Biopic Advice

[Adeimantus]

So, I am actually going to get paid for writing a feature script. Yes, I know, it's outrageous, but I'm counting on you guys not letting the production company know anything about me. They think I'm a pro and know what the hell I'm doing. Okay?

So here's the scoop. It's got to be a biopic about a famous Spanish poet, Federico Garcia Lorca. Lorca was murdered by the right-wing junta of the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco during the Spanish civil war in 1936. Lorca was 38 years old.

One option is to go in chronological order, highlighting various periods of his life that serve to illuminate his character and the brilliance of his art.

Another option, that I'm leaning toward, is as follows:

Open the film just prior to Lorca's arrest. "Current" time will be the 24 hr period in 1936 between his arrest and his brutal murder. At various points, I'll cut to flashbacks from his past that relate in some metaphorical way to whatever is happening in "current" time.

Let me give you an example.

Lorca is hidden in the home of a friend prior to his arrest. At one point (Lorca was an outstanding pianist), Lorca plays the piano. Cut to the scene from his youth where his piano teacher dies, a very tragic event in Lorca's life, an event that leads to his decision to pursue poetry over music.

Then return to "current" time, and continue the process.

The movie will end with his execution in "current" time.

The contrast (and similarities) between past incidents and what's happening to him as he faces his imminent death seem to me to be excellent opportunities to mine metaphor and psychological insight. His growth as an artist, and human being (flashbacks), will be juxtaposed with his gradual overcoming of fear as he faces his death with courage and equanimity ("current" time).

This seems to me to be more interesting than a simple chronological biographical pic.

Thoughts?

-Charles

 

[Cracker Funk]

First of all, you're awesome. It is so F-ing rad that you landed this deal.

Between your two options, I like the second one better. I'll just throw out a third option -- the movie is always in "current" time, no flashbacks. But that doesn't mean you have to be completely linear. Would it make sense, story-wise to start with his excecution? Then, you turn back the clock and tell the linear story that leads up to that moment? Basically, I'm wondering if this story would benefit from giving it an "American Beauty" treatment. I don't know enough about the story to say that that's what you should do, I'm just tossing it out as a possible idea.

 

[Adeimantus]

First of all, you're awesome. It is so F-ing rad that you landed this deal.

Between your two options, I like the second one better. I'll just throw out a third option -- the movie is always in "current" time, no flashbacks. But that doesn't mean you have to be completely linear. Would it make sense, story-wise to start with his excecution? Then, you turn back the clock and tell the linear story that leads up to that moment? Basically, I'm wondering if this story would benefit from giving it an "American Beauty" treatment. I don't know enough about the story to say that that's what you should do, I'm just tossing it out as a possible idea.

Possible.

What I feel is important to nail down at the beginning is the opening and closing images. Bookends. They have to be powerful and also meaningful: they have to show movement through time and change.

Lorca's murder has made him a worldwide martyr for the cause of art and justice in the face of repression and cruelty. I think I want the tension to be stark and grow as he is arrested, brutally questioned, taken to a remote village and executed. I don't want to dissipate it by starting off with his death. Lots of people who are history buffs will come to the movie not only to learn more about Lorca and his life, but witness his execution. The flashbacks would work as relief from the general tension and violence of "current" time that I intend to portray as growing as the movie goes forward. I want to hold that final scene, Lorca's death, in my hand as an ace in the hole until the very end; I want it to be the resolution everyone dreads and knows is coming, yet yearns to finally witness.

So, yes, possible, but unless I can find another way to build this kind of dramatic tension through the movie, probably not.

Good idea though, Funkster!

-C

 

[Uranium City]

There is much more creative story potential with your second option. Linear biopics are sometimes only as interesting as their subject matter, but you have a chance with your 2nd option to keep us interested in both the subject and the film, separately and together. Does this make sense? We can follow the story because Lorca intrigues us and because your script intrigues us.

 

[Utopia]

Go with the 2nd one. Make it the next Slumdog Millionaire.

WELCOME BACK, TO HOO WANTS TA BEE, A MILLINAIRE.

 

[Adeimantus]

There is much more creative story potential with your second option. Linear biopics are sometimes only as interesting as their subject matter, but you have a chance with your 2nd option to keep us interested in both the subject and the film, separately and together. Does this make sense? We can follow the story because Lorca intrigues us <i>and</i> because your script intrigues us.

Uranium, it makes perfect sense. You've pretty much expressed in a few sentences what I was trying to say in many. Thanks!

Roc, but should I have the Indian traditional musical number at the end?

 

[NickClapper]

I was in a production of Blood Wedding last year, so the whole Lorca story fascinates me...

As for style, i would agree that a non-linear option is best although what might be nice, artistically speaking, is to nod to some of his surrealist tendencies. The whole relationship with Dali and Bunuel as well as the vivid imagery of his writing would make for really interesting surreal, stylised flashbacks...

Just a thought.

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

I think if you can find a way with your second option to transition back from the past to various periods that also correlate to the 24 hour time line it might be even better.

For example, from the piano in the present ( to > ) a kid with the death of his teacher
( to > ) some instance or period between kid and the present that has a correlation which furthers
( back to > ) the present upon re-entry.

Kind of as the “Story Gear” of ‘How it all began.’ turns, it turns the gear of ‘The struggle’ which turns the gear of ‘Time running out.’, so at some point a revolution of all 3 (or however many) story gears can align to strike a 3 part harmony of meaning or relevance or perspective in the portrait painted of his life.

If you can find that 3 part harmony of thematic meaning, then I think working with time in this manner would be much more interesting than simple flashbacks, and kind of make and keep a clock work ticking towards the inevitable. (Think of the subtext juggling possibilities in that kind of scenario. If you hit it dead on, it's gold.)

-Thanks-

 

[Dreadylocks]

Firtsly, congrats! And don't worry about them 'finding you out,' even legit famous/successful people feel like frauds. It comes from getting paid to do something you love, I think

I like the suggestions so far. The only other option I could think of is to go totally linear in the images and story, but have it be narrated by, what we find out to be, the older version of Lorca. Kind of like Sandlot?

 

[danjama]

Congratulations on the offer! I'm interested in the setup of the deal you've been offered - how payment is going to be metered, and in what time-frame etc. Things like that. Would you PM me about it? It's a side of screenwriting I have no knowledge on, yet. But i've read a bit about options where they pay the writer for each draft, and then a % of any final profits. Did you get a contract? Or....

Now, If i were in your promising situation, I would watch as many biopics as possible, regardless of the subject. Get a feel for what works and what doesn't. I recommend:

Chaplin
La Vie En Rose
Coco Before Chanel
Downfall
The Aviator
The Notorious Bettie Paige
Walk The Line

Those are all I can think of right now (long day at work).

I can't really offer any suggestions on structure or story, as I feel you are more than competent in fulfilling your task, and I believe that, inside, you have already decided on your method. Even if you don't know it yet. Also I don't know much about your subject, and I think that in a way, your structure and story-method is predetermined by the subject. You will realise what structure is naturally suited to your story.

My final piece of advice, and you probably won't need it, is to research. Then research more. Then research more. Research in nooks and crannies you never would have thought of looking. It's clear that you already know quite a lot about your subject, but it's always good to try and find a new perspective on things.

Good luck!

 

[Adeimantus]

Nick, what part did you play?

Dready, thanks! Good suggestion on the narration, but I think it's not quite right for this film. May change my mind, though. We'll see.

Buddy, thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'm not sure, however, that I grasp exactly how the three-act gears mesh as you describe them. As I understand it, though, I think we're on the same wavelength.

Dan, thanks for the advice. Good advice. The contract is a front-end deal at point of sale. The director strongly suggested I back away from any back-end considerations; studios are notorious for fucking you on back-end deals via legal contortions.

And yup, I'm perusing the biopic hall of fame. One that comes close to what I have in mind, I think, is Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor."

Thanks to everyone for your help and support!

Cheers!

-Charles

 

[danjama]

Nick, what part did you play?

Dan, thanks for the advice. Good advice. The contract is a front-end deal at point of sale. The director strongly suggested I back away from any back-end considerations; studios are notorious for fucking you on back-end deals via legal contortions.

And yup, I'm perusing the biopic hall of fame. One that comes close to what I have in mind, I think, is Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor."

-Charles

Ah, I hear great things about that film, I have to watch it soon!

That sounds like a good way of doing things, but what if they don't like the end-product? Do you get anything for your efforts/time or is it a case of starting over?

Then again, of course they'll like it! Now stop milling about here and get writing! You're professional, aren't you?

 

[wheatgrinder]

A different tack..

Tell the story of the life and execution through a series of short adapted productions of his plays and other writing... or pick one that is close to his real life story line and run the two plots\stories in parallel.

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

...I'm not sure, however, that I grasp exactly how the three-act gears mesh as you describe them. As I understand it, though, I think we're on the same wavelength.

Okay, not “Gears” as acts, but as important/story worthy events from a cross section of his life.

A: Present – (Flash Back) - Return To Present.

B: Present- (Flash Back to) - Far Past - (Flash Forward To) Middle Past - Return To Present.

I’m talking about B


Anyone’s life like a story has a beginning a middle and an end, if you start the story of his life near the end (His last 24 hours) then the beginning and middle can start at the same time, nearly simultaneously so you have 3 storylines (Chapters) each reveling parts of his life.

(BUT trick 1, they have to be connected and sustained by a need to reveal themselves, but any flashbacks should.)

The far past can be leading up to an event in his far past life that we don’t know yet.
The Middle past can be leading up to an event in his middle life that we don’t know yet.

When the far past destination is arrived at, the middle past has more meaning,
when the middle past destination is arrived at the present has more meaning.

When the present arrives at it’s end (As was his fate), then all of his life can be shown to have meaning.

All 3 “gears” (Lets call them the seconds hand, the minutes hand and the hour hand) will have made the revolution (The last twenty four hours) and the clock of thematic unity and cohesiveness and story might strike “midnight” in our understanding of his life as a whole.

(BUT trick 2, there has to be a known given thematic unity strived for in order for it to be exhibited in a three part manner, but there would have to be one anyways… this one just has to really good.)

And as I said, if you can pull this off, then you might have the possibility to strike the gold of overall sub textual elements that are working in our perception on 3 levels at once.


-Thanks-

 

[Papertwinproductions]

Firstly, I have no idea how this thread escaped me, Charles.

The latter option is favored, by myself, too.

I wholly agree with Buddy's suggestion, there's a parallel with the distances as to when the "Flashbacks" are going to be at their utmost importance. It's highly delicate, some may have been tarnished, buried, so the details are hazy, heavily shadowed areas. The question is HOW he would remember his past, what had survived, what was suppressed, how does this guy portray those details, to us, the viewers.

From what perspective are you telling the biopic? For me, there's two ways.

The perspective of the character-therefore showing how he acted upon the experiences, how the events where perceived by the character. Meaning, as an audience, we are confined to his/her life, and their decisions, as a means to understand as close as we can, their life.

Secondly,

The perspective of those experiences as, I'll use the term "Solid Fact". Although the previous will also be fact, this particular method allows the view from the outside, precariously structured as to what DID happen. I'll summarize, as to saying, through the eyes of "History".

The two, i believe, are instances of "Biopics", that have to hit one or the other. It's rare that the subject of a "biopic" perceived their actions as "Moments in history", rather, i believe. as moments in their life.

Although, with the above being said, the majority falls into "Style". I could be off cue, but it's just what i got, Charles.

 

[bhikkhu]

this thread just reminded me of something Jarmusch once said:

"A few years back, I saw a biopic about a famous American abstract expressionist artist. And you know what? It really horrified me. All they did was reduce his life to the big dramatic moments you could pick out of any biography. If that's supposed to be a portrait of somebody, I just don't get it. It's so reductive. It just seems all wrong to me."

 

[NickClapper]

I played Bridegroom and it was an extremely tiresome/dull run. I didn't mind the play when i read it, but acting it out night after night was extremely unexhilerating.

But then again the image of the rivers running with blood, the moon lamenting the death of the men and the crazed horse that dies of thirst instead of drinking from the river are all really potent images, especially with regard to the bigger story of Lorca's life.

 

[Adeimantus]

Sorry for taking so long to reply.

Dan, Wheatgrinder, Buddy, Daniel, bhikkhu, Nick:

Thanks so much for your input, suggestions and comments. They have all been digested and considered.

I've taken on a collaborator due to the time constraints. I take the October 15th deadline very seriously, and inasmuch as I'm frantically researching as I write, the better part of valor is sharing the burden (as well as the $$).

My co-writer is an immensely talented writer/musician from Toronto who I've known for some time.

In fact, he's so talented, the Director has asked him to score the music for the short, as well as assist me in writing the feature.

Here's his first stab at scoring my short film "Letter from Lorca:" http://www.politikonzoon.com/lorcascore.mp3

He plays all the instruments - violin, guitar and piano. Not bad for an amateur. It's a series of variations on the song "Las Morillas de Jaén" by Lorca himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBVheyAoyzQ

I've taken the next two weeks off from work to do nothing but write. I'd like to post up the feature script in sections as I go for any feedback you guys might have. I respect your talent, insight and experience.

Cheers!

-Charles