In reading “Save The Cat” Snyder talks about updated ideas and characters, giving us a listing of popular actors who basically are playing silent age, early age and golden age movie characters. He also gave a list of movies that essentially were,” let’s combine this movie and this movie.”
I guess I’m too original in my outlook for that kind of thinking. Certainly, although years ago I tried for a martial arts movie career, I was never trying to be anyone else.
Now, I’m content to write books and movies. I have zero interest in being a movie actor anymore. But if you’re going to be, what about being Spencer Tracy? What about being Jimmy Stewart? By the way, if you want to be technical about it, Jimmy Stewart should have been addressed after World War II as GENERAL jimmy Stewart. He literally stopped acting to fly 40 bombing missions in the Army Air Corps in Flying Fortresses. I can’t think of anyone in Hollywood today who, if America were in as desperate a war as that, would volunteer to join the Air Force, or go on the ground as a combatant. I think the absence of Jimmy Stewart in Hollywood allowed others with little experience to rise as stars after that.
So, if you’re struggling for ideas, get on The Movie Channel. How Can I combine these two movies? Literally, the next two movies you watch. Try watching them with a stack of 3X5 cards, and writing down key beats. Then logline both movies, and figure how to stick the two of them together. It won’t always work. In fact, it might almost never work. But if you need ideas, try that.
