One of the greatest movie characters of all time is Sigourney Weaver's Ripley. She's the survivor of many an alien attack across several decades in one of the most beloved science fiction franchises of all time. Now, I could wax on about how much I love these movies all day, but I wanted to actually focus on Ripley and all the things writers can glean from watching the Alien movies she's in and by following what she does on screen. Let's dive in. Screenwriting Lessons From RipleyI tried to break this down to the three main lessons you can get from Ripley. These are things I think you should apply to your own writing and think about as you work on your own screenplays. 1. Write the Person, Not the TropeThe character of Ripley was originally written as a man - or so the legend goes. But then Ridley Scott read it and had other ideas. When Sigourney Weaver was cast, the team didn't suddenly flip the script. They just kept the traits on the page, which led to her competence, her insistence on protocol, her sheer resourcefulness, and a character that felt full. The lesson here is legitimately not to be sexist. Which shouldn't feel revolutionary now, but it remains to be said. Write a fully fleshed-out human being defined by their intelligence, their drive, and their flaws. Don't focus on gender, focus on goals, wants, and desires. Ripley works because she's a competent warrant officer who follows the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - 2 days ago