In 1995, this gem of a film won six Academy Awards including Best Picture
and Best Adapted Screenplay. It's a story of love, friendship and finding our destiny. Here are eight screenwriting secrets
in Forrest Gump. [MUSIC] Being specific, and not generic, with details brings
authenticity to a story and makes it come alive. Let's see what they do in Forrest Gump: First, we have specificity when it comes to places. Look at the detail they give us about
Forrest and Jenny's hometown: Forrest: We lived about a quarter mile off Route 17. about a half mile from the town of Greenbow, Alabama. She wanted me to have the finest education, so she took me to the Greenbow County Central School. Me and Mama was out shopping and we walked right by
Vincy's Furniture and Appliance Store. She went to live with her grandma
just over on Creekmore Avenue. Now look at the specific details in Bubba's hometown: Forrest: Bubba was from Bayou La Batre, Alabama
and his mama cooked shrimp. I gave a whole bunch of it to the
Foursquare Gospel Church. And I gave a whole bunch to
the Bayou La Batre Fishing Hospital. And, finally, we have the location of the bus stop
when Forrest goes to visit Jenny: Forrest: I got a letter from Jenny wondering if
I could come down to Savannah and see her. On the number nine bus to Richmond Street and get off and go one block left to 1947 Henry Street. There's another brilliant example of using specific
details to add authenticity to the story. Forrest joins the Army and goes to fight
in the Vietnam War. Look at the details they give us
to make it feel real and believable. Drill Sergeant: I'd recommend you
for OCS, Private Gump. You are going to be a general someday, Gump! Lt. Dan: You must be my FNGs. Good morning, sir! Socks: Cushioned sole, O.D. green. Try and keep your feet dry. Get that pig up here, goddamnit! Radio: Leg Lima Six, Leg Lima Six, this is Strongarm. Be advised your fast movers
are inbound at this time, over. As we've talked about before in other videos, be specific, not generic, with your details,
and make your story come to life. [MUSIC] There's an interesting phenomenon in
the story of Forrest Gump: The hero of the story doesn't undergo a character arc. Forrest starts the story just as kind, generous, and loving
as he is at the end of the story. Forrest essentially has a flat arc. However, he causes other characters to undergo
a positive change in their character arcs. providing a satisfying resolution for the audience. Let's see the significant change that occurs
in these two characters: Lieutenant Dan and Jenny. Lt. Dan: You leave me here! Get away!
Just leave me here! Get out! Forrest: Lt. Dan, ice cream. Lt. Dan: This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to me. Look at me. What am I gonna do now? I just got one thing to say to that: God damn bless America. Well, kiss my crippled ass. God is listening? What a crock of shit. Forrest: Happy New Year, Lieutenant Dan! Lt. Dan: Happy New Year, Gump. I told you if you were ever a shrimp boat captain
that I'd be your first mate. Well, here I am. I am a man of my word. That's where we're gonna find those shrimp, my boy! Forrest: Sometimes, Lieutenant Dan came, too,
though I think he left the praying up to me. No shrimp. Lt. Dan: Where the hell's this god of yours? Time for a showdown! You and me! I'm right here! Come and get me! I never thanked you for saving my life. Forrest: He never actually said so,
but I think he made his peace with God. Lt. Dan: I got new legs. Custom-made.
Titanium alloy. Now let's take a look at the character arc of Jenny. Jenny: Dear God, make me a bird so I can fly
far, far, far away from here. He doesn't know any better! Forrest, why'd you do that? You can't keep doing this, Forrest. You can't keep trying
to rescue me all the time. You think I could fly off this bridge? Forrest... We have very different lives, you know. [FRENZIED ROCK MUSIC] Jenny: Hello, Forrest. Forrest: Hello, Jenny. Forrest: Will you marry me? Jenny: You don't want to marry me. Forrest, I do love you. I want to apologize for anything
that I ever did to you, 'cause... I was messed up. Would you marry me, Forrest? I love you. Although it's not as common as a traditional,
positive character arc, consider if the flat arc might
make more sense for your story. [MUSIC] In Forrest Gump, there are some brilliant examples of dialogue hooks
at the end of scenes that propel us into the following scene. Notice how these simple lines of dialogue
naturally lead us to what follows next. Mama: You're the same as everybody else. You are no different. Principal: Your boy's different. Forrest: And can you believe it?
I got to go to college, too. Recruiter: Have you given any thought to your future? Forrest: Hello, I'm Forrest. Forrest Gump. Driver: Nobody gives a husky shit who you are, pusball! Forrest: She showed me around and even
introduced me to some of her new friends. Black Panther: Shut that blind, man, and get
your white ass away from that window. Forrest: Ropes, new nets...
and a brand new shrimping boat. Lt. Dan: Maybe you should just pray for shrimp. [CHOIR SINGS] Forrest: 'Cause right then, God showed up. After that, shrimping was easy. The city fathers of Greenbow, Alabama decided
to get together and offered me a fine job. Dialogue hooks are a simple but effective way
to add a nice flow to your screenplay. [MUSIC] Remember what we've discussed
about theme in previous videos: It's usually a question that the main character
struggles to answer throughout the story. What's my destiny, Mama? Let's take a look at the two sides
they present us in Forrest Gump. Mama presents us with her side
of the thematic argument: I happen to believe you make your own destiny. Life is a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get. And Lieutenant Dan provides us with his side: Lt. Dan: We all have a destiny. Nothing just happens.
It's all part of a plan. And, in the end, Forrest provides us with
his own conclusion: I don't know if Mama was right
or if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny or if we're all just floating around
accidental-like on a breeze. Maybe both is happening at the same time. The opening and closing images seem to show us
the writer's take on the thematic argument. However, the story does point out the one undeniable certainty: Mama: Death is just a part of life. It's something we're all destined to do. Notice the amount of death that occurs in this story: I will miss you, Forrest. Forrest: She had got the cancer and died on a Tuesday. Forrest: Bubba was going to be
a shrimping boat captain, but... instead he died right there
by that river in Vietnam. Forrest: You died on a Saturday morning. I had you placed here under our tree. The film also points out that death
can strike us at any moment. [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS] [GUNSHOTS] Theme is one of the most important
elements in a story. Be sure not to neglect it in yours. [MUSIC] If you want to create an immensely
likeable hero for your story, you really can't do much better than
Forrest Gump. They make Forrest a severe underdog
which naturally makes us root for him. Forrest: I guess you could say
me and Mama was on our own. Mam: What are y'all staring at? Haven't you ever seen a little boy
with braces on his legs before? Your boy's different, Mrs. Gump. His IQ is 75. To make matters worse, look at how he's bombarded
by society putting him down. Are you stupid or something? Boy: Hey, dummy! Are you retarded, or just plain stupid? That boy sure is a running fool. Teen: Hey, stupid! Just the local idiot. He must be the stupidest son of a bitch alive! You're not even a low-life, scum-sucking maggot!
Get your faggoty ass on the bus! Any idiot can play. What, are you stupid or something? You retard! Loser! You freak! Are you crazy? Or just plain stupid? Are you stupid or something? But, again, it boils down to what's revealed
about the hero through their actions. So, let's take a closer look at Forrest Gump's character. He's generous. Forrest: Do you want a chocolate? Forrest: So, I gave a whole bunch of it
to the Foursquare Gospel Church. And I gave a whole bunch to
the Bayou La Batre Fishing Hospital. Forrest: And even though Bubba was dead
and Lieutenant Dan said I was nuts, I gave Bubba's mama Bubba's share. He's considerate. it was nice talking to you Ma'am, you dropped your book. Lieutenant Dan, I got you some ice cream. Forrest: Every day I'd pick pretty flowers
and put them in her room for her. He's always himself. Jenny: Who're you gonna be? Forrest: Who i'm going to be?
Aren't I going to be me? Lt. Dan: I was Lieutenant Dan Taylor. Forrest: You're still Lieutenant Dan. Reporter: Why are you doing this? Forrest: I just felt like running. He listens to people. Why did you put that weapon together
so quickly, Gump? Forrest: You told me to, Drill Sergeant. Forrest: I ran and ran just like Jenny told me to. Wounded GI: Never, ever take your eye off the ball. Forrest: I made me a promise to Bubba in Vietnam, that, as soon as the war was over,
we'd go in partners. He'd be the captain of the shrimping boat
and I'd be his first mate. I remember everything you said. He protects his loved ones. Radio: His mama's sick. Forrest: Where's Mama? Jenny: Ow. That hurt. Jenny: Forrest! Man: God damn it! Jenny: Stupid jerk! Jenny, you and little Forrest can come stay
at my house in Greenbow. I'll take care of you if you're sick. Lt. Dan: You stay here, god damn it!
That's an order! Forrest: I gotta find Bubba! So, when he loses his loved ones,
we feel deep emotion for the hero. Forrest: She had got the cancer
and died on a Tuesday. Bubba was my best good friend. I miss you, Jenny. So if you want a master class in creating a truly likeable hero, look no further than this great story. [MUSIC] This film is an excellent example
of the use of dramatic irony. Quick refresher: Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something
that certain characters in the story do not. In Forrest Gump, it's the biggest way
they generate comedic situations. Let's look at the comedic use of dramatic irony
when Forrest himself isn't aware of something, usually when it deals with pop culture
or historical events. Forrest: There was Dallas from Phoenix. Cleveland, he was from Detroit. And Tex, well... I don't remember where Tex come from. Then it felt like something just jumped up and bit me. [GUNFIRE] Forrest: Ow! Something bit me! They said it was a million-dollar wound but the army must keep that money because
I still ain't seen a nickel of that million dollars. In the land of China, people hardly got nothing at all. Lennon: No possessions? They never go to church. No religion, too? Hard to imagine. Well, it's easy if you try, Dick. Forrest: The lights are off and they must be looking for a fuse box or something because them flashlights, they're keeping me awake. Whoa, man! You just ran through
a big pile of dog shit! Forrest: It happens. Forrest: Have a nice day. Forrest: He got me invested in some kind of fruit company. The other way they use dramatic irony for comedy is when Forrest makes us aware
of what another character will say. Forrest: Mama was so proud. Mama: Forrest, I'm so proud of you. Forrest: Bubba's family knew everything there was
to know about the shrimping business. I know everything there is to know
about the shrimping business. Forrest: So he'd tell us to get down, shut up. Lt. Dan: Get down! Shut up! Forrest: Now, when I got home, I had no idea,
but Mama had all sorts of visitors. Mama: We've had all sorts of visitors Forrest. They also use dramatic irony to allow the audience
to participate in the storytelling. In other words, they make us fill in the details. Look at how we, the audience, have to provide
the correct assessment of the situation that Forrest naively describes in his narration. Forrest: They'd all dress up in their robes
and their bed sheets and act like a bunch of ghosts,
or spooks, or something. Well, he'd sung too many songs.
Had himself a heart attack or something. He was a very loving man. He was always kissing and touching
her and her sisters. Sometime later, for no particular reason, somebody shot that nice young president
when he was riding in his car. Her dream had come true. She was a folk singer. Some years later, that nice young man from England
was on his way home. For no particular reason at all,
somebody shot him. Lieutenant Dan said he was living in a hotel and, because he didn't have no legs, he spent
most of his time exercising his arms. Dramatic irony is a heavily used tool
in professional screenplays. Think about how you can incorporate it into yours. [MUSIC] There are several examples of
mirroring scenes in this film. Essentially, we get almost identical scenarios, but they show us the change
that has occurred in the story. For example: There are two scenes on the gravel road
where boys throw rocks at Forrest. Let's compare the two. In the first scene, Forrest is younger. The rock knocks Forrest to the ground. The boys chase him on their bicycles. Forrest breaks free of his leg braces
and runs through a field. Now, let's look at the changes in the second scene: Forrest is older this time. The rock doesn't hurt him as much. The stakes are higher as the teenagers
chase him in a truck, nipping at his heels. Forrest runs through a different kind
of field this time. One that changes his life. Which brings us to another example of mirroring scenes: Forrest playing football. In the first football game, his teammate hands him
the ball and tells him to run. The coaches on the sideline
point him in the right direction. Forrest plows through the marching band
and runs past the end zone. Let's see the changes in the second football game: The crowd now has a sign to help out. The marching band stops Forrest in the
end zone. The crowd's sign turns to "stop". Another example: Forrest boards a bus and, in both instances,
nobody lets him have a seat. On the school bus, the driver is female and is nice
once Forrest introduces himself. The passengers are young kids. And Forrest meets Jenny, who becomes
the love of his life. Now let's look at the mirroring scene
on the Army bus. The driver is male and isn't so nice
after Forrest introduces himself. The passengers are all adult men. Forrest meets Bubba, who becomes his best friend. There are also mirroring scenes with the school bus
involving two different characters. In the first scene, Dorothy Harris asks Forrest: Are you coming along? This is what Forrest says: Mama said not to be taking rides from strangers. Now let's see the change in the mirroring scene,
which involves Forrest, Jr. We get the same question from the driver: You understand this is the bus to the school, don't you? And this is how little Forrest responds: Of course, and you're Dorothy Harris,
and I'm Forrest Gump. We even see a quick mirroring scene
with a secondary character: Forrest: And her mama before her cooked shrimp. And her mama before her mama cooked
shrimp, too. You know what? Forrest: She didn't have to work
in nobody's kitchen no more. Mirroring scenes are a fantastic way to show
the audience the change that occurs within the story. [MUSIC] Some screenwriting gurus tell us
that a good entertaining story should provide wish fulfillment for the audience. In other words, give them a chance to live experiences
that we don't get in our everyday lives. The story of Forrest Gump is full of wish fulfillment. Forrest becomes a football star. He goes to the White House and meets the President. Twice. He becomes a war hero and wins
the Congressional Medal of Honor. He gets to travel the world playing ping-pong
for the Army's Special Services. He buys his own boat and becomes a captain. He becomes a national celebrity. He becomes wealthy. And he gets to see beautiful landscapes
during his run across the United States. How's that for wish fulfillment? Hi. I'm Daniel Lee,
creator of Script Sleuth. First, I want to thank my patrons
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