As promised to the attendees, here is the first of three parts of the outline for the seminar I presented to the Director’s Guild of Canada last Sunday in Vancouver. Parts 2 and 3 will be posted tomorrow and the next day.
It was a spectacular session with a packed house of really eager creative industry people, looking for ways to break through creative block, inject life into their stories, and find and fix elusive narrative problems.
Judging by the response, they found what they were looking for.
Thanks again to the DGC for their invitation, to Roy Hayter who initiated the concept and sheparded it through, and to Barbara Anne Schoemaker (BA) who anticipated and handled every detail to not only make the seminar a huge success, but to make my experience both incredible and indelibly memorable. Good people, one and all!
So, here’s part one of the seminar outline for reference, which of course does not contain any of the graphics, animations, numerous video clips or commentary.
Narrative for Movies & Television Seminar
Fix it in the Script – NOT in Post!
Part 1 of 3 – Fixing Character Problems in Existing Scripts
Narrative for Movies & Television
Fix it in the script – NOT in post
Welcome!
Introduction
Seminar Overview
Morning Session
Identify common serious narrative flaws
Techniques to repair flawed narratives
Afternoon Session
Story Development Techniques
Application of Structure to the Creative Process
What is Narrative?
Origin of Narrative
Generations of Storytellers
Trial And Error
Conventions of Storytelling
Patterns of Dramatics
The Concept of Narrative
Models of Narrative
Aristotle and the 3 Act structure
Jung and the collective unconscious
Campbell and the Hero’s Journey
Each had exceptions; Each was a formula
Each showed only a glimpse of the elusive structure
A New Model of Narrative
Structure is Non-Linear
The Story Mind
Teaser
“You and I are both alike”
What’s Happening!!!
Narrative is happening
These are the kinds of dramatic elements that make up narrative.
If a narrative doesn’t have all the important elements, it will fail
Let’s learn how to recognize and repair flawed narrative elements…
Narrative Problems with Characters
The most common narrative missteps regarding characters, and how to fix them.
The Main Characterv& Influence Character
The passionate core of your story’s message
Main & Influence Characters
So who ARE these guys?
Main Character represents a paradigm of belief.
Influence Character represents an opposing view.
Between them is your story’s passionate argument.
The result of this argument is your story’s message.
To Kill A Mockingbird
4 Principal Characters
Main Character
First Person Experience for Audience
Influence Character
An alternative life view
Protagonist
Prime mover of the effort to achieve the goal
Antagonist
Diametrically opposed to Protagonist achieving the goal
Head Line & Heart Line
Heroes and Villains
The Hero
Protagonist
Main Character
Central Character
Good Guy
The Villain
Antagonist
Influence Character
Second Most Central Character
Bad Guy
Hero and Villain Swap
Anti-Heroes
Anti-Villains
Melodrama
Head line AND heart line between same characters
Power of storytelling masks gaps in arguments
Arguments are incomplete
Conclusions not supported
The Dramatic Triangle
Can fully separate as in To Kill A Mockingbird
Can hinge on one character and split the lines
Most common variation (the love interest)
Other variations
The Heart Line
Main Character Resolve
The Main Character doesn’t have to change to grow
He or she can grow in their resolve
The influence character pressure the MC to change
Key establishing points to reference later.
Change Characters
Establish a belief system
Establish illustrations of belief
Announce resolve
Verify resolve
Steadfast Characters
Establish belief system
Establish illustrations of belief
Announce resolve
Verify resolve
One Must Change
Main or Influence will convince the other to change
Change occurs at character climax
Success in logistic goal hinges on who changes
Message determined by results of change
A Changing Influence Character
Character Arc
Character Arc 101
The Steady Freddy
The Griever
The Weaver
The Waffler
The Exception Maker
The Backslider
How Change Happens
The Head Line
Archetypes
Origins of Archetypes
Each of us has the same complement of basic traits
We use them to solve our personal problems
When we join in a group, we quickly self-organize
As specialists, the group gains depth and focus
The 8 Archetypes
Protagonist
Initiative
Antagonist
Reticence
Reason
Intellect
Emotion
Passion
Guardian
Prudence
Contagonist
Expediency
Sidekick
Confidence
Skeptic
Doubt
External / Internal
Protagonist
Pursuit/Consider
Antagonist
Prevent/Reconsider
Reason
Logic/Control
Emotion
Feeling/Uncontrolled
Guardian
Help/Conscience
Contagonist
Hinder/Temptation
Sidekick
Support/Faith
Skeptic
Oppose/Disbelief
Star Wars Archetypes
Protagonist
Luke Skywalker
Antagonist
The Empire
Reason
Princess Leia
Emotion
Chewbacca
Guardian
Obi Wan Kenobi
Contagonist
Darth Vader
Sidekick
R2D2 & C3PO
Skeptic
Han Solo
Oz Archetypes
Protagonist
Dorothy
Antagonist
Wicked Witch
Reason
Scarecrow
Emotion
Tin Man
Guardian
Glinda
Contagonist
Wizard
Sidekick
Toto
Skeptic
Lion
Oz vs. Star Wars
Leia- Reason
Logic
Control
Scarecrow- Reason
Logic
Uncontrolled
Oz vs. Star Wars
Chewbacca- Emotion
Feeling
Uncontrolled
Tin Man- Emotion
Feeling
Controlled
Oz Element Swap
Scarecrow (Reason?)
Logic
Uncontrolled
Tin Man (Emotion?)
Feeling
Controlled
Complex Characters & Relationships
Complex Characters
Structural Relationships
Character Relationships
Four-Dimensional Characters
Motivations
Methodologies
Purposes
Evaluations
Summing Up Characters
Head Line characters involved in the goal
Heart Line characters involved in the message
Head Line determines if your story will make sense
Heart Line determines if your story will have meaning
Intermission
Part 2 of the outline will be posted tomorrow and part 3 on the next day
