The 21st Rewrite

Guy Hibbert is a BAFTA-winning screenwriter and playwright. He has written numerous stories for film and television with a particular focus on conflict and compassion in some of the most troubled areas of society. In this episode we talked about his screenplay ‘Eye in the Sky' which is about the ethics of drone warfare, released as a film directed by Gavin Hood in 2015. Additionally we cover his route into becoming a writer after leaving school with little formalised education, his thoughts on how a screenplay can change the world, and what he thinks connects all of the stories he has written so far. It was an honour to speak with such a genuine person who cares so deeply about the art of writing, and I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation! *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact ***

Writers' Workshop - How do you write a film with a twist ending? This week, William takes a look at M. Night Shyamalan's 'The Village', a film that was released with high audience expectations from a writer-director who had notoriously become so associated with the 'twist ending' that the anticipation and predictions possibly undermined the story he was trying to tell. This episode covers the allegory at the heart of this story, thoughts about how to build terror and suspense in writing, and an insight into a critical element of twist endings that might help you write a great one yourself! Bonus: Hear how the original screenplay 'The Woods' ends. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Reason: https://reason.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact *** Episode navigation: Introduction and podcast update (0:00) Audience expectations (8:50) This week's big question (10:57) How an ensemble of characters makes a village (14:08) On distractions and red herrings (20:56) What you cannot see or describe is scarier (23:36) The midpoint and Shyamalan's statement (26:41) What really makes a twist work (29:26) The best character moment in the screenplay (31:45) Truth(s) revealed, the power of nightmares (35:55) Who is affected by the final 'twist' (39:29)

'Insightful Interview' episode with Todd Komarnicki: a writer, director and producer best known for writing ‘Elf', ‘Sully' and ‘The Professor and the Madman'. We talk about Todd's path into becoming a writer, getting feedback, and screenwriting as a craft. The second half of our conversation focuses on the modern-day classic 'Sully', turning a real-life event into a compelling narrative, the responsibilities a writer has towards the real person who the story is based on, and the themes of everyday heroism, man versus bureaucracy and the impact that Clint Eastwood had on the film. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact *** Episode navigation: Introduction - Todd's early life (1:54) Sports and narrative (6:35) Learning to write (8:05) Screenwriting as a craft (13:57) Advice to new writers (16:45) Going beyond describing just sight and sound (18:55) Brevity and limited page count (20:11) Feedback and who to trust (22:23) Rewrites and long-term career thinking (27:04) How did 'Sully' come about? (33:22) What stood out about Todd's pitch for 'Sully'? (38:48) Theme of being treated as a hero when you don't feel you are one (41:03) Sacred trust in portraying a real person (42:45) Handing over your writing and trust (45:30) What did Clint Eastwood contribute to the story? (48:27) Influence of data-driven society on 'Sully' (52:04) Legacy of 9/11 in 'Sully' (57:55)

Writers' Workshop - Why write a film designed to be made in the 'one-shot style? What can '1917' teach us about the storytelling benefits that can result from this approach? This week's intro contains some thoughts on joining a writers' group. The main topic is a screenplay breakdown of Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns' '1917', exploring how the narrative rules work in a real-time sequential story, the themes of remembrance and the metaphor of the unknown soldier, and plenty of observations and writing tips along the way. Bonus: Hear the epigraphs included on the first page of the screenplay! *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact *** Episode navigation: Writers' groups (2:21) Introduction to 1917 (9:56) This week's big question (14:11) Why is one-shot filmmaking considered a gimmick? (18:09) One-shot is how we experience life (20:14) Blake/Schofield as the Unknown Soldier and universal protagonist (22:59) Hook the audience from the first page (25:29) The narrative rules of sequential screenwriting (27:26) How we interpret time in film (30:23) 1917's opening structure (32:53) Entry into the unfamiliar world: No Man's Land (37:01) Approaching the midpoint (41:23) Telling two stories on-screen simultaneously (42:32) Key points of learning from the midpoint (44:55) How to continue after *that* midpoint (48:42) Breaking the film's own 'one-shot' rule, and why (51:13) The final sequences: resurrection (53:49) Key points from the ending (57:37) Conclusion (59:39)

It's the 21st Rewrite's annual breakdown of the screenplays that the Academy considers the best of the year, and what a strange and difficult year it has been! William is joined by some great guests, Adam Azulay (Apple TV+), Ralph Leonard (UnHerd) and Eposi Litumbe (Mayflower) to talk to you all about ‘Promising Young Woman', ‘The Father' and the other nominees for the two screenwriting categories.  *** Which was your favourite screenplay of the last year, did it make the list? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Why is writing a single location screenplay a good idea for new writers? How does 'Locke' illustrate how this can be done? This is another solo writing analysis and writing workshop. The intro includes tips on how to beat writer's block! Today's main topic is a screenplay breakdown of Steven Knight's 'Locke', exploring its themes, its structure and is concluded with William's theory on single location screenplays - they need to be four dimensional. Follow up and 'What to do next' assignment. Bonus: Hear the inspiration for Tom Hardy's accent in the film! *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

For the first time on the podcast, this is a solo episode, which is a brave experiment for a podcast that has, until now, been purely conversational! This week's screenplay topic is Steven Spielberg's 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence', a project that was largely developed by Stanley Kubrick until it was finally passed on to Spielberg and finally put into production shortly after Kubrick passed away. By testing out the solo podcast format, William tries to cover two major concepts for you: firstly, why does the act structure feel slightly different in 'A.I.', and secondly, how do the mythological underpinnings of the legend of Pinocchio inform, shape and find themselves reinvented in the story of David, the robotic child. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This week Zosha Millman, senior editor at Bright Wall/Dark Room, makes a guest appearance to discuss the recent, and largely overlooked, science-fiction film 'Ad Astra'. We talk about the the major differences between the earlier version of the screenplay and the final film, the power of pacing and when to use silence, and the parent-child relationship that is the heart of the story.  *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

You may have been told your characters are too 'flat', not 'rounded' or 'believable' - that's an important note, but how do you actually go about fixing that? Kira-Anne Pelican, the author of 'The Science of Writing Characters', has written extensively about this very question. Using the latest research from the major branches of psychology to explain how to make a character interesting, we combine this in typical '21st Rewrite style' to look at a screenplay through this lens, focusing this week on Chloé Zhao's majestic film 'The Rider'. Kira-Anne's book 'The Science of Writing Characters' is available now in ebook and paperback. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This week we're talking about adaptation again, in the context of how to bring a first-person, ruminating narrative about memory and loss into the detached and visual realm of film. Alistair Owen, who has published various books on screenwriting, calls in from England to talk about this interesting adaptation of Julian Barnes' novel 'The Sense of an Ending' which was directed by Ritesh Batra and written by Nick Payne. We use examples from the film to discuss the whether there is such as thing a 'unadaptable', how to show internal change in a character's actions, and how film as a narrative engine perhaps demands more in the way of story and character development than literary fiction.  If you enjoy this episode, you can purchase and enjoy Alistair's book 'The Art of Screen Adaptation' from his website. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This year's Austin Film Festival may have been held virtually, but the screenwriting competition was a strong as ever and brought our attention to some great writers. Edward Drake, whose latest project ‘The Young Woman' won the Dramatic Screenplay category, calls in to talk to William about how he first heard about the true story the script is based on, his approach to writing and filmmaking, and he thoughts on getting things made following all of the necessary adaptations the film industry has had to implement due to the pandemic. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Kieran Hurley calls in this week to discuss his first film, 'Beats', which was released to a good deal of acclaim in 2019. It's a fun and often hilarious story of two teenagers in Scotland in the mid-nineties figuring out who they are and what they want to be, all set to the backdrop of the then-popular rave subculture. Learn how Kieran adapted his original stage performance into a screenplay with director Brian Welsh, and listen to his thoughts on regional representation in British cinema, his personal approach to writing and what he learnt over the course of the journey from stage to screen. You can purchase and enjoy the original version of Beats from Oberon Modern plays. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

We have a history, language and screenwriting conversation like no other for you this week, as Dr. Christine Schreyer and writer Dan Wiedenhaupt talk about their work on the 2018 film ‘Alpha'. Dan is the screenwriter who wrote the script for the film's director Albert Hughes, and he shares his experiences researching and writing a story set in the distant past. Christine has now worked on creating languages for three films, and she explains about how she got involved in this work, her background in anthropology and the joys of creating languages. If you are interested in world-building and imaginative storytelling, you'll certainly gain a lot of insights as they share their expertise. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This week, William is joined by writer Ralph Leonard to discuss one of his favourite films, Paul Thomas Anderson's magnificent 'There Will Be Blood'. They start the conversation by talking about the history of California and Upton Sinclair's novel 'Oil' which served as the inspiration for the screenplay - then they discuss their interpretations of the film, the Biblical and Marxist concepts in the story and the fascinating character of Daniel Plainview. You can read Ralph's essays on Unherd.com or follow him on Twitter @buffsoldier_96. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Screenwriter John Collee is joining William this week on a very socially-distant recording, calling in from 7,511 miles away! We discuss John's thoughts on living an exciting life that gives you the inspiration to write, collaborating and building relationships, and his ideas about story structure, and then talk about the screenplay to ‘Hotel Mumbai', which he co-wrote with director Anthony Maras. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

We celebrate another run of 21 episodes with the latest edition of ‘The 21st Recap'! The first part of this episode is intended as an introduction to to listeners who are unfamiliar with the show and who want a guide to what we do and what we talk about. This summary of our latest episodes including clips highlighting some of the great guests that have been on the show recently. For our veteran fans, we also present the second round of ‘Rewrite' awards, with every screenplay up for nomination. Skip ahead to 1:40:00 to hear the awards and jump over the recaps. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

In this episode, William and Alan discuss Martin McDonagh's powerful exploration of anger, blame and the drive for taking revenge. The inhabitants of a small rural town are brought into conflict as a result of a bereaved mother putting up three billboards directly attacking the police chief of failing to investigate her daughter's murder. Having read the full version of the screenplay we share some of the details of scenes that were taken out from the film, explore how McDonagh made the characterisation and dialogue so effective, and try to define precisely what we think this story is about. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

What happens when a visionary director chooses to adapt a novel, without actually reading the whole book? ‘Children of Men' is one of the greatest science fiction films of the early twenty-first century, and results from a collaboration between Alfonso Cuarón and no less than four other writers (all of whom, presumably, did read the book). William and Alan take a look at this remarkable screenplay and its origins in the pages of P. D. James' 1992 novel ‘The Children of Men', while drawing out some of the key elements that make the story work on the page and on the screen, and explore the concept of finding hope when humanity feels it no longer has a future. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

A project ten years in the making, ‘Black Swan' tells a compelling story of a ballerina striving to achieve perfection in her performance and to synthesise the two sides of her personality. As the lockdown continues, William is joined by Alan again over a video call in order to bring you this regular episode, and together they trace the evolution of the story and break down why they think this screenplay is so enjoyable. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

A podcast crossover this week with the host of ‘The Age of Napoleon', Everett Rummage, calling in to discuss one of his favourite historical films: ‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World'. Together we take a detailed look at the mentality of the early nineteenth-century; talking warfare, culture and science, and discuss what we thought of the screenplay, which does not hold back and actually emulates the complex vocabulary used in Patrick O'Brien's original ‘Aubrey-Maturin' novels. John Collee wrote a fantastic screenplay, and the film was brilliantly directed by Peter Weir, though the mass-market appeal to audiences was likely stoked by the presence of Russell Crowe in the lead role, at this point riding high off the acclaim for ‘Gladiator' (2000) and ‘A Beautiful Mind' (2001). The writer John Collee has made a version of his script publicly available to download here, we recommend you check it out! *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Wes Anderson is a filmmaker with such a recognisable style on the big screen, but we were interested to see how his stories appear on the page too. Written in collaboration with Owen Wilson, 'The Royal Tenenbaums' was the film that really turned Anderson into a household name, and it is an endearing, complex tale of a disintegrating family. William and Alan speak this week over a video call, as a result of the worldwide lockdown, but we hope the content is just as informative and insightful as when we record together in person. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

‘Looking For Eric' is a pretty unique film. A postal worker from Manchester in the middle of a personal crisis suddenly finds himself talking to the apparition of the legendary French player Eric Cantona, and attempts to turn his life around in order to have another shot at happiness. Paul Laverty's screenplay is a reflection on aging, memory, mistakes, community, family and football. There was plenty to discuss in this episode, and I was joined by Andrew Graves, the author of the new book ‘Welcome to the Cheap Seats: Silver Screen Portrayals of the British Working Class'. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about this branch of cinema, from ‘Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' to ‘This is England'. You can buy it here from the publisher, Five Leaves. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

We are back to one of our regular discussion episodes this week, this time taking a look at ‘Casino Royale'. The film was intended to be a complete reboot of the James Bond franchise so we read the screenplay in that light, comparing it to Ian Fleming's 1952 novel of the same name, which first introduced the character of international secret agent James Bond to the world. There is plenty to talk about here, including how to write an ending to a screenplay when you intend it to be the first part of a series of films or a franchise, finding out what exactly is interesting about a character like James Bond, who is so prone to parody, and what needed to be done in order to reinvent him for the twenty-first century. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

For this special episode William and Alan met with David Rabinowitz, one of the Academy-Award winning writers of ‘Blackkklansman', based on the memoir by Colorado Springs detective Ron Stallworth. We're sure this film needs no introduction! We talk about how David got into writing for film, his writing partnership with Charlie Wachtel, working with Jordan Peele, Spike Lee and Kevin Willmott, the surreal few years working on ‘Blackkklansman' and what he learnt over this time. This was an absolute delight to record and we hope you all enjoy this conversation and gain a lot of inspiration and insight from listening, there's plenty of writing advice in this one! Many thanks to David Rabinowitz and to Fairfax Village Studios in Los Angeles for hosting us. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This week's episode is all about the feature screenplay ‘Good Vibrations (2013)' with a special interview with one of the writers, Glenn Patterson. The story centres on the life of Terri Hooley, who sets up a record shop right in the middle of the bombs, security cordons and danger of Belfast at the height of the Troubles. We cover a range of topics including how to authentically portray a protagonist who you personally know, the impact of using music to give your film a strong identity, perseverance in finding your audience and how it is for a novelist to try begin working on a screenplay. The BBC writer's room has made the script publicly available to download here, we recommend you check it out! Learn more about Glenn Patterson *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This is a bonus episode in which we discuss the merits of all of the screenplays nominated for the Academy Awards this year, in the two categories of Best Original Screenplay and Best Adapted Screenplay. Now that we know who the winners are, we talk about whether we felt the right choices were made. This is a spoiler-free episode so if you haven't seen all the films, don't fear, we won't ruin any of them for you. Note: the Academy does not have ‘judges' but there are specific members of the Academy who can vote on these categories, in the podcast we used the word ‘judge' as shorthand to mean anyone who is meant to be casting a vote and making that judgement about which screenplays they felt should win. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Brian Dunnigan is a writer and filmmaker from Edinburgh. He is the author of the new book ‘Screenwriting is Filmmaking' and was the head of the London Film School's screenwriting programme for twelve years. In this episode William met with Brian in London to discuss the Michael Haneke film ‘The White Ribbon', which won the Palme d'Or at Canne in 2009. We also hope you enjoy the twenty minutes of bonus content at the end in which we discuss some of Brian's advice and teachings to screenwriters in his new book. Buy ‘Screenwriting is Filmmaking'! *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Happy new year everyone! This week, writer and director Mark Herman is on the show to discuss his 2008 adaptation of John Boyne's novel ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas'. We talk about difficult questions regarding holocaust fiction, how he went about adapting the book into a screenplay, and lessons he has learnt over his career as a screenwriter and filmmaker. This is second recording from York St John University, with many thanks to Mark for his time and to Robert Edgar for facilitating. Learn more about Mark Herman // Watch the film // Read the book *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

This week William is in York to chat with Robert Edgar, co-author of the new guide 'Adaptation for Screenwriters'. They discuss the Coen Brother's popular adaptation ‘No Country For Old Men', based on the book by Cormac McCarthy. Their conversation covers many interesting topics and ideas including the techniques the writers used to compress the timeline, some of the key differences that are apparent in the screenplay, what we mean when we talk about a film's faithfulness to a book, and the elusive nature of the story's antagonist Anton Chigurh. Buy 'Adaptation for Screenwriters': Bloomsbury UK // Amazon US *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Young and Old, black and white, good and evil, truth and fiction: ‘The Lighthouse' is full of binaries. On a remote island in the 1890s, two wickies arrive to tend the lighthouse, and find themselves assaulted by fog, waves, storms, rogue seagulls and the onset of madness. William sits down with Alan to discuss this brilliant screenplay written by the brothers Robert and Max Eggers, paying particular attention in this episode to the symbolism and literary themes. We encourage you to download and read the screenplay while it remains available. Disclaimer: This is a link to the production company A24's website where they have chosen to make it available for fans to read. We are not hosting the screenplay and no copyright infringement is intended. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Stuart Voytilla (author of ‘Myth and the Movies') joins The 21st Rewrite to discuss the iconic film Gladiator. We analyse the screenplay using the ‘Hero's Journey' model, which is explored in detail in Stuart's book. Learn about the functions of the archetypes, audience expectations regarding story structure, and much more as we delve into the characters and themes of this epic historical drama. Buy Stuart Voytilla's Myth and the Movies  *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Eventually 'The 21st Rewrite' may cover all of the films in Peter Jackson's Middle Earth trilogies, and we'll be aiming to feature special guests to create a special series of 'Perspectives on Tolkien'. To begin with, William has chosen to feature Cube Command's Tommy Savoia as a representative of the new generation which is responding enthusiastically to Tolkien's work. This episode covers differences between the novel and the screenplay, an assessment of the nature of iconic characters such as Bilbo Baggins, Gollum and Gandalf, and the larger themes that were highlighted in the blockbuster film adaptations of the original literary work. Learn more about Tommy Savoia *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

It's finally time to take on possibly the most controversial winner of the Academy Award for Best Screenplay (not to mention Best Picture!). Eposi Litumbe, a wonderful and talented writer, is taking over as guest co-host to discuss this parable of racial tensions in early twenty-first century Los Angeles. Learn more about Eposi Litumbe  *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

In his masterpiece 'The New World' Terrence Malick sets out to chart both sides of the forces of human history: love and betrayal, coexistence and genocide, the simultaneously miraculous and tragic nature of life on this troubled planet. William and Alan sit down for one of their most detailed discussions yet, sharing their experiences of reading the original screenplay (which was written almost in the style of a beautiful historical novel) and the profound experience of rewatching the new extended cut of the film. You will learn more about the real lives of John Smith and Pocahontas, the history of the Jamestown colony and the use of metaphor and allegory in Malick's version of the story. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Jet-lagged, worn-out and struggling to get his life back on track … no, we're not talking about Bill Murray in 'Lost in Translation', but William, who returns from Japan ready to catch up with Alan and dig into this screenplay by Sofia Coppola. We consider the two intimate portraits that the writing provides for the main characters of Bob and Charlotte, the anecdotal initial impressions of Japanese culture that form the setting for the story, and provide our view of the romantic connection that forms between the protagonists over a few short days in a luxury hotel in Tokyo. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

For this episode, William and Alan brushed off their French dictionaries in order to read the screenplay to Amélie, written by Jean-Pierre Jeaunet and Guillaume Laurant. A classic that has come to define the identity of French cinema for audiences in the rest of the world, it is a vibrant tale of a young woman facing her first steps into adulthood, a realm filled with the dangers of love, pain, grief and risk. A memorable cast of characters and some magical elements combine to create an unforgettable and touching story. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

We celebrate our 21st episode with ‘The 21st Recap'! This episode is the perfect introduction to new listeners, for those who are unsure where to start with the podcast, you can hear a summary of our episodes which may help guide you to which ones you may want to listen to first. For our long-time fans, we also present the first round of ‘Rewrite' awards, with every screenplay up for nomination. At the end, we also reflect on the experience of starting this project and what it has meant to William and Alan. Enjoy this look back at a year of hard work, approximately 2500 pages of feature screenplays read, memories from our favorite episodes and some thoughts on the wonderful experiences we had with our first guests on the show. Skip ahead to approx. 1:20:00 to hear the awards if you don't want to hear the recaps. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

With all that's been happening over the last eight years, what do you think might happen to a romantic/political comedy that was written while it was still Obama's first term in office? In this episode of The 21st Rewrite, we review the development of Dan Sterling's 2011 screenplay ‘Flarsky' into the 2019 film 'Long Shot', co-written by Dan Sterling and Liz Hannah and starring Seth Rogan and Charlize Theron. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact  

It would always be difficult to adapt Kazuo Ishiguro's phenomenal novel 'Never Let Me Go' for the screen, but Alex Garland was uniquely well set up for the challenge. In this episode of The 21st Rewrite, we digest the profound impact that the novel had on us as readers, give our thoughts on which parts of the screenplay worked brilliantly and which could have been improved, and start to explore the key themes of this exceptional coming-of-age story and dystopian romance. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

In honour of San Diego's 50th annual Comic-Con, William and Alan decided to look back at the 2009 film ‘Watchmen', a very unique take on the superhero genre, based on the graphic novel by Alan Moore and adapted for the screen by David Hayter and Alex Tse. They consider this adaptation in detail, with particular focus on the primary characters and themes of the original story. They also contemplate the particularities of adapting visual medium such as comics, and how it is not as straightforward as treating the original work as a ‘storyboard'. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Baseball writer Aidan Jackson-Evans joins us this week to discuss the book and screenplay for ‘Moneyball'. Just how accurate is this seemingly-true tale of the manager who learned how to gain a competitive edge through a manipulation of statistics to discover undervalued players? We learn about the real life of Billy Beane, just how outdated ‘Moneyball' tactics already are in modern baseball, and consider if there is even a ‘best' way for a screenwriter to try to tell this story at all. Find out more about Aidan Jackson-Evans *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Does anyone really envy the screenwriter who has to tackle a third film in a franchise? Toy Story 3 is a remarkable achievement, and it is likely because it managed to frame itself as the concluding chapter in the saga of Andy's relationship with his childhood toys. We take a laid-back but detailed look at the story, characters and themes of the screenplay - on the week that the next installment, Toy Story 4, was released. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

One of the most original, daring and emotionally compelling screenplays of the 21st century, Charlie Kaufman's ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' wowed audiences upon the films release in 2004. In this week's episode, we track the progression of the story from concept, to first draft, to the final shooting script and the final changes made in the editing room. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

We conclude our series on the films of Damien Chazelle with ‘First Man', written by Josh Singer. One of the most accurately-researched biopic screenplays, ‘First Man' captures the essence of Neil Armstrong's life, highlighting his struggle to overcome the death of his infant daughter and how that marked his character even as the years passed, and he steadily persevered at his career until ultimately becoming the first human being to walk on the lunar surface. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

In the second part of our series on the films of Damien Chazelle, we look at the evolution of the screenplay for La La Land, from its conception as a long-shot musical to the huge hit starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone that it became. It's truly a story for the ones who dream. We talk about the key changes that were made to Mia and Sebastian's storylines, as well as the dialogue and the surprising difference in length for a musical screenplay that by necessity encourages a writer to make sure that every scene counts. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

They say that every good screenplay needs conflict, and Damien Chazelle's first story ‘Whiplash' delivers it on every page. In this episode The 21st Rewrite is looking at the tale of the teacher who goes too far, and asks if Terrence Fletcher is a well-meaning character with flawed methods or a true villain? The discussion also touches upon details about what was removed from the screenplay: Andrew taking drugs, some more personal details about Fletcher's personal life, and a fascinating commentary on what Hungarian psychologist László Polgár has to do with all of this. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

‘Particular Disposition' is based on the last execution of two men for the crime of sodomy under English law in 1835. It was selected by the Austin Film Festival jury as the best stage play script of 2018. We were extremely fortunate to spend some time talking with the playwright, Benjamin Fulk, about his writing process and the importance of bringing this forgotten story back to the fore in the 21st century. Find out more about Benjamin Fulk *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

‘Ex Machina' addresses a theme that is becoming more relevant as the 21st century progresses, can artificial intelligence be developed to the degree that we mistake it for human? Written by British screenwriter and filmmaker Alex Garland, who has been on the cutting edge of science fiction for almost twenty years, it was a wonderful screenplay to assess due to his powerful use of character development, intriguing plot and intelligent concepts. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

‘Sideways' was an enjoyable script to discuss, because it is a comedy with many tragic elements that always stays rooted in reality and its flawed characters. Based on the novel by Rex Pickett and adapted for the screen by director Alexander Payne and writer Jim Taylor, it's a tale of debauchery, adventure, love and friendship set in California's Santa Barbara wine valley. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

‘The Lost City of Z' is a screenplay about the now little-known British explorer Percy Fawcett, who led a remarkable life, searching the Amazon rainforest for the ruins of the lost city at a time when most who ventured into the jungle never returned alive. But the screenplay covers so much more than that, and is primarily concerned with the monumental changes that occurred in the concepts of ‘culture' and ‘civilization' in the early years of the last century, as well as the impact a life like Fawcett's can have on the family back home. We discuss the important themes that the screenplay addresses, and our personal experiences that shape our view of the story. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact

Set in post-war Germany, ‘Ruin' led The 21st Rewrite to discuss the nature of hatred and redemption, the power of weaponized technology to cause mass suffering, Kurt Vonnegut's testimony from that time, how the generations of the future will perceive the Holocaust in the absence of living memory, and the responsibilities of the screenwriter when dealing with the truth and fiction of these topics. Selected as the most-liked unproduced screenplay of 2017 by the Black List, ‘Ruin' is the inspiration for another fascinating conversation. *** Want to comment, get news and join episode discussions? Join the community on Syncify: https://syncify.fm/podcast/the-21st-rewrite. Instagram: @the21strewrite. Website contact page: https://www.the21strewrite.com/contact