He/Him Writer, Filmmaker, Epicurean. BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS, DETECTIVE COMICS, AMERICAN CARNAGE, KILLMONGER. TV/FILM: TITANS. POWER RANGERS. Insta: bryanehill
HEY CREATIVES:
Struggling with imposter's syndrome? Fear of rejection?
I made a little video about how I deal with those things and hopefully it'll help you cut through the jungle of self-doubt.
Any questions, hit me up here.
#writingtips
America doesn't de-escalate. It normalizes. School shootings were something unthinkable. Now, children prepare for them as part of their curriculum.
What happened yesterday was unthinkable, and now it will be a concern every election. This doesn't go away when Trump does.
I’m studying Nolan’s Batman films and I’m noticing all the effective “feed lines” in the scripts.
What’s a “feed line?” It’s my term for a line that’s there to set up a character for a zinger — often as a question. In THE DARK KNIGHT…
Good morning to everyone except Sesame Street and CNN. No kid at the age they’re into Elmo needs to be talking about racism...especially via cable news.
This is brainwashing and child abuse.
Buttermilk and salt brine the chicken breast. Add white and black pepper to the batter. Throw it in an air fryer and you have a healthier alt and you’re not supporting oppression.
Ignore Ben Shapiro. Poverty isn’t a moral failing. It’s a resource vs. needs problem. Don’t judge yourself. Look for opportunities. Expand your network if you can.
Listening to people like him won’t get you back on your feet. That takes confidence and a positive outlook.
Folks have DM'd me about
@JamesGunn
's vision since I was a producer of TITANS (ending with this season).
In short? I trust it. Never met James, but I know he's got TRUE LOVE for this universe. You can see it in him when he talks about it.
Let's support him. He's a real one.
I’m watching the BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN director’s cut — the three hour version. And there’s a lot of sharp writing I missed when I saw the theatrical. On TV it plays like an expensive mini-series.
Here's a funny
#DavidLynch
story, since I was posting LOST HIGHWAY.
So I'm in film school, like sophomore year, I think. NYU. We're shooting a project on the street, forgot what it was. Silly, film student stuff. Working with something like a krasnogorsk-3 super 16, but 8mm...
Just got off a zoom with a very talented young filmmaker I'm (sort of) mentoring -- and I shared an exercise that I find useful for storytelling. I'll share it here too in case it helps someone reading...
Just finished a conversation with the director of a feature I'm producing, and here's a perspective from it that I've shared before. It might be useful for your genre
#writing
so I'll share it again for those that might have missed my earlier thread. It returns often in my work.
As someone who buys a lot of Tom Ford and studies his filmmaking, let’s clear this up. THIS is what he said. That quote going around has no source. He did say she “wasn’t his style” but he didn’t insult her.
I need to create an HBO show where Viola Davis is a private investigator in early 60's Hollywood. A bit like CHINATOWN, but we explore different neighborhoods, the different side of that period, that culture.
In THE DARK KNIGHT RISES — the whole Bane/Plane scene has a BUNCH of them
“If I pull that off will you die?”
“It would be extremely painful.”
“You’re a big guy.”
“…for you.”
I know the news cycle wants me to move on to the next thing...
...but I’m still thinking about how a bunch of terrorists planned on kidnapping a sitting Governor and subjecting her to a mock trial so they could judge her guilty and kill her.
A Superman film shouldn’t be about him exploring his moral complexities and failings. It should be about him delivering us from ours.
Say it with me, Hollywood. Superheroes save people. Start there.
Had a pretty tense moment this morning with law enforcement while walking my dog. I'm fine. I did that Jedi thing I do and kept it from escalating. Badge numbers recorded. All in process.
Be careful out there. They're looking for a reason.
Even if you're just walking your dog
...and just like that he giggles again and jogs back to his crew or whatever he was doing, and gets back to I guess what was scouting.
That's my David Lynch story.
He's a guardian angel of film and we need to protect him at all costs, LOL.
Only in New York.
There’s a trend now where heroes never doubt themselves, where they’re never tested to their core. Just my opinion, but the doubt is where I relate and the overcoming of that doubt is the lesson that I can apply to my own life. I miss moments like these in stories. Your thoughts?
Nolan often uses these moments to punctuate the end of action or the beginning of action — and a lot of genre writing does this, but Nolan’s use of it is more effective than most.
Before I was a pro, I kept a jar. Every time I got told "no" about my writing I wrote it down on a piece of paper and I put the "no" in my jar.
When I got my first "yes" I counted the papers in the jar. I had 134 "no's" So that was the price I paid for my "yes"
#KeepWorking
Nolan will hide the ball on plot. Who did it? What is really happening? All those plot magic tricks, and narrative sleight of hand — but he NEVER obscures character motivation. He tracks it bluntly in dialogue and action. Spotlights it with exchanges.
Consider that.
/End
Nolan almost uses these moments like Greek chorus in ancient playwriting — questions that set up statements clearly illustrating where a character is in their arc…
“What chance does Gotham have if good people do nothing?”
“I’m not one of your good people, Rachel.”
Politics have been woven into populist art forever. People just don’t notice them because they’re either not paying attention or they agree with the politics of the art.
TERMINATOR 2 is a good example.
I met James Cameron once and I had time to ask him for one piece of creative advice. He said...
"Work on at least two scripts at once. It makes it easier to rewrite everything. You won't be precious with either."
And he's right. I mean, he's James Cameron, you know?
Overheard folks complaining about the “oversensitivity of young people” but young people are the first generation to grow up with social media, constant comparison, running stats on online “popularity.” Loneliness. Lack of meaningful interaction. Performative living. It’s hard.
For those of you who have met celebrities, whether professionally or otherwise, who was the nicest?
I LOVE hearing about pleasant encounters with famous folks. Brightens the heart.
Me? Pierce Brosnan. Hands down. Lovely, lovely fellow.
Poverty. At the time, I was a scholarship kid in a school with a lot of very wealthy kids. Had a lot of shame about that.
With time and distance, I now appreciate that experience and the benefits of that adversity.
1 yr after NYU, while FLAT BROKE, I saw Elizabeth Hurley in a store in Manhattan. Asked her out for coffee.
She (nicely) said she couldn't. I said I knew that, but didn't want to be a dude too scared to ask.
She laughed, winked and said "good for you."
#ShareYourRejections
Man, YouTube is DARK these days. It feels like every video about comics or film is someone complaining about something or being negative, but folks are watching them so I guess that's what people want? Maybe I'm just weird, but all that complaining gets me down.
Dear Hollywood Friends: If you made a SHAFT movie, set in the 1970's, with Idris Elba as Shaft and action like JOHN WICK, you would make a lot of money. That is all.
TOM: So I have to fly in space?
STUDIO Oh, we have VFX for that. Jerry can CG --
TOM: (clears throat) So I have to FLY. IN. SPACE.
STUDIO: (sigh) We can make it happen, sir.
(beat)
STUDIO: Hey Harry. Get me insurance on the phone. Yeah. Clear my meetings for the day.
Gonna talk "pitching story" for a moment, because that's how I get most of my screenwriting work and it's hard to find practical information about the art of it online and in books. This is just my experience and approach, but in the age of zoom, some of this may be helpful...
I think it’s why even though Nolan’s plotting can be very complex (the Lau/China mission in Dark Knight took me two viewings to understand, for instance) — you’re rarely confused about where a Nolan character is in their arc — because they often just SAY IT.
I'm INCREDIBLY excited about this. I LOVED Jonathan's work before I came aboard this, and when I heard his ideas I immediately got stoked.
This is one of those "Wow I get to do this!" projects.
And you guys supporting my work helped me get it.
Thank you. Appreciate you.
Perspective.
I have 9600 followers on twitter. Sold a few things to Hollywood, but I'm no celebrity.
Eve Ewing has won multiple awards, has 170K followers. Unlike me, she has ACTUAL cultural influence.
If I can write Batman and The Outsiders, I know she can write Ironheart.
To say "comics should be this and not that" is so odd to me. It's a medium. That's like saying music should only be this or that. I listen to Beethoven, Lil' Wayne, Drake, Killswitch Engage, TOOL. A medium is just a medium. It can BE anything.
So in practice, let’s say you’re working with a FIVE ACT STRUCTURE (which I do) — consider having one of those feed lines and character responses in EACH ACT that clearly illustrates where a character is in their arc.
Might help your script.
It’s interesting to watch the film world suddenly realize that Joker stories tend to be literary and layered. It’s like their inherent prejudice against comic book material has blinded them to what comic fans have known for 30+ years.
Now, they should read ARKHAM ASYLUM.
I’ve hit that comfort point in
#DiabloIV
where I can play, zone out, think about what I’m writing for Blade and the two films I’m prepping to make — and it’s gothic, violent, meditative bliss.
I still believe that people who complain about “politics in entertainment” don’t mind politics. They just mind politics they disagree with in entertainment. They don’t want neutrality. They want validation. A human need, to be sure, but not how the argument is framed.
I had a fun conversation yesterday with a friend that looks at STAR WARS as a secular " "religion" and examines the rifts in fan culture through the prism of apocryphal gospels and how religions split over interpretations and additions to the source text. Interesting stuff.
Currently examining why I feel like the best of 80’s genre movies, even though many aspects are dated, have more RAW IMPACT than modern genre films.
Part of it is the practical effects. The brain just knows when something isn’t there, but that’s not all of it, I don’t think.
Keep this kind of honesty in mind when you're thinking about piling on people in entertainment.
When people make things you don't like, they're not trying to hurt you. Choices are made, and sometimes they don't work for you, but they're not trying to injure you.
IP creators: If Hollywood wants to adapt your work into television or film, make sure you get a PRODUCING CREDIT (and fees) as part of your deal. Watch your publishing deals at the outset. Have your reps fight for that. You deserve the credit AND the revenue associated.
Just emailed my first draft of BATMAN and THE OUTSIDERS
#1
into
@DCComics
and without all the support from you all, that never would have happened.
Thank you.
#comics
#Batman
Hey, if I did a video where I walked through my first issue of DETECTIVE COMICS and talked about the writing techniques I use and how to apply them to your own work would that be useful?
I want to create content that HELPS people figure out their own writing. Demystifying it.
Oh hey. Secret's out.
@ReginaKing
is a GENIUS. A joy to work for on this one. Really honored to be a part of it.
@DavidWalker1201
and
@sanfordgreene
are old friends, and the whole group on this is fantastic. Shoutout to
@SevOhanian
for bringing me on board. He's a genius too!
BITTER ROOT has found its director!
@ReginaKing
will be at the helm of the major motion picture adaptation of the monster hunting Harlem Renaissance graphic novel.
I come back from a DC meeting. My wife's first question?
"What's
@Joelle_Jones
like?"
Answer: She's very cool.
And her CATWOMAN is going to be amazing.
For all of Nolan’s cinematic elegance, what I also appreciate is how he is ABSOLUTELY fearless about using a dialogue set-up to have a CLEAR statement about character point of view or narrative thematics.
He’s never hiding that. He wants you to know. And it’s effective.
If you’re a freelancer who works from home, not just comics and writing, ANYTHING.
Tweet me something I can signal boost. I don’t have the biggest platform but my twitter family is strong with the RT’s.
Promote your wares!
There's a sentiment out there, "young people are soft and they need more scars" and I don't agree with that. I don't think trauma is a requirement for personal growth. Personally, I try to do what I can to make sure people don't have to endure what I've had to endure.
RIP my mentions, but the same things conservatives are saying about racial justice now are the same things they said in the 20's, the 50's and 60's, and so on...
"There is no problem. You're all troublemakers. Real America knows better."
It's wild how little things change.
Just signed a contract for a screenwriting job I'm very excited about, something likely to get made (if I do my job correctly, LOL).
I wouldn't have these opportunities without the support from people that read my comics and support my work. Grateful for you all. Thank you.
Hey hey!
@Chris_Stuckmann
is a friend and he was gracious enough to let me sneak a peek at the project. He's doing really interesting things with it. Keep track of this one.
Chris Stuckmann is set to write and direct a horror movie ‘SHELBY OAKS’
for Paper Street Pictures.
The film follows the disappearance of a group of missing paranormal investigators called The Paranormal Paranoids.
(Source: Deadline)
The AMPTP wants to break spirits. It’s a tactic. Business is war. Solidarity with each other is how we maintain spirit. We’re artists. We FEEL deeply. All of it magnified. In each other, we can find resolve.
Art has power. Artists have power. Also…
If Disney’s distancing from “Song of the South” bothers you, it bothers you because you want to enjoy the work without being asked to consider the history. You’re protecting nostalgia and the antebellum myth.
That’s a political point of view.
True Life Script
INT. FERRARI DEALERSHIP - DAY
I enter. A SALESMAN(30's) greets me.
ME
I need to test drive a F430.
SALESMAN
We don't have anyone available.
ME
It's research. For Bruce Wayne. I'm writing Detective Comics.
SALESMAN
I'll take you.
CUT TO:
Here’s the other thing about the box office. A movie ticket costs 15-20 bucks. So two parents, two kids, that’s SIXTY to EIGHTY BUCKS.
Get popcorn and a sody pop? 100 BUCKS.
Wait three weeks or so and you can stream it at home. That has an effect.
Re-watched MAN OF STEEL recently (please don't start that nonsense in my comments. I get it. Both sides of it. Been there. Muted that. Moving on...) and Antje Traue has a real presence. I thought she'd be a much bigger thing in American films going forward. Odd.
Ki Adi Mundi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Ahsoka Tano, Yoda, Yaddle, Ezra Bridges, Kanan, Mace Windu, Ayla Secura (sp), Kit Fisto, etc.
These are all powerful force users who aren’t Skywalkers or Palpatines. All of them canon. Anyone CAN have the force.
People older than Coppola said the same thing about much of his work when he first emerged. This seems like a generational thing, artists age. The world changes. They feel like their passions are being replaced by “lesser” things. Cycles happen. I-ching, feng shui, roll with it.
I could make a LOT of money, silencing my conscience, writing some book with a desaturated American flag on it, a serious author photo and let myself be a prop for Fox News.
But Optimus Prime raised me better than that.
Years ago, no one from any comic company would read my work, return my emails, engage me at all. I had professionals that told me I would never write a comic book for a major company.
You have to maintain your vision of who you are and invest into it with work. Keep at it.
Just my opinion, but the discussion of comics should be less about changing consumer behavior and more about RESPONDING to consumer behavior.
Less "Why aren't they reading?"
More "What ARE they reading and WHY?"
2019 will (probably) be my final year in comics. Passion is pulling me to other forms of storytelling, but we’ve got BATMAN/OUTSIDERS, more AMERICAN CARNAGE, KILLMONGER and a SPECIAL surprise coming.
You all held me up this year and wherever I go, I’ll take you with me.
Just something to consider if you're looking at your work, or a potential rewrite job and you're trying to put your finger on what's missing.
The drama. The drama, especially in the first act, might be missing.
Happy
#writing
/end
QUESTION:
Manga seems to be outselling comics handily. I have a few manga I enjoy, but why do you think Manga is outperforming comics?
And please keep it civil. That's not an invitation for rude venting and polarization. It's a genuine question. Thanks.
I may lose followers with the harshness of what I'm about to say, but I'm in no mood to be generous with President Trump. What's happening is clear.
6 days of lying and hiding and golf. President Trump is a coward, hiding behind other cowards carrying the water for his lies.
"Terry McGinnis held his bleeding wound as he limped onto the old grounds, crying out for the man that owned them, not the man by his born name, but the truth of the man, the legend of the man, the man whose will and power once helped him pull Gotham's soul out of madness."
One of the best ways we can honor Stan Lee's legacy would be to have one day on here where comic fans, creators, commentators put down the arms and enact a cease fire.
David puts his hand on my shoulder, pointing me to where he's standing. He says...
"You'll get a better frame, if you just move camera a little over here. Use the lines of the street."
Of course he was absolutely right. We do what he says, and it's a much better frame...
In general, I try not to curse on my twitter feed.
But
@Joelle_Jones
is fucking good.
Here, it was warranted. Sorry, kids. I'll PG-13 it from now on. The spirit got into me.
On my upcoming ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER...
...seen some confusion about whether not T'Challa is the Black Panther in my story.
T'Challa IS the Black Panther in my story. Pass it on. Thanks.