Story Structure Part 10 (video)

“The Four Throughlines, Part One”

http://storymindguru.com/dramatica-unplugged/10%20The%20Four%20Throughlines%20-%20Part%20One.htm

In this episode I explore the first two of four throughlines essential to every complete story.  Throughlines are based on different perspectives on a story, much as you might have four cameras covering a football game.  One is the objective view, which looks at the story from the outside in – it is often called the God’s Eye View of Author’s View.  Another is the view of the Main Character as we stand in his or her shoes.  it is the most personal view of what it is like to actually be in the story, without that special omniscience of the objective view.  A third view is that of the Main Character looking at and considering the one character who most stands in his way philosophically.  Often this is a friend or loved one rather than an enemy – a character who urges the Main Character to change his or her ways in some regard.  The final view takes in the philosophical battle between the Main and Obstacle Characters as they come into conflict in attitudes and approaches over the course of the story.  Like the Objective view, the Subjective view is seen from the outside looking in, but not from outside the whole story, just from outside the relationship between the Main and Obstacle.  Each of these four provide a point of view on the story, positioning the reader or audience on all sides of the issues.  Collectively, they all create perspective on the central message issue of the story.  When the story is put into motion and we follow the progress, growth and change in each of these perspectives, they become “throughlines” because they follow the line of each perspective through the story.