Interview with Michael Tucker Creator of Lessons from the Screenplay By Vikram Nijhawan1,2,3 1 Department of English, 2Department of History, 3Department of Classics 3 Third-year undergraduate of Trinity College, University of Toronto Michael Tucker is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and editor based in Los Angeles. After graduating from the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in Film Studies, he embarked on many creative endeavors, including a job in film editing. He is best known for his YouTube channel “Lessons from the Screenplay”. In his videos, he analyzes cinematic storytelling, using various films as case studies. The channel has over a million subscribers, and his content regularly receives just as many views. In his podcast “Beyond the Screenplay”, Michael and the rest of his creative team dissect screenwriting in long-form discussions. “What inspired you to pursue screenplay analysis in the first place?” I always wanted to make movies, and my main emphasis was on directing. Even during my early filmmaking days, I was writing to direct. The main feedback I received on my short films and web series was always something like, “the directing is great, the production value is awesome…but the story is a little weak.” After completing film school and working in LA for several years making short films and doing documentary work, I found myself with some spare time on my hands. I have a theory that different people approach filmmaking from different angles. Speaking for myself, I’m very much an editor at heart. When I first started screenwriting, I focused on the structural aspects of storytelling, such as conveying information to the audience, which related most to editing. I often use structure as the starting point when beginning to analyze a film. “What is one film you would consider to be a general template for excellent writing — something you return to time and again as an example? For what reasons?” There are two examples that come to mind. One film which I always return to is Inside Out. It’s a compelling story, and it makes me cry every time I watch it! But more importantly, the structure is so accessible because it’s right there on the surface: Joy must learn to embrace Sadness. The story’s text and sub-text perfectly parallel one another. It presents a very clear example of what a character arc is, and overall the film provides both an intellectual reference for learning screenwriting, as well as an emotionally-riveting experience for most other viewers. The second film is Logan. The first act perfectly establishes the protagonist and all the elements in the story that will force him to change. It was really fun making the video in which I compare it with the first act of Children of Men. “You reference many books by screenwriting theorists in your videos, namely John Truby’s The Anatomy of Story, Robert McKee’s Story, and K.M. Welland’s Creating Character Arcs. In your experience writing screenplays, is there a danger in relying too heavily on theoretical knowledge over intuitive knowledge, derived from practice, trial and error?” I definitely understand the frustration with reading a book which tells you what to do beat-by-beat. What I have come to learn is the greater danger: shirking all theoretical knowledge, thinking you have all the answers, and wondering why your Screenwriters’ Perspectives Vol. 2 No. 1 2021
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