David Fincher's SE7EN: Analysis and Screenwriting Tips
Фильм және анимация
This video essay explores the screenwriting tips found in the screenplay for SE7EN (1995), by screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (directed by David Fincher).
Screenwriting tips in SE7EN:
00:00 Introduction
00:21 Character Contrast
02:48 Scene Hooks
05:58 Emotional Palette
07:41 Theme
10:43 Setups
12:53 The Villain
16:05 Keep the Audience Engaged
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SE7EN (1995)
Screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker.
Directed by David Fincher.
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
Brenda Garcia
Nicholas Barragan
The New Goam24
William Chevalier
#screenwriting #screenwriting101 #screenplay
Пікірлер: 105
Daniel - you are my new masterclass. Wonderful videos, that are helping me as a writer and director. I have never been a patreon - but I need to be for this channel. Much love mags from bonnie Scotland 💗
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Aw, shucks, Margaret. What a nice comment!
@margaretkerr4591
2 жыл бұрын
@@ScriptSleuth i feel i should be in a classroom with you taking notes. Superb insight xx
Andrew Kevin Walker wrote a masterpiece - no hyperbole here - which has been enjoyed by millions but I had never heard this man's name before. Screenwriting is the most vital and, yet, the most under-appreciated part of filmmaking. Fuck me!
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
It really is! Thanks for watching.
@1bridge11
2 жыл бұрын
You kiss your mother with that mouth?
"dead dog" "... I didn't do that." That little drop of comic relief is on the fucking money.
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
It's a great point you make. When stories broaden the spectrum of emotions, it gives a break to the audience from possible melodrama, and also creates more satisfaction.
@danielmurray9820
6 ай бұрын
Man....big time 😂
“Become vengeance, David…become Wrath” What an iconic line
@errwhattheflip
2 жыл бұрын
That line was fucking awesome. Beautiful line
4:40 One of the best reversals in cinematic history!
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
I remember the entire audience leaping out of their seats in the theater!
Great vid! Only one thing: The viliain, Doe, didn't have the 'Tracy' motivation until half way through the film. Tracy wasn't at stake originally. She and David became a thought to him only after Mills runs him off from the crime scene...specifically giving him his name! "Hey I got a right to be here man!"
Very intense movie. Screenplay was well done, obviously. Good job breaking it down into its essential components.
Another ace of a video. And here I thought perfect the balanced timing of your exposition and the supporting video clips. I much admire your work.
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Cool! Thanks for watching.
Great video and thanks. It puts down the fact that there are still unanswered questions about the movie, even after the screening.
You're doing excellent work here. These are really thoughtful breakdowns of each movie. I'd be curious to see you look into mistakes, or poorly developed elements in otherwise great films. For example, the love story between Neo and Trinity is very poorly developed in The Matrix and the story essentially hinges on that relationship. It's just interesting to see how a movie can survive and even thrive despite being imperfect in some respects.
@ScriptSleuth
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the kind words, Blake. I totally hear what you're saying in that there's a lot to be learned from the flaws in certain stories. I'll keep it in mind.
Morgan Freeman in 1994: prisoner Morgan Freeman in 1997: law enforcer
@TomEyeTheSFMguy
Жыл бұрын
What an arc
Dude great observation and really great insight, learned a lot thanks a lot👍
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Awesome, I'm glad it helped you!
This is the first video of yours I've seen. You did a really magnificent job here! I especially love the "scene hooks" portion. Overall Seven doesn't work for me as well as most people, but I do find the ending to be perfect (starting with John Doe turning himself in). So glad the director & cast fought back against the studio, and won!
@ScriptSleuth
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching, and the nice comment!
Great content! Can't believe you don't have more subscribers 🤷♂️
@ScriptSleuth
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks. They're coming, slowly but surely.
I went to the same high school as Andrew Kevin Walker, although he was way before my time. The weird part is he went to my high school at the same time that Bret Michaels of Poison was also a student there.
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
That's a star-studded high school!
Some great insight there. This channel is awesome and deserves more views!
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Samuel! Very kind of you.
Awesome channel bro. I'm impressed with the level of quality in your content. Please keep up the great work! These are both enjoyable AND super informative.
@ScriptSleuth
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the great comment, Bobby!
I love this channel!
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Yoel!
Nice one, Daniel! Top content 👍
What other films would you like to see me cover? Let me know in a comment below!
@4inchesofpleasure
4 жыл бұрын
Films that successfully integrated flashbacks to enhance storytelling.
@ScriptSleuth
4 жыл бұрын
@@4inchesofpleasure Great idea!
@Jason-uw9ex
3 жыл бұрын
I Saw The Devil
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
@@Jason-uw9ex Good one!
@McGradyKalcho
3 жыл бұрын
Can you do UNCUT GEMS or GOOD TIME. Also maybe THE LIVES OF OTHERS or TAXI DRIVER
Oh, and I still gave it a thumbs up.
Your channel is great my friend
@ScriptSleuth
3 ай бұрын
Thank you for the nice comment!
so good!!!!
underrated channel
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Prajan!
this is such a good video
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
Awesome video... lots of thanks
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching.
Great video. You deserve more subs. Subbed.
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@HistorywithHannibal
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, 10 million at least
Support the channel on Patreon and get access to more videos: patreon.com/scriptsleuth CITY OF GOD CRIES AND WHISPERS DO THE RIGHT THING IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Very cool video, thanks
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
Hey guys, please do me a huge favor and hit the LIKE button (above). That's all I ask - it helps out the channel a lot!
Great video, thanks a lot
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching, Marcelino!
5:08 - 5:30 HUGGEEE SPOILERS. ur video is amazing btw
@ScriptSleuth
Жыл бұрын
Sorry to spoil a movie from over 25 years ago 😅
Nice!!
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Aaryan!
Fabulous 👌👌👌❤❤❤
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers, Rajeev!
Great film ... Pitt's acting is hammy and self aware, it realky feels like watching someone act rather than an actual person ... not every scene but most.
He should be won best original screenplay
@ScriptSleuth
4 ай бұрын
Agreed!
@gupwalla961
3 ай бұрын
Over “The Usual Suspects”?
Somerset was the mastermind of killings.
Wonderful video! Thank you! "Seven" didn't do very well at the box office, although Mr. Walker's script is good. As pointed out, much of that was due to the unsettling nature of the movie (gore, etc.), but I think a large part had to do with the casting: Morgan Freeman is great, as always, but neither Mr. Pitt nor Miss Paltrow is right for the parts. Pitt played his character like he was a rookie cop, fresh out of high school and the police academy: childish, adolescently emotional, and out of control, rather than the experienced detective he is claimed to be; Paltrow's character was also childish, but Miss Paltrow seemed to do little more than "phone in" her work: no chemistry between her and either leading man. (In Paltrow's defense, her character is weak; Miss Paltrow might not have liked the character -- or possibly the way Fincher directed her to portray the character.) More (or better) character development would have helped, along with grownup portrayals of the Pitt and Paltrow characters. It's a mostly watchable movie. But it could have been exceptional.
@ScriptSleuth
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for watching and commenting!
please do Michael Mann Heat too
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Ooh, yeah, that's a good one!
Interesting
How many times do you watch a movie for these videos? I'm curious And did u went to arts school or something?
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
Honestly, I watch the film twice, and read the scene breakdowns up to ten times to figure out the narration. It's pretty tedious work!
Do you write ? This understanding of the scripts is beyond the chart man trust me i am not just saying it. I could use someone like you beside me. If you cant write on your own which is completely fine just find a writer and guide her/him .
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
I do write, and this channel has been the best thing I've ever done to accelerate my learning curve. Breaking down and analyzing movies is the best education I could have ever asked for.
Super bro super ❤❤❤❤SEVEN SAMURAI MOVIE analysis you will
@ScriptSleuth
Жыл бұрын
That one is definitely on the list!
Wait... Wrath is one of the deadly sins? I'm dumb. The whole time I was thinking the end scene was just a sick play for death by cop.
How many times was the coroner visited in Se7en?
@ScriptSleuth
3 жыл бұрын
That's a good question. I can recall only one time with the Gluttony victim. It made me think of other movies like The Silence of the Lambs and Chinatown. They seem to limit the morgue scenes to only one. Perhaps the audience doesn't want to see that too often.
@HarryHusted
3 жыл бұрын
@@ScriptSleuth I was thinking about not having such a scene at all. Instead, have the Medical Examiner comes to the detective's office and drops off the report. Then she can rely on what was on it to the captain in a later scene.
Wouldn’t “Andrew Kevin Walkers’ SE7EN” be a more accurate title?
@TomEyeTheSFMguy
Ай бұрын
I mean, sure he wrote it, but David Fincher directed it.
@geoffhoutman1557
Ай бұрын
@@TomEyeTheSFMguy And the video is about screenwriting..
@TomEyeTheSFMguy
Ай бұрын
@@geoffhoutman1557 Uh huh. That's why he mentioned AKW.
While I did enjoy this movie, the script is weak when it comes to the last two sins. It was hard enough to accept the premise for the pride victim, but envy and wrath had to be totally contrived. The writer simply could not come up with a good way to invent people who would be believable targets for John Doe's wrath. (See, he didn't really need David for that sin.) What was the killer going to do for the last two sins without the non-natural injection of David Mills and his family into the story line?
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
It's a good point you make. Does that negate the value of the rest of the story?
@dennydowling2169
2 жыл бұрын
@@ScriptSleuth I think it’s still a good story but the Seven Deadly Sins are really not execution-worthy in the first place so using them as a basis for murder was always going to be difficult.
@ScriptSleuth
2 жыл бұрын
I agree it can feel a bit contrived towards the end. However, I think it's a brilliant way of constantly pushing our attention to the future of the narrative, because we want to see how all seven deadly sins will be carried out. In that sense, they managed to capture our attention for an entire movie, which is half the battle.