How A Writer's Favorite Movies Can Help Them Discover Their Own Superpower - Brooks Elms

Brooks Elms is a screenwriter and independent filmmaker. His specialty is grounded personal characters and writing story tension so thick it knots up your stomach.
He's written 25+ screenplays, a dozen of them on assignment, and sold several scripts, including one this year with Brad Peyton as Executive Producer. Brooks was recently hired to rewrite a screenplay started by an Oscar-winning writer. Brooks began his career writing, directing, and producing two indie features (personal dramas) that he screened all over the world.
And Brooks also loves coaching fellow writers who have a burning ambition to deeply serve their audiences.
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#film #movies #writing

[@mechtech220]

"The secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources." -Unknown

[@queenofalldamned3365]

Aswell as never reveal what you’re projecting to work on and create before it is completely done,finished,wrapped … Never try to please the industry by selling your soul and loosing every piece of your initial artistic intentions, respect yourself and always keep in mind that fame , celebrity and money are like being forever locked in a castle of crystal depending and controlled…. Consistency,reality, originality are a better strategy for the eventual path to the sustainable durable existence in a respectful artistic career….

[@jacobstaten2366]

I saw what you did there...

[@DinoMan_6]

Hehehwhhaha.

[@seanferguson5460]

I've complimented you before on your ability to draw in and draw out fabulous guests. The film industry has a reputation for being bloated with flakey characters but I've yet to see you interview anyone who was not real, open, generous, and brilliant. Thank you.

[@filmcourage]

Thank you, Sean. Our guests make it easy to draw out awesome interviews. Appreciate the compliment and for watching our videos. :)

[@concernedcitizen7385]

Anybody else written something, thinking it was completely original, only to find out that it was an idea that had sneakily stowed away in your subconscious?

[@Ethereal311]

That's the secret, it pretty much always is. Figuring out my own psyche has been really helpful when it comes to my originality alongside doing A LOT of research in places that Hollywood doesn't think about (in my case, Warhammer).

[@MrTkillian]

I don't think there's anything wrong with something being "unoriginal". There are so many movies that tell the same story, but all that matters is the way it's told through the unique style of a creator. Something like the first season of Stranger Things is totally derivative of loads of different 80s properties, but its story, characters and writing still make it "original".

[@southlondon86]

Yep quite a few times 😂

[@f3rryisnothere.mp3]

I think it's called Re-telling? I've actually find myself digging in a lot of old movies and 18th century books, so my inspiration comes from thing from 100 years behind, at least

[@edgarbleikur1929]

Excellent take away yet again thank you film courage! Go deeper and more personal. If your readers are suggesting your script is too much like a known movie go deeper into why you liked the movie you've drawn inspiration from and personal experience around what moved you to write the script.

[@filmcourage]

Do you borrow ideas from your favorite movies and put pieces of them into your work?

[@edgarbleikur1929]

Constantly! I'm a note writing aholic!

[@z-rex6068]

Yes, all the time

[@b.lloydreese2030]

I have. I figured if quentin tarantino can do that with every movie i can do it too

[@yorkipudd1728]

I'm attempting to abuse a tiny crack in scifi that has not been examined before, so I'd say avoiding everything other sci-fi movies do is my approach.

[@60million5]

@@b.lloydreese2030 can you share me how the method will be helpful for me

[@candellina6]

This is my absolute favorite post yet! They are all gems, and this video is the most helpful for me to write my novels. This channel is my writing workshop. Lol

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Candace!

[@BrooksElms]

Very cool. Thanks!

[@candellina6]

@@BrooksElms oh, my goodness! Thanks for the reply.

[@MrTkillian]

A lot of my favorite films and works are both from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s and now have modern inferior reiterations of themselves as well! I usually saw this as a negative, but I've been starting to actually see it as helpful towards fine-tuning and picking out what really makes a work so special to you and what to take from it. For example, I now realize the morality of pre-Disney Star Wars (even the prequels) was what truly resonated with me about the franchise. I didn't see that as clearly then as I did after seeing the new movies either replace or just vacuum out massively important moral themes from the older movies.

[@yorkipudd1728]

Vacuum indeed. New Star Wars: Engorged suits vomit vacuous drivel breaking grown mens hearts to quickly scrape back billions paid to Lucas.

[@Daniel-hs6ct]

So your favorite films are all from decades in which you’ve been alive lol

[@MrTkillian]

@@Daniel-hs6ct Nope! Born in 1991. If anything more of my favorites are from before I was alive

[@Daniel-hs6ct]

@@MrTkillian wow what are some of your favorites?

[@MrTkillian]

@@Daniel-hs6ct To be frank, I can't even list a top 10. I like lots of things about lots of movies. The only thing I would say definitively is the best movie I've ever seen in theaters is Return of the King just in terms of a movie that had "everything." Favorite animated would be The Lion King under that label of "having everything". Other than that, it's difficult to name clear-cut favorites, though I would say the LOTR and Star Wars had the biggest impact on what I want to write. But there have been better, smarter, more emotional and thought provoking movies than them that I love also if that makes sense.

[@ikept_the_jethryk2421]

This is cool advice but I’m writing historical fiction and my favorite movies are stuff like Rocky Horror and John Waters movies. I enjoyed The Ridiculous Six. Hmmmmm maybe I’m in the wrong genre, or maybe the 15th Century could use some schlock!

[@LaLogic2]

I would hug whoever conducts these interviews so hard

[@filmcourage]

We appreciate the love!

[@LaLogic2]

@@filmcourage i walk to work everyday while listening to your interviews, they give me the strength to not give up

[@danieljackson654]

Or, what ideas from my favorite movies have I put into my LIFE! THAT is my question.

[@BrooksElms]

Nice! Yes, putting anything into practice in our life day-to-day is what matters most.

[@antoinettelopes]

I've always known that my favorite movies were about the battle between good and evil, underdogs, people caught in circumstances and trying to break free. It's interesting because at any point when I've attempted to sit down and write something it had nothing to do with those themes. That's probably why it never worked.

[@natalieyesufu5070]

It's a really interesting insight into how you take elements from your favourite films. Sometimes even subconsciously and you might not have realised until you watch that movie!

[@DinoMan_6]

Brooks is a good guy.

[@unpopularcounselor9659]

An extraordinary individual with an incredible vision.

[@queenofalldamned3365]

Definitely one of my favorites channel!!! Constantly an absolutely extraordinary content and inspiration 🔥🌹🖤 Thank you ‼️

[@filmcourage]

Cheers! Thank you for your support!

[@imrecco]

it's about bringing originality to an old idea. Thats what i think anywayz

[@OlgaKuznetsova]

Oooh...I would love to try this...Armageddon, LOTR, Howl's Moving Castle, Mystic River, Princess Bride, Con Air, Warm Bodies... hm....no idea what the connections are... mostly about good winning...

[@samsungminlee]

How A Writer's Favorite KZbin Channel Can Help Them Discover Their Own Superpower 😏

[@filmcourage]

Best line ever. Thank you, Sam!

[@mr.knowbody1988]

He’s having fun.

[@animatorFan74]

Awesomne advice. I write up RPG adventures to run for players and the idea to take my favourite stuff and rework it is brilliant. Great idea when creating adventure material :)

[@simplyme922]

Very valuable. Sooo enjoy this content.

[@filmcourage]

So glad!

[@scifirealism5943]

You guys have a great channel.

[@filmcourage]

Thanks, we appreciate the kind words.

[@fotipitrakkos1193]

Two thoughts come to mind regarding this idea. One: the derivative trap is often to do with stealing the aesthetics of a film. Eg. If you have a villain rant about a product before assassinating someone, you may be too close to S.L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction. Even if its a smart phone rather than a burger. But quirky villain interaction in an unexpected way with their victims- this template has infinite possibilities to play with. Second thought: it's also helpful to think of such inspiring puzzle pieces as an ongoing conversation. If that scene is what that writer said, and it resonates with you, how would you respond to them? Did you just repeat their sentence? Or did you reflect on their words and take the conversation to a new place? Thanks for another great vid. Got the brain tickin.

[@latasukhani8422]

That was beautiful!

[@tymkoc3293]

Forrest, Forrest Gump is also one of my top 5-7 films of all time.

[@tymkoc3293]

And it's not about the title character being from Alabama, and only in small part because of him being a special needs person. It's all about the story, one of the best stories ever told/shown on the big screen.

[@badandy9716]

Forrest Gump is my all time favorite movie. It represents almost every genre and hits me everytime I watch it. Can't say the same about any other film.

[@filmcourage]

Love Forrest Gump!

[@mushinjedi6526]

I love this man.

[@bethangilmartin6436]

This was so helpful!! Writing something I would want to watch now.. advice taken.. however I Also need to compare the films that have moved, enriched me etc and deconstruct for common threads to see how I can use these ingredients in what I write so I have the elements and therefore tools to speak from my soul with authority! Thanks!

[@franciscor390]

He knows how to write some real Gumps this guy.

[@ironman2326]

If Dr Evil became a script writer instead of an arch villain

[@violimo]

Isn't everyone just writing The Wizard of Oz?

[@jacobstaten2366]

How do you narrow it down to 7? I would literally have to compare every movie I ever saw apples to apples and arrange them one at a time to figure that out. It would probably take several days with only breaks to eat and sleep.

[@violimo]

I've absorbed movies rather than consciously use them. My fave movies go back to the 40s -50s, Foreign movies such as French Italian, Wim Wenders, Kurasawa, British, Australian, and New Zealand. most US movies I like are from independent directors/writers such as Malick, Jarmusch and Lynch. But starting off with writing for theatre, I was heavily influenced by Harold Pinter, Sam, Shepard, Tennessee Williams.

[@manohermanohee4049]

If i join this channle then what is special except this vedio

[@Daniel-hs6ct]

This guy talks about emotional and thematic elements of a film like he’s changing a tire ….I disagree with him