Dialogue Dive: The Best Written Scene In Whiplash (How to Write A Hook)

[@apullcan]

I gotta say: I really appreciate this channel for giving what essentially equates to a professional editor's advice on writing. Like, this channel feels like cheating for how helpful it is and how little fluff is present here. It's just cut & dry advice.

[@clashatdemonhed9554]

I use this channel for my ELA writing classes

[@chrispanter8837]

It’s professional mentorship

[@Crippycooke]

Watching this scene broken down makes me so nervous. Fletcher Reed is genuinely intimidating. Masterpiece of a movie

[@Crippycooke]

@callmecatalyst Do you know who Fletcher Reed is? The main character from Liar Liar 😂

[@bluebutterfly5062]

As a musician, this scene makes me wanna cry As a writer, it amazes me As a human, it shakes my spine

[@Sevenerem]

you're a musician, writer, and a human?

[@Aviatorreeeeeeeeedkakka]

@@Sevenerem he's a pervert

[@Zola_The_Gorgon]

Calm down Brian Griffin

[@user-yb6pe2pu3i]

@@Zola_The_Gorgon LMAO

[@theophrastusvonhoenheim4022]

I've been playing guitar for almost 30 years. if you ever take music this seriously there is a problem.

[@alikazgan2079]

I wish you would include the scene Fletcher talking about the ex-student of his who comitted suicide along the way. Combined with this scene, both show how much Fletcher is obsessed with perfection in music, how much people are another kind of instruments for him, how much he believes his way works and how much he is in denial of the harm he causes.

[@inspectorjavert8443]

Lets have a round of applause for the lighting in this scene too, it makes him look really threatening and dangerous.

[@camogrrl]

Round of applause for the neck rolls and male pattern baldness

[@DonnyTrent5533]

When I was 10 years old, my parents (my mother, at least because she was the most vocal about it) sent me to boarding school as a punishment for bad behaviour. The school they chose had a reputation as a tough place where no option was left on the table to 'correct' wayward kids. I had no idea what was coming to me; by the end of the first month, I had run out of tears. I bring this up because when I watched this movie, I didn't ask the questions you asked at 10:10 - I recognised what was going on. I knew immediately why no one moved, dissented or reacted in any way other than to hang their heads and try to appear as small and unobtrusive as possible. It was the same thing I was doing after two years of beatings, humiliations, 'disciplinary actions' and petty punishments. With one more year to look forward to.

[@TravisSgyatt]

Hope you’ve enjoyed your time out so far brother

[@barnacleboi2595]

Well thats fucked.

[@Zayl1016]

Another detail about the scene I like was when he started getting Neiman to publicly embarrass himself, there was no chuckles or sly looks from the others. It is still just cold silence.

[@harrisont2004]

I had a french teacher that made me feel as nervous as I was when watching Whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, he’s was never abusive and nothing like Fletcher but he always had this erratic and sudden shifts in mood that terrified me at the age of 13.

[@weirdguy1495]

JK Simmons is probably the best facial actor in the business. Whether he's being a goofball like in the Spider-Man movies, being deadpan like in the Farmers Insurance commercials, or being a monster like he is here, he looks completely different every time.

[@lucasr648]

I always hated writing, reading, and English class as a whole. But videos like this make the subject so much more interesting. High-school English was just so monotonous and simplistic. Writing was just about filling words into a page and “breaking down” the meaning and affect behind how something was written. It was meaningless and shallow. This goes so much deeper and exemplifies why every detail matters and the reason why being a quality writer requires a high level of skill/expertise.

[@davidpaul8647]

The "are you purposefully trying to sabotage my band" line works even more beautifully because of the ending scene to the movie later on. :P

[@mjolninja9358]

Real question here is that: Is Neiman a Russian or a Dragon?

[@niklas3595]

One important detail about the resolution is that everybody just continues playing as if this was normal. This is the perfect ending to the scene, because it suggests Andrew and his feelings are the only problems here, which is also key in making him stay in the band after an abuse like this.

[@nickmarinelli4283]

My favorite part about the scene where Fletcher tells Neiman to count 215 bpm is that Neiman was actually counting at roughly 209 to 212 BPM, which is prob unintentional but oh so juicy when you know how hard it is to pull a bpm that isn’t 120 out of your ass like that

[@melrakan]

Watching this scene didn't really make me think of Fletcher as an expert, it just made me think of him as an abusive asshole. This is a really great hook. It provides so much to speculate about. I made that conclusion straight after seeing him hurl a chair at his student.

[@user-et6cr6qd8v]

he just wants top performece for any price stuff like that is not that uncomen and a lot of teachers who deliver top performece are kind of like that if you see it frome his perspective hes kind of like batman he is not the hero the want he is the hero the need 😂

[@davidliu4134]

11:09 "Fletcher has graduated from verbal abuse to physical abuse." *Completely ignores the fact that Fletcher threw a chair at Neiman literally a few seconds ago.*

[@csxanatos653]

There is always someone that needs to act like they are the smartest in the room and then get it wrong. With 28 likes too. Wow . Throwing the chair is an attempt of physical abuse, its not physical abuse Actually striking him with the chair would have been a successful attempt and the point of graduating to physical abuse. So that moment was not ignored, it was correctly not identified as the point of graduation. Great video

[@youtubewatcher4955]

@@csxanatos653 Alright, but you just became the very person you said he was by explaining the technicality of his reasoning...

[@csxanatos653]

@@youtubewatcher4955 sorry disagree with you.

[@BadassRandomness]

I love the directing in this scene as well. The shots of Nieman (?) are very close and personal, like they are from the perspective of the other students in the classroom, like you are also in the class. But it also show how incredibly uncomfortable and claustrophobic this whole thing is for him. The beginning of the scene also has a wider shot where he is pretty much fully in shot

[@HxH2011DRA]

Honestly watching this scene without the analysis would make me WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too uncomfortable

[@evanboldt4644]

This movie, and this scene in particular, perfectly encapsulate every musician’s greatest, deepest fear. Best part about this is that Nieman was really actually on tempo

[@appledough3843]

Love these dialogue videos! Keep em coming!

[@Boxghost102]

Last time I was this early the band was still on tempo!

[@MrSkateAndWatch]

Were you rushing?

[@Flamewolf14]

this scene makes me want to watch the movie its almost like it pulled me into the story or hooked my attention

[@sydnipollard4920]

same, i want to see what happens next

[@taranciucgabrielradu]

I sure hope you did in the meantime otherwise you're still somehow missing out big time

[@pyrobryan]

JK Simmons is such a fabulous actor.

[@csxanatos653]

This movie is awesome. Miles Teller is an incredible actor and hope he gets more of these opportunities to shine. JK is simply JK..perfect. nice breakdown and really helps me recognize why certain movies make me feel certain things. Thanks.

[@Blaktimus]

What books would savage books recommend for learning these writing techniques? This channel is making so much other stuff in the media scape make more sense.

[@savagebooks7482]

Read "Story" by Robert McKee! It is fantastic!

[@mementomori771]

@@savagebooks7482 could you do a dive on the final scene in this whiplash is my favorite movie of all time and I'd love to hear ure thoughts on that final band scene

[@leadvendor]

Damn you JK Simmons for being the phenomenal actor you are!

[@meladkareme5851]

"Mystery is the fuel of interest" this is GOLD

[@smaakjeks]

13:32 - for those wondering, the line was supposed to be "I will gut you like a pig"

[@markchild1621]

Fletcher reminds me of a teacher I had in college who yelled at me for losing a paper that she could easily replace. I literally wanted to kill myself after finishing the semester that I by all means should have dropped out of. the only difference is that Fletcher actually taught his students a lesson.

[@leadvendor]

Sorry you had to endure that. People like that give legitimate educators a bad name.

[@thegtfan2863]

That hook was pretty effective, made me wanna watch the movie.

[@SilvertearMagus]

You absolutely provided me with insight on this scene - as well as the whole movie itself. I love watching Your videos because not only are they entertaining to me as an aspiring video game writer, but also help me develop opinions on movies, contrasting with my own. I wish I could create content like that about my own favourites. And maybe one day I will :D

[@kojiattwood]

The breakup scene was even more painful.

[@dylanoc6475]

What makes this scene more interesting is that Andrew wasn't even actually dragging or rushing in this scene

[@loganwelty7094]

Brilliant writing analysis man.

[@Jesusprayerwarriorbw]

One of my favorite movies but the feelings that it created in me for Fletcher

[@herz4217]

watching this for the first time, Fletcher sprint-walking at Nieman was scarier than the initial chairthrow

[@McSquiddington]

I remember watching this scene and needing to pause the movie long enough to take five. It was so well tuned and delivered it gave me serious anxiety pangs. It wasn't pleasant, but I'd consider that a high note in terms of conceptualization and delivery. It isn't everyday that I find a book or a movie that digs into me and basically says "Hey, you know how you like thinking you're entirely well-adjusted? Well here's a flashback to decades-old instances of verbal abuse you endured and still occasionally recall, all thanks to a scene set in a fictitious environment. Enjoy." It hurts, it's uncomfortable, but that's exactly what Art should be, on occasion. That's called Catharsis, and Whiplash's director was fairly open about the movie serving as a sort of exorcism of his own experiences in the competitive Jazz scene.

[@finn8460]

So Whiplash is one of my favorite movies, and it's great to see another video about this film! And I learned a lot to use in my own writing, so thanks for this video!

[@murderbunnies]

To your first question, there's a great book by Bill Stott that came out in the 70's or 80's that's a really great example of how to tighten up your writing called "Write to the Point". Runs about 5 bucks. I always likened it to demonstrating how comedians have the ability ability to achieve economy of words. Also, if you are somehow able to be paddy chayefsky reincarnated, that's super helpful too. Edit: Like a dope, who can't write to the point, I forgot to put in the name of the book.

[@robertcallaway2015]

Incredibly thankful for this breakdown of writing in the scene. I just recently watch this film within the last month & thought it was phenomenal.

[@halfmadfalcon2078]

Please continue to make these kinds of videos. This may be the best one you’ve made yet! I genuinely feel more enlightened after your dialogue dives and I always want more. Maybe you could go through “classic” scenes like this one and break them down? Keep on keeping on!

[@Stormagent1]

I love your dialogue dives! Would you consider doing one on an Aaron Sorkin piece (West Wing, Newsroom)? I feel like he has a unique style when it comes to writing dialogue, and I would be interested in your perspective.

[@melfry]

I love these scene breakdowns so much, thank you!

[@AlbertoFolres]

Fav 2014 movie, and 2014 was the best year for movies of the decade...

[@Wingedmagician]

Loved you walking us through the scene. Such a great channel

[@pcstew3]

You're a good teacher! Happy I found a his channel.

[@gabrielincognito8855]

This video is pure gold. Thank you so much!

[@Lukasafer]

Just came back from the scene Goosebumps

[@addizjadu250]

i would love to see a breakdown of the coin toss scene from no country for old men. that one instilled fear like no other

[@joegamer6914]

Great video

[@BoySamusMetroid]

I just want to point out that Fletcher's mood swing isn't exactly as surprising to the audience as you make it out to be, as he lays into "Elmer Fudd" Metz directly prior to this. He even uses the "sabotage" reasoning. We see who Fletcher is before this scene.

[@brendenlittle3296]

my mans really brought Sasuke and Itachi into this video. subbed.

[@carlemmanuelhita2157]

Amazing breakdown. I find your videos really helpful with critical analysis! Cheers!

[@rappadapp]

Dude. I was a drummer and bass steelpan drummer in high school. I'd black out in anger if my instructor slapped me up like that. They would think Mr. Armstrong was mauled by a bear.

[@rileyfitzpatrick8560]

I paused this at 14 minutes and re watched the whole movie before finishing it lol

[@NoDerpingAllowed]

Just me being nitpicky at the direction, but the rest of the band doesn't follow the conductor's tempo any better than the percussion.

[@marias-i3333]

It's an abuse tactic to single him out like that. If Fletcher addresses them all as being terrible, the students can talk about it afterwards and bond over how shitty Fletcher is being. By singling out Nieman, he makes Nieman too ashamed to talk to his fellow students for fear that they'll agree that he was playing badly and that Fletcher's abuse was justified.

[@saswitchcraft7881]

Hey there! Great videos. I'd like you to take a look at the final scene with Anakin and Obi-Wan in Revenge of the Sith. I'd like to hear your takes on mixing dialogue with action, despite the Star Wars prequels being notorious for "I hate sand."

[@mementomori771]

I'm so happy ure talking about this movie

[@evansmith8035]

I can no longer hear JK Simmons be angry without imagining Omni man yelling it

[@seanbrazell6147]

Fascinating and highly useful video! Thank you for it!

[@leonard-gq5eh]

I love your videos! Always very educational and streamlined, it's great!

[@Mr._Ramos]

great breakdown!!

[@ChrisAdamscomedy]

Fletcher reminds me of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman from Full Metal Jacket

[@ポルカ-i9z]

i love this channel for giving us professional advice on writing. but dang... i won't wanna make a mistake on set w flecher lmao

[@alexanderarea6157]

Please make an analysis of Her by Spike Jonze

[@lindanorris2455]

FLETCHER IS MY MOTHER - REINCARNATED AS A MAN.

[@kissbalintbela]

Awesome video!

[@River_StGrey]

What was the pig line supposed to be?

[@elijuhtobler1470]

I clicked on this by mistake and I love it

[@jay.hartman1789]

The Wingman is a superhero dedicated to protecting his chosen city, but his city hates him and does everything in their power to see him fall.

[@joshuasacco7779]

That was great!

[@taranciucgabrielradu]

Ok but now I want to know what the original line from Simmons was supposed to be

[@daltonevans3412]

That thumbnail makes it look like this movie is about vampires lol

[@robYT_]

Best movie of the decade (that I have seen)

[@BigEvilAnjal]

Who is smiling through this whole video coz I know how good the movie is

[@theWebWizrd]

I'm sorry, but I have to really disagree with the analysis of the hook being a surprising twist that is good because it catches the audience off-guard. Quite the opposite; it's good because it breaks a brewing tension that the audience should be building as they watch the first act. The sudden, very quick stops in the music do not in any way give an impression that Fletcher is a caring, nice instructor. I saw the movie for the first time about a year ago, and I remember having an instant "uh oh" when the music was immediately stopped the third time. The scene is already building anticipation and tension, it's already moving and escalating. When he says "it's all good", it does not come off as sincere or reassuring. It sounds flat and restrained, like we can already tell he is holding back. And that is in my opinion why the writing is so good. It builds up this tension and releases it explosively in a really dramatic and captivating way, as you point out with the physical aspect of the abuse and the sudden intensity of it all.

[@rileynicholson2322]

My question with the scene was mostly, "Will Neiman punch Fletcher in the face like he deserves?" It probably would have been a less interesting movie if he did.

[@diegopicchetto5250]

Love the scene, the movie and the analysis. However, I do not think it is the hook of the movie. It is the centerpiece of character establishment as well as an inciting incident within Neimans music career that pushes him aggressively towards "being perfect". The hook, I think, is the first appearance of Fletcher, where he presents himself and we don´t know who he is but clearly Nieman does. That short scene where there's questioning for stopping, playing again and the abrupt leaving only for him to return not to the scene but for his jacket. Who is this guy? Why does this kid seems to care? What will happen now that the kid apparently disappointed him? It is not long after that that we meet Fletcher again and start to better understand him. Then he calls drums to his class; and Nieman doesn't even fathom the possibility, since he already disappointed before, yet turns out he actually is called in. Filling in questions we had and moving the story from prologue to chapter 1.

[@Skye_Writer]

Like @AlinzPark said, I appreciate you for giving a professional editor's advice on writing, but I could not stand to watch this scene. It set me on edge too much. I know it was meant to, but this may be why I could not watch this movie. Having grown up in an abusive household, it was a little too PTSD for me. I give total props to the actors for having given me that feeling, to the director for making it show through on film, and of course to the writer who made it all happen in the first place. But it is the first one of your vids I could not get through.

[@hybrignargeotor6785]

Are you still doing the editing submission email

[@savagebooks7482]

Yep! [e-mail]

[@Blaktimus]

Ay mayne. Do star wars. I have a theory. Star Wars is too big and therefore needs to be too safe to employ anything deeply creative in it. I understand now!

[@BasicShapes]

Well, that's what Disney thinks. But honestly, "safe" really only means "widely accepted". There's a way to employ a story that has wide appeal, while also having good writing, but Disney/Lucasfilm would prefer to hire all the _wrong_ people for that approach.

[@biglordebunnyrabbit627]

He’s going to make a genius or get fucked up. Possibly both. I haven’t seen the movie

[@LordNifty]

The main problem with this movie is its poor payoff. Fletcher was a completely unsympathetic character who was brilliantly portrayed as one, but we are supposed to sympathize with him at the end. I don't like it when characters (movies or TV) are shown as monsters for much of their story, and then suddenly are showing some supposedly redeeming change of character that seemingly came out of nowhere, and we are all supposed to feel differently about that character in their final minutes. It's a lazy attempt at resolution that happens far too often in fiction.

[@Daemonnoob]

LordNifty i don't know were we supposed to sympatize with him at the end? i sympatized with him through the entire movie only in the end did it fell apart for me. for me his other side didn't feel like a redemption as i was expecting him to be like that the entire time. but his last action / the final scene just didn't make too much sense for me. it's also funny that you say that this happens far too often in fiction when i have known many people in real life that were like him. i think portraying it in this order makes a lot of sense for movies as they do have to try to create an impact on the audience which is not easy.

[@Thisgirlrighthear]

That's an interesting take. I interpreted the ending to mean that he hasn't changed it all. Talent trump's humanity in his circle.

[@discipleofbolas]

I know this is year later, but that wasn't my read at all. The final scene to me was absolutely chilling if we interpret the movie as a story that's fundamentally about an abusive relationship. The end scene then becomes a terrifying and heartbreaking example of how hard it is for abusive victims to leave their abusers and how abusers can leave their victims craving their approval.

[@vigneshvicky8139]

🥰

[@EyePlayDrumsBoi]

Hey mate, I'm interested in using your script editing services after viewing a number of your great videos surrounding dialogue and story. If you're interested please get in contact with me. Jono

[@jonsnow911]

6:00

[@wafflewagon347]

Why does Neiman just sit there and take it? Fletcher just assaulted him and nobody even reacts. Why doesn’t he leave, and why doesn’t anyone call the police?

[@steveen2180]

Did you watch the movie ??

[@purpleghost106]

Because of who the intended audience for the movie is. It's written by and for people who experienced abusive teachers as a regular part of their growing up-- that is no longer as much the norm, but it used to be. I was screamed at, my parents were lashed with rulers, hit, and grabbed by the ears -- all by their teachers. Lots of people stan this movie hard, in part because of it reflecting the worst of a personal experience they may have endured. That said it's got it's critics too, and from what I've seen they're mostly musicians who know the setting and felt that their own experience was ignored by the film in favour of a narrative that doesn't reflect the Jazz scene of New York, and Schaffer in particular. Adam Neely, a professional Jazz musician, did a review and concluded that it was unrealistic even though the writing had some merits. For his review he called a friend who is a Jazz professor, and asked him about his opinion on it, and the mutually concluded that it feels like it should have been set much earlier because it feels like it's out of a different era, one before modern student protections were in place. Adam Neely's review kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXe8c4l9madqg7c

[@BasicShapes]

@@purpleghost106 That makes more sense. Yeah they should have done this in the 1920's or something. The movie might have worked better without having to suspend such a large amount of disbelief on that. I haven't even seen the movie though, so I guess I'd have to watch it to be sure of that...but what you're saying makes complete sense

[@arthigamyafinancialservice3793]

You got hooked 👏

[@srnabooz]

Nobody else in his life respects his dedication to drumming, not even his father. He seeks for the approval from the only one who does, which is unfortunately Fletcher. Furthermore, after all the abuse he's gone through, it makes him feel like he has to go through with it and make something out of his suffering.

[@Elgar337]

Where you Russian or were you Dragon?

[@RasakBlood]

I had to stop watching. Its to disgusting seeing a psychopath abusing someone for their own enjoyment with no one doing anything.

[@nathancabazos7471]

This video is late af 😂🤦🏽‍♂️