Prof. PC was giving us some helpful advocacy advice last Friday, and related our opening to telling a story like a movie. So he had us all think of a movie and mentioned that most good movies follow a defined story arc. In an effort to put off writing my opening statement even further, here is a list of my favorite movies you should definitely NOT model your story-telling arc after:
M*A*S*H. Episodic story in which the primary conflict is resolved about halfway through. Then the rest of the opening is spent talking about a pickup football game.
Eraserhead. Symbolism plays a huge role and not only is nothing real, nothing makes a whole lot of sense. Works better if you can make the world black and white. And produce a singing woman from inside a radiator.
Memento. The movie I actually thought of in class. Tell the story completely backwards so that people have to listen to your opening about twenty times just to figure the thing out. Don't forget to cover yourself in tattoos to help you remember what to say.
Rashomon. Tell the same exact story from four different perspectives to point out that everyone is liar and how our perceptions change how we remember events. Oh yeah, and do it in Japanese.
Slacker. This would require lots of help. The movie works on the premise that the camera follows one person in the conversation and another person out of it into their next conversation. Pointless and meandering, it gives you a good sense of setting but nothing else. It also requires you to give your opening in Austin.
Adaptation. When in doubt, talk about the process of writing your opening instead of actually doing the opening. And then just start inventing an alternate reality.
Fantasia. Forget it. Just play music and watch cartoon hippos dance.
7 comments:
American Beauty - Start out by telling the jury your a dead guy and keep them guessing about who really killed you until the very end (because everyone wanted to), all while making social commentary about the absurdity of suburbia.
The Usual Suspects - Do a flawless opening and then subtly reveal that you were Kaiser Sozeh as you sit down at counsel table.
Donnie Darko - Start with the tragedy, then put an evil bunny suit and make the jury believe that they could save the victim by sacrificing their own existence.
Stranger than Fiction - start narrating the jury's life. "Juror number 1 through 12 stared blankly into space. They wondered what kind of narcotic possessed that attorney to wear a mickey mouse tie at a murder trial."
and many many more....
Love,
Matt
Star Wars - Members of the jury, today's trial is not unlike the galactic struggle for good and evil between the Empire and the Rebellion.
The jurors will be hanging on your every word and will be confident in you as a sage counselor and champion of justice!
The problem with the "Star Wars" opening is that since it was a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away even if this claim isn't barred by thr statute of limitations, the court surely does not have jurisdiction.
Wow. That was a stunningly dorky joke on so many levels.
I actually tied my opening into Star Wars last night while I was writing it, but then abandoned that approach in favor of Billy Madison.
"In conclusion, Shampoo is better!"
Yeah, I thought of Kill Bill in class and was half hoping he would call on me and try to torture something usable out of that.
Hilarious!!
Memento: deliver every even numbered paragraph chronologically and in color; deliver every odd numbered paragraph in reverse order, and in black and white. (I'm pretty sure, from the looks on their faces, that I delivered at least one openning something like this)
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