Love the Buddha reference.

WM may be referring to Vogler's A WRITER'S JOURNEY, actually.

I don't disagree with him for the most part, as you know, I think there are good movies where the protag doesn't change, many good movies. It depends on the film.

I think in a way he's talking about those Save the Cat shortcuts which, in my view, can help a beginner but can kill a finished piece of work that has different intentions (one thing I think gets overlooked in the screenwriting books, myself, is intent) ...

But I also like how he discusses the realities of working with businessman, because it is a necessary part of the process and can be very instructive.

Just my opinion, of course.

I have found through reading, books, blogs, and taking classes that the formula is an attempt to have control of the process and the product. People sell formula, people slave to formula, people are held back by formula. I do think that Hollywood screenwriting isn't a place for someone to redefine anything, I think it's a place where you find new, clever ways to say the same thing. If your writing for Hollywood then formula is important because your writing to come up with the next marketing campaign, just like someone sitting in their office trying to come up with a new way to market Starbucks. If your writing a book then your free, to redefine, to rediscover, it's a medium that doesn't die. Films today die fast, just like products. So overall I think it's up to the individual and what they expect from their work and to learn what is reasonable to expect. I must say that Hollywood sreenwriting in my opinion is on the bottom of the wood pile of writing.

Great interview. He's a busy busy writer.

I only agree about arc and transformation as a viewer who couldn't care less.

As an aspiring Oscar-nominee whose brain exploded several times, I prefer to use the term "personality-life growth due to stress." I guess it's not a snappy but it's a description and not a definition.

High conflict stories breed "growth" that could be considered "transformation."

John McClane should out of necessity feel closer to his wife after Die Hard. Several years fo fighting off rapists certainly had a profound effect on Andy Dufresne.

The search for Buffalo Bill and his capture due to "relying on training" by shooting at the click had to have been in part due to the growth enabled by Lecter - who showed her a dark personality that can stroll leisurely in the Caribbean before eating a guy.

I do believe that it may not take 10,000 hours but there aren't Fine Arts programs for nothing.

I don't think Boeing would hire engineers - who have more lives than livelihoods, admittedly - who took a few courses.

I do believe that there is a market for true cinema discourse, but no "path" other than knowing more than the director about film - or at least trying to.

I get increasingly frustrated by format Nazis and page number maniacs who may read by the cinematic aspects of a well-constructed story map so I may not be the most unbiased commenter.

Wow, Josh you hit it on the head. It's very difficult to relay intent in a query or even with a read as people with different experiences react differently to the varying intensity of conflict scenarios.

Intent goes beyond theme the way emotion goes beyond dialog.

The arc can't feel like it's something added as a necessity. If it isn't realistic to the character, it's a negative necessity that will drag down everything else.

This formulaic writing thing has gone a bit too far. Sometimes I'll see a movie and almost know that there were index cards for every scene that went -/+ to +/- to -/+ for way too many scenes (cards). Each time I notice this bipolar pace, the movie is fairly lame with an obvious attempt to manipulate the emotions of the audience.

I wonder if things like the antagonists who can't shoot straight in movies like Taken hasn't become some odd formula. Just because the stormtroopers in Star Wars couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, that doesn't make it okay to do again.

You're right, you can't really disagree with him. Maybe he's railing against those who are unable to construct a story without clinging to terms they've learned in a book or a class or a seminar. Eventually you just start to incorporate it all, though it's always helpful to go back to basics when you're in a tough spot.

Also, there is a ton of value in working with someone who may not understand the general screenplay framework, but brings other things, like the meat of life experience.