But for many a decade finding great movies to watch and
study was difficult and costly. With the advent of Netflix, and their streaming
video service, we have entered a golden age of movie access. As screenwriters
we should rejoice and if you have yet to sign up, do so now. You get a one month Free Trial so you have nothing to lose.
For screenwriters not having a Netflix subscription is
like a novelist not having a library card. Netflix is literally the
screenwriter’s best friend. It gives you unlimited access to hundreds of
thousands of films and television shows from the latest sci-fi slockfest to
Academy Award winners.
So let’s make a deal. Sign up for Netflix and commit to
watching, and deconstructing at least one film or TV show a week. Use whatever
screenwriting method you prefer. Study how they introduce the hero, the villain
and the Ordinary World. Examine how conflict escalates and twists take us by
surprise. Watch great movies and watch awful ones. You can often learn more by
how a screenwriter did something wrong than by how they did it well.
For you television writers, Netflix is literally a life
saver. Whether you are dreaming of becoming a Warner Brother’s Writing Fellow
or need to polish up your latest spec pilot, studying multiple episodes of a
great show in detail will give you insights into all aspects of the writing
process.
Studying an entire season or even an entire series in a
short amount of time is the best method I know of to become one with the characters.
As we all know, living the life of the characters is the only way to write
great TV.
I recently started a new spec for a hit sitcom after
devouring the entire first season in one amazing, sleep deprived weekend. Without
living so intensely in their world I would likely have settled on my first or
tenth idea for a spec and one I’m sure a thousand other writers have already conceived.
But, as it often does, unique inspiration
struck me as I watched bleary eyed and unwashed at 3 AM. By noon the next day I
had an outline and took a much deserved lengthy nap. Without Netflix this
simply would not have happened.
So I’ll leave you with this. There has been no time in
the history of TV and movie writing when writers have had more competition. So
watch, watch, watch and then watch some more and when you are ready write.
Trust me, Netflix will soon join the pantheon of best buddies alongside your MacBook,
the 24 HR Starbucks and that comfy chair at your desk.
Happy Watching,
Carney
Originally Written as a Memo for Secret Legion Productions.
