The last thing you want while you’re watching a film is to get that distracted feeling. The urge to pee, or saunter to kitchen in search of munchies, or to check for Twitter updates on your phone.
One of the ways to keep the audience emotionally involved in every scene is to make sure it’s the characters themselves who are responsible for their actions. That may sound obvious, but unfortunately it’s a simple principle which is often ignored. Too many convenient coincidences in a plot will stretch the reader’s and the audience’s ability to remain emotionally involved with the story.
Here are a couple of questions to focus your creative imagination on finding the character’s emotion in the scene and using it to drive the action.
- What’s the worst thing that could happen to my character in this scene? What would make them panic, or feel like jumping off a bridge, or want to sharpen that old axe in the garage?
- What could my character have done (wrong) to set this disastrous event in motion? What were they trying to achieve or avoid? Why?!
- What’s the best thing that could happen to my character in this scene? What would make them cry tears of joy? Or jump up and punch the air? Or kiss their scumbag boss??
- What does my character need to do to cause that wonderful event to happen? What course of action does your character imagine will be the right one? Is it? Or are they fooling themselves? Is there something they don’t know?
Of course characters encounter external obstacles they have to deal with. But when the troubles and victories a character experiences are primarily the result of their own actions (intended or not), that’s when you really empathize with them most. It’s their courage, stupidity, vulnerability, fear, etc, which makes you hide behind a cushion or wet yourself laughing.
So...
1. Show the character attempting, or avoiding something.
2. Make sure the audience/reader already knows what will happen if they fail/succeed.
3. Show the character failing, or succeeding.
4. Make sure the consequences of this failure/success are clear.
5. Show the character’s response in their actions (which can include what they say).
And above all, have fun writing!
P.S. If you’re a fan of screwball comedies, check out my Great Screenwriting blog, where I’ve posted a new article on Austin Powers …
2 comments:
Mr. Dave Raving, got some questions?
I am from the school of Night Shamalayan.
Here goes....
1. Show the character attempting, or avoiding something.
-this a fav with Guy Ritchie
-brings memories
-this is solid advice, I have nothing to add to this
2. Make sure the audience/reader already knows what will happen if they fail/succeed.
-doesn't this destroy the suspense if the reader or viewer knows too much
3. Show the character failing, or succeeding.
-how about if I show the character failing (as seen by his friends only) and he/she is blind to his failures?
4. Make sure the consequences of this failure/success are clear.
-but if I want to add suspense and mystery, should I keep it unclear
5. Show the character’s response in their actions (which can include what they say)
-what about if the main character refuses to respond to a needed change, doesn't that add spice the script...
-for eg. a stubborn tragic hero
Hi Anonymous,
Let me answer your questions one by one:
2. It has to be clear what's at stake for the character, why they want to succeed or dread failing. Otherwise you don't know if they failed or succeeded, right?
The vampire has to get home before dawn, or else he'll turn into a pile of dust.
The mother has to get to the school on time or her kid is going to be snatched by her ex.
etc.
3. This is an excellent suggestion. Even better if the audience knows what the character doesn't know (dramatic irony!).
4. Certainly making the outcome even worse (or better) than you expected is a good way to heighten the emotion. But there's no mystery or suspense without at a suggestion of what might happen.
5. It certainly adds spice to a script if the main character is his own worst enemy. But you need to show this through his/her (foolish) responses to events and opportunities.
In short, I'm not suggesting you give away anything, I'm saying the audience has to be aware of what the character is trying to achieve (or run away from). This is the context in which the character's actions acquire an emotional charge.
Which of the following is more emotionally charged?
Jack visits the supermarket where his wife works.
Jack visits the supermarket where his wife works, with a loaded gun under his jacket.
Jack visits the supermarket where his wife works, with a loaded gun under his jacket, after finding a video recording of her in bed with his best friend.
It's all in the suggestion and the set-up.
Good writing!
Dave
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