Quality Writing

& Psychology
How the link between them reveals the importance of context
What are we going to do today?
• What is Quality Writing?
• Studio, Creator & Audience Quality
• Knowing Your Audience and Characters
• Do I need to be a Psychologist?
• Nordic Noir

• Screening: The Killing (Forbrydelsen) (2007) [Denmark]

What is Quality Writing?
Firstly… What is it not?
• Not the same as Overall Quality
• Forget Cinematography, Direction, Acting, etc.
• Focus on Writing ONLY.
A Definition of Quality
• “The standard of something as measured against other things of a
similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.” – Google

• For a measure of Quality, comparison to others is inevitable

• With Writing… Everyone likes different kinds of stories

• Therefore, the nature of “Quality Writing” is entirely subjective
Values we can give to “Quality Writing”
• Here are some good GENERAL words to go by for “Quality Writing”:
• Source: http://www.ttms.org/writing_quality/writing_quality.htm
• Interesting & Important
• Logical & Effective
• Individual & Appropriate Reme
m
• Specific & Memorable GENE ber: The
have RAL wor se are
differ ds, a
• Smooth & Expressive with ent m nd
differ e
ent c anings
• Correct & Communicative ontex
ts
Let’s talk about Context
• What do we KNOW for sure?

• Studios need to make money or grow

• Creators need to make a living and be creative
• Audiences need to be entertained or educated
Studio Perception of Quality Writing
• Focus: MONEY / GROWTH
• They want…
• The overall package to bring many people
• The story to be good enough for repeat visits
• The audience to spread the word
• A return on investment
• Creators to do what they do best
• To bring together a great creative team
Creator Perception of Quality Writing
• Focus: STORYTELLING / CREATION
• They want…
• To tell an important story
• To convey a message
• Satisfaction from executing their creativity
• Freedom to write how they want
• To make a living from their craft
• To bring together a great creative team
Audience Perception of Quality Writing
• Focus: ENTERTAINMENT / LEARNING
• They want…
• Good value entertainment
• To come back for more if it’s good
• Something to talk about
• To see a famous actor deliver great lines
• To enjoy plot twists and turns
• To care about your characters
 DIAGRAM OF Let’s put these movies
QUALITY NEEDS or TV Shows into it…
AUDIENCE
• Star Wars
• Toy Story
• Robin Hood (2018)
• Spider Man 3
• Roma
• Paranormal Activity
• The Exorcist

R
STU

• Casablanca

TO
• Mars Needs Moms

EA
• 12 Years A Slave
DI O

• Game of Thrones

CR
• The Crown
• Hook
Analysis… Plot Twists & Turns
• Audiences love plot twists and turns
• Want to be taken on a narrative journey
• The audience likes to predict (to know)
• The audience likes surprise (to not know)
• Balance of Predictable and Unpredictable

• Audience Superior & Inferior Knowledge

 Superior & Inferior Knowledge Diagram
Audience Knows More Than
Characters (Superior)

Audience Knows The Same

As Characters

Audience Knows Less Than

Characters (Inferior)

This is a hugely simplified diagram of how Superior & Inferior Knowledge works. In
reality, it can be very complex, and vary between short & long term story elements.
Analysis… Caring About Your Characters
• Remember back to Foundations of Story:
• Audience needs to care about your characters
• If they don’t, you will lose your audience
• Audience needs to feel empathy
• Empathy comes from Understanding them
• Understanding your Audience and Developing
your Characters is paramount to generating a
link between the two
• What was the last movie that made you cry?
Ways to Deepen your Understanding
• The Original Psychology Theorists
• Psychology for Screenwriting Books
• Audience and Narrative Theory
• Original Research: Interviews, etc.
• Documentaries
• Journalism
• Historical Events
• Other similar works to your own
 So… How much do I really
need to know about my
Audience and my Characters?
…Do I need to be a Psychologist?
• No. It’s all about Context
• It depends on these Factors…
?
• TONE – Light hearted? Brooding? Funny? Serious?
• AUDIENCE – Kids? Adults? Age? Sex? Beliefs? Tastes?
• CHARACTER – Murderer? Detective? Cowboy Doll? Big Red Dog?
• STORY – What happens? Confronting? Comforting?
Character Psychology Research… Let’s
Guess
• The Martian Let’s rate these movies!
• Paranormal Activity
From 1 to 10
• Austin Powers
• The Exorcist How much Psychological
• Casablanca Research do we think
each of these movies
• Star Wars would require to build
• 12 Years A Slave characters that seem
completely genuine?
• The Crown
Psychology and Nordic Noir
• Has a strong link with the idea of “Quality TV”
• Inspired many Screenwriters since inception
• Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy launched
• Characterised by its mix of genre and challenging tone
• The Killing (2007) is one of the first TV examples of Nordic Noir
• Protagonists are not exactly heroes and are worn down by the world
• The audiences are smart, and the characters are complex
• The style and tone remains popular, exporting all over the world
Scary Forest

Guillem Mari designed CD Album Cover for a

The Bridge, Borgen & The Killing ‘Nordic Noir’ Music Compilation
Discussion

• What “High Quality” TV Show or Movie did you watch this week?

• Why do you think it is considered “High Quality”?

• What makes the writing particularly “High Quality”?

Conclusion
• “Quality” is Subjective, and heavily reliant upon Context
• Different Audiences, Creators and Studios have different concepts
• Know what Audience your project is for and how they will enjoy it
• Know your Characters and whether their psychosis is important
• Know the relationship between your Audience and your Characters
• Know the requirements of your Story and its Tone
• Don’t research something that won’t matter. Your time is valuable!
• Nordic Noir is a good way in to understanding what Quality means
Let’s End With a Quote
• “True Psychoanalysis is not a science…
it is an art. In this sense, psychoanalysis
and screenwriting are two sides of the
same coin. They are both creative arts
aimed at the investigation and
understanding of the human character,
mind and soul.”
• Indick, W. (2004) Psychology for
Screenwriters. USA: Michael Wiese
Productions
After Reading Week
• Research & Responsibility
• Looking into Reality and Research
• Do writers have a responsibility to represent the truth?
• Screening: Trumbo (2015)
• For the Session: Try to watch a Biographical Film
• Research what was changed from real life to work for the movie
• Think about the moral ambiguities around such changes

• Don’t forget your Diaries! Watch, write, analyse.

Screening
• The Killing (Forbrydelsen) (2007)
[Denmark]
• Created by Søren Sveistrup
• Series 1, Episode 1
• Apx. 55m

• THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

• Superior & Inferior Knowledge