Shawshank Redemption - Three Tests and Three Deaths

Andy Dufresne is tested three times:

1) When he enters Shawshank, he is tested to see if he will crack and cry out in the night.
He doesn't make a sound.  But another prisoner does and that prisoner dies.

The tests shows Andy is Strong.

2) Andy has an opportunity to play a record across the prison PA system.  He plays it and gets solitary confinement.  When he gets out, he's unchanged and remains strong.
To contrast this test we get Brooks who has been changed and who kills himself.

This test shows Andy is not institutionalized.

3) Andy helps Tommy pass his GED.  Tommy reveals he knows who actually killed Andy's wife.
Norton kills Tommy which pushes Andy to escape through his tunnel.

This test shows Andy is Smart.

The Birdcage - Half a plot - Screenwriter's nightmare

If you haven't seen this Hollywood remake-movie from 1996, it's about a college kid whose parents are two gay men who run a cabaret club in South Beach, Miami.  The college kid wants to marry a girl whose father is a U.S. Senator who chairs the committee for Moral fiber.

The movie has funny parts and it did gross $200 Million at the box office.

BUT in terms of storytelling, it delivers half a movie.

When it is revealed that the college kid's parents are two gay men - which feels like a MIDPOINT - the movie quickly jumps to the two college kids getting married and the credits rolling.

The Senator is up for re-election and we lose the opportunity to see if he loses his job.

No single character has to sacrifice anything.  No character learns anything.  There is no point to this story.

End of Act 2 PLOT POINT - Screenwriting - A secret revealed, a fear overcome

At the midpoint of your story there is a MAJOR SOCIAL REVERSAL.

Now lets talk about the next big plot point.  The point towards the end of your story when we dig into a relationship your character has been developing.  In this relationship your character has been keeping a secret and this is when that secret is revealed.

The effects of that secret will clearly define the future of their relationship.

Whether it's when George Clooney sees that Alex Goran is married in Up In The Air, or Warden Norton sees that Andy has escaped and the cops are coming for him, or Max Fischer showing Blume that his father is not in fact a doctor but instead a barber.

In an action movie it can be fear overcome.  Let's say in the opening the character fails to take action, in the end they take it.  In jaws, Quint destroys the radio forcing Brody to take action instead of relying on others.  In Cliffhanger, Stallone has to keep Jesse from falling like Sarah.

There is also ANOTHER POINT here.

You character will have a meeting with the mentor and attractor archetypes before heading into Act 2.  The meeting with the mentor could be simply going over what the mentor taught your character.  If the mentor has died than this is a typical way to do it.
The meeting with the attractor is what can give your character that final push to enter into act 3.  It may mirror the debate that your character had in act 1.

MIDPOINT - Screenwriting - What it is and how to develop your midpoint

The midpoint of your story:

You've arrive at page 55 of a 110 page script and ask, "Is this the midpoint?"

Here's the deal.  Your character will have a MAJOR SOCIAL REVERSAL at the midpoint of the story.  What do I mean by this?

Let's say your character dresses up in a bat suit and fights criminals.  At the midpoint, he will take an action that dramatically effects people in the story to the point where everyone will now take him seriously.  So some will rally around him while others will begin to actively try to take him out.

The point is that before the midpoint, your character is acting in this new way, he's taking on a new role, but no one is really noticing him yet.  Things are going relatively easily and it looks like reaching his goal will be easy.  But then he takes serious action, and everyone takes notice.

Another example would be if your character, SARAH, is trying to win a dance contest, she's dancing well during practice, theirs a preliminary dance test and she blows the girl who is expected to win out of the water.  The dance instructor takes a liking to SARAH and the old dance pro girl, TRISH, now wants to kick SARAH's ass because she sees her as a real threat now.

The midpoint signify s GAME ON.

MAJOR SOCIAL REVERSAL - Symptoms to tell if your character is performing one:

Symptom - Your character becomes 1) the solution some characters have been looking for and 2) the threat some other characters have been hoping won't show up.

Symptom -  Your character will take a step that shows that they have the upper hand.  That they are in control and rising to greatness.  Your villain will now take notice.

Symptom - Point of No Return at which characters take sides.  Point of no return in the eyes of the other characters.  They way they view your hero has changed forever hence no return.

From produced movies:

Rushmore: Max starts construction on the baseball field and is kicked out of Rushmore
Shawshank Redemption: Andy blasts an opera record for all the prisoners to enjoy
Jaws: The beach is being protected But Shark attacks Brody and Mayor's kids in bay
Field of Dreams: Mann hears voice and joins Ray.  Mark telling Ray's wife to sell farm.
Star Wars:  Luke and gang free Leia, Vader kills Ben

Rushmore - 3 Act Structure

Rushmore - Movie Analysis for Screenwriters

Let's explore each point:

Character Theme: This is how I describe who my character is, it's the attributes that I'm exploring and using to build the story.

Story Theme:  This is the subject matter that I'm exploring and using to build my story as well.  It is the world in which my character lives in.

Central Dramatic Question: This is what my character wants whether he knows it or not.

Answer to central dramatic question: This is what my character or my audience learns at the end of the story.

There can also be a Central Story Question like How do we get to New York by tomorrow?  Or How do we get the Key from the fortress? Etc.

the second draft - rewriting a screenplay

Two tips:

In the second draft you will ADD not subtract scenes.  You will be using your editing-right brained and this is the draft to let that speak.

 Tip two is to let the story sit for six months or until you forget most of it.

It is in the THIRD draft that you begin to cut, restructure scenes and shape the story.  For it is only until after you have let both sides speak that you can synthesize their voices into a story.

How many times have you sat down to rewrite that second draft with scissors and erasers and delete keys at the ready?   And how many times have you failed to produce a better draft?

Its commercialism and desperation and downright disrespect that leads you to thrust the throttle into a second draft rewrite.  Ultimately you end up riding on an airplane of tragedy that breaks up in mid air leaving you and yours, a blood exploded corpse on the asphalt roof of some suburban dry-hopped, hand job who can't stand up to the middle school kids on his block when they flick him off and smash his pumpkins.

So don't be that kind of shitty human writer, you little prick.

Build and develop your script in the second draft and don't cry over page counts yet.

Re-Writing - Lose the Defensive Stance

After you finish a draft, you will defend everything in the script as if it were life or death.

This is why you must wait until:

First...there is a spectrum:

Defense----------------------------------------------Offense

When you finish a first draft you will be on the far left:

Defense-[]------------------------------------------Offense

You need to wait until you are, ideally, halfway between the two:

Defense----------------------[]--------------------Offense

How long does this take?

3 to 6 months at least,

My Screenwriting Career Doesn't Exist

1) Readers do not connect to my screenplays.  Why?  I don't know.  It's a mystery.  And mysteries are unsolvable.

2) I will never be a screenwriter.  I do not live in Los Angeles or New York City.
 
3) I spend years of my life writing stories in screenplay format that no one wants to read.  But I won't let myself stop.  Why?  I believe I am addicted to it and whisper to myself, "maybe, maybe there is a chance." When I know there is no chance.

4) I will not be spending anytime working towards making the screenplays into movies.  I do not have the time, money, or the resources to make these screenplays into movies.



  

Screenplay Formulas - Fuck 'em

"When we put too much energy into eliminating mistakes,

we're less likely to gain insights."

Read that quote again.

Whether it's a paradigm or a piece of software, the splinter under your nail is in fact the path laid out for you from which no obstacles abound.

If you want to write well, step into the fog.

LOW to HIGH - CHARACTER - Screenwriting

When your writing a screenplay, have you ever considered this idea?

You're character is at a LOW or HIGH point in their life at the beginning.

Think about that and show it.

You can structure a story as such:

LOW-HIGH-LOW-HIGH

LOW-HIGH

LOW-LOWER

HIGH-HIGHER (probably a boring movie)

What's also interesting is that while the stakes are getting higher and you are developing the rising action you are also developing this undulating HIGH to  LOW to HIGH to LOW etc.


MORE ON THIS:

The opening scenes setup that your character is in a low point of their life.  They suck at their job, they suck at their relationships, they suck at the way they see themselves.

Your closing scenes will show the opposite.

Be Free

The better writer you become - the farther away you will feel from realizing your dreams.  Fucking life lesson.

Characters - Screenwriting

Characters are like musical instruments.

You must learn how to play them.

Screenwriting - Top Returns by Percentage

Idea - that's about 1%-10% of your screenplay.

Character - that's about 90-99% of your screenplay

Develop and differentiate your characters.  And let your idea be.

FAILED RELATIONSHIPS - The Soul of your Screenplay

While the concept of your screenplay will be the hook that catches the reader, it is in fact the exploration of a failed relationship that will be the soul of your screenplay.

Divorce, not making a team, getting fired, letting a friend die, not being in your kids life, being obsessed with someone, not letting go of a childhood behavior, causing a road rage accident, honoring a bad person, always taking advice from a racist, etc. ON AND ON.

Thousands upon thousands of failed relationships to be explored.

Yet another STRUCTURE

For all the monkey's in the middle...
Here's another structural model to check your work:

SETUP - STATE OF RELATIONSHIPS
STRENGTHS
WEAKENESSES
PROSPECTS

4 - ACTS

Powerful Screenwriting Tip - THEME EXPLOSION

Another way to explore a Theme:

Let's take Shake-spears Romeo and Juliet.

And pretend you're the writer.

"I'm going to write a story about two people who fall in love(obsession) against the wishes of their parents and families because I want to show that love, whether true or romantic is so powerful it can blind those that have been intoxicated with it and lead them to die."

What's going on here? 
The writer has created a controlling idea that will be his or her theme.  Theme as in, the touchstone to which you the writer check back in with as you're writing.

Let's come up with our own example:

"I'm going to write a story about two people who find a treasure map that suggests their is money hidden in the home of a family that needs money for healthcare costs to pay for the mom's traumatic injuries and rehab and the child's ongoing battle with a rare disease.  These people will go to all lengths to steal that money right from under these unknowing people because I want to show how intoxicating greed can be and how it can even lead to killing those who stand in your way and going to prison."

Another one:

"I'm going to show a story about a man who will stop at nothing to recover his daughter's lost dog.  Even though the dog acts like a brat, the man will risk losing his job to take time off to find it because I want to show how the spirit of adventure can excite and provide an excuse for a person to throwing everything to the wind and can lead to rediscovering the person's very soul.

What I like about this type of Theme:
Writing a sentence or two or three to create a touchstone for your story can be a nice way to free yourself from the "all's well that ends well" problem.  You'll be able to know that whether your main character triumphs or tragedies, you will have shown something you believe to be true about human behavior and life.

So whether the guy above gets the dog back doesn't matter because I've show that going on adventure and rejuvenate the soul.

Screenwriting - Exploring a theme - Here's how...

Theme = Elusive?

There are different ways to talk about Theme.  One way is to frame it with two contrasting states of being.  "To be or not to be"  "To run or not to run"  "To hide or not to hide"  "To trade or not to trade"  Etc.

Let's breakdown a scene and look at this type of Theme.

Two parts to a scene:
1) is the character trying to get something, taking a step towards, an overall goal.

2) is the "busy work" - the actions characters are doing in a scene.  This is also an area to show the different sides of a Theme.

EXAMPLE of "To lock or to unlock" Theme at play:

BRUCE leaves his car unlocked and the stuffed TEDDY BEAR in the backseat is stolen.

Bruce heads back into the store, explains to an exiting security guard what happened but the security guard says "should have locked it"  and they'll review the tapes in the morning and locks up the building.

Bruce goes back to his unlocked car and finds a ransom note for the Teddy Bear - $10,000 in cash

Bruce at his friend LEO's.  Leo is making dinner for his two kids, He has the stove "locked off" with baby barricades.  Bruce is begging him to lend him the $10,000.  Leo refuses.  Leo's kids come running in and bounce off the barricade which is keeping them from the open flames.  (example of how locking something is good)

Bruce grabs Leo's keys and "leaves", walks around the house, climbs the porch with Leo's unlocked ladder, and finds an upstairs window unlocked.
He slips back into Leo's house.
He goes into Leo's closet and opens leo's safe using Leo's key. (example of how locking something doesn't always mean it's protected)

Leo catches him and kicks him out of the house.

Bruce walks into a bar - tries to convince his father to give him the money - his father is trying to drink himself to death and keeps reaching over the "unlocked" bar to pour himself shots.

Father finally agrees - Bruce helps his dad back to his locked apartment and end up breaking a locked window because the old guy can't find his keys. (Here is an illustration of an argument to leave something unlocked.)
They discover his father's stash of cash in the shoe box under his bed is gone.
___________________

As you can see, if you want to explore a theme - you can do so by having the end of each scene, the completion, tap into the theme.  Show times in which locking helps your character and locking hurts your character.

Dramatica and the other BS story form-u-lies

Dear Wandering Screenwriter,

Dramatica is not a formula.  It's a writer's assistant.

Call it whatever you want.  It's a foundation to test your story against.  It's a framework to color in, just like those books you colored in as a child.

There's the main problem with Dramatica and any other narrative science idea.

A writer writes a screenplay using their unconscious collective of memories, understandings and tastes.  In a coloring book analogy...they create the lines in which the production team will color in.

By using Dramatica or any other story form modeling system to write OR check to see if your story is "working" is ridiculous.  You don't want to put yourself between a story form analyzer and the production team unless you want to be the MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE.

You can tell, and readers can tell when it's not working.  Just put your heart into it and you'll know and blow them away.  You're a fucking human being.

The ironic argument for Dramatica is that story forms like Save The Cat and the hero's journey are too simple and that using Dramatica will allow you to realize how complex your story can be. Well!

Forget those other story forms and you don't even need Dramatica to "remind" you that stories can be more complex.

Truth be told: An open mind and an open heart are all you need to write an engaging screenplay.  It's that fucking simple.

TA.... DA....,
G. Cottontail

Screenwriting - Functions

Think about your story and what it would lack without each character you have created for it.

Take out a character and say "Does it feel slower?" "Does it feel less clear?"  "Does it feel quicker?"  etc.

This will allow you to understand what function that character plays in the story.

The Second Draft - Screenwriting Rewriting

Don't let yourself fall into the lie that you will perfect your screenplay in the second draft.

It will become better than the first.  And you must finish it and not allow yourself to keep meddling and editing.

Screenplays and Essays - Opening Paragraph

You're opening scene.  You're opening paragraph.  Contains a thesis statement.

The antagonist takes a step toward turning the world into the place they want to live in.  And that step illustrates their thesis.  Also known as what they want.

What is a scene? - Screenwriting

A scene is a step towards a goal.

The scene can either be active or passive

An active scene is one in which your character pushes toward their goal.

A passive scene is one in which your character discourses about their goal.

An active scene is an action

A passive scene is a reflection

An active scene is like a one page speech in action.  Your character argues for what they want by taking a step to get it.  That step could be sitting in a room for a week without eating.  It could be scaling the side of a skyscraper.  It could be asking a girl on a date.

A passive scene is like a one page debate in reaction.  Your character listens, argues, answers questions, and asks questions concerning what it is they are trying to achieve.

WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING - WHAT IS IT?

" Absolutely. If you’re not writing about something that makes you uncomfortable to talk out with other people, if you’re not writing about something that is so much of your soul that you don’t want to share it with people because you’re afraid they’re going to judge you, then you’re not writing about shit.

It’s completely worthless if you don’t feel some sort of hesitation that you’re, like, naked in front of other people with what you’re doing it, then it’s not going to matter. I think you have to attack every story. Again, whether it’s We’re the Millers or whatever. That idea that it’s got to have at least some part of the struggles we all understand and are afraid of." - Jason Mark Hellerman

WRITING ABOUT SOMETHING - WHAT IS IT?

This quote speaks directly to your character's motivation.  How the inciting incident reflects on their character.

Note for light-hearted comedies and dramas and all genres such as those:
Being uncomfortable, being naked, expressing something from your soil[sic] ehem...soul... doesn't have to be melodramatic, painful, you know what I'm talking about.

It just means having your main character express an inner feeling that explains why they are trying to reach their goal.  An inner feeling like "not wanting to be shit on"  "Wanting to be a good person."  "wanting to prove they're smart" etc.
an inner feeling brought about by an inciting incident...An act that puts a dark light on their character that they must prove to themselves or others is false...even though it may be true!

These are all motivations that fall under: "writing about something"

What is a Screenwriter's Job? - May not be what you want.

A screenwriter's job - Someone might say it is: "to build a world and fill it with characters."

I would say it is "to create a character and unleash them into a world."

To build a story world is to be a production designer.  It is to be an art director.  It is closer to pornography that screenwriting.

However, many writers may be drawn to Building their own Universe.  With lots of cool shit.  Or lots of nice set pieces.  Or lots of beautiful costumes.

But a SCREENWRITER.  Takes a character.  Applies an incident.  And develops that characters reaction to that incident into a goal and Story.  What the story looks like, the framing of the scene, falls in line like the last pieces of a puzzle.  Child's play.

Scene completion

"And the very last thing is, in order to give a sense of closure to the scene, you generally want to end each scene on an action that your main character takes, which feels connected to the first action that they took in the scene." - Jessica Hinds 

Screenwriting Challenge - Pick a Genre

Pick a genre you don't usually write in.  Write an action - reflection scene.

Post your results in the comments or post a link to your screenplay site.

Action and Reaction - The Key to Screenwriting? <>

Action and Reaction - One of Newtown's Laws of Physics illustrates how humans behave.  And it's a great way to focus on your story and help you make sure you're not skipping over important scenes.

BUT

I want my screenplays to be personal.  I want them to resonate with readers.

And Action - Reaction puts me and them at an observant distance.

SO

Let's change it up and call it Action - Reflection.

Reflection?

Reflection speaks to how the action reflects on my main character's "character."

From the first scene on, I want to be thinking about how each action makes my character look.  And how they look in their own eyes and in the eyes of others is at the soul of what they want.  Or what some might argue, they need.

Here's two examples:

Action - Reaction Example:
OFFICER TOM chases down a WOMAN.  The chase ends with her drawing a gun on top of an apartment building.  He fires a shot into her leg and she falls to her death.
He reacts by filing his police report and moving onto the next case.

Action - Reflection Example:
Office Tom chases down a WOMAN, chase ends on roof, he fires into her leg and she falls to her death.
His record of no criminal deaths has been shattered.  He heads home early.  He can't shake the image of the woman falling out of his head.  He feels like a bad person.  He must do something to regain his status of a "good guy".
He walks into the precinct and hands in his badge.

When an action reflects onto your main character, the drama/comedy will begin to develop and flourish into a screenplay worth reading.

When I'm writing - right off the bat I'm thinking how does this first scene reflect on my character.  Don't wait until 10 or twelve pages in to start this process.  Scene one is the source of all that will come after.

Screenwriting Challenge - First Scene Incitement

Open up a .doc, draft, notepad or grab a pen or pencil.

For this challenge you must:
1) Write an inciting incident in the very first scene of a story
2) Show your character reacting to how they feel the incident reflects on their character.
3) Show them take a step toward regaining their status.  Status meaning, rectifying how this incident has made them look whether in a good or bad way.

Post your scenes in the comments section.

Shawshank Redemption - I HATE THIS MOVIE

Ever watch a movie you just hated and want that time back?

Well, that's NOT how I felt when I watched shawshank redemption.

I enjoyed the movie and still enjoy it to this day.

So fuck off SR haters!  And drink a bottle of wine.

A Character's Goal - Your Screenplay

Thinking about a character's goal in an objective way can lead you to write impersonal flapjack snap-shit.

Try  thinking about their goal in a personal way.  Put yourself in their shoes and try to understand what the goal will show about their character.

If they reach the goal, how does it reflect on their character.

At the inciting incident, what occurs to tarnish their character, their self image.

screenplays - communication

A story is not a story to your main character.  It is a time when they are trying to communicate something about themselves.  They are trying to prove something about themselves.

Screenwriters - This is for you!

http://www.ted.com/talks/ruth_chang_how_to_make_hard_choices/transcript

Story - Character - Screenwriting

The essence of a story is a character who wants to prove something about their character after an inciting incident suggest they are not who they think they are.

Tom gets rejected by all the major studios.
Then:
"I'm going to prove that I'm a fucking brilliant screenwriter!"

A NEW Structure - Screenwriting

Is screenwriting about structure?  YES!

Societal structure.  Rich and poor.  Good and bad.  Who's on top?  Who's on the bottom?  Why we should lock this guy up.  Why we should help that girl out.

Humans have an invisible social structure and it's this structure that screenplays play in.

When you walk into a local restaurant and yell, "Give me the fuckin' filet!"  You better know what part of the structure you are in.  If you're some random person in town, 1) you're gonna probably be asked to shut up or 2) the police are going to drag you out of there.  if you have a lot of money, own the restaurant, know the people in there, then maybe you get your filet.

Small Goals

Your stories, screenplays can reflect your own personality.

An example:

If you are a person who strives to achieve big goals - say design a 40-story skyscraper and you take steps toward a goal like that then you will probably be able to write a main character who strives toward a big goal like that.

If you are a person who strives to achieve small goals - say manage a project at work that takes 7 days to complete then you will probably be able to write a main character who strives toward a smaller goal like that.

If you are in group A and you try to write group B or vice versa you will be going against your natural grain.

Strong Story Structure - Screenwriting a great story

Structure in a screenplay equals character choices.

In Shawshank Redemption when Andy Defresne drinks outside the house his wife is making love in and almost shoots her.  That choice costs him decades in prison.

It's the first structural point in the story.

Emotional Argument part 2 - Screenwriting and Connecting with and Audience

Have you ever heard of or written a 5 paragraph essay?

Here's a refresher:

The first paragraph introduces your topic and your argument concerning said topic.

The following three paragraphs support your argument.

The final paragraph concludes your argument.

The first and last paragraphs relate to a screenplay in that you introduce your main character, what they want, why they want it, and finally whether they get it or not.

But how do the middle three paragraphs relate to a screenplay?

It all comes down to relationships.

Your main character will want something and each relationship they have will support or go against that goal.  Each supporting character acts as a paragraph in the story essay.

Example:
Let's say your main character Tracy argues that she deserves a shot at being Ben's girlfriend because they're not like other people.  They're both into nature walks and mountain biking and all the other kids in school just like video games and drugs.

Every character Tracy interacts with at home, school, work, playtime should support this desire to be with Ben or argue against it.  Whether verbally or through their actions.

That's the second act.  That's the middle.

Do your stories, screenplays, approach your second act in this way?

Does your Screenplay make an Emotional Argument? - Let's see!

When you write your screenplay...does your character's motivation make sense?

Probably.

But your readers aren't connecting with them?

Why?

Chances are your main character's reason for striving toward their goal is firmly based on logic.  And logic makes sense but doesn't make emotion.

Consider two examples:

Logic - A son wants his father to include him in his will because he's running his father's business and he could use the inheritance to expand the business.

Emotion - A son wants his father to include him in his will because he is his father's son.

The first example makes sense and is reasonable.

The second example makes sense and is unreasonable.  You can't argue logically with the line "Because I am your son."  The irony is that motivation such as that is a catalyst, a firecracker engine for drama/comedy.  The less the motivation is reasonable the more conflict you can draw from it.

Passion and emotion cause conflict, they get us into wars, they provide the juice and blood that fuel great screenplays.

Think about this:
When your upset...how do you calm down?  Using reason.

Don't let a reasonable motivation calm your screenplay down and snuff the flame that will connect your readers to your story.

Is screenwriting hard? - It may be for you if...

Writing screenplays can be tricky.  Especially if you are drawn to the surface sights and sounds of movies.

You love the look.  You love the lines of dialog.  The music, the score, the Special FX.  You love the weapons, the costumes, the set pieces, the explosions, the blood, the sex, etc.

But that's only half the story.

The fact is that the hidden half of screenplays is all about social interactions.  And unfortunately we can't see social interactions the same way we see all the cool, funny, scary, etc. stuff.

The hidden half is about how characters relate to each other.  Relationships.  They are about how characters ally with each other and how they enemy and attack each other.

They are about social status.  They are about how characters react emotionally to what they do to each other, why they are in the situation they are in, how they caused it, how they didn't.  This engine.  This social aspect of a screenplay is the foundation.  The concrete slab on which the genre set-pieces accentuate and style.

So you see if you don't have that social mindset when you are writing it can be hard to create a story that makes sense, makes a point, connects with your audience.  You can end up writing a half-baked story.  Like building a house on settling soil, or sand, it quickly collapses in on itself.  The reader puts it down.  The movie never gets made.

How can you develop that social - relationship mindset when you're screenwriting?

 One way is to note during your day to day life how interactions with other humans affect you.  Who annoys you?  Who turns you on?  Who scares you? Etc.  And how and why do they make you feel that way.

Another way is to watch other people interact and intuit who's dominant, whose in love, who's fighting.  How are they showing it.

If you have had goals...Reflect on the ups and downs you went through to achieve those goals.  And if you don't have goals or never really tried to reach one, make one...and notice how some people become your allies and some become enemies.  Notice how you deal with setbacks and failure....do you cry? Do you whine?  Do you not say anything to anyone?

When someone says "write what you know", draw from what you know concerning relationships and how people treat people when they go after goals.

Screenplays at their core are about people and how they treat and mistreat each other.

When your story doesn't ring true... is it because the people who populate it aren't behaving in a true way?  Is a character an ally and then suddenly an enemy without it ringing true?  Are the characters motivations clear to you?

The character's goal of your story is on the surface.  But the motivation of the character is underneath the surface.

Again, this way of thinking is work.  It's not easy and it's not pretty.  When you look at a house you don't stare at the foundation and say "That's some beautiful concrete."  You notice the color of the house, the decorative elements.  You notice the surface stuff.

To further the house analogy - Think about the beautiful rooms in the house. Then think about how each is used.  In most houses you have a kitchen, bedrooms, living room etc.  And in these rooms there are certain types of behavior that are allowed, expected, or set by the family.  In one family, the parents might have sex in their bedroom which they chose to put down the hall from their kids.  In another house the parents might have sex in a bedroom next to the living room when their kids are watching TV.  These "rules" and behaviors are the social interactions that take place in that house.  Maybe the kid is trying to impress some girl and suddenly his parents are grinding away on the love seat.  How does their behavior affect his goal?

Even more, when you look at food you won't likely say "Those amino acids look delicious and the fish oil...Mmmmmm." yet these are important and act as the foundation for an edible meal.  If food was a character you would not only show how good it looked but show how the components of the food interact and relate to your digestive system, arteries, nervous system, etc.  How some components help you grow, give you energy, keep you from getting sick and how some do the opposite.

So, are you too focused on the sights and sounds of your screenplay?  Are you able to use a social, relationship mindset to write your screenplay?

****************

If you have any tips to help young writers switch their mindset from visual and aural to social, please post in the comments.

Your Screenwriting Voice - Is it yours?

Have you ever tried to sing a song like a favorite singer?

The closer you imitate them the less recognizable your voice.

This concept of imitation is important to be aware of when writing your screenplay in terms of style.  BUT, it is also important to be aware of it when you are reading about screenwriting concepts.

As you write, you pick up on things through experience, you begin to develop an intuitive understanding of what it means to have a character "who wants something", to hit a "turning point",  to have "too much description" etc.

It's important to build and trust that intuition you've earned by screenwriting and turn down and off all of the screenwriting gurus, screenwriting books, and screenwriting software.

By listening to others, you're giving your voice, your screenwriting intuition, to the Ursula's of the world.

Develop your voice by screenwriting, embrace it, and use it to create your own structures and style to give the world your unique stories.  When your earn your voice, the world won't be able to turn their ears away.

HOT TIP - Screenwriting Organic Style

When you come up the idea of where you want the story to go next...
As you write those scene, fight against them.

Example:
I think my character needs to go back to the base camp.
AS your writing this scene or scenes to get back to base camp, allow the other character to veer you off and take you somewhere you don't want the story to go.

Six Themes - Develop them! - Screenwriting Gold

ACT 1:
Who - "I am X."
Why - "I am doing this because..."
What - "I am going to do this..."
When - "I will do this now and by this time."
Where - "I will do this there."
How - "I will do it like this."

ACT 2:
Who - "Am I X?"
Why - "Why am I doing this?"
What - Remains the same
When - "Will I ever reach my goal?"
Where - "Is this the right place?"
How - "There must be a better way."

ACT 3:
Who - "This is the opposite of X"
Why - "This is the wrong reason to do this"
What - Similar but different
When - "

Hey Theme - Deepen It - Screenwriting

What is THEME?!  It's not as elusive as you thought!

Take this logline.

John Barban must discover the woman who stole $10,000 from his hair salon's safe or the bank will foreclose on his property by the end of the week. John has always felt that he was a tough guy and now it's his opportunity to show his toughness.

The part in RED is the Goal.
The part in ORANGE is the Stakes.
The part in BLUE is the Theme.

How to raise the stakes?  And deepen the Theme?

For Stakes:  Perhaps John's romantic partner decides to leave John because he can't take the stress this incident has caused.

For Theme:  Perhaps after failing to strong arm his suspects, John begins to doubt his toughness.  John wonders what it truly means to be tough.

Stakes are heightened and the Theme is being deepened.

Screenwriting Structure - Secret Underlying Engine

Story structure based on character statements and questions.

ACT 1 - I am.
ACT 2 - Am I?
ACT 3 - I am or I am not because to be is to
ACT 4 - See I am, or Now I am, or I will never be.

finding your voice - screenwriting

If you are analyzing other scripts, I mean, voices, you will not find your own.

Finding your voice requires writing.  On good days and bad.  Writing high moments and low.   Pushing character to search and ask and doubt and declare and say who they are, what they want, why they want it, how they will get it etc.

Finding your voice means developing your rhythm.  Cutting to the next scene when you know it feels right.

Finding your voice means locking in on a tone.  Playing that tone consistently.

Finding your voice is picking your audience and writing with them in mind.

So stop with the analysis and start finding your voice today!

Story Engine = 2 Stroke = structure

DO YOUR screenplays FAIL TO CONNECT WITH READERS?

TEST THEIR STROKES:

A story has two engines, I mean strokes.  It's a 2 stroke engine.

ONE is the plot, situation, cool, funny, scary, heart warming, stuff.

TWO is the profound soul searching question plaguing your main character.

*Some movies lack one of these.  They usually suck.  Probably.

OAK-K,

The second stroke, non-sexual if you will...is the goddamn question.

A question that derives from the motivation.

EXAMPLE:
I want to do this, We need to reach this goal. etc BECAUSE  I'm going to prove that I am - ambitious, successful, a good person, strong, smart, beautiful, and the list goes on and on.

THEN

Your character will reach a point, possibly a PLOT POINT, in which they ASK....Am I ambitious?  Am I successful?  Am I a writer?!

And that question will be answered by another character.

THEN

Your character will reach another point, possibly another PLOT POINT, in which they will DECLARE...  I AM "fill-in with descriptive word"  or I AM NOT "fill-in with descriptive word"  BECAUSE "To be X you've got to do Y"

So AGAIN

At first, because of inciting incident, they will say:
1) We need to achieve this goal(engine stroke 1) because we need to prove we are X(engine stroke 2)

Then, because of obstacles they will ask:
2) How will I ever reach goal(engine stroke 1) and Am I even "X"(engine
stroke 2)

Finally, because of more obstacle they will declare:
3) I am or am not X(engine stroke 2) because a person who is X would act like Y.  And in order to reach the goal(engine stroke 1), I am going to have to do Y.

Theme and Thesis - Shawshank Redemption - PART 2

Hello Screenwriting Non-Essential Readers,

My name is Haruki Titsoto and I doing guest post on one of my favorite movie, The Shawshank Redemption.

What's the theme of Shawshank Redemption?

You might ask....what are the three themes?

Three themes?  A person has three dimensions!

Yes!  You've got:
1) Physical Theme
2) Intellectual Theme
3) Emotional Theme

The physical theme of Shawshank Redemption is, "How do I get out of this prison?"

The intellectual theme of Shawshank Redemption is, "How do I get out of this "intellectual" prison?"

The emotional theme of Shawshank Redemption is, "How do I get out of this "emotional" prison?"

Red(emption) is mentored by Andy Dufresne.  Andy teaches Red the thesis answers to all three themes.

The first is, dig your butt out.
The second is, read and self-educate.
The third is, embrace hope.

theme = motivation

Turn your characters motivation into a profound question.

Example: I want to reach this goal because it will show that girl I'm successful.   = Am I successful?

After numerous failed attempts to reach the goal your character will ask that question.  And they may just learn what it means to be "successful" "ambitious" "a friend" "good looking" "a Jedi" etc.

CHARACTER CHANGE - SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS - ACT 2 - Second ACt

There is common problem in screenwriting in which screenwriters get lost in Act 2.  They get stuck.  They get bored!

And if they would just plot it all out before hand it would make the screenwriting soooo much easier.  Ha!

The irony here lies in the reality that if you make it easy...the screenwriting ends up hard.

What?!

Well, if you've ever had to make a change in your life...

What do I mean by change in your life?

I'm addressing a situation in which you had to break apart from a person place or thing.

That definition is the same for your main character.  Their character arc or character change or character growth is forged in the fires of breakup and fused in the fires of bonding.

So, if you've ever had to make a change in your life...

Think about that change.

Thing about the steps you had to take.  Maybe even forced to take.

What do I mean by steps?

A step is an action that keeps you from the person, place, or thing you do not want to let go of, or you want to let go of but it seems to follow you.

How does a step feel?

It can feel like shit.  It can make you look back and say "Why am I doing this?"  It can make you say "I would rather be doing that than continuing to work toward this goal."

What about steps that feel good?

The first step you take towards your goal will probably feel fantastic.  It's the second and third and fourth, etc. that start to feel crappy.  They start to form the realization in your head that your goal is leading you away from a person place or thing, leading you away from a person place or thing you may not have realized it was going to lead you away from.

You wanted to write a screenplay by the end of the month but your friends are all hanging out tonight...oh the pain of missing out on social events!!!

It's these thoughts and feelings that need to be inserted into action and reaction scenes within your screenplay as the main character continues toward their goal, wrestles with the costs of trying to achieving their goal.

Eventually, you and your main character will start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  You will let go of the old person place or thing along with those feelings that came with it.  And you will being to fuse with a new person place or thing and new feelings will arise.

Now you may have to deal with the person place or thing that you've left behind and their feelings.  Because they may just seek to hurt you.  But of course that depends on your story.

THE POINT IS:

To keep moving toward the goal, keep your main character moving toward the goal, infuse the story with those good and BAD feelings that arise with character change, and experience the miracle of transformation happen right before your heart and mind.

So if you've ever had to make a change in your life...
Think back on the positive and negative feelings you went through.
Those were the signs and symptoms that your main character must also experience.

I'm not just talking about moving to a new town, breaking up with a lover, or letting go of your legos.

Change can also be a lifestyle issue.
If you decide, or your main character decides to give up unhealthy eating and relaxing...the first day of eating well and exercising might feel great...but as you continue to strive toward your health goals, those old fast food meals and nights out with friends eating and drinking all you want are going to call to you like a siren.  And bad feelings of regret, desire to give up and go back to your old ways, those feelings will return at some point.  Put those feelings in your characters words and actions and push them to overcome them and continue on their journey to their goal.

Change can be a set of beliefs:
If you decide to befriend a person your family doesn't want you to hang out with... the first time you hang out it might feel fun, like your rebelling...but if you keep hanging out and doing new things, meeting more people like your new friend, your family will start to "Attack"  and their beliefs and your desire to forge with beliefs of another kind are going to start to release feelings inside of you or your character.

So if you find yourself getting stuck in act 2...
Awaken to the fact that your actually getting somewhere and let those feelings of change start to sneak into your screenwriting.  And thank your lucky stars, because that means you're a fucking human being!

Ahhhh CHANGE.  Change your shorts. Change your hairstyle.  Change your relationship with me and leave a goddamn comment!
Please.

Shawshank Redemption - An Archetypal Story

WARNING: Not intended for story creation.  The following information will not make you a better writer.

I love this movie.  People love this movie.  And readers love to break it down in terms of character archetypes.

What's the theme they ask?  What's the thesis they want?

But you can also analyze it in terms of story form archetypes.

For example, the story has the classic Comedic story form.  No not the "haha" definition.  

It starts with a funeral - Andy and his wife are done.  She's dead and he is sentenced to prison.

It ends with a wedding - Andy and Red unite at the beach in Mexico.

How else is this story archetypal of the Comedy?

Well, let's dig deeper into the Comedy story form.

First of all you've got two types of movies.  Comedy and Tragedy.

Comedy ends high with the formation of a new relationship whether that be love, friendship, a new job with a new boss, a rekindled hobby etc.

Tragedy ends low with the death of a relationship whether that be lost love, friendship, a job, maybe giving up on a dream, etc.

Below each of those two definitions you've got a SPECTRUM or a CIRCLE.

On that spectrum or circle in no particular order are what some people call GENRE: drama, action, thriller, horror, slapstick, farce, adventure, romance, bromance, dog movie, etc,  These color your foundation.  Anyone reading this wear makeup?

So, the Shawshank Redemption falls into dramatic comedy with a period piece sentimentality sewn in for good measure.  My GOD did you see those prison uniforms?  Shoe in for the Oscars.

WARNING: Mind Blowing Tangent:  Here's a kicker that you won't read ANYWHERE but here on Screenwriting Non-Essential:

SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION  - Notice the name "Red" in redemption.

That's important.  And I will be posting more on this key to unlocking the secrets of Shawshank Redemption depending on if anyone leaves a comment about it.

Okay back to business:

You can break each of the "genres" into "situational" archetypes.

So for the dramatic comedy you've got:

The Dark Situation

The Glimmer of Hope

The Bitter Event

The Crossing of Axis

and The Final Success

That's funny...you say you've never heard of these?

Well, you're not crazy.  I just fucking made them up.

Why?  Because I think it's pointless BS to analyze your favorite movies.

Just enjoy them and relax.

Yes, and the secrets to Shawshank.  There is no secret!

The author probably chose the name Red because it's in the word Redemption and Red and Andy form this incredible relationship in which they are both Redeemed.  It's not because he's fucking IRISH. LOL

COME ON PEOPLE.  Give it up!

Let's have fun.

organic screenwriting and the development of america

"Experience must be our only guide.  Reason may mislead us."

- John Dickinson-

Would the esteemed Mr. Dickinson please stand up.  And shake my goddamn hand?

Reason out your entire screenplay with an outline at the cost of experiencing the act of writing a profound story by way of a character who goes through real emotional ups and downs.

Go ahead.  Do it.  I dare you.  You little redcoat.  You stinky little islander.  You tea drinkin', rain soakin'-

Organic Screenwriting VS. Analytical Screenwriting - BOTH?

*Readers email me with this question constantly:

Can I be both an organic screenwriter and an analytical screenwriter?

And I respond with a resounding, NO.  No you can't.  Stop pretending you can because you can't.  You stupid fucking piece of- I'm just kidding.   

But seriously, I don't believe you can write a screenplay using two approaches toward development.

Bear with me:

Imagine plotting, outlining, creating character bios and descriptions- everything you need for a script.

Then sitting down and writing "in the moment."

Within the very first scene, if you are truly being organic, you're going to drive write off the plot outline, beat sheet, cliff.

Now imagine the opposite:

You sit down, let a story idea rip, go with the flow, and then stop and analyze what you've written.  You outline everything you've just written.  You're going to look at it and say, "This story is so broken it's unable to be fixed."

What's the difference between Organic Screenwriting and Analytic Screenwriting?

Organic screenwriting takes an approach toward development by using the feeling, sensing, intuitive faculties that process within your brain.

It's akin to acting.  You're going with the flow.

Listen, when you get into an argument or a debate at home, at work, at school...your going to be doing this organically.  You're going to hear what the other person says, you're going to process it, and use their points to defend your claims.  And you're going to go back and forth until you reach a conclusion.  You're not going to analyze the argument before you have it.  An emotion within you will ignite and off you go.  It might end with you putting your fist in their ass- I mean face.  And continue in the principal's office or police cruiser.  But it's going to be driven by your emotion, intuition, senses...

Imagine stopping in the middle of the argument, debate, fight, to analyze and plot out your next moves... 1) you get pushed to the ground 2) you lose your train of thought 3) you lose.

Analytical Screenwriting approaches script development using logic.

You sit there and plan out every detail and action and line of dialog.   

Now, let's say you're on the debate team, or you're going to be on the News on TV to argue something.  You're going to prepare your arguments and you're going to stay on point.  Watch anyone who prepares then goes off point.  They lose!

So here's the deal...

Can you do both?

SURE but the final product will end up a mess.  It will be muddy.

Which one should I choose?

Try both methods.  Just not during the same script development process.  

Organic at first may feel chaotic and dangerous but over time, as you build those intuitive muscles, it may just feel like your having amazing sex with the sexiest character you've ever met.  If you don't like amazing sex then...

Analytical at first may feel powerful and safe but over time, as you build your logical muscles , it may just feel like your building a cold, dead, series of set-pieces inhabited by cookie cutter characters.  And that's depressing.

Am I BIASED or what?!

Want another fun problem?

Try to develop a script with someone who develops stories using the opposite approach.

What an organic screenwriting approach is not:

It's not stream of conscious, put everything that enters your brain, onto the page. 

You've seen and read countless movies and screenplays.  You're not going to let your brain drive you out into outer space.

ORGANIC SCREENWRITING USES THE INTUITIVE PORTION OF YOUR BRAIN AS THE MASTER AND THE LOGICAL PORTION AS THE SLAVE

You're not going to throw your logical processes out with window.  

What you're going to do is use common sense, consistent tone, repeating characters, following wants and distilling motivations.  You're going to allow the characters to reveal their goals and fears and you're going to allow your mind to create attempts to reach them and fail until they don't fail no more.

And once you finish that first draft.  You are going to have people read it...people in your target audience...not just any human.

Write down their feedback and keep your mouth shut.  Don't defend anything in the goddamn story.  This isn't a debate, it's a feedback session.  You feedforward and they feedback.

Then you can go back and re-read and adjust scenes.  And intuitively those flaws will call out to you and you will rewrite, you will tweak, you will make it better.

And you will fall in love.  

*No one emails me...ever.  WHERE ARE MY READERS?!  Where are my fellow organic screenwriters?

Screenwriting - Writer's block - Guts, Glory, and writing shit you didn't want to write.

In the face of obstruction, forge ahead.

Washington and the revolutionary army dealt with cold, hunger, and probably a lot of stink.  But they walked to the Delaware, got into some boats, and...killed a lot of drunk Germans.

Well, maybe the revolutionary soldiers had rum in their bellies too.  Who knows?

BUT.

The point is, they forged ahead.

So the next time you don't want to write.  Shut up.  Take that emotion and put it into your characters mouth and actions.  Don't let unseen inspiration wallow. Sometimes you've got to just force it out and let your character bitch and give up and find the goddamn resolve at the end of the scene to keep going.

Will you ever screenwrite well? -

"Psycho-physiological state matters – you need to be happy, relaxed, and most importantly, you need to be tolerant of ambiguity. Don’t try to understand every detail as it will drive you crazy."

This quote is taken from Chris Lonsdale - the man who believes you can learn a new language in six months.

What's interesting to me is that writing a screenplay and learning a new language are very similar.

Notices how he says you must be tolerant of ambiguity.  When you truly write you have no idea what will come next, how something in the present scene might affect a future scene, etc.  You've got to be able to go with the flow and be comfortable with not understanding how every element of that scene might be addressed/adjusted in the future based on future scenes.

Here's a link to his lecture:
Learn a Language

 

Dramatica - It MAY NOT work for you because it sucks

"I see, okay, so this must be how human psychology works!" - Robot using Dramatica to understand stories.

I joke!

But seriously, do you really need to breakdown how your own mind works in order to do what it does naturally?

You're not a robot are you?


No.  You're a human.  And humans are composed of intellect(logic) and emotion(feelings and desires)

Dramatica works the intellect(logic) and ignores the emotion(feelings and desires, the pain of the second Act, pain of making choices)

IN fact any screenwriting book, software, guru who wants to help you make the writing process easier will be working your intellect.

They help you suppress your emotions and as a result water down your story.

Emotions!  Reactions! Like the ones you feel when you get home from a long day of work and you're reminded that you planned on exercising every other day but you're just too tired and just don't feel like it.  Those fucking emotions baby.

OH IRONY - of these self help books, software programs, and gurus lies in the fact that they try to show you ways to make the screenwriting process easy....BUT if writing a story is EASY the story will be BORING.

WHY?!

Because in order to add emotion to a story, you must hit Writer's block walls and infuse your characters with those feelings of being stuck, unhappy, feeling like the goal is unattainable, feeling that loss of romance for your idea.

Wait?  Toss out the books, the software, the stupid ARCHETYPES, and wave goodbye to your goddamn guru because you're going to start writing and infusing your screenwriting with emotion, with reactions, with a character who wants to prove something!!!

YES!  I have a NEW HOPE just for YOU!

Embrace the painful feelings and let them come out through your characters actions and dialog.  Hit the writers blocks and the feelings of being stuck in the second act with no where to go.  Forge the fires within the heart of your main character and allow them to overcome their hard internal battles.

STRIKE OUT FRIENDS!  BE BOLD!  Write well.  BE HUMAN.


Let me leave you with this:
When it comes to the hard choices you encounter - you can make the choice and become unique, become a voice...or you can allow a program to make them for you and create mumbling averageness.  Be someone or be no one, friends.

Take the Journey - The Stupid Screenwriting Secret You've Been DYING for

"Taking the journey"with your characters is one of the hardest things to learn in screenwriting.

But it's like learning how to ride a bike.  Once you do it, you say "Oh haha that was easy, idiot."

Here's a hint:
When your character fails during a scene...and you're stuck and don't know what to have them do next...put those stuck feelings into your characters actions and dialog.  They're stuck too!
If you feel like you wanna give up on the story...
If you feel like you don't feel like writing it anymore...
If you feel like you want to start that other awesome story idea you had....

Put those goddamn feelings into the story you're working on now!

Once you do that...well...you might just start to understand how to write a story with emotional impact!

Just Writing Stories is Enough

I'm telling you if you go with the flow you will succeed.  Even on the hard days.  Don't analyze your story...let readers do that.  You've just got to write the darn thing.  I'm serious.

Coen Brothers - Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis there is a refusal to sell out.  He refuses to disrespect his musical gift.  Which leads him to seem like a loser.  But he's a hero.  He's a hero because he defends Music.  He sacrifices his body for music...and for cats.  But seriously that's what the fucking movie is about.

Stay Positive

Good guys and bad guys need to be positive.

Even if the bad guy is an asshole, he's got to be kinda nice about it.

Even when the good guy fails, he's got to look at the bright side.

All characters should be positive.

No one wants to go to the movies, or stream a story of people with negative attitudes.

Even if your character is like Bad Santa...they're a jerk, they're raunchy, whatever, they gotta be content and positive about it and smile

Active - Main Character

If it's not a reaction scene.  Make sure they are actively doing something.  Bring the conflict in and have them attempt to over come it.  They may fail.  That's fine.  Just show them attempting to overcome it.  This pushes the plot along.

Expectations - Screenwriting

When it comes to screenwriting, let's face it.  There are about a thousand or so expectations that must be met to try to keep the readers and buyers happy.  It's fucking, mind numbing and creativity killing, horse shit.

The onset of writers block, stress, anxiety and the like is undoubtedly caused by these expectations.  You name it and it's probably sitting under the umbrella of Expectations.

So here's to throwing those fucking expectations out the window.

Now I can fucking write from my crotch.

"Rock 'n roll don't come from 

your brain. It comes from your 

crotch."

 -Daniel from Freaks and Geeks

America - Engineered Me

I love to systematize and mechanize art.  Writing.  Story telling.  Looking for formulas and patterns.  And I want to write a story about a character who tries to systematize the life of another or even a whole group of people and the relationship cost of doing that.  What child like spirit, loving spirit is destroyed when your life is systematized and logic dominates emotion with an iron cage.

Rushmore - Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson

The end of Rushmore has never been truly satisfying.

I believe it's never clear why max can't have Ms. Cross' heart.  And I believe the relationship at odds Rich vs Poor is not explored enough.

His skill is playwriting and make believe.  He uses it for his own selfish reasons.  The last "Act" has him getting everyone together for his vietnam play.

His play brings the wealthy of rushmore and the "poor" from the public school together.

Yet the story doesn't focus on this.

  If he truly wants ms. cross, he needs to win her heart and satisfying her desire.

I believe that if perhaps Ms. Cross had argued that he needs to use his skill to connect the two communities, that the final scene would have been truly satisfying.  Perhaps there could be another character who doesn't want to associate with those "poor kids"  and the poor kids who don't want to associate with those "rich kids".  and again with the different adults at odds against each other.

Also, Max brings Ms. Cross and Herman together for the play but it doesnt seem that he has truly given up on trying to get her.  It's not clear.  Which leaves me with a feeling that nothing in Max has changed or grown or even taken a step backwards.  Which makes the whole thing a plot and not a story.

Essential Analysis Questions

who's story is this?
what does he want
why can't he have it

The B Story/ Subplot

The B Story or Subplot piece of the plot revolves around/is derived from, the Backstory.

Charater's Belief has a structure.

In a drama and In life
 Act 1 (Introduction) Birth - belief is illustrated as true and confirmed by others
 Act 2 (Rising Action) Growth - belief is questioned and doubted by others
 Act 3 (Climax) Maturity - Belief is reinforced by others
 Act 4 (Falling Action) Decline - The doubted side of the belief is reinforced by others
 Act 5 (Conclusion) Death - Belief is illustrated as false and confirmed by central character

Jaws

To me Chief Brody's story is under-developed.
His story to me "a weak-willed man moves to a peaceful town and has to prove himself to the locals of his value when a strong-willed shark threatens their local economy and way of life." While his character does arc from weak to strong-willed. His relationship with the town's people isn't illustrated. The ending doesn't have a scene in which the towns people "crown him" and it fails to revisit Kitner's mother. 

Alex Kitner's death illustrates the cost of being weak-willed.  And his mother, should have been in the "Resurrection" stage of the hero's journey to remind us of this cost.

Also, a backstory incident is never clearly brought above the surface. I felt like this hero's journey type story, excluded: The Road Back. Resurrection Hero. Return with Elixir.
Inspite of those missing pieces, I feel the movie is enjoyable. So it seems possible to have missing story pieces and still have an enjoyable movie

My Structure for Comedy

A character wants a feeling - respect, love, freedom, control, etc.

A character enters their world and wants a relationship with them but the main character refuses to form one with them.

That feeling is brought about by specific people or a person in their life.  That relationship is severed during the inciting incident.

Now some incident in their past they caused haunts them.

The character tries to reconcile with the severed relationship character.  but they won't reconcile.

The character decides to cut themselves off completely from the severed relationship character.

The character forms a relationship with a new character.

IN terms of Genre:

Comedy Comedy - The past haunting incident is funny
Action Comedy - The past haunting incident is actiony
Horror Comedy - The past haunting incident is scary
Etc.

Tragedy and Comedy

A comedy is a situation in which a character resolves a scarring incident from their past.

A tragedy is a situation in which a character creates a scarring incident based on the desire for a future incident.

4 ACT Structure

Hero has his problem
Hero has fun and games
Hero has unpleasantries and work
Hero has his solution

Story Structure

Structure put together to try to keep myself focused on my Hero's story and his relationships.

ACT 1 - Old Attitude and Behavior overcomes obstacles
An Ally(Herald) uses the New Attitude and Behavior to solve the obstacle for the Hero
ACT 2 - Old Attitude and Behavior fails to overcome obstacles
Another Ally(Mentor) uses the New Attitude and Behavior to solve the obstacle for the Hero
ACT 3 - Old Attitude and Behavior of Hero fails to overcome obstacles
Ally(Shapeshifter, Trickster, Herald) uses Old Attitude and Behavior of Hero and everyone fails to overcome obstacles
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL - Transformation
The Hero having witnessed his own attitude and behavior in others, and seeing the failed results, and having witnessed the successful results of his allies during Act 1 and Act 2...adapts!
ACT 4 - New Attitude and Behavior overcomes Obstacles.
Hero uses New Attitude and Behavior and successfully overcomes obstacles.
(Defeats Shadow)

Main Character and Protagonist

Some stories have a main character as the central figure:

Great Gatsby
Shawshank Redemption
Au Revoir Les Enfants

The protagonist in these stories is actively doing things but we don't see every step they take and sometimes don't even know their true goals.

Sometimes they are narrated by this character, sometimes not like in Au Revoir Les Enfants.

When analyzing these types of stories, I can't ask what the objectives and obstacles are because the main character, the passive main character doesn't have clear ones that act as steps toward a clear goal.  Their objectives are more episodic so to speak...but they do all add up in another way.  They are Observational Objectives.  Each scene must have an observational objective.  One in which the main character learns something new about another character or object.

So while the protag and antag are effecting the scenes in one way, this character is observing and learning.

Heart of a movie - Screenwriting

The first scene puts your character in a shitty situation.

Subject of a Story - Screenwriting

The Subject of a Story is:

The Key Relationship between your main character and a group or another character that sits at stake; shaken up during the first scene.

It is not a thing, a person, or a place, but a relationship.  It is essentially the State of two things that are existing together that is now at stake, a relationship that may forever disappear.

Key to Story

Give your main character a relationship goal in the first scene.

Provide an obstacle that puts that goal at stake.

That's your story.

Movies - POV

Movies are usually not narrated from a first person POV.

Allies, help to make it feel like first person .  A main character needs someone to whine to, to explore the goal.

What does your character want? - Screenwriting

When your character gets what they want it can be unclear to the audience.

What?


Obstacles to a characters want...reveal the the want.  They make it clear to the audience.

The more obstacles to a want the clearer it becomes.