“Emotional Catharsis”—Diablo Cody

In this long journey of exploring emotions in screenwriting and filmmaking I’ve quoted writers, directors, cinematographers, and editors on the important role that emotions have on characters, audiences, and on script readers who first read your script.

But I don’t think I’ve touched on the role of emotions on the writer personally.

“Everything I write is an emotional catharsis. It’s my way of exorcising demons. With Juno, people think the pregnancy being the major plot point. But for me it was the chance to work out some issues about a relationship I had in high school with a guy. The movie is a ninety-minute apology to this guy—so it does feel good.”
Diablo Cody
Marie Claire interview by James Mottran

Almost four years after seeing Juno I’m still uncovering quotes by Diablo Cody, and now that she has a new movie opening this month so look out. Especaially since it’s a movie set and shot in Minneapolis. That movie, Young Adult, is again directed by Jason Reitman (Juno) who she credits for much of the tone of the movie. And while Diablo has said she has a distrust of books on screenwriting for fear it will taint her writing, I just saw a recent interview where she said she went to the “Jason Reitman Film School,” which is a great school—but really hard to get into.

And speaking of Jason, I’m glad he has a new movie coming out because I’m getting tired  of watching Up in the Air over and over again. That scene where Geoge Clooney and Vera Farmiga meet in a bar is one tight bit of screenwriting.

And just in case you think Diablo’s quote about “emotional catharsis” is just a girl thing;

“I got into screenwriting for the best of all reasons: I got into it for self-therapy.”

Paul Scharder (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull)

P.S. Diablo Cody’s Red Band Trailer web videos have been picked up by L-Studios and you can see her interview with actor John Krasinski at the Lexus entertainment website.

Related Posts:

Screenwriting Quote of the Day #1 (Diablo Cody)

Juno has Another Baby (Emmy)

Fimmaking Quote #6 (Jason Reitman)

Writer/Director Paul Schrader

Aristotle, Catharsis & Extreme Emotion

Scott W. Smith is the author of Screenwriting with Brass Knuckles