Between the Lines: Charlie Kaufman

Charlie Kaufmans screenplays will mess with your head. Theyre filled with neurotic characters spouting existentiallycharged dialogue, all wrapped in surreal plots. Even though Kaufmans work seems entirely original, it is important to remember that it is steeped in traditional screenwriting techniques and Jungian philosophy. For every inciting incident (a plot device that pushes the narrative forward), theres an underlying theme, another internal incident that further develops the main and supporting characters. His stories arent just about one persons wants, needs, and conflict resolution, either; they expound on how individual conflicts connect to the world as a whole, how the personal unconscious weaves in and out of the collective. Suffice to say, if Kaufman ever has you scratching your head, theres a method to his madness. Whether were talking Being John Malkovich, Adaptation. , or any of his other oneofakind tales, Kaufman has a knack for deconstructing traditional screenwriting concepts a