Ezra Sacks on Writing a Good Story for Film

What makes a good story well told? What are the elements of scriptwriting that must be achieved in order to have a story for film that speaks to and moves your audience?

The summer 2016 program, London on Film: British Script and Cinema Analysis, will delve into the different approaches to scriptwriting through the lens of British screenwriters and directors. One of the courses in the program will be taught by Ezra Sacks, associate arts professor for Tisch Undergraduate Film and Television. Ezra recently gave us his take on telling a good story and just what the London program is all about.

The summer program 'London on Film' focuses on British screenwriters and the various approaches to writing a script to tell a good story for film. What do you think makes a good story well told?
For me it all begins with character. Creating compelling characters that capture our emotions, that get us involved in what they do and what might happen to them. Movies are kinetic. They are all about what happens “next.” An audience watching a film not only has to be interested in and care about the characters, they have to be passionate about them. Strong characters fire up our emotions. What drives those characters, whether it’s something personal or global, must be something that we feel is a matter of “life and death" to them. That could be something as simple as a coming of age romance or as complicated as journeying  into the multi-verse to save all of humanity from destruction. Along with character is the question of how you tell your story, how the plot unfolds, and how it is unique. This involves a screenwriter’s inherent creativity as well as their full understanding of dramatic structure.
 

What do you think is the most challenging part of the process for any screenwriter?
That’s easy. It’s discipline and the courage to face a blank page day after day after day until you’ve finished your first draft. And then your second or third or fourth or twentieth until the story works for both yourself as creator and for the audience you want to communicate with. Writers write. That’s essentially how they learn. They can be helped along the way by mentors, but essentially all writers teach themselves. And they do it every time they start a new project.

Who are some of the British screenwriters you will be analyzing in your course Script Analysis?
Graham Greene (The Third Man), Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher), Mike Leigh (Secrets and Lies), Martin McDonagh (In Bruges), Steve McQueen (Hunger), Bryan Forbes (The L-Shaped Room), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead). Just to name a few…

What can students expect from this summer course in London?
Whether they want to be screenwriters themselves, or producers, or directors, or simply a “film lover” by reading screenplays and analyzing films they will come away with a greater understanding of the art and craft of screenwriting.

How will the summer program in London prepare students who have a story they want to tell through film?
Prospective screenwriters need to understand the traditional rules of drama (character, conflict, genre, narrative structure, etc.) before they can break them and create unique visions based on their own voices. Fellini directed La Strada, a classic drama before he did 8 and 1/2. Scorsese did Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore before he did Goodfellas.

Is anything else you'd like to add?
Yes. I believe that students learn best in an encouraging and enjoyable atmosphere!

London on Film: British Script and Cinema Analysis is an 8-unit summer program, open to all NYU and visitng undergraduate students. The application deadline is March 4, 2016. Review course details and admission requirements.

Note: One of the courses in the program, Script Analysis, is part of the required courses for the Minor in Film.