✍️Intro to Screenwriting Unit 2 – Story Fundamentals

What's a Story, Anyway?

• A story is a narrative account of events, experiences, or the evolution of a character over time
• Stories have a beginning, middle, and end that are connected by a plot
• The plot is driven by the main character's goal and the obstacles they face in achieving it
• Stories evoke emotions in the audience by creating relatable characters and situations
• A story's purpose is to entertain, educate, or inspire the audience
• Stories can be told through various mediums (films, novels, plays, etc.)
• The most compelling stories tap into universal human experiences and themes

Building Blocks: Plot, Character, and Setting

• Plot is the sequence of events that make up a story, often following a cause-and-effect relationship
  • The plot typically includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
• Characters are the individuals who drive the story forward through their actions and decisions
  • Protagonists are the main characters who pursue a goal, while antagonists oppose them
  • Well-developed characters have distinct personalities, motivations, and character arcs
• Setting refers to the time, place, and social context in which a story takes place
  • The setting can influence characters' actions and shape the story's tone and themes
• These three elements work together to create a cohesive and engaging narrative
• Balancing plot, character, and setting is crucial for crafting a compelling story

The Hero's Journey: Classic Story Structure

• The Hero's Journey is a common narrative structure that follows a protagonist's adventure and transformation
• Joseph Campbell identified this pattern in myths and stories across cultures
• The journey consists of three main stages: Departure, Initiation, and Return
  • Departure: The hero leaves their ordinary world after receiving a call to adventure
  • Initiation: The hero faces trials, allies with helpers, and confronts the main obstacle
  • Return: The hero returns to their ordinary world, changed by their experiences
• Key steps in the Hero's Journey include the call to adventure, crossing the threshold, tests and allies, the ordeal, the reward, and the road back
• This structure provides a framework for character growth and creates a satisfying narrative arc
• Many successful films (Star Wars, The Matrix) follow the Hero's Journey template

Conflict: The Engine of Drama

• Conflict is the foundation of all dramatic stories, as it creates tension and drives character actions
• There are four main types of conflict: person vs. person, person vs. self, person vs. society, and person vs. nature
  • Person vs. person: The protagonist faces an antagonist with opposing goals
  • Person vs. self: The protagonist struggles with internal conflicts or moral dilemmas
  • Person vs. society: The protagonist challenges societal norms, expectations, or injustices
  • Person vs. nature: The protagonist battles against natural forces or disasters
• Conflict should escalate throughout the story, raising the stakes for the characters
• The resolution of the conflict should be a result of the protagonist's actions and decisions
• Conflict reveals character motivations and forces them to make difficult choices

Dialogue That Pops

• Dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing character, advancing the plot, and establishing tone
• Effective dialogue should sound natural and authentic to the characters and their setting
• Each character should have a distinct voice based on their background, personality, and goals
• Subtext, or the underlying meaning beneath the words, adds depth to dialogue
  • Characters may say one thing while meaning another, creating tension and nuance
• Avoid exposition dumps, where characters unnaturally explain information for the audience's benefit
• Use dialogue to show character relationships and power dynamics
• Memorable dialogue often includes wit, humor, or profound insights that resonate with the audience

Show, Don't Tell: Visual Storytelling

• In screenwriting, it's important to convey information through visual means rather than relying on exposition
• "Showing" involves using actions, images, and character behavior to convey emotions, relationships, and story points
  • For example, showing a character slamming a door conveys anger without explicitly stating it
• "Telling" involves directly explaining information to the audience, which can feel unnatural and disengaging
• Visual storytelling takes advantage of the medium's strengths and immerses the audience in the story world
• Effective visual storytelling relies on strong scene descriptions, character actions, and visual metaphors
• Screenwriters should think in terms of what the audience will see and hear on screen
• Showing allows the audience to interpret the story and draw their own conclusions

Themes and Subtext: What's Your Story Really About?

• A theme is the underlying message or insight about life that a story explores
• Themes are often universal ideas that resonate with audiences (love, loss, identity, power, etc.)
• Subtext is the implicit meaning or theme that underlies the story's surface-level events
  • Subtext is conveyed through visual storytelling, dialogue, and character actions
• A story's theme should be woven throughout the narrative, informing character arcs and plot points
• Themes give a story depth and meaning beyond the literal events on screen
• Exploring themes and subtext elevates a story from mere entertainment to a thought-provoking experience
• Screenwriters should consider what they want to say about the human condition through their story

Putting It All Together: Crafting Your Screenplay

• A screenplay is a blueprint for a film, outlining the story, characters, and visual elements
• Screenplays follow a specific format, including scene headings, action lines, character names, and dialogue
• The first step in writing a screenplay is developing a strong premise and outline
• Screenwriters should create compelling characters with clear goals, motivations, and obstacles
• The plot should have a clear structure, with rising action, a climax, and a satisfying resolution
• Dialogue should reveal character, advance the plot, and be engaging and authentic
• Visual storytelling is key, using action and images to convey information and emotion
• Themes and subtext should be woven throughout the script, giving the story depth and meaning
• Revising and rewriting are essential parts of the screenwriting process to refine the story and characters