10 Screenwriting Tips from Quentin Tarantino on how he wrote Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds
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Oscar winning screenwriter Quentin Tarantino Interview about the screenplay writing process and lessons from the screenplay on his favorite movies and films: Pulp Fiction, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained, Reservoir Dogs, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Kill Bill, The Hateful Eight and Jackie Brown. He ranks with the best writer directors like Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Aaron Sorkin, Bong Joon Ho, David Fincher and others...
Click here for 18 EXTRA Screenwriting Tips from all screenwriter/directors we uploaded on this channel so far: / outstandingscreenplays
tip 1 - 0:38 - Develop your own writing process that makes you happy.
tip 2 - 3:04 - Don't confuse the audience.
tip 3 - 4:20 - Rewrite other scenes and fill in the blanks.
tip 4 - 6:07 - Take the oldest stories in the book and reinvent them.
tip 5 - 7:25 - Take morality out of the question to have interesting characters.
tip 6 - 8:51 - Write the movie you want to see.
tip 7 - 11:45 - Do your subtext work.
tip 8 - 15:58 - Give your characters moral choices.
tip 9 - 17:37 - Write extensive character backstories to get the best actors.
tip 10 - Love what you do.
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#QuentinTarantino #Screenwriting #Screenplay #Tarantino #filmmaking
He’s sounds as if he’s on the verge of crying when he talks about screenwriting, that’s how passionate he is.
Haha yes exactly! 💯✅😀
@@OutstandingScreenplays its almost as if he feels he`s doing something important and far reaching, when it seems he`s merely inspiring more wannabes to make comic novellas in the style of. hitchcock he aint
I get the same feeling from Jordan Peterson when he talks about people.
Yeah that is what writing is like for some people it's painful to keep to the story locked to themselves. His stuff pays lots of homage to other films though it's good but Orsen Wells would not think it original. I miss old Hollywood too to be honest and without disrespect to Tarantino as I like some of his work and techniques very much he has his own style I guess.
Quentin has openly talked about his step fathers great influence on him a number of times. I'm thinking the father/son angle was very personal to him.
Listening to Tarantino talk about his movies is almost as entertaining as watching a Tarantino movie
Yeah, his passion is outstanding 😊
Soooo true. It was like the best class I was never in...
I agree 100% with this message. His passion flows through every word. It's not about the money its about the love of telling interesing stories through the medium of film.
Watching him on (Howard Stern) is even more entertaining...too.!
Wanna sell a screenplay comedy of coffin. Could you help? It's a tale of two jobless boys, who were offered a job by the mafia boss that they can't refuse, their job is to bury a dead chef...
I imagine Christopher Nolan heard Tarantino saying don’t confuse the audience 😂
😂
So I'm not the only one? Lol
Tenet was the first thing that came to mind
@@OutstandingScreenplays mm, I loved Tenet. We want riddles. And it's either what's the plot (Nolan), or who did it (detectives), or what might happen next (Coen Brothers) or what warped character flaw will change the situation next? (Tarantino).
@@heshamhany8470 Tenet is actually really simple.. idk why everyone got confused by it... how did you like Inception?
Relationship goals: I just want someone to look at me the way Tarantino looks at cinema.
✅😄
Like a hack?
@@cal5000 We get it, you dislike Tarantino, go do something better with your life. You're only spreading hate comments about him and it's pathetic.
A Never ending love story.
@@cal5000 “I don’t remember asking you a GOD damn thing”
QT is awesome. I don't love all his movies but his passion for film is so infectious. Seems like he really wants other people to succeed so he can watch good movies.
So well said! His passion for film is immense and he really does want other people to succeed!
Agree - well said. He loves movies, he wants more. He's not a gatekeeper.
Tarantino: don’t confuse the audience Nolan: 🧐
Scorsese: That’s why we have a narrator who has the super power to freeze time and elaborate on what your seeing before you have a stroke trying to decipher what your eyes are perceiving on screen.
Dino Velocir and try not to bore them ? as important maybe ?
I've run across that issue in the past with a novel I'm working on. It's difficult to stay on task when swimming in subtext... ha!
Not 1 Nolan movie is confusing. You have to pay attention.
Tarantino says that there is nothing wrong with confusing movies as long as it is in good hands. If, despite paying full attention, you find a film confusing, that's not good. But all of Christopher Nolan films are easy to understand as long as you pay attention. So.....yeahhh
This video single handedly kills all the doubts regarding screenwriting, filmmaking and inspiration.Hands down to the uploader who made this video,true genuine masterpiece,grateful, grateful 🔥.
Hello, I am in the process of buying a filming camera, is there a particular one you recommend? Thanks a million. Luis
@@thepedestulz don’t buy if you don’t have to. Rent gear. The technology changes too fast to keep up with. And if the shit breaks you can take it back. Just make sure you buy the insurance from the rental house for anything you can’t afford to replace.
@joey Nuetella what in the hell are you talking about? I think that tinfoil hat is a little too tight.
@joey Nuetella you have to lay off the peyote.
Hi, Look here you Like it? kzhead.info/sun/ddSwZ8VofHelg4k/bejne.html
To me the best insight is when he's thinking about what he's written for the day asking himself, "where do I want to go with it?"..."what do I want to go with it?". It tells me that you don't need to have a complete story to begin writing. You can figure it out as you go along.
Thank you for pointing this out. Very inspiring
Absolutely. I always start with a general idea like as example: “A hitman fails a hit and is now the target.” Then, for me, it’s all about that first scene or first 5 mins of the film that needs to be something I’ve never seen and something That I’D want to see. I trust my taste in films so I figure, no matter if I fail or succeed… at least i have no regrets and it’s hard enough to come up with an idea, let alone worrying about what strangers that I never met would want to see. Too much thinking and not enough writing if I went that way.
It feels similar to what Stephen King says: "I don't know what's going to happen to the characters until I write it down, it's exciting!" If that isn't also going with the flow while you write, I don't know what is.
Mediocre Director And Mediocre Scriptwriter. He is nowhere near to Legendary Pakistani Director Muhammad Abdullah. No comparison. But west is racist.
I consider myself an avid watcher of QT’s interviews and masterclasses. This video is one of the best compilations I have seen. Great stuff.
Thanks! Means a lot from an avid watcher of QT’s interviews `💯🙌
I've been watching his films since I was 12. He's actually inspired me to start writing screenplays and I'm gonna go to Hollywood someday
How's your journey so far?
If you're reading this, good luck!
When i was a child i used to write little books and to make some videos. I've always thought "I'm gonna be a screenwriter" and it was obvious for me. Now, I'm 16 years old and i still have the same dream: making movies . However i feel like I'm Imprisoned and that i will never achieve what i want because I'm alone here with this dream, i don't know anybody who can help me or make a movie with me. But i only live for movies and stories, i only live to make people dream but I'm stuck here and i can't do anything. I really hope that you, who's reading that shit right now, become the person you wanna be. And if your dream is to make movies too, i wishe you the best. Find people to help you and to work with, catch every opportunity and if nothing comes create it. I don't know why I've written this but i needed to talk
Thank so much man for the positive comment. Me ....same story. Used to write entire novels as a kid and even made short films as a kid. Used stuffed toys as characters. I was making videos before there was any youtube LOL... Right now Im 26 and my film career never went further than going to film school and doing a bit of shorts.. Im kinda stuck right now, and I feel fatigue often... but from time to time the Universe shines brightly, I get bursts of energy and I write and I am amazed at the ideas and I even create short films... So far I have shot and shot and shot but several works are left unedited and/or unfinished. I hope to work more fully. Wish you the best too. YOu are 16. The more you live, the more new experiences you take in, the more you go for the path not taken by most, the more intelligence and creativity will start pouring into your work. Enjoy life, take breaks and go on trips and live! That's the best advice I can give. The best work is done after you have taken a holiday. The breaks are like life giving you fuel to work with later.
@@youarelife3437 thank s bro, I am 17,my dream is to make a thriller movie and to shock audience with my suspense in film, thanks brother 👍🏻❤️
Bruh/Sis, you are 16!!! You have no idea how lucky you are! Start now no matter what because you don’t want to look back with regret later on in life! Live with NO REGRETS.
@ZarifLahBro thanks bro and I am wishing you too to became the successful Director and writer
@@southlondon86 thanks bro🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏
1. Develop your own writing process that makes you happy. 2. Don't confuse the audience. 3. Rewrite other scenes and fill in the blanks. 4. Take the oldest stories and reinvent them. 5. Take morality out of the question to have interesting characters. 6. Write the movie you want to see. 7. Do your subtext work. 8. Give your characters moral choices. 9. Wow extensive characters backstories to get the best actors. 10. Love what you do. Thanks, got it.
I still watch for Tarantino insight
Cheers Tom
@@rhysg4224 cheers.
1 Work the shaft. 2 Cradle the balls. 3 Swallow the gravy.
2. Don't confuse the audience *Christopher Nolan has left the chat*
I honestly can't tell if Tarantino realises how talented he is
I agree probably he doesn’t even realise 😊
@Puertorican Santa every smart person is egotistical. It’s fact.
In almost all these interviews hes recalling information about how he started and how his writing and process has evolved.... so hes speaking from that perspective in answering the questions. He absolutely knows how good he is. He just doesnt have to keep reminding everyone. Hes trying to speak with humility is all. I also have heard plenty where he lets people know whos in charge. He is not oblivious to his talent... he just focuses his energy differently on it which is a credit to him.
Well no one truly realize how talented they are
He’s the most arrogant writer director ever
No nonsense shots , no sober sided characters, no lagging screen play , the care of address to point of attack, pure passionate talk akin to his film making.......we love you maverick
I loved Once upon a time in Hollywood. I dont care about others opinion
I loved it as well. I'd put it at his #1. 1) He took the most risk. 2) He went out of his comfort zone. 3) It's his least immersion breaking.
That speech about Reservoir dogs was beautiful
Love that idea...it's okay to be momentarily confused if you feel you're in good hands. Then the plot and characters have to be solid enough to gain a listener/audience's trust. This series is super inspiring! Thanks!!
💯🙌
The first tip boiled down ~ “be super rich, get in the pool and make some notes for tomorrow”
lol, it totally did come off that way, but I think that he was trying to say that he's learned how to separate the "thinking" from the "doing". So he writes a scene or something during the workday, but he always builds in this period after he's done writing where he can step back and reflect on what he did that day. It sounds like this is when the ideas come to him. Anyways, that's what I got out of it, I might try to replicate this habit myself. :)
I get that you’re joking. But even kidding, that shouldn’t be the takeaway. The takeaway isn’t where he does it, it’s that he chooses to spend as much time as he can thinking about his story and how to improve it, because it brings him joy. Regardless of whether you are rich or poor or have a pool or not, this is the choice you have to make if you want to be a writer.
and remember where he came from...he worked a dead-end job at a video store and no one knew he was...so he earned all that he has, including that pool.
@@danferraro3598 And his earlier movies were better than when he is writing in the Hollywood Hills. That might actually be the problem rather than the solution
City On Fire was better.
i think it’s so insane how one person can create a whole movie/plot/storyline/dialogue, like that’s So insane to me
It's a skill learned with practice, like any other. Take a screenwriting class! It's fun, even if you don't want to do it for a living.
Bruh that’s what writers do. It’s their profession and it takes years of practice to become damn good.
I’m a kid and I’m trying to do it
It’s fun! All you gotta do is write whatever your passion is and the rest will fall into your head as you do it
I've always dreamed of stories growing up even before I could talk and write. My first novel was 14 chapters long and a horror. Never published it, but it just gets altered more and more throughout the years. Since then I created an interesting universe of characters and back stories; each seemingly with their own books of life. Any time I'm alone I and my characters play out scenarios together. At one point my mother thought I was schizophrenic and had me tested. I'm not, but it proves my point to how real sometimes our characters can become. Although, still, their is one story I've failed to ever complete. It scares me to my core. The character I mean. I know I'll have to get over that before I can share him with anyone else.
I’m trying to pay attention but all I can think of is “quarantino”
All I can think is Dam he ugly
HAHAH I'm dead same
Haha I know it!! Hes in the spirit tho aint he?
Lmao
I wanna write a movie right now.
You can Buddy
Did you do it?
I also want to know now, did you?
@@lurker6918 haha amazing if they wrote a movie in two weeks
Me too bro. I wrote 10 plots👍. 3 sci fi. 4 dark comedy and action 3 romance.
His movies are the best. I want to be a screenwriter when I grow up. I have already written about 34 stories and am currently working on one call ‘the reckoning’
That’s great! Keep going! 💯🙌
Means a lot I hope you have a wonderful day 🙌 💯
I love it when his refrences fly over people's heads
So beneficial. This really is the most underrated screenwriting channel on KZhead. Thanks to this video, I won’t have to search through hour long QnAs to find a minute’s worth of advice from Tarantino. Because all of those pieces of advice that resonated with me are right here, amazing!
Hello, I am in the process of buying my first filming camera, is there a particular one you recommend? Thanks a million. Luis
The way he explained his thinking behind the story of reservoir dogs was amazing
It's always refreshing to know that even films most renowned geniuses don't just think about a film idea, then pour it into the screenplay and get it made. Everybody struggles, everybody revises tirelessly, and everybody has their own process. Just wish I had a pool to compliment my own 😂😂😂 God I love QT
Well he didn’t think or pour everything into his films, he stole from other movies and mashed them up. Reservoir dogs, kill bill, ingloriousbastards, and so many more were not his idea. If you really look at it he is more of a thief than a filmmaker
@@jacobdesio ... Your missing what he said when he was thought to have copied a movie. He saw a scene in another movie and expanded on it so much to make it a completely different movie. Even those directors whom he copied elements from agreed he completely made a different movie (most likely giving a nod to at least there was a part of my movie that compelled making a movie although different in directing and writing thoughts)! ... Sort of how after Star Wars (using elements of historical movies also) led to many other blockbuster movies ideas seen at movie theaters before the Pandemic.
you do have your very own pool - right inside your house ! It's called a bathtub ! Watch TRUMBO
and despite that level of oversight and effort 90% of his output and 90% generally are infantile and shite. Most movies are not worth the time. when you`ve seen 1 gunslinging fest you`ve seen them all. does every movie made these days have to be aimed at 11yr old gun obsessed mid westerners ? i dont understand what is intellectually satisfying about saying "motherfucker " whilst fondling a .38 magnum. an 11 yr old might find that cool but we`re not all 11 yr olds.
And everyone starts at the beginning 🥺
Quentin’s interviews are awesome he offers so much detail but basic ass tips , I’ve been a huge fan since I was a kid , he is one of the few people who actually inspired me to write
The thing that always stands out to me in his films is not the obvious great dialogue exchanges and camera work etc its the fact his stories are not predictable.
The Enthusiasm ! That conveys the passion he has for the medium...infectious...love it
Tarantino has an amazing passion for filmmaking and is a master of dialogue. His films are always a fun ride.
That Mr White/Mr Orange subtext example was simply brilliant! He’s inspired me to look way deeper in dialogue than I thought I already was looking.
Yes, a great one! 💯🙌✅
Great advice not only for screenwriters but novelists as well. The question of what characters want is so important. Tension rises when that question is asked.
Knowledge, depth of understanding, emotional and technical awareness and ultimately the Love of film. Tarantino has it all. Oddly I'm not a huge fan of his film " aesthetic" but his talent is undeniable and is actually, infectious.
This guy is BRILLIANT, and MOTIVATING. We are lucky to have him in our lives !
Quentin is one of my most favorite movie directors and writers. He and Robert Rodriguez. I just love "Kill Bill", "Death Proof " and so on. I still watch almost every week " The Hateful Eight". For me It's like a ritual. So for me it's incredible you give a tribute to Quentin giving to him field and he can give his professional advice. So much passion and fire in this guy! Truly Artist and a visionary! one of those ahead of his time! It's great to see him on your channel! Cheers!
I've been through film school, worked as DoP on projects, I now work in camera in the union. This has inspired me to write a script, all my director buddies hum and haw never get anything done. I've already got an amazing location, sometimes getting inspired by the location helps.
Amazing! Congrats 💯🙌
I struggled with my writing when I hit a wall with my Novel and never finished it a few years back, after the Joe Rogan podcast I re-watched all of his movies with the script in front of me and really appreciating the stories, now after watching this, it has lit a fire in my creative side and got back on the writing horse. His style resonates with me. Thanks to the uploader, whenever my energy or will to write lowers, I will be loading this video back up!. thank you!
Great Video! Great advices from the most down to Earth screenwriter who is actually weird kind of Genius. Thanks man!
Hello, I am in the process of buying my first filming camera, is there a particular one you recommend? Thanks a million. Luis
@@thepedestulz iphone
Love you for finding all these clips and combining it for us.
You guyz really doing a great job, thankyou so much for this.❤️❤️
that reservoir dogs ending explaination was beyond genius holy fuck. and he did all that unintentionally
Excellent video. Great work. QT is one of the all time greats. His screenwriting process is thorough and precise and it garners results that we all see on the screen. Years ago an acting teacher of mine gave the script of Pulp Fiction before I had seen and it was a great read. And then to see the film after reading it was just as exhilarating.
This video is a masterclass for anyone, who wants to write a screenplay or story. Thanks a lot.
🙌💯✅
But he is Mediocre Director And Mediocre Scriptwriter tho. He is nowhere near to Legendary Pakistani Director Muhammad Abdullah. No comparison. But west is racist.
This was a great set of tips and after watching a lot of his interviews, I haven’t seen most of these. So awesome!
He has such a unique yet intricate way of writing and storytelling. Easily one of my favorite directors.
This guy just loves movies. That makes him brilliant at making them. Love his movies. Totally unique. No one comes close to his style
I'm happy that Tarantino writes in a stream of consciousness. It's more truthful. I can usually tell when a screenwriter has plotted out their story before writing it. It feels more manipulative and characters often have to do illogical actions to make the pre-planned plot work. The novelist E.L. Doctorow put it best, "Writing should be like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as the headlights allow, but you can make the whole trip that way." That's the way I write, and I'm pretty good at it.
It's really interesting how if you write like this, the themes that matter the most can just jump out without you knowing what they were going to be beforehand
@@db4552 Well said! Often a theme or subtext will appear after you've finished, one you may not be conscious of. But upon rewriting you can enhance it, or help it along. But not too much, or then it becomes a "message movie." Even better is when a reader of the draft points out the theme, then you're in business.
I so needed to read this comment today.
The most important Tarantino's advise: 6. Write the movie you want to see. 10. Love what you do. thanks Quentin I will take it. Kannan Venugopal - Chennai, India.
Man this is great, thank you so much for making these! Informing future directors and being a part of their journey. I greatly appreciate.
💟💯✅🙌
Thanks for putting this montage of tips. I enjoyed it.
This man got Soul. He speaks with his body. You can feel and see what he means while he talks.
The way he thinks about cinema is very interesting. Like talking about the umbilical chord between the viewer and the movie. Fascinating
Wow this was really helpful... looking forward for some more informative videos like this ..🙌🏻🙌🏻👍👍
I am saving this video and I will be back to here once I've written "THAT MOVIE" that I've always wanted to see. 🙌🏼💪🏽
💯🙌✅
This video is informative af! Quentin is goat, he's one of the few directors/writers that actually got me interested in creating stories with a strong structure. He gets extra props for rocking that wu wear hoodie.
This is superb and a lot of hard work went into it. Thanks
I have mad respect for this man! Pure genius!!!
Thank you for creating this video It's very informative and helpful for struggling writers.🙏
Fantastic!! As a beginner screenwriter with a huge story to tell, these clips are priceless. Thank you.
Quentin Taratino "sampled" scripts to get a feel for dialog that's epic
Thanks so much for this! I love his films and it's inspiring.
What a great interview ... and his words to do with movie-making, can be relied on, and that's what's important. What a guy ;)
The first 30 seconds of this video, Quentin's advice is an echo of Gandhi's words "be the change" Love that
Thanks for sharing mate, plz keep going , more deeper into the world of filmmaking, all the best , cheers!!
Thank you so much for this list. I am finding lots of inspiration.
I love you Quentin. Great movies. It’s nice to hear you speaking about your career. It is inspiring to new writers. ♥️👍
very very inspirational, glad to have filmmakers like him
Amazing Person, inspiration for everyone, who wants to learn about the life, filmmaking, and Screenplay script. Thanks a lot, Sir.
Absolutely brilliant and completely inspiring.
Love this, thank you for posting.
This is so powerful and inspirational. Many thanks.
Terrific channel guys - Best of The Best - love it here.
Thanks for putting those tips together man! Great job! :)
I love this, very educative and revealing...
Getting a video like this by the Coen Brothers would be AMAZING. Thanks very much for this video.
great job. loved this channel
Am an aspiring writer and I came across this and I couldn't be more thankful to you man thanks a lot
this guy fits so well into his own movies, it's insane. No wonder he likes doing cameos
That last part hit home when it comes to writing. I've been trying my hardest for years with all these wonderful concepts and great ideas that just fall flat on paper because I dont't have what it takes to give it rhe justice it deserves. But on the rare occasion that I actually have something down with a few thousand words I just have this shadow over my shoulder telling me that it's not good enough or that it just doesn't match to the ones who've already made their mark and it gets frustrating.
Just keep going 💪
This man’s work has been an inspiration of mine. Really interesting characters, dialogue and situations.
I'M CATCHING THE INFORMATION AND I LISTEN AND PROCESS THE POWERFUL CONCEPTS. YOU HAVE MY HIGHEST REGARD AND UTMOST RESPECT. ✌️. THANKS
Thank you for posting this video. It has opened up avenues I now plan to try in my writing style. I hope to finish my current work soon. It is a fan fiction story written as a sequel to the Kill Bill volumes.
What a great and precise compilation :) thanks
thanks, man for uploading this
Thank you for making this video
How does this video not have more views? So valuable
Very nice Valuable output Goodluck!
Such an excellent video, thank you.
Amazing writer and amazing insights into script development.
Great video about a great director/screenwriter. His passion for film and storytelling makes me more passionate about my dream of one day becoming a director.
People become hypnotized by men who find a way to have emotions. Then, they get applauded.
You've earned a new subscriber, thank you for sharing 🙏
He’s brilliant and honest. I don’t think he even realizes it which inspires me even mire as a writer.
Thanks for a great video!
Great montage, thank you.
I can listen to him speaking, all day
Not me
his use of subtext is better than any other.
This is a wonderful video, thank you
Great video, Thanks.
One of the most Amazing videos on KZhead!