Reel World

  You need to know the rules of writing.  That way, when you break them, you'll know why. A non-linear narrative in storytelling can be key to helping your story stand out.  So...what exactly IS a non-linear narrative?  It is a technique where events are portrayed out of chronological or traditional story order; the pattern of events jumps around.  It is also called the disjointed or disrupted narrative.   Click here  to watch a complete definition of the non-linear narrative and how it is used.   Why do writers and filmmakers use it?  Sometimes, it is used to fill in character development in a creative and unique way.  Other times, it is used to hook in the audience--to shake things up a bit and get your story noticed.  Stories that are told in reverse or divergent points of view or paths juxtaposed against each other (like in  Sliding Doors)  get noticed because they are different; they put the viewer to work and get them involved in piecing together the story and meaning.   TV i

   This week, as we are working on finalizing our Comparative Studies of film, I thought it might be a worthwhile exercise to look at two very accomplished, perfectionistic directors who LOVE looking at the world and reinterpreting it through the lens in creative, beautiful ways.  In the spotlight of our Blog for Year 1 this month are two sensational films:   Saving Private Ryan  and  The Darkest Hour , directed by American Master Steven Spielberg and British Visionary Joe Wright.  Let's first take a look at both directors stylistically... Joe Wright:   In an interview with  Hollywood Reporter,  Joe Wright confessed, "I'm not keen on method actors because I'm a bit of a method director in the sense that I have to feel their emotions, and I have to identify very, very closely with the character and see the world through the same lens as they see the world.  So really, those characters are always an extension of myself."  Wright went on to explain that because of hi