DAVID MAMET: DRAMA QUEEN

[defrog]

If you click right here, you will allegedly see a memo that David Mamet wrote to the writers of The Unit (of which he was executive producer) on how to write dramatic television.

I can’t say for sure that he really wrote it, But if it’s a hoax, it’s a jolly convincing one. And it’s a good primer for aspiring writers of any stripe – it’s intended for people writing television, but I dare say a lot of it could apply to prose as well (see: Elmore Leonard).

Sample [All-Caps are intentional]:

EVERYONE IN CREATION IS SCREAMING AT US TO MAKE THE SHOW CLEAR. WE ARE TASKED WITH, IT SEEMS, CRAMMING A SHITLOAD OF INFORMATION INTO A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.

OUR FRIENDS, THE PENGUINS, THINK THAT WE, THEREFORE, ARE EMPLOYED TO COMMUNICATE INFORMATION — AND, SO, AT TIMES, IT SEEMS TO US.

BUT NOTE: THE AUDIENCE WILL NOT TUNE IN TO WATCH INFORMATION. YOU WOULDN’T, I WOULDN’T. NO ONE WOULD OR WILL. THE AUDIENCE WILL ONLY TUNE IN AND STAY TUNED TO WATCH DRAMA.

QUESTION:WHAT IS DRAMA? DRAMA, AGAIN, IS THE QUEST OF THE HERO TO OVERCOME THOSE THINGS WHICH PREVENT HIM FROM ACHIEVING A SPECIFIC, ACUTE GOAL.

SO: WE, THE WRITERS, MUST ASK OURSELVES OF EVERY SCENE THESE THREE QUESTIONS.

1) WHO WANTS WHAT?
2) WHAT HAPPENS IF HER DON’T GET IT?
3) WHY NOW?

THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS ARE LITMUS PAPER. APPLY THEM, AND THEIR ANSWER WILL TELL YOU IF THE SCENE IS DRAMATIC OR NOT.

Obviously this won’t apply to all situations and all scenes. But for certain types of writing, it’s a good place to start.

Because who's going to argue with the guy who wrote one of the greatest motivational speeches in cinema?

High drama,

This is dF