Method Writing: The First Four Concepts - Jack Grapes [FULL INTERVIEW]

[@maxdakka7973]

I'm a scientist and have no interest in film, acting, or anything related to these fields beyond just enjoying the productions that others have made. Nevertheless, this is such an incredible interview that I couldn't stop watching. Jack's insights ring true across fields, generations, and cultures. Indeed, this is not just an interview about method writing but about life. No matter what you are doing or what you are into, everything he said about finding success sounds familiar. I'm not at his age yet, but hearing these anecdotes and the emotions that come with them has given me pause to reflect and jot down some mental memos on how to adjust my own path. Life is short and all will disintegrate, but we can choose how to converge to that destination with some grace. Thanks for the interview.

[@ronniemurdoch7922]

How about life is eternal and only matter will disintegrate?

[@citalopram20mg]

Being incurious is the only sin. 👍👍👍

[@yasutakeuchi]

Karen is such a great interviewer too. She's so authentic.

[@88Victoria88]

Your comment kept me watching this film, and I am sure I will be glad for it… thank you in advance, sir💛

[@pagebeam17]

Poetically said. Are you sure you're not a writer? 😊

[@ewilson8504]

Jack is great. Anyone who can say with a straight face "When Beethoven first took my class..." has my vote. Thanks for reminding us of the power of "repetitio" and other tools of rhetoric.

[@plan9fromsyracuse]

More Jack Grapes. I could listen to him for hours...just bring him back and hand him the phone book, I'll be watching. Seriously, he's that good and we need to appreciate minds like this and the access we have to them through Film Courage and this platform. Wow.

[@dinsfire8489]

yes

[@dorianmclean6755]

Indeed wow

[@CM-jn3wp]

This is one of the types of mentors a writer should know. No ego to crush your mind, feelings or abilities. I love how he lets Karen express herself free from judgment. The respect on both sides should be a masterclass. I truly believe we are our best selves when respect and trust are given. I wish the Film Courage team and everyone else a Happy Holidays. 💯❤🎁🎄🎅🙏🏽

[@Palendrome]

Right. He tells her "No" sometimes, but it's a "No, I know you have something better you're holding back"

[@christianbjorck816]

It depends. Sometimes you need to be harsh and honest.

[@bruce3242]

@@christianbjorck816 a lot of people who say that almost always turn out to be pricks i wonder why...

[@Skindoggiedog]

lets*

[@TT-wx4tg]

I had a regular customer that was a crazy rude bitch and her bumper sticker was : BE KIND@@bruce3242

[@StarpunkD]

These three and a half hours have changed my writing forever. That has been the most useful and practical lecture on writing I've ever had. Thank you so much for bringing it here.

[@filmcourage]

Credit goes to Jack Grapes! Our best to you and your writing!

[@ArcadiaBlvdd]

1:40:00 Magic of Genius & Talent 1:46:44 Writing Mode - First Draft’s 1:51:50 DEEPER THOUGHTS of TRUTH - (DUALITY) 1:55:00 ** MASSAGING YOUR THOUGHTS DOWN TO A STATEMENT. THE STORY OF YOUR LIFE THE DEEPER TRUTH OF WHO YOU'RE ** 1:59:00 what people pay for, I statements reduce the subject 2:46:30 Writers block

[@madhvishukla4332]

Thank you

[@Whydoidothis7]

@@madhvishukla4332 If you only watched those parts you missed a lot of important information.

[@GnomeInPlaid]

Thank you.

[@artmin100]

Thank you, Karen, Jack, and the Film Courage team for another great masterclass.

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Martin! Thank you for your support!

[@athousandgreatbooks]

This was therapy to me. My god, never knew this medium could have such power.

[@JohnMoseley]

Same here.

[@ziggamalay]

One of the best interviews I have ever seen. Jack just dropping value. Amazing.

[@AnnaMaledonPictureBookAuthor]

I love this interview! I watched this some time ago but this popped up in my feed again so I'm rewatching this again and will likely watch it again. "Talent does what it can; genius does what it must." - Edward George Bulwer-Lytton. 25 May 1803 - 18 January 1873. He was an English writer and politician.

[@sunnywithpuddles]

This is my Intro to Jack Grapes, thanks to a friend. Still only halfway through, loving it. Big thanks to Jack Grapes for sharing such personal insight and knowledge. It wouldn't have been such a great interview without Karen's openness; This couldn't have been an easy interview, thanks for being so bold and versatile with the willingness to subject yourself. My heart was in my throat for both personal stories. Stoked I have more to listen to. Thanks to everyone at Film Courage.

[@filmcourage]

Glad you are enjoying this one Chris!

[@knowshitwithGrace]

it was difficult hearing interviewer, not understanding the explained creative concepts - prewritten questions? But thank you for being authentically you. Appreciate the attempts to engage personally - learning to be unconsciously conscious :-) Jack Grapes, thank you for your magic in creativity - Life insights and your Deep Truths xo

[@WeRNthisToGetHer]

This is such a compassionate and wise man. Wish I had him for a dad! Every kid needs a father figure like this. 🥰

[@livewireOrourke]

"When Beethoven took my class..." 😄😄🤣🤣

[@SamuraiJonez]

Been waiting on this one! Y'all just don't know how helpful these are. Who am I kidding, these wouldn't be as genuine as they are if this crew was unaware of their impact. Respect and cheers!

[@balibri123]

Jack had me in tears when he was explaining the secret of life that was waiting for his father to tell so relatable.

[@farooqiaryan]

Wise man. Brought tears, emotions, joy and lessons in a single talk (like a movie and a book)

[@fleur6711]

After watching this, I realized that I naturally write in all 5 voices, instinctively. It's really cool to know the differences, thank you for this entire interview!!!

[@Realname251]

Maybe you can help me understand the forth voice- like an example for a writer who use it. I cant understand the names he mentioned. Thanks :)

[@GodsCosmicBollock]

I love this guy, his advice is good for both writing and life.

[@caseyspaos448]

Wow! Thank-you for providing this master class free! Not just for writers. Anyone stuck in their ego! How to be authentic. I think Karen got a lot more than she bargained for in this interview!

[@mangos2888]

Best thing on yt. Well done. That verbal writing exercise was fantastic. The car analogy. I mean, I love this.

[@filmcourage]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@oyajiru]

What an incredible interview. Great teacher, and a wonderful interviewer who knows the power of silence.

[@StarpunkD]

After watching this video, I decided to join Jack's course. Best decision I've ever made for my writing path.

[@BigPhilly15]

How did it go? Very curious.

[@StarpunkD]

@@BigPhilly15 Awesome. In short 7 weeks I upgraded my writing more than I could in 5 years. I`m continuing for further levels, he's got 5 main levels, where he teaches you the skills, and then you go on a personal development plan. This is the best writing course in my life.

[@BigPhilly15]

@@StarpunkD That’s incredible. Best of luck! Thanks for the fast reply.

[@RPBSpeaks]

She was absolutely not ‘picking up what he was putting down’ in the role plays and 1st draft explanation 😂 Bless her heart ❤️

[@methosimortal]

not even halfway through this and I just had to buy this man's book. he's fantastic!

[@Dimitri-si8fj]

Loved everything about this interview. Balance between informative and even entertaining. Jack Grapes is as very interesting artist by far

[@cymbol73]

One of the best interviews ever. Congratulations to you both on this. It's wonderful.

[@ConsciousConversations]

There are three interviews I’ve listened to at least three times. This is one of them. Line for line.

[@Inkironnrum]

Listening while writing. Pen on paper. Dialogue opening up to the forces of writing nature !This guy is opening my world of writing at a whole new level. Thank you!

[@SPASTICSTONER]

KZbin was on autoplay when a work often heard this interview (it may even influenced my dreams), I was immediately hooked. Thank you so much for this in-depth interview. Thank you Jack Grapes, for trivializing the greatest enemy - the writing block. So many things just fell into place, and everything seemed to be much less dramatic, and very chill. It's one of those moments a man can honestly say to himself... He actually changed my life, with only a few sentences. THANK YOU!

[@learningemail1249]

I've watched this full interview 3 times. And gonna watch it 2 more times

[@lexdeobesean]

This is how you should write by default. Storytelling comes from cavemen recounting and embellishing their hunting adventures, entertaining and inspiring the others in the village, all sitting around the evening fire. I always write as if I'm sitting at the campfire, enthralling the eager faces looking back at me, enriching their night with a new dimension of mystery and intrigue.

[@PjKneisel]

I took a class with Jack! This guy is great. Actually had Hank Azaria in my class too!

[@francescamilani77]

THANK YOU. Last year, after a Screenwriting course, I've been watching 4h of your videos everyday for 4 months. Then read Screenplay by Syd Field and Save the cat and a few more about Archetypes and now I have my first Screenplay (2h feature) done. Looking for a producer. THANK YOU... the knowledge you deliver is PRICELESS !!!!

[@filmcourage]

Congrats to you Francesca! Sounds like you have been putting in the work!

[@spongebob03]

That part about transformative lines, was not only education, but it was great content! I literally stop working and felt like I was falling down a hole with you guys!

[@mariasebastianwrites7359]

This was a true masterclass

[@filmcourage]

Glad you enjoyed this one Maria!

[@coffeecreateconnect]

I love Jack. I really do. I would absolutely love to be able to have a sit down conversation with him or even have him start a channel where he critiques other peoples work. Talk about a genius. A humble genius at that. My dad's name was also Jack. He is the reason I write & Create today. He was one of the very, very few people I have ever known who was truly who himself. He literally just did not care what other people thought. He said what he wanted to say, how he wanted to say it. He dressed how he wanted to dress and he did what he wanted to do. He was an eccentric, amazing, brilliant man, and I am grateful that even though he is in another form now, he continues to inspire my creativity - much like this channel Also the interviewer is one of my favorites interviewers EVER.

[@coffeecreateconnect]

PS. My father was not perfect. He was an alcoholic and dealt with severe depression. But he was also one of the funniest and most creative people I have ever known.

[@lynda8852]

i have been studying your first book today .I must tell you its just the book i was looking for ch.4 answered all my questions and got me to the right place to develop my voice and process . i know how to and why i am doing things now and how to do a better job of it Thank you so much for the work you have put in your book is also interesting and enjoyable with the other authors work i have learned so much this morning i have also just ordered your Advanced book and cant wait to read it i have watched most of your videos too Thank you for those too Best Wishes have a Happy New Year

[@artemisnite]

I've said for years about drawing that in order to be good you have to be able to recognize the flaws and know how to improve them. Nice to have that tenet confirmed.

[@wyatt_baker_]

Ive been waiting for this whole interview since this past summer. Thanks for sharing Jack. And I loved watching you play ball Karen. Well done

[@manolitosanchez]

Whoaaaah!!! Thank you for going personal, and practical, however vulnerable you may feel. Kudos!!!

[@PaulRamnora]

"I'll never know how to survive...because I wanna be an artist...and, I don't know how you make a living as an artist...?!" "60 years since my dad died. I'm still not sure I know what the secret of life is... I'm still not sure I know how to survive. I can't believe I've survived this long; but, I have. I don't believe it. I don't get it. I don't know how people survive. I always think they know something I don't know...?" GREAT interview...wow...true feelings being exposed...no BS-ing around. I love hearing this kind of open talk. I guess, because it's something I myself tend to identify with...and, 'think' one hell of a lot.

[@danieljackson654]

Thank you for introducing me to Master Grapes. I've taken the Prequel class two times during the spring and will (hopefully) take the first full session of Method Writing this fall. So far, this Process has transformed how I look at writing in the small and the LARGE. How Wonderful.

[@izzy4el]

Been waiting on this one! :)

[@filmcourage]

Nice to finally have it published!

[@jordantbaker]

1:00:45 for anyone searching, he’s referring to Beethoven’s Sonata OP. 111 No. 32 in C Minor. I listened through 110 and 111 and knew immediately when I heard the section he’s talking about. It’s basically a few bars of ragtime piano, nearly 100 years before ragtime was a thing. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXjKapZ7YsiYqdE Hear it at 15:55

[@mangos2888]

Thank you!!!!

[@GnomeInPlaid]

Thank you for posting the link, I had no idea!

[@TheBlackRomanceWriter]

This video challenges my writing abilities. I cannot wait to practice these techniques. Excellent Film Courage!

[@modelworkzseo]

Great breakdown of the four tones of writing: 33:45

[@learnwriting560]

Only 17 mins in it was like i have been in it for hours... this is heavy need to take this in chunks so i could digest this better.

[@tiwantiwaabibiman2603]

Wow! The first time I sat down to write my first novel, I had NO idea of what I was going to write about. I just sat down to my "typewriter" and started writing. The story wrote me. So glad to hear someone say that about the difference between writing a good story vs a great story.

[@nadiaelabbar952]

Oh my god , you had me at “ when Beethoven took my class”. Lol. I was like hah. Lol. I love this guy. I want to meet him.

[@poetrylife]

This is the best video I have ever watched. A video about writing. Bravo

[@artemipatev9456]

Pretty complicated interviewee, I think Karen did an amazing job!!!

[@thechurchofdave]

I love the words on failure. I taught my Daughter "The best teacher. . . is failure! Lots of jobs on film sets do what are called "tests." Camera test, lighting test, screen test, fx test, makeip test. Tests are a great way to refine everything until it's just right and ready to shoot. So just learn this ONE THING. . . . "TESTS". . . are "FAILURES!" We fail until we get it right. And every failure is a great source of information on how to get it right. So don't wory about failure. Just say to yourself "OK So we know not to do it THAT way." Just move on to the next way. Cuz you can only fail so many times. Eventually. . . if you don't give up, and you pay attention to all the details. . . those failures will add up to a success." I don't worry about any of my failures. My regrets in life are the things I didn't try. I love my failures. They are often quite funny. :)

[@capuchinosofia4771]

Thank you for these interviews! The ones with Jack are the ones I hear over and over again.

[@dpreetam]

Didn't realize a thanks would generate a comment. I'm glad some of the things talked about hear I'm already doing in my writing.

[@filmcourage]

Thank you so much dpreetam! We appreciate you giving back and supporting this channel! Love to see that you are finding value here and that the teachings are having a positive impact on your writing.

[@TheCinderellaPrincess]

These videos give me more that writing or film advice, they give me life advice. I swear this is sometimes the best therapy.

[@ilyanemihin6029]

Just amazing.. Thanks for the full version!

[@filmcourage]

Great, we are glad you found this one Ilya!

[@nadiaelabbar952]

I truly enjoyed this video. I love the raw honestly because I feel the same way about my father who passed away a very 4 years ago . A yo-yo in emotions when I think of him.

[@therealmogod]

Let the games begin

[@facilegoose9347]

3:16:00 _"But if you read [Proust] fast, you realize he's talking."_ -- This: the sound and the music, meter and elision has its own movement and choreography; composition is a physical performance and act, something strayed from since texts stopped being read aloud. The "deep voice" needn't be ponderous or plodding -- it should be a lightning strike and flash flood if called to. How Grapes negotiated that personal subject with the interviewer earlier - tactful, not intrusive - that _via negativa_ pairing away of excess and obstructions to arrive at the unvarnished fact of the matter was a great demonstration.

[@Palendrome]

One of the only people I've heard ask "leading questions" in an actually good way and not just making you seem like an idiot

[@Fubar2024]

I am writing my third novel, none are published, and this is how I see my books. They come to me as real movies. So thank you for this as it will help with my writing.

[@angelicanavarro5311]

This helped a lot. Wonderful mind

[@incompletesentience]

A great example of 54:43 is “The Gunner’s Dream” by Roger Waters off the Pink Floyd Album The Final Cut. A WW2 bomber has been shot down and the gunner is falling to his death thinking about his family. I didn’t know there was a literary voice category it fit into until now but thank you for making that connection for me.

[@willow1601]

Been writing notes and doing research for a story for a year and a half. Still needs more work before writing, but it would be awesome to get a chance to do a deep voice method notes for my characters.

[@rajikkali2381]

Greatest interviewer ever

[@Elevenated]

Great rundown thanks for taking the time to explain a classic film in a concise format

[@reagar]

The most influential interview for me personally, thanks again Karen!!! I hope you know someone who’ll play my Video Games!

[@wokeupwithsunlight]

Wow, this felt so precious

[@yaelbloem5090]

Thank you so much for this excellent interview, It released a whole lot of writing air pressure, and greased the gears for me 😊

[@MrBlackretreat]

Thank you soo much ... He said about his dad and not really knowing how to work this adult life and how every day you have to figure the next day out was confirmation that I'm not alone and trying to figure this adult life out. Thank you. I need to hear that from somebody who from the outside looking in, looks like they have it all together, and to realize they still have to make decisions Daily, and they still feel unsure... thank you ... i needed to hear this

[@cindytucker5139]

I just decided to write a story. I have an idea for a story, but I'm not a writer, I'm a graphite artist. Is Graphite artist a birthday cake? I'm an artist. I've been watching him all morning and taking notes. This is fun.

[@and-dt3zm]

this was so fun and insightful I keep coming to watch this again

[@filmcourage]

Nice!

[@FlyingOverTr0ut]

Great discussion. I had seen most of Jack Grapes' interview before, and for some reason it didn't resonate with me. But I think I've arrived at a different place in my relationship with writing, and today I watched the entire video and found it deeply resonant and impactful.

[@IRedpunk]

I’m no writer by any means, but down the road I would like to make a good comic book. I started by doing some word building but characters’ motivations and how they work in that world is not that easy at all. I’m really loving this channel

[@timgleaves9496]

A lot of great points and definitely a very talented man. I was getting inspired by just listening. Thanks for interviewing him!

[@shammy137]

Yess finally Jacks whole Interview THX Karen!!!!! Will there be also a "advanced method writing"-Interview with Jack??

[@Mparsley]

That's a brainstorm! Thank you!

[@mxl516]

most impressive interview from this channel. really deep and meaningful. make me think.

[@luciojpfilho]

This masterclass is pure gold.

[@jfilm7466]

I'm teaching my kids everything, as they are so much like me, they might as well be my clones. Teaching them about their health, personal relationships, how to make money in all sorts of ways, screenwriting, production, SFX, VFX, prop making, music, martial arts, everything about what I've learned including my secrets of life and get them to take what they need and become the best themselves they can be with or without me or anyone else. I told them that they must do their own research and throw them red herrings "coz life ain't fair". Sometimes they get them straight away and sometimes it takes time, but they learn the lessons.

[@Thenoobestgirl]

Great interview!

[@Jeantreeblossom]

I still come back to this video all the time. ❤

[@ZombieBacon1337]

1:51:21 This whole Section is powerful. I'll be back for this.

[@NavdeepSingh-qf5eb]

Thank you so much for having this Gem of a person here 🙏

[@valorianbronze2683]

Thank you, for an interesting and insightful interview. Despite how much I learned, I felt bad for the interviewer because Jack uses a lot of writing jargon while teaching, that in his mind, it must be exactly like a dialogue that he's rehearsed a thousand times, but this interviewer noticeably wasn't given the script. But through her evolution and discomfort, I became wiser, and I'm grateful.

[@zukoscar]

I can’t believe this is free

[@samansrs6287]

this is the best interview.

[@kevincruz7958]

We should all give Karen a group hug

[@Yaseen_Khandoker]

When KZbin becomes a real school. I’ll be searching him again and again for more of his writing discussion.

[@wisdombreeze5710]

Nice to hear from a 78 year old that he still doesn't know how people survive and that he always thought people knew something he didn't know. I don't feel bad now at 55 since that's exactly how I feel.

[@radioface3306]

Added the book to my Amazon want list….

[@learningemail1249]

More Jack Grapes

[@ConsciousConversations]

1:35:01 every time this little banter moment.. its soo interesting and makes me smile when I listen to it.

[@mickeyaugrec7560]

Great interview as always, thanks! To Outline or To Pilot Dead Reckoning. 2:25 Interesting exchange. I would love to write pure intuitive and just blast away at a story until I get to 'Fade Out.' But in fact I really like to outline, to have at least the broad beats written out - and probably even a twenty-page treatment! I do free-writing, but I never follow it to full script. Will have to try it - I have had outrageous good fortune with Blind Dates. By the way, nice job singing 'You Can't Hurry Love' ... I didn't hear Phil Collins, I heard DIANA ROSS!

[@JohnMoseley]

'Starting from nothing.' I learned this in improv class, then got a lot of practice with it when I went to stay with a friend who loved something she called 'the writing game'. All it is is, each player starts a story, writes a few lines and then passes it to the other player for a few more lines. You go on like this until you get to the end of the page. The rule from improv: 'Don't try to be good (because the things you do to try to be good are born of insecurity and readers/audiences can see that and resent the manipulation).' Before I played the writing game, I thought there was no way you could get a decent story out of it. Actually, while staying with that friend, to my amazement, we wrote about 10,000 words worth of very short stories I loved and would have been happy to publish. In a lot of ways, they were my favourite things I'd ever written. After a while, I got to where I could play the game on my own and wrote a couple of good stories that way too. I still struggled with doing anything long form and took Corey Mandell's workshops, which are much more about working out what a story needs in advance, though some improvisational method can also play a part. Very good and helpful and equally valid in their own way. As Nils Bohr said, 'The opposite of a minor truth is a lie, but the opposite of a great truth is another great truth.' Writing, in particular, is so complex that you really need to come at it from both angles, however contradictory that seems. But it probably is possible to get to where you can do a feature, novel or even a series purely improvisationally. As my stories with my friend continued, they gradually got longer, eventually reaching five pages or so. Then she got too busy with her job to keep going and I got hung up on practicing Corey's very demanding method, but I still hope at some point I'll have the consequence to do long-form improv writing.

[@Renaevannatta]

I do this with drawing. ✍🏼 I’ll start with a small line or a dot and make another, then connect them and then repeat that over and over without thought until something emerges. Sometimes it’s a just a random doodle but sometimes you start seeing an image and then you can go with it and draw it out. It’s a really fun exercise. And great line work practice. You can do the same with word meditation writing. You pick a random word and meditate deeply about it. You start by defining it, looking up the definition then you ask and answer questions about it. Like ‘dark’ what is the definition of dark, what does it look like? What does it remind you of? What’s it associated with? Why is it associated with those things? Why is it associated with ‘bad’? Is darkness its own thing or does it only exist in the absence of light? Why is darkness villainized when it’s light that’s real and its absence is what causes the darkness? Why aren’t we holding light accountable? Why is darkness always to blame? And you go on from there. And eventually you come to realize lots of things you never thought of before.

[@JohnMoseley]

@@Renaevannatta Thanks, I'll certainly try the writing version of that. I'll probably also do the drawing version with my nephew. We already draw a lot together and he enjoys approaches like this.

[@Sons_Brad_Dalton]

This is a beautiful man. What a treasure this interview is

[@filmcourage]

Thanks for watching Brad!

[@lerufilminternational5431]

Thank you for sharing the valuable informations! I have neen fearful since the beginning but because of one artist who believed in me before I beleved in myself helps me overcome my fear. I m even more and more fearless to fail as I move on with my story. I believe in miracles. Being who I am today, am able to write, produce, direct, edit, shorts and feature because of zero budget I could still do it for fun with 1 creative partner who never gives up helping me pursue my dream. I want to stay focused on learning more and more to be a great filmmaker by following my heart and watching the masters like you.

[@mjspresents]

This is Master Yoda right here. Best one I've seen yet. Great job, FC.

[@olivia-zx7yi]

This is amazing. Thank you!