[FLAMENCO GUITAR] In the year 2000, The Matrix won Oscars for
Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Effects in both Sound Editing and Visual Effects. However, it’s the brilliant screenwriting
that has made this movie stand the test of time for over twenty years. With a satisfying character arc, difficult character choices, and constantly pushing the audience’s attention
to the future of the narrative, this film is a powerhouse in storytelling. Here are eight screenwriting secrets in The Matrix. [MUSIC] The Matrix presents us with
a powerfully efficient opening scene in which Trinity and Cypher
talk to each other on the phone. This dialogue provides an incredible amount of foreshadowing that gives us an excellent idea of the entire story. Let’s examine this in more detail. Let's see what this foreshadows. I can see why she likes you. Neo, I want to tell you something. But I'm afraid of what it could mean if i do. You can't be dead. I love you. Next, we have this important line
that forms Morpheus's story spine: Which leads us later to all of this: Morpheus: You are the one, Neo. You see, you may have spent
the last few years looking for me but I've spent my entire life looking for you. Morpheus believes in you, Neo. and no one -- not you, not even me --
can convince him otherwise He is The One. Next, we have this line, setting up the expectation that Neo will eventually die. Let’s see how that plays out later in the movie. One of you is going to die. Cypher: I mean, how can he be The One if he's dead? Jesus, he's killing him. Agent Smith: It's the sound of your death. [GUNSHOT] And finally, we have these lines. This foreshadows the major plot point
of Cypher’s betrayal. The informant is real. Access codes to the Zion mainframe. No, I told you I don't know them. I can get you the man who does. Morpheus. [PHONE DIALING] Surprise, asshole! I bet you never saw this coming. The importance of the opening scene
is overlooked by many screenwriters. The Matrix shows us the power of foreshadowing and how it lets the audience know the story we’re in for. [MUSIC] The Matrix presents us with a unique story world, one in which normal physics
and rules do not apply. Therefore, in order for the audience
to suspend their disbelief, the writers need to present the rules of the game
that govern this special universe. Let’s take a look at what’s
immediately presented to us. In order for us to accept things
like this later in the movie, we're introduced to Trinity's special moves
in the opening sequence. They show us the method in which
the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar exit and enter the Matrix. Morpheus: They cut the hard line.
Now you're going to have to get to another exit. There's a phone at Wells and Lake. You can make it. [PHONE RINGS] She got out. In the beginning of Act Two,
Morpheus explains what the matrix actually is. Morpheus: The world as it was
at the end of the 20th century. It exists now only as part of a neural interactive simulation
that we call The Matrix. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this. We then get the rules of the physics
of the computer-programmed world. Your appearance now is what we call residual self-image It is the mental projection of your digital self. It has the same basic rules. Rules like gravity. What you must learn is that these rules are no different
than the rules of a computer system. Some of them can be bent. Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles? If you're killed in The Matrix, you die here? The body cannot live without the mind. And, finally, we come to understand
how the agents work. They can move in and out of any software
still hardwired to their system. That means that anyone we haven't unplugged
is potentially an agent. I've seen an agent punch through a concrete wall. Yet, their strength and their speed
are still based in a world that is built on rules. So, if you have a unique story world, be sure to quickly introduce
the rules of the game to the audience. Remember: clarity is king. [MUSIC] The break into the second act is an important one, because it propels the hero into the story
and past the point of no return. In The Story Solution by Eric Edson, the author presents an interesting take
on this story engine: “In Act One, three things happen: a trap gets set, the Hero steps into the trap, then the trap springs shut.” Let’s see how this occurs
in Act One of The Matrix. First, the trap gets set. Morpheus: Now, do you still want to meet? Yes. Then go to the Adams Street bridge. Notice how this directly relates
to Neo’s biggest desire. I know why you're here, Neo. You're looking for him. So we see that it’s a trap
with too strong a temptation for Neo. Next, the Hero Steps into the Trap. This occurs in several stages in The Matrix. Get in. Remember: all I'm offering is the truth.
Nothing more. Once Neo puts his finger into the mirror,
it propels the story into the final stage. The trap snaps shut on the Hero. Buckle your seatbelt, Dorothy, because Kansas is going bye-bye. Lock. I got him. Now, Tank. Now! So, if you’re having a hard time
propelling your story into the Second Act, consider setting a trap for your main character. [MUSIC] One of the most important questions
you can ask about your characters is: What is their biggest desire? In The Matrix, this is crystal clear
for all of the main characters. Let’s start with Neo and see
what his biggest desire is. I know why you hardly sleep, why you live alone
and why, night after night, you sit at your computer. You're looking for him. It's the question that brought you here. What is The Matrix? In good screenwriting, a strong desire
usually comes with major problems. Let’s see what Neo’s problems are. Choi: Something wrong, man? You look a little whiter than usual. You have a problem with authority, Mr. Anderson. You felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. Like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. Now that we see this pairing
of desire and problem, let’s take a look at the other main characters. Morpheus: You are the one, Neo. I've spent my entire life looking for you. Morpheus believes in you, Neo. He believes it's so blindly that he's going to sacrifice his life to save yours. What’s the real reason that Agent Smith
wants the Zion mainframe codes? I must get out of here. I must get free. Once Zion is destroyed, there is no need for me to be here. Do you understand? I hate this place. I can taste your stink. In the Matrix, we also see the biggest desires
of the secondary characters. We discover what Cypher wants
as he talks to Agent Smith. I don't want to remember nothing. Nothing, you understand? Ignorance is bliss. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of this ship. Being cold, eating the same god damn goop every day. All I do is what he tells me to do. Even a short-lived character
reveals his biggest desire. To deny our own impulses is to deny
the very thing that makes us human. So the lesson here: remember to give all of your characters
strong desires and objectives. After all, if the characters in your story
don’t want anything, what is it that the audience is going to root for? [MUSIC] It’s said that true character
is only revealed through action. This becomes even more evident when characters are forced
to make a difficult choice. Let’s take a look at how choices are constantly presented
to the main character, Neo, in The Matrix. Neo’s boss at Metacortex, Mr. Rhineheart, gives him a simple choice in
the beginning of the movie. The time has come to make a choice, Mr. Anderson. Either you choose to be at your desk
on time from this day forth, or you choose to find yourself another job. Later, Neo is given this plot-altering choice by Morpheus. Morpheus: There are two ways out of this building. One is that scaffold,
the other is in their custody. I leave it to you. Because of Neo’s choice in the office,
he’s captured by the agents, who present Neo with a new offer. We're willing to wipe the slate clean. All that we're asking in return is your cooperation
in bringing a known terrorist to justice. When Neo is in the car
on the way to meet Morpheus, he’s presented with another choice. Right now there's only one rule: Our way, or the highway. Please, Neo, you have to trust me. Because you have been down there, Neo. You know that road, and I know that's not where you want to be. Of course, we all know about this choice
when Morpheus presents Neo with the major call to action
that leads us into Act Two. You take the blue pill, the story ends. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes. In the big Midpoint sequence, the Oracle presents Neo with a choice
that shapes the second half of the movie. You're going to have to make a choice. In the one hand, you'll have Morpheus's life, and, in the other hand, you'll have your own. One of you is going to die. Which one will be up to you. Later, we see this come to fruition as Tank wants to kill Morpheus
to save the Zion mainframes from the agents. You're gonna kill him? Kill Morpheus? We don't have any other choice. The Oracle, she told me this would happen. she told me that I would have to make a choice. When it comes to Neo’s final showdown with the agents, he’s told that there’s only one option. A little piece of advice: you see an agent, you do what we do. Run. Mister Anderson. Trinity: Run, Neo. Run. But, instead of running, Neo makes his final,
character-arc-completing decision. Interestingly, this motif of choice
is left for the audience in the closing scene. Neo: I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people
what you don't want them to see. Where we go from there
is a choice I leave to you. So, remember, anybody can be brave
and capable when things are hunky-dory. Instead, show us their true character
in the choices they make when things are at their most difficult. [MUSIC] What’s the most important thing
in writing a story? Is it character? Is it conflict? Is it to not be boring? It could be argued that the only thing that matters is making your audience always want to know
what’s going to happen next. Basically, keep their attention on the upcoming events of the narrative. In Paul Joseph Gulino’s book,
Screenwriting: The Sequence Approach, he outlines four major techniques to do just that. Telegraphing is when the audience is explicitly alerted
to a future event in the narrative. It tells us where the story is going. Let’s see examples of telegraphing in The Matrix. Right before Trinity does battle with the police
in the opening sequence, we hear this from Agent Smith: I sent two units. They're bringing her down now. No, lieutenant. Your men are already dead. This makes us immediately want to know how one,
unarmed person kills the entire SWAT team. When Neo gets this call from Morpheus: Morpheus: They're coming for you, Neo, and I
don't know what they're going to do. Doesn’t that make you want to know
exactly what it is that they’re going to do? When Tank says this,
we dread what will eventually happen. But, eventually, it'll crack, and his alpha patterns will change from this to this. When it does, Morpheus will tell them
anything they want to know. It doesn’t have to occur in only dialogue either. Here, when the garbage truck points
its headlights at the phone booth, we can quickly figure out what’s about to happen. The second major tool for keeping the audience’s attention
pointed at the future of the narrative is called the Dangling Cause. A dangling cause is any kind of declaration
of intent or desire for a future outcome. In other words, the dangling cause
results in an effect in the future of the story. And audiences want to know
what the actual result will be. Here are some examples in The Matrix. Morpheus: I suggest you get out of there. How? I can guide you, but you must do exactly as I say. I can't do this. But what if he makes it? No one's ever made their first jump. But what if he does? He won't. Come on. Sooner or later, someone is going to have to fight them. Someone? The third technique of maintaining
the audience’s attention is Dramatic Irony. When the audience knows something
that certain characters do not, it causes us to want to know what will happen
once those characters discover the truth. Let’s see how Dramatic Irony
is used in The Matrix. In this scene, the agents and police have no idea that Neo is sneaking around
right under their noses. Here, Morpheus doesn’t know that the Oracle
gave Neo some disheartening news, and he maintains his blind faith
that Neo is the One. What was said was for you, and for you alone. In this scene, Morpheus and his crew hide behind the wall. We’re gripped with suspense
while the police can’t locate them. Of course, the biggest example of dramatic irony results from the crew not knowing
about Cypher’s betrayal. Then we have a deal. Okay. I'll get you what you want. [PHONE DIALING] What is that? What did you just say? Nothing, just had a little déjà vu. What did you see? What happened? The tension from this dramatic irony is resolved
once they find out the truth. Surprise, asshole! I bet you never saw this coming. And, finally, we have Dramatic Tension. Put simply, dramatic tension occurs
when someone wants something, but an obstacle stands in their way. This plays out in several moments in The Matrix. In the opening sequence, Trinity wants to flee to safety,
but the agents stand in her way. Morpheus and the crew try to find
an exit after Cypher’s betrayal, but Cypher himself stands in their way. [COUGHS] They're in the walls. Yeah, there was an accident. A goddamn car accident. All of a sudden, boom! Shit! And, of course, we have the big set piece
of rescuing Morpheus. Look at how many obstacles Neo encounters. Would you please remove any metallic items you're carrying? Freeze! Trinity! Help! He's not going to make it. [ALARMS BEEP] Trinity. Mister Anderson. As you write your screenplay, ask yourself if your story is firing
on all four cylinders. Make the audience constantly want
to know what will happen next, and you’ll have them hooked for the entire story. [MUSIC] Character arcs are a powerful engine
that takes a story from good to great. This movie is no exception. In The Matrix, the main character
undergoes a heroic character arc, in which he goes from an ordinary man to someone greater than his personal limitations. In other words, he becomes a hero. Let’s take a look at Neo’s heroic
character arc in The Matrix. In Act One, we see Neo’s image as Thomas Anderson, an ordinary office employee. Thomas Anderson? Yeah, that's me. When he’s confronted with the big call to action, we see his disbelief in himself. Why is this happening to me? What did I do? I'm nobody. I can't do this. In Act Two, we see Neo gradually and reluctantly
begin to come out of his shell. Come on! Stop trying to hit me and hit me! Free my mind. Free my mind. No problem. Once the midpoint occurs, we see Neo begin to face the truth
about his inner journey. Only try to realize the truth. What truth? There is no spoon. You got the gift. But it looks like you're waiting for something. Morpheus believed something, and he was ready to give his life for what he believed.
I understand that now. That's why I have to go. I believe I can bring him back. In the third and final act, we see a significant change
in Neo’s character arc. There is no spoon. Trinity! Help! He's not going to make it. Neo, sooner or later,
you're going to realize -- just as did -- there's a difference between
knowing the path and walking the path. And, in the finale, we see Neo’s character arc
come to full completion. He finally becomes a hero
by believing in himself. What is he doing? He's beginning to believe. Goodbye, Mr. Anderson. My name... is Neo. He becomes something greater
than his ordinary self by fully succumbing to his inner journey. He is the One. Not all stories have a classic hero’s journey, and not every main character
has a character arc at all. But, if your story calls for it, take the audience from the ordinary
to the extraordinary by transporting us through a heroic character arc. [MUSIC] Although Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat
gets a lot of pushback in the screenwriting community, in his third book, Save the Cat Strikes Back, there’s a valuable method for
problem-solving the third act finale. This finale structure, called
“Storming the Castle” by Snyder, breaks down into five major plot points. Before we get into the five steps, let’s first identify: what exactly is the castle in The Matrix finale? It’s the skyscraper where Morpheus is being held captive, although the geography changes in later scenes. Let’s see how the five plot points occur
in the finale for The Matrix. Step One: Gathering the Team. In this step, the Hero gathers
the necessary teammates and equipment to be able to storm the castle. We see who his teammates are. What are you doing? I'm going with you. No, you're not. No? I believe, if you are really serious about
saving him, you are going to need my help. We also get the gathering of equipment
they’ll need for the mission. Okay, so what do you need? Guns. Lots of guns. Once the gathering of forces is complete, the story shifts into the second gear of the finale, known as Executing the Plan. In this stage, there’s usually a sense
of how impossible and crazy the objective seems. This is loco. They've got Morpheus in
a military-controlled building. Even if you somehow got inside,
those are agents holding him. I want Morpheus back, too,
but what you're talking about is suicide. No one has ever done anything like this. That's why it's going to work. Once the actual execution
of the crazy plan occurs, the audience gets the sense
that this might actually work. You moved like they do. I've never seen anyone move that fast. Gotcha. I knew it. He's the One. However, not everything is as easy it seems,
bringing us to the third phase: Surprise in the Tower. In this stage, the Hero climbs the castle tower
to save the figurative princess. Interestingly, notice how Neo ascends
the Heart O’ the City Hotel to room 303. The Surprise in the Tower exposes the Hero’s
overconfidence in the original plan, as the villain -- in this case, Agent Smith -- waits to spring his trap. [GUNSHOT] Notice how we reach a point
where all appears to be lost, and it seems like the Hero
is completely out of options. This pertains to the crew of
The Nebuchadnezzar as well. They're inside. However, it’s at this point of hopelessness that we reach the next stage
of the five-point finale. Digging Deep Down. At this point of the story, all human or worldly options
for a solution are exhausted, and the Hero finds a solution
through a faith in something beyond the ordinary. In The Matrix, this involves Trinity
finally jumping into the unknown: her love for Neo. The Oracle told me that I would fall in love,
and that that man, the man that I loved, would be the One. You can't be dead. I love you. This causes Neo to dig deep
down and find new life. Now get up. Once the Hero has accepted this new faith, the story pushes them into the final stage. The Execution of a New Plan. In this final step of the five-point finale, the Hero trusts this new faith
and finds a greater strength. And, of course, we get
the final catharsis of the story. Stories are like blueprints for humanity
to strive for something more, to live our lives beyond the ordinary. Give us the magic that
transcends normal human strength and takes us into the beautiful unknown. So what are your thoughts? Does The Matrix hold up as one of
the greatest science fiction movies of all time? Let me know in a comment below. As always, I want to thank my awesome patrons
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