As good as School Daze is, the directing leap that Spike Lee makes from School Daze to Do the Right Thing to Mo Betta Blues to Jungle Fever to Malcolm X in less than 5 years is astounding. Back to back. Every single year. You just gotta keep at it.
Most important screenwriting lesson my uncle and John Singleton taught me is to watch movies constantly. To rewatch and rewatch. Film es otra lengua como espanol. The only way to become fluent is to constantly practice.
The advantage the younger generation has is that all these films are at your fingertips on Netflix. You don't have to build the massive DVD and Bluray collection (although you need them later for the commentaries).
You want to write films or tv? You want me to take you seriously? You have to write. You have to read. And you have to watch films. Constantly. To the point with certain movies, you can almost act them out. That's the only way it slows down. That's the only way you see structure.
It's the only way to understand scene dynamics and rhythm and spacing. When to enter a scene and when to leave. How to let it breathe. The importance of hearing the voices in your head and writing down what they say, without judgement.
And when you get stuck? Use an old SouthLAnd trick. Put both characters in your mind in a squad car and let them talk while they drive around. And just free associate, writing down what they say until you can make it fit what you actually need.
Act 1? What's New in the zoo. Act 2: Ah shit. Act Three: you better come back after the break. Act 4: We got that muthafucka. Act 5: It's Miller time.
