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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Screenwriting Structure Series Part 13: The Protagonist's Call To Action Dilemma

(Here is more about screenwriting structure from The Unknown Writer. )

About The Unknown Screenwriter

A working screenwriter and producer, The Unknown Screenwriter makes his home in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California and somewhere in the state of New Mexico with just a little bit of Los Angeles thrown in when he feels he can breathe the air.

I'm glad to here readers are enjoying this articles by The Unknown Writer. I think they are great to. They are explaining exactly what I have been telling writers. It is nice to have a second party perspective.)

You may or may not have heard about this... Most of us have heard about the Protagonist's "call to action" which is followed by "refusal of the call." And I personally believe in the Protagonist's call to action - refusal of the call but what about right before the call to action?

Remember the inciting incident? Remember how it totally kicks the Protagonist off that balance beam we call his or her ordinary world?

Well right after we make him or her lose their balance and take that fall, they're stunned. They weren't expecting this to happen to them. Their ordinary world is now disrupted to the point that they've got to stand back and take a breath. They don't know what the hell to do...

Time to regroup.

The Protagonist is going through a call to action dilemma. No, this ain't the big dilemma that you might want to throw at your Protagonist later on down the line... This is a small one but to me, it's really important. In fact, I look for it in every script and guess what?

I rarely see it.

Most books and gurus never seem to mention it but don't let that keep you from understanding it. Most scripts that I read definitely have the call to action - refusal of the call and wow... They seem to slap that right in our face, don't they? It's almost like the screenwriter is saying, "Look Ma, I'm using the Hero's Journey!"

In other words - it ain't too subtle. No it doesn't have to be but it just happens to be one of my pet peeves.

Oh well.

The Protagonist's call to action dilemma is your chance - early on in your story to show us how screwed up your Protagonist is, or maybe how screwed up your Protagonist, ain't. That all depends on you and your Protagonist.

But make no mistake, showing us how your Protagonist handles this dilemma is important stuff. It helps clarify what kind of person your protagonist is. It's okay to show us how screwed up your Protagonist is before the call to action dilemma because now you can redeem him or her if you've a mind to.

Or not.

Sure, we almost always see the Protagonist refuse to get involved in a new adventure... Geez... At this point in our lives and with all these movies - haven't we pretty much come to expect it? They can't get involved because they're needed at home. They can't get involved because it's not their job. They can't get involved because their pee-pee hurts.

Ho hum. Fine. Then all of a sudden their pee-pee doesn't hurt anymore OR what the hell... Even though it still hurts like hell, they're gonna go.

Sever that predictability by concentrating more on the actual dilemma that the inciting incident brings to the game. Take this opportunity to let us learn more about your Protagonist. His or her real fears and flaws. Now's the time to show us. Now's the time to tell us if this guy or girl is worth our investment of time, popcorn, and soda.

Don't pass it up.

Knowledge is power.

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Monday, December 3, 2012

Screenwriting Structure Series Part 12: The Inciting Incident Part 2

(Here is more about screenwriting structure from The Unknown Writer. )

About The Unknown Screenwriter

So where do you place the inciting incident?

Outstanding question and one that requires some additional thought. Let's take a look at the big picture. I assume most of you are using 3 Act Structure and since 3 Act Structure is the most prevalent, I'll talk more about the inciting incident utilizing this.

INCITING INCIDENT RULE: Your inciting incident definitely needs to occur somewhere in Act 1. Plain and simple. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Why the 1st Act?

Glad you asked. Because at some point in your 1st Act, your Protagonist has got to get off his or her ass and get moving i.e., MAKE A STORY! In fact, in Act 2, they need to start exploring the NEW WORLD.

In order to get the Hero into the new world, you've got to create some kind of believable disturbance that gets your Hero moving.

Since Act 2 is your Hero's venture into the new world, Act 1 must contain a plausible inciting incident or disturbance that causes your Hero to react. This reaction must also be plausible and commensurate with your inciting incident.

Now let me say this; if you understand this much, you are way ahead of the game because most screenwriters trying to break into the industry rarely create a plausible disturbance or inciting incident that makes us want to read through to Act 2.

Why?

Because these screenwriters do not know anything about structure. I see a lot of weak inciting incidents that don't seem to fit with the reaction of the Hero. Not only is the inciting incident or disturbance weak but so is the Protagonist's reaction to the weakness.

Most newbies watch movies and try to emulate the structure in some particular movie thinking that if this disturbance worked there, then it will surely work for their screenplay. This is fine as far as it goes but I have literally seen too many screenplays where somebody dies and this death is supposed to kick the Hero in the ass enough to explore the new world.

Nope. Not buyin' it.

Make your inciting incident FIT your STORY. Make it FIT your Protagonist. Remember, it needs to KNOCK him right out of his socks. It's something he's not expecting. It takes him by surprise.

If you watch some of the older movies, you'll see a myriad of inciting incidents occurring all over the 1st Act. Hell, in some older movies, you don't even see an inciting incident at all. This is because movies were slower back then and the fact is that many of these classic films simply do NOT keep the interest of the current movie ticket buying demographic.

I would even venture to say that many of us older audience members have been lulled into the enjoyment and desire of the faster paced film.

Having said that, where in the 1st Act do you put your inciting incident? You're gonna love this answer...

It depends but NO LATER THAN PAGE 12.

That sucks, doesn't it? It depends on your story. It depends on your genre. It depends on your Protagonist. In other words, some films might require that you dive right into the action and throw that inciting incident right on page 1. Again, it depends on your story, your genre, and your Protagonist.

That's not to say that specific genres REQUIRE the inciting incident to be placed on page 1 or page 10 because they do not. Hope I'm not losing you. Let's take this a little further. What definitely NEEDS to happen in Act 1 BEFORE the inciting incident?

Here's my personal list:

Set the tone of your story i.e., comedy, thriller, dark, edgy, crime, etc.
Introduce your Protagonist or show us a glimpse of your Antagonist or even a victim of the Antagonist.
Show us your Protagonist's Ordinary World.
Show us your Protagonist's fatal flaw and while you're at it, a few character flaws as well.

The above list is by no means exhaustive. In fact, there's a lot more things that I would include BEFORE the inciting incident but the above is what I feel is the absolute MINIMUM that NEEDS to be there BEFORE you trigger the inciting incident on your Hero. I think the usual screenplay should very likely have the inciting incident occur on one of the following pages: Page 9, Page 10, Page 11 and NO LATER THAN Page 12! So, now knowing that this is the usual standard of structure, this is what you should shoot for on your first draft. On your rewrite, you'll need to do some serious thinking and consideration about your story, genre, and your Hero and his or her Ordinary World. The great thing about having the inciting incident occur on one of the above pages and no later than page 12 is that during your rewrite, you should be able to tweak the inciting incident to occur even sooner "IF" the story warrants it.

How would a story warrant moving the inciting incident up a few pages? It depends. A thriller might warrant moving the disturbance up. So might a horror but again, it depends on your story. Hell, for that matter, even a drama could get a healthy shot of adrenaline by sticking the inciting incident on page 1 IF the story warrants it.

There is no hard and fast rule but before breaking the rules, be sure to know the rules first. We all know what will happen if we go rob a bank, right? The police will be after us...

Same thing goes for the rule of the inciting incident. Know that with today's audiences, it should occur no later than page 12. Make that your basic rule before you go breaking it and when and if you do break it, you'd better have a good reason i.e., your story, genre, and Protagonist warrant the break.

One of the first things a producer usually does is either ask the reader when the inciting incident occurs or if they decide to read it themselves, they turn ahead through the pages to see what gets things moving and if you don't have some inciting incident to get your Protagonist of his or her ass by page 12 -- and absolutely no later than page 15 -- don't expect a call back about your script.

Is it formula? Nope. It's form.

It hits us upside the head just a little harder these days when you give us the inciting incident within the first 12 minutes of your story. The mass audience of today isn't really interested in sitting around waiting for a half hour for something to get your protagonist's ass in gear. Remember, these are the people sitting in the audience sending text messages and even making phone calls. You really think these are the kinda people that wanna wait a half hour or gasp -- never -- for your incitiing incident?

Not on your life...

In fact, you may want to consider writing your inciting incident so that these rude sons-a-bitches decide to turn those damn cell phones off till the end of your film.

Some artistes might want to argue this cold hard fact. Don't bother arguing about it with me. Not interested.

The big thing you need to remember about the inciting incident is that you need an event to happen to your protagonist that causes him or her to eventually make the decision to leave the safety of their ordinary world, and remember... They won't want to leave. They will probably try to figure out a way not to leave but eventually, they acquiesce to the fact that they gotta go on a new journey to resolve whatever conflict the inciting incident just caused.

Make note that you've actually got quite a bit of leeway with the inciting incident, so try to come up with an inciting incident that we've not seen before. Astonish us. Grab our attention so that we lean forward in that theater seat and invest ourselves into the rest of your story. Catch us by surprise... Don't telegraph it to us.

Come up with an inciting incident that grabs us by the throat -- something we haven't seen before (yes, it can be done) and you're on your way to a compelling story.

Remember, you've shown us your Protagonist's ordinary world. We've seen how he or she behaves within that ordinary world. We understand it. We understand your Protagonist. It may not be a great place (I'm not talking location here) to be but it's one that the Protagonist is at home in. He or she is safe within that world because they know the rules and they exist and make decisions based on the rules of that world.

The inciting incident is that unexpected banana peel your Protagonist slips on. He didn't see it coming and neither did we. It's that drive-by that happens for no reason.

It's that grenade that makes no sense.

Knock your Protagonist off his or her ass and you've got our attention.

Knowledge is power.

Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee,

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction

Development

Climax

Conclusion

Character development

Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Vampire on the loose in Serbia?

(Are you interested in writing a vampire story, novel, or film script? Here's a article about a present day vampire scare in Serbia. I think it is interesting and would make basis for a story. Read the article and see what creative ideas come to mind.)

By DUSAN STOJANOVIC Associated Press The Associated Press

Saturday, December 1, 2012 9:38 AM EST

In this Nov. 30, 2012 photo Milka Prokic is seen at twilight with a garland of... (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

ZAROZJE, Serbia (AP) — Get your garlic, crosses and stakes ready: a bloodsucking vampire is on the loose.

Or so say villagers in the tiny western Serbian hamlet of Zarozje, nestled between lush green mountain slopes and spooky thick forests. They say that rumors that a legendary vampire ghost has awakened are spreading fear — and a potential tourist opportunity — through the remote village.

A local council warned villagers to put garlic in their pockets and place wooden crosses in their rooms to ward off vampires, although it appeared designed more to attract visitors to the impoverished region bordering Bosnia.

Many of the villagers are aware that Sava Savanovic, Serbia's most famous vampire, is a fairy tale. Still, they say, better to take it seriously than risk succumbing to the vampire's fangs.

"The story of Sava Savanovic is a legend, but strange things did occur in these parts back in the old days," said 55-year-old housewife Milka Prokic, holding a string of garlic in one hand and a large wooden stake in another, as an

appropriately moody mist rose above the surrounding hills. "We have inherited this legend from our ancestors, and we keep it alive for the younger generations."

Vampire legends have played a prominent part in the Balkans for centuries — most prominently Dracula from Romania's Transylvania region. In the 18th century, the legends sometimes triggered mass hysteria and even public executions of those accused of being vampires.

Sava Savanovic, described by the Zarozje villagers as Serbia's first vampire, reputedly drank the blood of those who came to the small shack in the dense oak tree forest to mill their grain on the clear mountain Rogatica river.

The wooden mill collapsed a few months ago — allegedly angering the vampire, who is now looking for a new place to hang his cape.

Some locals claim they can hear steps cracking dry forest leaves and strange sounds coming from the rocky mountain peaks where the vampire was purportedly killed with a sharp stake that pierced his heart — but managed to survive in spirit as a butterfly.

"One should always remain calm, it's important not to frighten him, you shouldn't make fun of him," said villager Mico Matic, 56, whose house is not far from the collapsed mill.

"He is just one of the neighbors, you do your best to be on friendly terms with him," he said with a wry smile, displaying garlic from both of his trouser pockets.

Some locals say it's easy for strangers to laugh at them, but they truly believe.

"Five people have recently died one after another in our small community, one hanging himself," said Miodrag Vujetic, a local municipal council member. "This is not by accident."

Vujetic, however, said that "whatever is true about Sava," locals should use the legend to promote tourism.

"If Romanians could profit on the Dracula legend with the tourists visiting Transylvania, why can't we do the same with Sava?"

Richard Sugg, a lecturer in Renaissance Studies at the U.K.'s University of Durham and an expert on the vampire legends, said the fear could be very real. Stress can bring on nightmares, which makes people's feelings of dread even worse.

"The tourists think it is fun — and the Serbian locals think it's terrifying," he said.

********************************************************************

So what story idea can you think of?

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Screenwriting Structure Series Part 11: The Inciting Incident Part 1

(Here is more about screenwriting structure from The Unknown Writer. )

About The Unknown Screenwriter

The last post on screenwriting structure covered the first ten pages of the screenplay and your Protagonist's ordinary world. I won't revisit it except to say that you really should consider showing us your Protagonist's ordinary world and make sure that ordinary world is relevant to what's currently happening to your Protagonist. I'm always getting asked about the ordinary world and a lot of you seem to think we're talking about the Protagonist's everyday life and while that might be what you need to show us depending on your story -- that's really not what we're talking about when talking about the ordinary world.

What I usually find is that a lot of screenplays get the ordinary world just a little bit wrong. Remember, the ordinary world that's pertinent to the story. The ordinary world that your Protagonist is caught up in right now! Show us that world and it should be easier to get your story moving along.

The Inciting Incident

Some call it the catalyst. I'm partial to inciting incident and I'll tell you why. It's self explanatory, plain and simple. Let's take a look at the definition of inciting and incident:

incite -verb
to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action: to incite a crowd to riot.

incident-noun

an individual occurrence or event.
a distinct piece of action, or an episode, as in a story or play.
something that occurs casually in connection with something else.
something appertaining or attaching to something else.
an occurrence of seemingly minor importance, esp. involving nations or factions between which relations are strained and sensitive, that can lead to serious consequences, as an outbreak of hostilities or a war: border incident; international incident.
an embarrassing occurrence, esp. of a social nature.

likely or apt to happen (usually fol. by to).
naturally appertaining: hardships incident to the life of an explorer.
conjoined or attaching, esp. as subordinate to a principal thing.
falling or striking on something, as light rays.

Here, we're discussing the inciting incident within the context of screenwriting structure.

Also called the CATALYST, INCITING EVENT, TRAUMATIC EVENT, HOOK, etc.

What the hell is it?

From my perspective, it seems to be one of the major things LACKING from many screenwriters attempting to break into the industry and start getting paid.

The INCITING INCIDENT is the LIFE-CHANGING EVENT that PROPELS the Protagonist out of his or her Ordinary World and into the New World which eventually leads him or her to finding both mental and physical happiness. Your inciting incident needs to GRAB the audience. Even if we've seen this event before, give it a twist so the audience's prediction is turned upside down and is dead wrong!

It's that one thing that happens to your Hero that throws his or her life completely off balance thereby creating instant conflict and tension.

It's that one thing that happens to your Hero that makes him or her TAKE ACTION.

It's that one thing that happens to your Hero that makes him or her come up with a goal.

The inciting incident can even be a new opportunity presented to the Protagonist. A trip. A new job. Whatever.

The inciting incident, however appealing it may be to your Protagonist, should be an immediate source of conflict thereby making your Protagonist want to RESOLVE this conflict but the only way to resolve the conflict is for your Hero to take ACTION.

The inciting incident you come up with for your screenplay should cause your Hero to transition from NEED to DESIRE.

Need? Sure. At the beginning of your story, your Protagonist is in dire NEED of something. Maybe it's love. Maybe it's money. Maybe it's a job. Maybe it's to get off drugs. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Just make sure it's a good need. If it is something tangible like money, make sure you create a damn good reason for that need. We don't NEED to see your Protagonist jumping through obstacles throughout your entire screenplay so he can get enough money for the cigarette machine. Although on second thought, that might actually be funny if handled correctly. See Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. I normally don't like movies like these but this one had what it takes to actually make me laugh.

Desire? Sure. After you've identified your Protagonist's need, that very need should transition into desire. The inciting incident should be like a LURE to your Protagonist to quench that desire and, just like that elusive brown trout (yeah, I fly fish) that splits as soon as he sees your shadow hit the water, your Protagonist should swim around that lure or fly trying to decide whether or not he should take a bite.

Your Protagonist must then attempt to satisfy his or her desire by taking action but of course this action is futile at first.

Make no mistake, when your Protagonist does decide to take that bite. AND HE SHOULD, it needs to be his decision to do so.

I see a lot of screenplays with really weak inciting incidents but pretty good 2nd Acts (assuming 3 Act Structure). Somehow, we've been lulled into thinking that the 1st Act doesn't have to be as great as the successive acts, especially, Act 2.

I'm here to tell you that setting up your Protagonist for his or her journey ahead is worth doing well. If you do it well enough, we will want to read through the rest of your screenplay. We will want to sit through the rest of your movie.

Coming up with the perfect INCITING INCIDENT should be reasonably easy to to develop IF YOU KNOW YOUR PROTAGONIST! The better you know him or her, the easier it should be to create the perfect inciting incident that propels him or her into action.

I plead with you to give your inciting incident some deep conscious thought. The better it is, the better your screenplay will be and the easier it will be for us to read through it and watch your movie.

Go, writers! Go!

Screenplays

Critique: $50.00 Flat Fee,

Includes evaluating the basis elements of a script

Introduction

Development

Climax

Conclusion

Character development

Mid point development

Critiques also provide suggestions for improvements and enhancement.