Why You Should Study Charlie Kaufman

[@TylerMowery]

Get Practical Tools to Write Your Great Screenplay: www.practicalscreenwriting.com

[@vinothchander485]

Hi

[@vondock]

I rarely UNDERSTAND his movies, but at the end of every one of them I always feel devastetad, even if I don't really know why.

[@ohyeahitsthatoneguy]

How is Eternal Sunshine not understandable, unless that's one of the few you do understand

[@johngleue]

@@ohyeahitsthatoneguy well you must admit there are layers to it. Are you saying you 100% understand eternal sunshine and what Kaufman was going for? Personally I don't think the ending is happy I think they're doomed to repeat the same mistakes and never truly understand and value each other because they each lack the self esteem needed achieve such a relationship. They're just two second handed people, which means they get meaning/love from others and other's values instead of being first handed which would be someone who's used introspection to cultivate values and principles of their own, which when acted on would give them self esteem from their achievementsin life. Or self love, rationally selfish, same thing. This is necessary for a healthy relationship and a flourishing human being. If either of these two had actual standards based on their own personal values they'd see they're not right for each other and they'd understand why. The whole movie could also be a statement on the irrational fear of being alone and how it's a necessity for most to set aside standards, or in other words, "compromise" for someone or anything worth having in life. Which I totally disagree with. His movies have a sad take on life. I can relate, of course, but he doesn't show us how the pathetic can overcome these obstacles. It's a bunch of 'don't do this' without telling us what we SHOULD do. Of course this is just my opinion.

[@splvne2807]

@@ohyeahitsthatoneguy you think you understand it but i assure you that you do not.

[@CuddlyPsycho1134]

"Before you can break the form, you must first master it." - Pablo Ruiz Picasso

[@harrysvu]

this is so important, so many young filmmakers and artists want do the most unconventional and creative things possible but they must first master their craft in order to get audiences to listen

[@jeremykayprofessionalscree9914]

"Nah." - Rosa Parks.

[@araxa8]

i must disagree

[@benzilla127]

Do whatever the fuck you want. Find your own way. If you work at it hard and long enough you will find your voice.

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

@@araxa8 why, may I ask?

[@RBGRBGRBGRBG]

I’m glad someone’s finally made this point on a public forum. Plenty of films are weird for weird’s sake and there are surely many people who write oddly structured stories; but kaufman’s structures are as effective as they are because they are *always* working in parallel with and ultimately in service to the story and its characters.

[@TylerRJenkinsMusic]

Every single one of Kaufman’s 7 films is a masterwork. I hope he never changes.

[@shadyboltbandit3302]

There’s only change he and every artist can and always will do, improving their crafting skills even more. 🎨🖼🎥🪩🎵

[@BRNRDNCK]

That isn't even close to true.

[@yt.byliam]

8* also technically will be 9 now after Orion and the Dark, but I agree, he’s a master of his craft.

[@albertohalfeld2394]

A pleasure writing for the channel!

[@ScreenwritersNetwork]

Charlie Kaufman is one of the great filmmakers of today that inserts meaning into his stories and uses his platform as an artist to change and help people rather than just writing a film to entertain. We’ve just done a video on him too 😎🙌

[@jamesmason9868]

It may also be perspective that allows Kaufman to do these convention breaking narratives. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (having the idea of a breakup) and Eternal Sunshine (the fear of being lonely) both begin with the conventional POVs of a character wanting something or wanting to change something. It’s only later on do we discover the narratives/ perspectives are not conventional at all and by that point the narrative has spun in so many different directions we forget the calm before the storm. Great content man - keep it up :)

[@ViDhiHDEntertainment]

We've seen a lot of writers in the literature and novel space explore the approach of blending the different fantasy and life-like elements. In the screenwriting arena Kaufman does that probably in the most subtlest and surreal way !

[@sadyoshhours2769]

for some reason, when you said stories are about how we live life, that touched my heart. excellent video once again.

[@freddysamjacob363]

Synecdoche, New York is the most dense, ever-unfolding puzzle of a film I've seen. It's Brutally honest, and stunning in every sense of the word. Without doubt, my Favourite Film Ever Made.

[@qnicks23434]

I almost started thinking you forgot about Adaptation, but you put it in the end. Thank you.

[@smepable]

Eternal Sunshine is one of my favourite movies. It has more creativity and meaning in it than the whole filmography of most other directors.

[@debrachambers1304]

Including a clip of Chaos Walking = chef's kiss

[@sweetlifewithkonchumkaram749]

My favourite favourite favourite screenwriter of all time. Thanks for the video! So happy.

[@RM-uy3yp]

I kept thinking about John Truby’s use of a ‘designing principle’ and how Kaufmen utilizes with his philosophical conflict to drive the story to have even a greater emotional impact. For example, it’s the use of scenes going backwards that highlights his conflict in Eternal Sunshine.

[@abhishekab0]

kaufman needs to make a movie with danny pudi, abed is the most meta non kaufman movie.

[@blueskye2790]

Would you be able to breakdown the movie "I'm thinking of ending things" in terms of conflict and among characters who all believe the same thing? That would be such an interesting exercise! Thank you. I hope to watch the film in the future. I don't have Netflix at the time, but it sounds fantastic!

[@wyattjohnson3714]

Yeah, you really need to watch that sometime, it was my favorite film of 2020, and one of his best imo.

[@derotanim7879]

Just torrent it - I'm afraid having heard an analysis of the movie, the experience will be diminished somewhat

[@imfa-cinema257]

This is such a simplistic view of Kaufman's process without understanding. It's exactly what he was making fun of when he depicted Robert McKee in Adaptation.

[@jacobryan1628]

Charley Kaufman Is A Genius When It Comes To Writing!! 🙏🏼🔥

[@romemubarak13]

This was explained really well Tyler. Btw, thanks for taking my zoom a few weeks ago. I did use your recommended logline😊

[@micah_noel]

I’m Thinking of Ending Things was difficult for me just because I couldn’t even begin to understand it on my own. Hearing interpretations like the one here helps a lot but I do think he went a bit far with it. I also wasn’t prepared for it because I don’t think I even knew it was Kaufman before I started watching. I don’t consider it his best work but I think it is a great film and I’m looking forward to watching it soon for a second time and I’m super excited to see what he does next.

[@JoshAtkinson]

I love that you're analyzing someone unconventional. Do Lynch some time!

[@guyfaux900]

I Love his work I don't think I would enjoy being around him personally he seems like he's oozing passive-aggressive energy all the time, daggers at interviewers and doesn't really seem to drop his guard and feel Joy that I can tell. But then again he is a writer (primarily).

[@thewanderer37]

Nice essay. I do feel like it should be more apparent who writes the essays in the actual video though.

[@samuelalexander1014]

Charlie Kaufman is the reason I want to get into screenwriting.

[@TollusRollus]

it should be highlighted that I'm thinking of ending things is a very close adaptation of the original novel, and the writing and framing of the narrative can't be wholly attributed to Kaufman

[@thomasdahwoodjr4600]

great analysis !

[@lacey2450]

I love Charlie kaufman films

[@produmpsterdiver]

I have been going through his discography this week. Video came in with perfect timing haha

[@gabrielidusogie9189]

Tyler, how does one successfully analyze a film for a video essay?

[@merlinjames5954]

Well, I'm not Tyler, but in my experience, skill in analyzing a film starts in watching less video essays and just watching the film over and over, making your own personal observations

[@jaradperales3974]

Yoooo! Anyone what's the movie that opening scene is from??? The one with the kid who falls off the horse?

[@pufelmulticolorido]

Chaos Walking

[@Cesar_09_]

Make one of Paul Schrader

[@anthonycorcino6700]

You do know Schrader wrote other great films then taxi driver right?

[@PIOUS_AQUINAS]

What a guy

[@jurelkirklandfilms2510]

This is a good video

[@kshitijghadge1739]

I suggested this in dms

[@cothinker680]

Interesting, but I would say that memento has done better than Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind in terms of telling story in reverse. Memento is like darker version of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Also for me memento is the best philosophical movie ever made.

[@arduinoomegafx867]

Also Peppermint Candy does a good job of telling the story in reverse, linearly yes, not like the incredible structure of Memento, but still an interesting one.

[@paoloflorian44]

I can tell

[@daedalusgames4499]

Well my friend have you watched new york by charlie Kaufman? Have you seen Satoshi kon movies? Not to invalidate your point but in term of philosophical surreal dark movies Satoshi kon goes with full intensity.

[@danielrmz40]

Kauffman Is not popular, he Is unknown for mainstream audiences

[@Cieln0va]

I disagree. Maybe I'm just a lucky girl, but most people in my high school knew about Kaufman. Most of my English teachers had posters of movies he worked on hung up in their classrooms, and I remember on more than one occasion we would talk about movies and Kaufman would get mentioned. Even then, most students would at least know a movie or two he worked on, even if they didn't know the name. He's popular in analytical circles online and his name bounces around just below the mainstream.

[@ashikbhuiyan]

I totally disagree with your hypothesis about Kaufman. I suggest you buy a Mubi subscription and watch more and more European, east Asian movies. Saying 10:20 "Now you have understood what makes charlie Kaufman a master of his craft" is very diminishing and insulting to him and the artist who still making movie magic, not Hollywood Formulaic crap. and yes for new screenwriters they can learn those structures and beat points etc, but for that argument, you could bring Kaufman's early career where he worked in TV for seven years.

[@pufelmulticolorido]

But he says that movies are not about rules and structure. He says it's about philosophical conflict, at which Kaufman excels. Do you disagree with that?

[@ashikbhuiyan]

@@pufelmulticolorido I absolutely agree about movies are not about rules and structure but i don't agree saying "it's about philosophical conflict". Philosophical conflict is a big part of it that master filmmakers beautiful Carry it. If it is then why not arrange a debate about philosophical issue or write a book instead of making a movie?

[@pufelmulticolorido]

@@ashikbhuiyan Glad you ask, Tyler answers this exact question In his video "The Core of Storytelling". I recommend the whole thing, but especially 1:44

[@ashikbhuiyan]

@@pufelmulticolorido U didn't get the point I'm making. Maybe because English is not my first language and many things are lost in translation. The thing is Philosophical conflict is in every great movie. My personal favorite and one of the best movie that deals with Philosophical conflict is "winter sleep" by Nuri Bilge Ceylan. This movie is about philosophical conflict and takes long and boring 3 hours + to deal with. so my point is if "philosophical Conflict makes Kaufman master of his craft" then Winter sleep should be talked of the town and everyone should talk, loved and worship this movie but it doesn't. Why? isn't Philosophical conflict there? why it won Palm o'dor but general people and probably you and Tyler never seen this movie or heard about this movie? why? The thing is Philosophical conflict is the backbone of a movie just like a theme but what makes Kaufman a Kaufman is the story. The story a storyteller tells the way they tell makes them great. not Structure, not Philosophical conflict not cool visual effect.

[@CaioAraujoRibeiro]

Yeah, something that bothered me about this video is that it appears to come from an exclusively american cinema perspective. Not only that, but also taking classical screenwriting structure as the basis of any argument and analysis of the work. Cinema doesn't exist by itself, it has always involved different artforms. Synecdoche New York for example has a lot of parallels with post-modern literature, I'm Thinking of Ending Things is literally an adaptation. I think it bothers me because it perpetuates something that I see a lot in filmmaking circles: aspiring filmmakers getting too caught up in only studying an american formula for screenwriting, and thus limiting the scope of what they can create. Not saying that rules aren't important, just saying that cinema is more than Robert Mckee or Joseph Campbell.

[@catejames6453]

I'm thinking of ending things made me mad. Really mad. And really question Charlie Kauffman. It's possible to push through bliss all the way to shit. Or some such. It seemed lazy. It's possible it's ahead of my time. It's possible I'll look back and smh at my own opinion. But. I'll shake my fist at that potential future me and remind them that that's NOT a world I would chose to inhabit. And to rage against it.

[@Tommy88-]

The story simply doesn’t visually lend itself to an audience. It had nothing memorial about it, I thought it was going to be a thriller movie with a strange twist.

[@Cieln0va]

@@Tommy88- That's fascinating. I went in with the expectation of it being a depressing break up movie until I saw it was made by Kaufman

[@jboushka]

I remember "Adaptation" (2001) a meta movie about screenwriting with two twin screenwriters played by Nicholas Cage, written by Charlie and with Chariie as one of the screenwriters (directed by Spike Jonze).

[@007einstien]

Please do mention the writer who wrote the script for the video in the beginning. Great essay btw.

[@jonathansim4799]

Crazy how this video goes up right after I watched Adaptation

[@bruhestrogen]

My big issue with I’m Thinking of Ending Things is that it was impossible for me to contextualize the actual meaning of the story. I was completely unaware that it was meant to be through the perspective of old Jake even once the credits rolled, so although I found the movie to be interesting from scene-to-scene, it lacked momentum of any sort since I didn’t see how it impacted any higher cause. I’m VERY interested in what others thoughts are, because I have both heard high praise and people spewing about how nonsensical and stupid it was, but none like me who have been more in-between. I’d also like to ask to anyone who’s reading: if you didn’t KNOW what the film was about before watching it, at what point did you realize it?

[@Cieln0va]

I think rewatching the movie at least once is a necessity, even if you know the twist going in or if you figure it out during the movie on the first watch. For me, I figured it out during my first watch, but I didn't really understand it until around 2 days after my third. It was the scene that flashed between the janitor and Jake in the car listening to the radio that got me on the line of thinking that lead me to figuring out the twist, and I figured it all out during the dream ballet at the end. But, even knowing the twist, the movie didn't "make sense" to me until a few days after rewatching it a few times, then I actually cemented my understanding of it after a 4th rewatch.

[@portadoradaluz]

first to comment! Hi, Tyler! I love your videos. Kisses from Brazil

[@Bookspine5]

Now I have learned a little more about Kaufman after reading his debut novel Antkind. Antkind was a fun and surreal book that was worth every read page.

[@tnchinton38095]

I think it would helpful to make a video about writing loglines.

[@micahseidel1545]

Such a good video

[@brunobilandzija1823]

brilliant!

[@lacey2450]

I've shown all of my friends kaufmans movies from the time they came out and they've all been stunned and definitely changed after watching. We were all teenagers at the time

[@forrestwhittakerseye]

Eternal sunshine is one of my favorite stories of all time

[@howardratner5005]

you shud study these nuts

[@TomEyeTheSFMguy]

What's to study? They're small, and they've never been inside a woman. I don't see anything about them worth studying.

[@howardratner5005]

@@TomEyeTheSFMguy go make some shitty sfms my guy that nobody watches

[@Wetesk53]

Please do Sophia Coppola next.

[@aaron4647]

Tyler has no references he is a newbie and tries you to sell his own course. It is a making money strategy and you will learn crap from him. It works like a placebo you think you making progress but really you only learn techniques which are not worth to learn and also brings you up from learning your own style of creating new ideas and stories. He only made 1 script, he has not won any Filmfestival/Oscar etc. It is the same for most of the courses. You do not need any paid courses to get good in writing. Do not listen to this bullshit!!!

[@arduinoomegafx867]

In my opinion "Synecdoche, New York" does not work, it's confused, verbose and in some part ludicrous, in one word vain. I'll see if the other works of Kaufman, when I'll decide to watch them, are somewhat engaging and not long-winded.

[@SamL12345]

I think it's one of the greatest films of this century so far, and Kaufman's magnum opus. A deeply human and sincere portrait of a person's life from age 40 to 80. If you have only seen the film once, I absolutely implore you to watch it again, if there is any film worth giving a second viewing to it's "Synecdoche, New York", it's far too layered and textured to understand even a quarter of it on a first viewing, and feeling confused and overwhelmed by it is a natural response that many have had (including myself) but the film has become loved by many people through repeated viewings.

[@arduinoomegafx867]

@@SamL12345 All right, I'll give it a second chance

[@jesseclarke9826]

i reckon if you don't like Synecdoche, you won't like anything other than Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and maybe Adaptation/Being John Malkovich? they're all fairly up their own ass, but I think those are a bit more human, with the latter two being more absurdist and outright funny than the denser stuff he's been doing more recently

[@daedalusgames4499]

As others said charlie Kaufman's philosophy of artistry is that a movie can always be rewatched and still you have a different meaning or feeling Everytime, he has been inspired by both Beckett and kafka so if you don't like that kind of brain confusing art you might not like him.

[@rixx46]

I admire his willingness to experiment, but when Kaufman wanders into the weeds, he gets just as lost as the rest of us. Sometimes - like all filmmakers who take risks, it's just a self-indulgent wank