NOTES: Scriptnotes 403 Redux

Each scene/moment should ask if they did or did not help the protagonist’s desire to change.

Character motivation IS structure

CENTRAL DRAMATIC ARGUMENTS

1. A statement where you can see arguments for both sides.
2. The quality of the CDA doesn’t dictate the quality of the story. You can have a generic CDA and a well told story. You can have a progressive CDA but told in a badly written story.
3. As you co-evolve the story concept and CDA, ask yourself… what has to happen plot wise? Go ironic. Make the lesson the opposite.
4. THEMATIC STRUCTURE - Main character goes from ignorane of the truth of the theme… to embodiment of theme through action.

EXAMPLES of CDAs

• Men and women can’t just be friends
• You can’t judge a book by its cover
• Better to be dead than a slave
• Life is beautiful even in the midst of horror
• If you believe you’re great, you will be great
• If you love someone, set them free
• Parental love conquers all… and that’s bad. Parents will do anything to protect their children and that includes unethical/evil deeds.
• If you try hard enough, you can do anything
• Sometimes the things we’re searching for are the things we need to be free from
• You can’t find happiness out there. You need to find it inside you.
• Ambitious people who gain power lose parts of their humanity as a cost
• We would rather choose the devil we know than make changes… this means putting up with abuse, exploitation, and subjugation
• You should give up childish romantic ideals when you grow up
• It’s hopeless to affect changes in the world
• Humans will always exploit, subjugate, and manipulate those weaker than them
• Power/money doesn’t corrupt, it simply reveals the true character of people. They merely suppressed themselves when they were powerless/poor.
• No man is an island and you can’t self isolate in a healthy way
• Lying is necessary
• Guns don’t kill people. People do.
• Technology, rituals, and institutions dehumanize us
• Unresolved trauma, unaddressed mistakes, ignored resentment manifests in unpredictable (and fantastical) ways

STORY VIA THEMATIC STRUCTURE

0. Backstory = WOUND/GHOST.

What’s the most horrific thing you can do to the character for them to embody the antithesis of the CDA? Marlin in Finding Nemo isn’t just a single dad. His wife and children were eaten in front of him. He couldn’t protect them. He only has one egg left, but what’s more, the one surviving child is disabled.

1. Ordinary World = STASIS/LIE.

Life exemplifies the opposite of the theme. Life they’ve settled for. Acceptable imperfection.

2. Inciting Incident = DISRUPTION.

Specifically disrupts stasis and makes continuation of acceptable imperfection IMPOSSIBLE. Forces a decision. Ironic disruption = genetically designed to break their soul. Disrupt THIS LIFE.

3. Reluctance = FEAR.

Looks for ways to get back to stasis. “I don’t want to change”. Fear is the heart of empathy. It’s vulnerability. We connect with vulnerability. GOAL: Audience must understand the STASIS and WHY they chose said stasis, and why change is difficult or not desired. PLOT is generated by the writer. FEAR is generated by the character.

4. Second Act = REINFORCE ANTI-THEME.

Character experiences new things. B-World. Makes mistakes in routine. Characters push back: 1. Put things in front of them that push them forward. 2. They will push back. 3. But also put things in front of them that tempts them to go back.

5. Midpoint = ELEMENT OF DOUBT.

A character or situation that exemplifies the theme. Attractive to some level. Maybe a better way. A glimpse of truth. See the value in it. Experience a moment of living in harmony with the theme. Maybe the antitheme doesn’t work… AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY. The moment they take the bait, they need to shrink back to the old way. Pain & Tragedy.

6. Lowpoint = THEMATIC LIMITATION, NOT PHYSICAL.

A chance to do it and fail. They lost the original POV. They’re stuck between old way they’ve given up but the new way seems impossible. The old goal (anti-theme) is in shambles. The new goal (theme) is scary. Core values (stasis) is dead and they don’t know how to live now. When values are dead, you might as well be dead.

7. Climax = DEFINING MOMENT.

Tempt and force action. Give them one last out. Relapse? They need to reject it. Their worst fear is their greatest challenge. Test protagonists belief in theme. Prove it. They must live it. Hero acts in accordance with the theme.

8. Denoument = SYNTHESIS.

Show audience that protagonist is living in harmony with theme.