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WOW32 PAGES OF VINTAGE DRAMATICA!SNO. 1JANSCREENPLAY SYSTEMSPresentsTHETHESECRET OFOF200250CANADAGREAT STORIESFEATURING The MuseThe WriterThe ExecutiveBased On Materials Developed By Melanie Anne Phillips & Chris Huntley
The Secret of Great Stories: Volume 1,“How Does Story Work?”Written byMark Haslett and Stephen GreenfieldBased on a theory and materials developed byMelanie Anne Phillips and Chris HuntleyIllustrations by Mark HaslettVisit our websites at www.dramatica.com or www.screenplay.comor email us at Dramatica@screenplay.comSECOND EDITIONOctober 1999Copyright 1999 Write Brothers IncorporatedALL RIGHTS RESERVEDDramatica is a registered trademark ofWrite Brothers IncorporatedWrite Brothers Incorporated, 138 Brand Blvd, Suite 201Glendale, California, United States of America, 91203Phone: 1-800-84-STORY or 818-843-6557 Fax: 818-843-8364
WE ALL THINK WE KNOW HOW STORIES WORK. WE SEE THE DARNED THINGS EVERYWHERE: MOVIES, BOOKS, TV,COMICS. THOSE WHO ACTUALLY SIT AND WRITE, HOWEVER, KNOW THAT WHAT STORY REALLY IS. UH. GEE, WELLIT’S COMPLICATED! READ ON, AS SCREENWRITER PENN WRIGHT GETS (WITH THE HELP OF DRAMATICA) A FASCINATING ANSWER TO THAT EVER-LOVIN’ QUESTION:ISN’T THISGREAT SO FAR?.SO, THEN OUR HERO SEES THETERRORISTS HAVE A BOMB!STILL DRESSED LIKE A WOMAN, HELEAPS INTO ACTION.CINDY,I DON’T HEAR YOUCHEERING.PENN, THIS IS JUST LIKEALL YOUR OTHER STORIES!THERE’S NO DEPTH! YOUDON’T EVER OPEN UP,IN YOUR WRITINGOR WITH ME.NO DEPTH? I’VE SOLDTHREE SCRIPTS!YOU DON’T GET IT.YOUR STORIESAREN’T YOU. THEYTELL ME YOU’RE APRETEND ARTIST.I’M AFRAID WE’RE AT APENN! WHAT’S UP,ROMEO?DEAD END AND I NEED ARELATIONSHIP THATGROWS WITH ME. I NEEDTIME TO THINK.HI DAMIEN.CINDY JUST LEFT ME‘CAUSE I’M NOT OPENWITH HER.B-BUT.HEY! IF I PUT DEPTHINTO THIS SCRIPT, ICAN SHOW HER WHOI AM! MAYBE I CANGET HER BACK!LET ME HELP.I’M A DEVELOPMENTEXEC., YOU KNOW!
CREATEEMOTION!TIE THE HERO’SGIRL TOTHAT BOMB!FOLLOWTHEDIE HARDFORMULA!LET’S GO!WHY NOT WRITETHE STORY YOUWANT TO WRITE?WHO’S THAT?T’SHA YW TIN S Y.,O A OW GLLLL NHE IS? FOL ACITH HT ENMGLI N,NPEAS AN EXEC,I KNOW WHATCINDY’S SAYING:WRITE FOR THEAUDIENCE!O.K., IF FORMULACAN ADD DEPTH. IWISH THERE WASANOTHER WAY,THOUGH.YOUR MUSE,DARLING! WITHMODERN WRITINGADVICE.I’VE GOT A GOOD STORY IDEA,BUT IT NEEDS “HEART.” I CAN’TTELL WHERE TO ADD STUFF ANDWHAT TO LEAVE ALONE.I USED TOGIVE ELIXIRSTO ANCIENTGREEKPOETS.I THOUGHTMUSES DISAPPEAREDIN THE WRITER’SSTRIKE!NOT TRUE,AND BE GLAD‘CAUSE YOURSTORY’S INTROUBLE.TELL ME WHATYOU WANT ANDI CAN HELP.“CREATIVEWRITING PARTNER?”WHATWRITER NEEDSCOMPUTERS TOWRITE FOR HIM?.BUT YOU MAYWANT A WHOLENEW APPROACH.DRAMATICA WON’TWRITE YOUR STORY,IT HELPS YOU GETYOUR STORY RIGHT!SOUNDS LIKEGOOD AD-COPYTO ME.TRY DRAMATICA.DRAMATICA’S A TOOLBASED ON A NEW THEORYOF STORY. BY ANSWERINGITS QUESTIONS, YOU GUIDEDRAMATICA TO CREATE A“STORYFORM” - THE BLUEPRINTOF YOUR STORY.A STORYFORM HASEVERYTHING YOU NEEDTO MAKE YOUR STORYCOMPLETE. IT WILL HELPYOU GET THAT EMOTIONALSIDE FULLY DEVELOPED.
PSHAW!COMPUTERS CAN’TDEVELOP STORIES.HOW COULD THEY?I JUST GOTTA WORKON THIS FORMULASOME MORE!WATCH IT! THESETHINGS AREN’T FREE!DRAMATICA WORKSUSING THE STRUCTUREAND DYNAMICS INHERENTIN ALL STORIES. YOU CAN’TJUST THROW IN EMOTIONAL“STUFF” TO FIX YOUR SCRIPT.STORY IS LIKEAN ARGUMENT:EVERY PART RELATES TOALL THE OTHERS.YEAH?CREATING A STORYFORMIS LIKE DRAWING ACIRCLE BY USING THEPOINTS ALONG ITS EDGE.AFTER YOU SET A FEWPOINTS IN PLACE, YOUCAN SEE WHERETHE REST HAVETO FALL.STORIES WORK THESAME WAY. ANYTHING YOUPUT IN AFFECTS HOW THE RESTWILL HAVE TO WORK OUT.LIKE WHENEVERYTHING FALLSINTO PLACE - WHENYOU GET A SENSEOF CLOSURE.PRETTY MUCH. WHENYOU THINK OF IT,WHAT DO WE REALLYKNOW ABOUTSTORIES - ABOUTHOW THEY WORK?I KNOWSTORY, I’VESTUDIED ALLTHE GURUS!IT HAS CHARACTER,PLOT, THEME, ANDNARRATIVE DRIVE!.AND IT WORKSWHEN YOU SELLONE!
BUT WHAT EXACTLYIS A STORY?WELL, THAT’S WHEREDRAMATICA BEGAN, BYTRYING TO EXPLAIN STORYCOMPLETELY.HOLD ON,DARLINGS!I DON’T HAVEAN EXACTDEFINITION. IJUST KNOW WHENI SEE ONE.ONE CONCEPT THATSETS DRAMATICA APARTIS CALLED THE“STORY MIND.”THIS IS THE IDEA THATA COMPLETE STORY IS THEMODEL OF A SINGLE MINDAT WORK FINDING THESOLUTION TO A SINGLEPROBLEM.YOUR STORY’S CHARACTERS, PLOT,THEME, AND GENRE ARE LIKE THETHOUGHTS COMING OUT OF THISMIND AS IT WORKS.
THAT’S STORY?IT’S JUST A BIGBRAIN! WHERE’STHE STRUCTUREIN THAT?.FOR STRUCTUREWE’LL HAVE TO GOINSIDE.THIS ISTHE BIGPICTURE.PRETTYCEREBRAL.TAKE DOOR #1,PENN. LET’S GETTHE HECK OUT OFHERE!THIS IS WHERESTRUCTURE COMESFROM. THESE DOORSLEAD TO THE CTERIMPACTCHARACTERMAIN VS.IMPACT.WHICH YOU FIND IN ANY STORY.THE STORY MIND EXPLORESTHESE IN LOOKING FOR THEPROBLEM AT ITS CENTER.“BE CAREFULIN THERE.”“THAT’S THEOVERALLSTORYVIEW!”
“THESE FOUR PERSPECTIVES CREATE THE THOUGHTS OF THE STORY MINDAS IT WORKS OUT ITS PROBLEM.”“THE OVERALL STORY VIEW SEESTHE ENTIRE STORY FROM ADISTANCE.”“THE MAIN CHARACTER VIEW ISTHE FIRST PERSON, “I” PERSPECTIVEOF ONE SPECIAL SOLDIER INTHAT BATTLE.”“THROUGH HIMWE EXPERIENCEHOW IT FEELS TOGO THROUGH THESTORY, AS IF WEWERE THE MAINCHARACTER.”“AS IF THE STORY WAS A BATTLEWHICH THE OVERALL STORY VIEWWATCHES FROM A HILL. IT SEESEVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS, BUT ISNOT REALLY INVOLVED.”MAINCHARACTERNO!“THERE’S ONE OTHER SPECIALCHARACTER IN EVERY STORY,FORCING THE MAIN CHARACTERTO FACE HIS PERSONALPROBLEMS. THIS IS THEIMPACT CHARACTERCHARACTER.”ISN’T THAT JUST AFANCY NAME FORTHE ANTAGONIST?IMPACTCHARACTER“THE IMPACT CHARACTERHAS THE STRONGESTPERSONAL IMPACT ON THEMAIN CHARACTER MAKING HIM QUESTIONHIS DEEPEST BELIEFS.”THE MAIN CHARACTER ANDIMPACT CHARACTER ARECHARACTERS WHOM WE DEALWITH EMOTIONALLY.THE IMPACTCHARACTER’S IMPACT ONTHE MAIN CHARACTERCREATES AN ARGUMENTBETWEEN THEM, WHICH ISTHE STORY MIND’S FOURTHPOINT OF VIEW:THE MAIN VS. IMPACTSTORY.THOSE ARE TWODIFFERENT KINDS OFCHARACTER SEEN FROM TWODIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW.THE ANTAGONIST ANDPROTAGONIST ARE OVERALLSTORY CHARACTERS, SEEN BYTHEIR FUNCTION IN THEOVERALL STORY.“THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MAIN ANDIMPACT CHARACTER IS THE EMOTIONAL HEART OFYOUR STORY. THESE TWO ARGUE ABOUT SOMEPERSONAL ISSUE UNTIL ONE OF THEM CHANGES ATTHE END.”
THESE FOUR PERSPECTIVES STRETCH FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY TO THE END.THEY ARE ITS FOUR STRUCTURAL THROUGHLINES.OVERALL STORYMAIN CHARACTERIMPACT CHARACTERMAIN VS. IMPACT STORYCAN I SEE ANEXAMPLE?SURE.REMEMBER HARPER LEE’STO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD?THE MAIN CHARACTER IS AGIRL NAMED SCOUTSCOUT.WE SEE EVERYTHING THROUGH HER EYES,BUT THE PROTAGONIST OF THEOVERALL STORY IS HER FATHER, ATTICUS.“THE OVERALL STORY THROUGHLINE FOLLOWSTHE TRIAL OF A WRONGLY ACCUSED MAN. THEANTAGONIST IS HIS ACCUSER, BOB EWELL.”“TO SCOUT, THOUGH, LOCAL BOOGEY-MAN,BOO RADLEY IS HER IMPACT CHARACTERCHARACTER.”IN THE MAIN VS. IMPACT STORYSTORY,BOO EVENTUALLY FORCES SCOUT TOCHANGE HER PREJUDICE ABOUT HIM.YEAH, I SEE THOSETHROUGHLINES. I’MWRITING A SCRIPT THATI CALL “EVERY MAN FORHIMSELF.”I’VE NEVER HEARD OFTHE IMPACT CHARACTERBEFORE, AND I DON’THAVE ONE.A MISSING IMPACTCHARACTER CAN HAMSTRINGA STORY’S EMOTIONALINVOLVEMENT.MY MAIN CHARACTER ISIRVING RICHTER, EX-NAVYSEAL WHO IS NOW WRITINGA “LOVE” COLUMN USING AWOMAN’S NAME. WHEN HISWRITING PERSONA IS HIREDAS SPOKESWOMAN FOR ACRUISE-LINE, HE’S FORCED TOHE’S CAUGHTDRESS AS A WOMAN TOTHIS WAY WHENPROTECT HIS IDENTITY.TERRORISTS ATTACKTHE CRUISE. TO SAVETHE DAY, HE HAS TO FIGHTAS A WOMAN. THE IMPACTCHARACTER WOULD PUSH HIM TODO THIS-THAT SHOULD BE HISWIFE!CAN SHE IMPACT HIMEMOTIONALLY ACT BYACT THROUGH THESTORY?YEAH! SHE COULD PUSHHIM TO TAKE THE CRUISEJOB AND THEN GOALONG WITH HIM ONTHE TRIP.DEVELOP HER, THENTIE HER TO THE BOMB.WE CAN GET THISFROM DIE HARD! LET’SGET OUT OF HERE.
MAGICAL POWERS DON’T SELLSCRIPTS, DEVELOPMENT PEOPLEDO! LET’S COPY DIE HARD ANDBE DONE WITH IT!HOLD ON,LET’S MEETFIRST.I’M CALLIOPE,THE MUSE OFSTORY.NOTHING SELLSLIKE A STRONGCOMPLETESTORY.I’M HERE TO HELP YOUCOMPLETE THE STORY YOUWANT TO WRITE, PENN.AND THEPROGRAM WILLINSPIRE ME?NO, YOU HAVEINSPIRATION,DRAMATICA WILLHELP CRAFT IT.“LET ME SHOW YOU DRAMATICA’S12 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS. THEY’LLCREATE THE BLUEPRINT FOR YOURSTORY’S THROUGHLINES, CHARACTER,PLOT, AND THEME.”“THE 12 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS COME INTHREE GROUPS: THE FIRST FOUR QUESTIONS SETUP THE MAIN CHARACTER, THEN FOUR QUESTIONSABOUT PLOT, AND FINALLY FOUR QUESTIONSABOUT THE OVERALL STORY THROUGHLINE.”“THIS IS DIFFERENTFROM ANYTHINGYOU’VE EVERHEARDABOUTSTORY.”“THESE ANSWERS GET YOU A SINGLESTORYFORM, DETERMINING YOURSTORY’S STRUCTURESTRUCTURE.”“THE NEXT STEP IS TO WRITEEXAMPLES OF HOW THATSTRUCTURE PLAYS OUT INILLUSTRATINGILLUSTRATING.”“SYMBOLIZING YOUR STORYFORM GETSYOU TO FULLY KNOW YOUR STORY.”“THEN COMES STORY WEAVING DECIDINGHOW TO PRESENT THIS STORY TO ANAUDIENCE—WRITING YOUR FIRST DRAFT!”DRAMATICA HELPS YOU THROUGH“DRAMATICATHESE STAGES SO YOUR STORY ENDS UPCOMMUNICATING EXACTLY THEFEELING YOU INTEND.”TREATMENT ORFIRST DRAFT!
ALRIGHT, I’LLLOOK AT YOURQUESTIONS.CINDY WOULDWANT ME TO.GREAT!FIRST, WHAT DO WEKNOW ABOUT YOURMAIN CHARACTER?I KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUTHIM: WHERE HE WASTRAINED, WHAT KIND OF GUNHE USES, THE DRESSES HEWEARS.UH.GOOD. WELL.THIS FIRST QUESTION SETS UP WHERETHIS GUY IS GOING IN YOUR STORY. “MAINCHARACTER RESOLVE” ASKS “WILL YOURMAIN CHARACTER ULTIMATELY CHANGE ORREMAIN STEADFASTSTEADFAST?” EVERY MAINCHARACTER’S EITHER THE SAME AT THE ENDOF THE STORY AS WHEN HE STARTED OUT, ORHE’S CHANGED.DRAMATICA ASKS YOU TODETERMINE THIS RIGHTUP FRONT.SCROOGE CHANGES,DUH!THAT’S EBENEEZERSCROOGE AND HIS IMPACTCHARACTER, THE GHOST OFCHRISTMAS. WILL HECHANGE OR REMAINSTEADFAST?WELL, WHAT ABOUT DR.RICHARD KIMBLE IN THEFUGITIVEFUGITIVE, OR JAMES BONDIN MOST JAMES BONDMOVIES—THESE ARE STEADFASTMAIN CHARACTERS WHO FORCETHEIR IMPACT CHARACTERSTO CHANGE.“RESOLVE” SHOWS HOWTHIS WILL WORK FORYOUR STORY.ALL CHARACTERSCHANGE, OR ELSETHERE’S NOGROWTH ORDEVELOPMENT.BUT WHAT DOES ITMEAN? HE’S SAVED THEDAY, BUT WHAT HAPPENEDTO HIS CHARACTER?IN MY STORY,IRVING SAVES THECRUISE AND WALKSINTO THE SUNSETSTILL DRESSED AS AWOMAN.I LOVE IT!WHAT ANIMAGE!I GUESS HE’SCHANGED, RIGHT?HE’S REACHED HIS“SENSITIVE SIDE.”
HOW ABOUT THIS:HE GETS ON THE BOATHATING HIS PEN-NAME.THEN THROUGH HISRELATIONSHIP WITH.GIVINGHIS WIFE HEA PRESSENDS UP.CONFERENCEAND HAPPILY EXPLAININGABOUT THE TERRORISTS,DRESSED AS HIS PEN-NAME. NOWHE SEES “HER” AS PART OF HIM.WOW, THAT’S WAY MORE CLEAR!SO THIS IS ABOUT “CHARACTER ARC.”DON’T BAFFLE PENN WITH YOUR DEVELOPMENT TERMS. I’M ASKING WHETHER THEMAIN CHARACTER ENDS UP DRIVEN BY HISORIGINAL MOTIVATION OR NOT.SO STEADFAST CHARACTERSKEEP THE SAME MOTIVATION.DO THEY GROW?“STEADFAST” CHARACTERSWILL EITHER BE HOLDINGOUT FOR SOMETHING TOSTART OR HOLDINGOUT FOR SOMETHINGTO STOP.ALL MAIN CHARACTERS GROW,EITHER TO HOLD OUT MORESTEADFASTLY OR TO CHANGE.THE NEXT QUESTION DEALS WITHTHIS TOO. MAIN CHARACTER GROWTHASKS, REGARDING HIS GROWTH, ISTHE AUDIENCE WAITING FORSOMETHING TO STARTOR STOPSTOP?THIS ALWAYS REFERS TO MAIN CHARACTERGROWTH, A “CHANGE” CHARACTER WILL GROWEITHER BY STARTING A NEWCHARACTERISTIC OR STOPPINGAN OLD ONE.START OR STOP?THAT’S LIKEASKING IF AGLASS IS “HALFFULL OR HALFEMPTY.” WHAT’STHE POINT?THE POINT IS TOCLARIFY WHETHER THEMAIN CHARACTER’S PROBLEMIS BECAUSE OF WHAT ISTHERE THAT SHOULDN’TBE, OR BECAUSE OFWHAT IS MISSING.SCROOGE IS A CHANGE-STARTCHARACTER. HE’S STINGY, NOTAGGRESSIVELY MEAN;WHICH IS THEARGUMENT THATGETS HIM TOCHANGE.IN THE 80’S THEYREWROTE SCROOGE ASEXTRA MEAN-TO DOTHIS RIGHT WOULDMEAN REWRITINGTHEARGUMENTTO MAKE HIMCHANGE.BUT THEY KEPTTHE “START GIVING”ARGUMENT AND THESTORY SUFFERED.I GUESS IRVING STARTSTO LIKE HIS PEN-NAMEAND STOPS WORRYINGABOUT HIS MACHISMO.YEAH. HEDOES BOTH!YOU CAN WRITE IT EITHER WAY,BUT PICKING ONE DIRECTION MAKESTHE WHOLE STORY CLEARER. SHOULDIT FEEL LIKE HE’S CAUSING HISPERSONAL PROBLEMS AND HAS TOSTOP, OR THAT HE’S LETTINGPROBLEMS GO TOO FAR ANDHAS TO START DEALINGWITH THEM?HE’S TOO COMMITTED TO HIS“TOUGH-GUY” IMAGE. HE’SALREADY A SUCCESSFUL LOVECOLUMNIST, HE JUST HAS TOSTOP BEING ASHAMED OF IT.THEN PICK STOP. NOWWE’RE GETTING TO KNOWWHO IRVING IS.I KNOW ANOTHERCHARACTER THAT IWISH WOULD STOP.
WHOA! WHAT’SGOING ON?YOU’RE A DO-ER! YOU DIDN’TEVEN TRY TO COPE WITH HISNOISE. DO-ERS PREFER TOPROBLEM-SOLVEEXTERNALLY.IF PENN WAS ABE-ER , HE’D JUSTTAKE IT?THIS MAN WILLHELP DEMONSTRATETHE NEXTQUESTION:WHAT’S YOURMAINCHARACTER’SAPPROACH—DO-EROR BE-ER ?NOT NECESSARILY. ABE-ER PREFERS TOPROBLEM-SOLVEINTERNALLY.I CAN’T TAKE IT!DO-ER/BE-ERDOES NOT MEANACTIVE/PASSIVE. EITHERAPPROACH MAY WORK TO SOLVEA PROBLEM. EVERYONE HAS APREFERENCE. THIS YOGI IS AN“ACTIVE” BE-ER. HISPOWERFUL PRESENCECAN WORK LIKE A PUNCHIN THE MOUTH.LET’S WATCHA BE-ER ATWORK.HERE, LET’SWATCH DIRTYHARRY.DO-ER.I GUESS IRVING IS A BE-ER AND ADO-ER. HIDING AS A WOMAN, HECOPES WITH A LOT OF SEXISTTREATMENT. BUT HE’S VERYWILLING TO KICK TERRORIST BUTTWHEN HE HAS TO.GREAT! MIX ITUP SO HE’SUNPREDICTABLE.BEING BOTH A BE-ER AND A DO-ER ISUNPREDICTABLE BECAUSE IT’S UNREALISTIC.CHARACTERS MAY HAVE TO USE BOTH APPROACHES INTHEIR STORIES, BUT THEY ALWAYS PREFER ONEAPPROACH IF GIVEN A CHOICE.IRVING SOUNDS LIKE A DO-ER.HIDING AS A WOMAN IS A HANDS-ONAPPROACH TO TRYING TO SOLVE HISPROBLEMS, AS IS TAKING ONTHE TERRORISTS.YOU’RE RIGHT, HE’S A DO-ER. HESHOULD HATE COPING WITH BEINGTREATED LIKE A LADY.HOW DOESTHAT FEEL?LIKE IRVING’SBECOMING ALOT MORE REAL.
FINE. NOW THE LAST MAINCHARACTER DYNAMIC:PROBLEM SOLVINGSTYLE.ONE STYLEIS INTUITIVE.I WASGONNASAY THAT!HEY LADY!I’M STYLINGHERE.HOWINTUITIVEOF YOU!LET MEEXPLAIN!THEOTHER ISLOGICAL.USUALLY,MEN FAVORLOGICAL, WOMENINTUITIVE.LIKE,“HE’S FROMTHATMARS,MAKES SENSE.SHE’SFROMVENUS?”LIKE DO-ER/BE-ER, PROBLEMSOLVING STYLE IS A TENDENCY.WHAT KIND OFPROBLEM SOLVINGDOES YOUR MAINCHARACTERUSE: LOGICAL ORINTUITIVE?WHAT’SMY STYLE?HOW DOES YOUR MAINCHARACTER SEE PROBLEMS?THERE ARE TWO WAYS:LOGICAL STYLE SEES PROBLEMSIN TERMS OF CAUSE AND EFFECT,SEEKING LINEAR EXPLANATIONS.INTUITIVE STYLE SEESPROBLEMS IN TERMS OF THERELATIONSHIPS INVO
fugitive, or james bond in most james bond moviesÑthese are steadfast main characters who force their impact characters to change. ÒresolveÓ shows how this will work for your story. in my story, irving saves the cruise and walks into the sunset still dressed as a woman. i love it! what an image! but what does it mean? heÕs saved the day, but what happened to his character? i guess heÕs .
