Michael Regilio

So it looks like at the end of your story, your character has failed, externally failed, internally failed, philosophically just failed in every possible way and then being able to flip it around.

So it looks like at the end of your story, your character has failed, externally failed, internally failed, philosophically just failed in every possible way and then being able to flip it around.

So it looks like at the end of your story, your character has failed, externally failed, internally failed, philosophically just failed in every possible way and then being able to flip it around.

The thing that I am talking about in this new video that I'm putting together about first acts is I think a lot of times it's really, really helpful to have a moment of despair in the first act of your story. And you see this over and over again in, well, just an example of Little Miss Sunshine is you build up all this emotional rooting interest. Olive wants to go do this beauty pageant, right?

The thing that I am talking about in this new video that I'm putting together about first acts is I think a lot of times it's really, really helpful to have a moment of despair in the first act of your story. And you see this over and over again in, well, just an example of Little Miss Sunshine is you build up all this emotional rooting interest. Olive wants to go do this beauty pageant, right?

The thing that I am talking about in this new video that I'm putting together about first acts is I think a lot of times it's really, really helpful to have a moment of despair in the first act of your story. And you see this over and over again in, well, just an example of Little Miss Sunshine is you build up all this emotional rooting interest. Olive wants to go do this beauty pageant, right?

And they've got to somehow get her

And they've got to somehow get her

And they've got to somehow get her

to california what you want to do is build up all this ahead of steam basically you want like audience emotional rooting interest they want to see this thing happen and then you shut the door so it seems like your hero is never going to get what they want right at the end of the first stack there's no way forward and then just cracking the door open so there's one possible way

to california what you want to do is build up all this ahead of steam basically you want like audience emotional rooting interest they want to see this thing happen and then you shut the door so it seems like your hero is never going to get what they want right at the end of the first stack there's no way forward and then just cracking the door open so there's one possible way

to california what you want to do is build up all this ahead of steam basically you want like audience emotional rooting interest they want to see this thing happen and then you shut the door so it seems like your hero is never going to get what they want right at the end of the first stack there's no way forward and then just cracking the door open so there's one possible way

for the character to get what they want creates this sort of maximum rooting interest, this huge audience momentum in the story. So it's interesting that you can have a moment of despair in the third half of your story, but having a moment of despair in the second half of your story, I think is really, really important too.

for the character to get what they want creates this sort of maximum rooting interest, this huge audience momentum in the story. So it's interesting that you can have a moment of despair in the third half of your story, but having a moment of despair in the second half of your story, I think is really, really important too.

for the character to get what they want creates this sort of maximum rooting interest, this huge audience momentum in the story. So it's interesting that you can have a moment of despair in the third half of your story, but having a moment of despair in the second half of your story, I think is really, really important too.

I mean, I grew up in New York going and seeing indie films and being really into David Lynch films and all that stuff. With screenplays, the stuff that I read, I think what I finally decided is that the thing that you're going for is the emotion at the end. How do you want the audience to feel when they walk out of the theater? And I made a very deliberate decision on Lola Sunshine.

I mean, I grew up in New York going and seeing indie films and being really into David Lynch films and all that stuff. With screenplays, the stuff that I read, I think what I finally decided is that the thing that you're going for is the emotion at the end. How do you want the audience to feel when they walk out of the theater? And I made a very deliberate decision on Lola Sunshine.

I mean, I grew up in New York going and seeing indie films and being really into David Lynch films and all that stuff. With screenplays, the stuff that I read, I think what I finally decided is that the thing that you're going for is the emotion at the end. How do you want the audience to feel when they walk out of the theater? And I made a very deliberate decision on Lola Sunshine.

I was like, I'm going to write a happy ending, but not just an ordinary happy ending. I'm going to write the happiest f***ing ending of all time. My goal was I'm going to drive the audience insane with happiness. And I think that what works about that is the one smart thing I'll say about Little Miss Sunshine is that you're creating a false binary.

I was like, I'm going to write a happy ending, but not just an ordinary happy ending. I'm going to write the happiest f***ing ending of all time. My goal was I'm going to drive the audience insane with happiness. And I think that what works about that is the one smart thing I'll say about Little Miss Sunshine is that you're creating a false binary.