Being Vague about "relationship problem" - Screenwriting

When to make the "Relationship Problem" clear and not vague.

Can it be vague at the start of a story?

For Example - In Shawshank Redemption the relationship problem is coined "Institutionalized" at the midpoint when they talk about Brooks dying and we see him try to make it outside the prison as a free man.

At the end we understand that the story argues that having Hope, using Hope, will allow a person to overcome their "institutionalized state"

At the start of the film we don't know that this is the Relationship Problem.
But we are led to see how a man could find himself in that state...we see Andy's daily routines, we see him being abused by fellow prisoners...we see the power the warden and his security guards have.

Or do we?

The way in which the antagonists, and sometimes even the protagonists go about getting what they want will reveal in the most subtle of ways what the Relationship Problem is in your story from the first scene to the last.

In Shawshank Redemption the Relationship Problem is Suppression.

During Andy's trial, instead of arguing, fighting to stay out of jail, instead of demanding the prosecutor to check the facts, instead of doing anything at all to convince them that he did not kill his wife and her lover...he suppresses his emotions, he suppresses any fight within himself.

Once he gets into prison and he's raped by other prisoners...he begins to stop suppressing a little bit at a time...the same way he chips at the prison wall a little bit at a time.

When to Start your Story - Screenwriting

The first scene of a story should be the scene in which your character engages with the character that they will bond with by the end of the story.

Alternative Theme - Screenwriting

In a pure a story every scene to scene is Action - Reaction.

All of the Action scenes will have a Theme.
All of the Reaction scenes will have another Theme.

Let's say the action scenes are about attempting to get a bag of cash.
That's the theme - "to get a bag of cash" Every action scene will be about this.

Then let's say all of the reaction scenes are about attempting to understand why your character wants that specific bag of cash, why another character wants it, what happens if your character doesn't get it, so on and so for.

That's the theme - "Why this bag of cash."  Every reaction scene will be about this.

By the end of the story you may be able to distill both themes down.

The action theme will probably be MONEY.  The reaction theme could be honor, love, respect, freedom...depending on what you uncovered as you had characters exploring why they want that bag of cash and why others want it.

Once you decide what you think the reaction theme is, you can phrase it like this:
Money leads to Respect.
Money leads to Freedom
Money leads to honor.

Note: the above arguments may turn out to be false by the end of the story.  Money leads to Respect may be the belief your main character has at the start of the story but once they get the bag of cash...maybe they still aren't getting respect.

Shawshank Redemption - Closed Book Theme

Andy Dufresne keeps his escape plans to himself.  He hides his rock hammer in a book.  He and the Warden keep their financial papers in a safe.  The contractor gives Warden a hidden envelope of cash in a pie box.

I would call this a "How Theme."  It's How Andy gets what he wants...he hides things.

Thesis:
Chipping Away leads to Life
Hope leads to life
Getting busy living leads to life

Vs.
Thesis 2
Getting busy dying leads to death

Action scenes about getting busy living -
Reaction scenes about why, how,

Theme - How and Why

Theme is general derived from motivation.  Why a character wants what they want.

However, how they go about getting what they want can be a theme as well.  If it's consistent.

Take a look at Fargo - Jerry lies to get what he wants.

The Coen brothers use this "How Theme" and lie to the audience by placing text in the beginning of the movie claiming the following story is true.

The reaction scenes explore how and why the character wants what they want and why they want it and how they might be going about getting it.

Emotional Vs. Intellectual Screenwriting

I read a scene today that clearly set up the problem some characters were facing.

It was a scene in which top military officials in WWI discuss their next site of attack.

On an intellectual level, it completely made sense and moved the story forward.

And by intellectual, I mean informational.

The author clearly illustrated the scene, "generals decide where to send troops"

On an emotional level, it didn't do a thing.

One: the main character was not in the scene

Two: none of the official's arguments brought up what their decision would be to the main character from a relationship stand point.

Two possible ways this scene could have worked on an emotional level.

One:  The top official could have said, this is the plan, and I'm going to send my son in there to get it done. (if the son was the main character, even stronger)

Two: One official could have said, "There will be too many casualties."  And the top official could have said "Do I look like I care?  What's a soldier's life worth?  I want this done.  Now."

You may have noticed that one) emotional scenes address relationships and two) emotional scenes evoke Theme.

In my first solution - we're talking about Sacrifice.  We're possibly talking about selfless honor.  And we're talking about a man and his son.

In my second solution - we're talking about sacrifice.  We're possibly talking about selfish glory, selfish honor. And we're talking about a leader who cares nothing for the men who fight for his country, that make him look good.

So for a scene to work on an emotional level, the writer must address a relationship issue.

For a scene to work on an intellectual level, the write must address informational issues.

Note of Caution:
If you are a write who outlines their story before writing scenes, make sure you are addressing the emotional level.
It can be easy to write: in this scene my character goes here and does this and so on and so forth.
However, when you start writing scenes, you'll find that you've only addressed the intellectual, informational aspects of the story.

Question for my readers:  What's a good way to outline emotional information?

Showing Opposing View Points - Screenwriting

Your main character will Want something and have a Reason for wanting it.

Another character will Want something.  It may be the same thing.  It may not.  But they will have an opposing Reason for wanting whatever it is they want.

These Opposing Reasons will be in the context of a relationship problem.

In other words.

If one character argues that the main characters motivation, that their reason is flawed and suggests another goal and reason....allow that second character to go after that goal and prove their reason.