for hot the film. its my favourite, and i think one of the perfect scripts. Its got a lot of lessons i try and keep in mind.<br /><br />it defines its characters through their actions, without stopping dead to tell us about them.<br /><br />One of the best scenes is the raven bar (and the scene that sets it up in indy's house) where with a handful of lines the script has given us the entire history of the two characters relationship.<br /><br />-i learned to hate you in the last ten years<br />-i never meant to hurt you<br />-i was a child, i was in love, in was wrong and you knew it<br />-you knew what you were doing<br /><br />and to<br /><br />-i can only say im sorry so many times<br />-well say it again anyway<br />-sorry<br /><br />The character arc is well thought out too...in a way its shame that all the sequels and books happened because it waters down the impact of that intitial arc. He starts the film as the shady character, driven, arrogant, looting. Then there's the scene between him and Belloq in the bar where the battle lines are drawn, the whole "shadowy image" and "fallen from the true faith" speech that shows that indy still has a line that he won't cross, then he refuses to destroy the arc when he has the chance, because he's re-found that 'true faith' of history and archaology, and he takes the leap of faith at the end when he closes his eyes. And this whole arc is conducted without the film ever stopping to explain it to us.Jay Stringerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08764183157841848163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-27516283760499620552009-05-31T17:35:14.261-05:002009-05-31T17:35:14.261-05:00Barbara - I'm up to the part with the fight in the...Barbara - I'm up to the part with the fight in the streets of Cairo and the truck explosion. Fascinating how this movie works. I've also found, online, a 100+ page transcript of Lucas, Spielberg, and ___ as they hashed out the first film. It's like being a fly on the wall.Scott D. Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293540073601809197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-11337104567777210882009-05-30T19:50:17.157-05:002009-05-30T19:50:17.157-05:00I do research on whatever it is I have little or n...I do research on whatever it is I have little or no knowledge in, and I read different books on the genre to see how other authors put their ideas together. The movie you have chosen to pick apart is perfect as it helps the timing of each of the incidents that move the story along.Barbara Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00610140328527165017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-50409613767362709962009-05-28T16:26:07.922-05:002009-05-28T16:26:07.922-05:00Caine - My goal is to write a story that takes onl...Caine - My goal is to write a story that takes only right turns. And I know what you mean about bad turns.<br /><br />Charles - I'm currently working my way through the Steampunk Anthology edited by the Vandermeers. It's certainly enlightening. Plus, I'm taking notes on adventure things like Raiders. I want my story to be exciting and fun.Scott D. Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293540073601809197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-25932951951345233082009-05-28T01:49:19.268-05:002009-05-28T01:49:19.268-05:00I usually read something in the genre I'm going to...I usually read something in the genre I'm going to write in, not necessarily caring whether it's great or not but just to immerse myself in the concept.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-440764593580848794.post-34080605195256890132009-05-27T15:42:57.769-05:002009-05-27T15:42:57.769-05:00Stories that take a turn that I feel is for the wo...Stories that take a turn that I feel is for the worst often stick in my craw. I'll tend to remember those and think: "This is what I would have done". That's not to say that a story was written incorrectly or that I'm a better writer because they didn't and I'm not. It's just a personal choice that I can then expand on in my own worksCainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12654286795401273101noreply@blogger.com