Screenwriter's Series: Drew Goddard
The Screenwriters Series will examine the filmography of a screenwriter with the hope of finding out what helped them break into the industry or continue to find success. "Story By" credits will not be used: only films with official WGA Screenplay credit per IMDb will be used. This includes screenplays with multiple writers that may or may not have collaborated.
THIS MONTH'S SCREENWRITER: Drew Goddard
Drew Goddard broke into the industry as a TV writer, writing episodes for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. He moved from his collaborations with Joss Whedon (for the time being) and joined JJ Abrams at Bad Robot, where he began writing for Alias and Lost. While he continued to dabble in that medium, he made his debut on the big screen with Cloverfield.
MOVIE: Cloverfield (2008)
Starring:
Michael Stahl-David as Rob
Odette Yustman as Beth
T.J. Miller as Hud
Jessica Lucas as Lily
Lizzy Caplan as Marlena
Mike Vogel as Jason
Director: Matt Reeves
Budget: $25 Million
Box Office:
Opened: $40.1M
Final: $80M
Plot:
Rob is moving to Japan to start a new job so his brother Jason, Jason's girlfriend Lily, and his best friend Hud decide to throw him a going away party. Their night is interrupted when the city comes under siege by a mysterious creature. Captured through a video camera, the group tries to make it out of the city alive before it is either destroyed by the military or the monster.
The Script:
Screenwriters, especially aspiring ones, could learn a lot from this script. I was surprised by how well it was written and I feel like they could learn a lot.
As a writer, recycling a well known concept or idea isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just make it your own and write the hell out of it because that's exactly what Goddard does here. While the found footage genre was in its infancy, Goddard used it to make an Americanized version of Godzilla through the found footage lens. While the genre might feel limiting, writers can actually learn a lot from what Goddard does here. He uses every ounce of creativity to mine suspense and craft some tense, large scale action set pieces. And while this may frustrate people (there is no may, it did frustrate audiences in 2008), he doesn't give any answers about the monster or the bigger picture except what the characters hear and see. You end up so absorbed in the chaos that you forget about the found footage gimmick and this speaks volumes to how well his script is written. In fact as much as I enjoy the movie (and I REALLY like it), I think the script is ultimately superior to the final film. The script is longer, 121 pages (1 script page = 1 minute of screen time) and spends more time with the characters than the movie (which runs an hour and 13 minutes not counting credits). You don't ever question why Hud is still carrying the camera and filming stuff with such skill amid the chaos, which is harder to believe in the film.
Don't take my word for it. Check out the script yourself. It wasn't hard to find online.
My Review:
As I said above, I really like this movie. I tend to find found footage films gimmicky and filled with annoying characters, especially once the genre became more prevalent in the cineplex. Here, thanks to the script, Reeves' direction, and likable characters and performances (from then unknown actors) it works. And let's be honest, it's a really cool concept and has some genuinely tense scenes (the nightvision tunnel scene and Marlena's fate come to mind) peppered throughout its incredibly short running time. While Hud is kind of annoying, his reactions are also realistic given the circumstances. Also speaking of Hud, while it didn't bother me, the cinematography is, to put it politely, chaotic.
Critical reception:
77% on Rotten Tomatoes
Up Next: The Cabin in the Woods (2011)