102 Moving Images: Making Movies, Understanding Mediathe nineteenth-century French “well made play.” From these various methods
and dramatic rules, there are a series of core principles that are vital for any
screenwriter to investigate.
We will begin with the following three essential story elements: character,
setting, and structure. Consideration of these essential elements can be found
in virtually all stories that involve characters, whether the narratives are
farcical comedies, realistic dramas, or action-fi lled adventures.Character
Who is the main character of the story? Is there a group of primary characters?
How do you describe the characters—physically, mentally, historically? It is
typically useful to develop a full portrait of the character, including personal
background, occupation, and interests. If an author develops detailed portrait
of a character, it can help the story and the creation of the fi lm even if a
number of the details are not used in the script. Th ese portraits are actually
characterizations. On the other hand, characters take form through the actions
and behavior that occur during the telling or depiction of a story.
What are some key elements in establishing characters?- Objective – What are the objectives of the key characters of the story?
What do they want? - Action – From the basis of objective, what do the characters do to
fulfi ll objectives in the story? - Confl ict – What is it that is stopping the characters from obtaining
their objectives? Confl ict is the basis of drama; it is the source of
pressure at the heart of the story.
Figure 3-20 The main
characters of Joe, a non-
dialogue short fi lm by Sasha
Wolf in which the actions
of the characters drive the
events of the story. (Courtesy
Sasha Wolf )Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the eBook and/or eChapter(s).