September 18, 2013

We are experts in Character and in the analysis thereof!

Time for PLOT.

Rehash - secondary characters - support the main character(s)
they either help or hinder the main character’s goal (or motivation)

Rehash - job of the main character - to advance story, to give us a POV (we “ride” in his/her mind), CHANGE (we learn something and we are entertained)

Interesting push into For Mataji - the POV is interesting

Plot -

we are going deep here

Plot is the storyline.

Plot is made up of the events that take place.

Plot is what happens.

Plot is also what the characters do.

Plot can be CHARACTER-DRIVEN - the character TAKES ACTION

Plot can be FATE-DRIVEN - the character receives the action

Bob makes a decision, does something, and there is a response -> A REACTION.

ACTION -> REACTION

This is called a CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP.

There is a series of causal steps that leads to a great CRISIS in most stories.

That crisis IS the point of the story.

It’s the resolution of those decisions, actions and events.

A + B = C + D = E + F = and so on to the end.

Dialectics is a philosophical belief in the power of CONFLICT and OPPOSITION

A situation plus something that breaks that situation leads to a new situation.

Thesis + Antithesis = Synthesis

Try to think about this conceptually - the idea is that things only progress and change and grow through direct contact with opposing energy

Fire is a good thing that comes from the destruction of other things.

That is what plot is all about. No conflict = no progress.

This is also true in our lives.

State A (the status quo) + State B (disruption) = Progress (positive change)

Hey! It looks like the plot line is the outside factor that causes a lead character to change!

Plot is a series of events designed to force action and change onto a lead character.

The lead character’s decisions and reactions ARE the point.

Imagine a story as a testing ground for the lead character

What is he/she learning? What are WE learning by riding around in that POV?

Plot as Fate

There is another kind of plot structure.

Events acting on characters and forcing change from the outside in a more Fate-driven way.

Classic - survival stories are good examples of this - the testing ground part is really obvious in these stories

The Grey is a good example - the wolves represent NATURE, which is harsh

winter, hunger, creatures, night, fear, violence, inner doubt, etc.

All this comes in reaction to the giant forces of Fate.

Nature is the ultimate testing ground

The problems are basic - remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Plot as character-driven

Characters working against each other and creating problems and testing each other through similar or competing motivations.

Competition movies - we all want the same thing! motivation is the same, they want an X

Good guy/Bad guy movies - we want opposite things - Good guy wants peace and harmony, bad guy wants death and chaos

Think about the best movie or TV show you’ve ever seen.

Then, I want you to jot down the 5-10 most exciting things you would tell someone when talking about that movie or TV show.