Comments on: Depth-charging clarification… http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/ Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:55:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: MaryAn http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2152 MaryAn Fri, 26 Jan 2007 22:40:10 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2152 Oh, the light. It hurts! Oh, the light. It hurts!

]]> By: Andy http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2143 Andy Fri, 26 Jan 2007 06:46:07 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2143 As for why I fill out a character sheet or chart - so I can remember all those little details about my characters - even if I DO think about them all the time. Look at it this way - if you're in a relationship right now, when is your SO's birthday? When is your anniversary? Can't remember? Better write it down. Now. As for why I fill out a character sheet or chart – so I can remember all those little details about my characters – even if I DO think about them all the time. Look at it this way – if you’re in a relationship right now, when is your SO’s birthday? When is your anniversary? Can’t remember? Better write it down. Now.

]]> By: Khid http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2137 Khid Fri, 26 Jan 2007 01:40:37 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2137 I've been exploring The Matrix and Spiderman (two movies that I'm using a study material for my current feature) and while I see a lot of goals and desires translating to screen, I can't seem to pin down a tangible motivation for the protagonists. Neo - It just kind of happens to him. He's being approached by both sides of the force. What was his motivation in life? he works a desk job, and his second life is all about hacking. Is it enough to say that his motivation is possibly the urge to know what the truth really is? My protagonist is similar to this... in that he seems to be pulled into this dilemma up until a certain point, and then he begins to act instead of react. Peter Parker - Just kinda happens to him again. It didn't seem like he had motivation toward a great goal, or maybe I just missed it. It was more like once he got his abilities, then he had motivation to fight crime. Although he Desired Mary Jane, what was his Goal in life and what was his motivation? I feel like I'm not paying attention enough. I’ve been exploring The Matrix and Spiderman (two movies that I’m using a study material for my current feature) and while I see a lot of goals and desires translating to screen, I can’t seem to pin down a tangible motivation for the protagonists.

Neo – It just kind of happens to him. He’s being approached by both sides of the force. What was his motivation in life? he works a desk job, and his second life is all about hacking. Is it enough to say that his motivation is possibly the urge to know what the truth really is? My protagonist is similar to this… in that he seems to be pulled into this dilemma up until a certain point, and then he begins to act instead of react.

Peter Parker – Just kinda happens to him again. It didn’t seem like he had motivation toward a great goal, or maybe I just missed it. It was more like once he got his abilities, then he had motivation to fight crime. Although he Desired Mary Jane, what was his Goal in life and what was his motivation?

I feel like I’m not paying attention enough.

]]> By: Unk http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2132 Unk Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:24:32 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2132 Mary Anita, Absolutely correct so one has to really create a hell of a motivation... You've got to come up with the kind of motivation that signals US, the audience, that this goal is something you simply cannot do without. Once you've laid that groundwork, we're more apt to believe (if only for 2 or less hours) and get on board the vicarious train. That's why motivation is so critical and it's just not done well enough a lot of times these days... A STRONG ENOUGH MOTIVATION can get us through the most terrible of movies... Think about it. Unk Mary Anita,

Absolutely correct so one has to really create a hell of a motivation… You’ve got to come up with the kind of motivation that signals US, the audience, that this goal is something you simply cannot do without. Once you’ve laid that groundwork, we’re more apt to believe (if only for 2 or less hours) and get on board the vicarious train.

That’s why motivation is so critical and it’s just not done well enough a lot of times these days… A STRONG ENOUGH MOTIVATION can get us through the most terrible of movies…

Think about it.

Unk

]]> By: MaryAn http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2127 MaryAn Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:07:00 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2127 My take: motivation is what propels characters towards goals. Desires may affect or be affected by goals, events, or story elements. Desires can change. Goals can change. Motivation is less fluid. My take: motivation is what propels characters towards goals. Desires may affect or be affected by goals, events, or story elements. Desires can change. Goals can change. Motivation is less fluid.

]]> By: Khid http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2096 Khid Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:45:49 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2096 WoW! Thanks so much! I had such a hard time splitting the element into atoms. I kept hearing from the three peoples I trust lots with my work that they couldn't see the desire. So while the content was fun and a great read, the characters and their desires lacked. I was going to ask about that HARLEY scenario, but you went right behind it and clarified. Something similar to The Heroe's Journey and the Elixir... if a hero travels across eight different lands to get a bottle of booze... it's like "okay", but if the bottle of booze is going to bring back his deceased little sister from years ago, then that's a completely different tale. Thanks a lot for taking the time to break that down for the newbie. WoW! Thanks so much! I had such a hard time splitting the element into atoms. I kept hearing from the three peoples I trust lots with my work that they couldn’t see the desire. So while the content was fun and a great read, the characters and their desires lacked.

I was going to ask about that HARLEY scenario, but you went right behind it and clarified. Something similar to The Heroe’s Journey and the Elixir… if a hero travels across eight different lands to get a bottle of booze… it’s like “okay”, but if the bottle of booze is going to bring back his deceased little sister from years ago, then that’s a completely different tale.

Thanks a lot for taking the time to break that down for the newbie.

]]> By: Unk http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2095 Unk Tue, 23 Jan 2007 23:00:52 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2095 Khid, As usual, my comment in reply to your comment ran too long so I simply edited the post... Hope this clarifies things a bit more for you... Spat, May the FORCE be with you... LOL. Or rather, "When I investigate and when I discover that the forces of the heavens and the planets are within ourselves, then truly I seem to be living among the gods." --Leon Battista Alberti. Josh, I ain't feelin' it... LOL. Unk Khid,

As usual, my comment in reply to your comment ran too long so I simply edited the post… Hope this clarifies things a bit more for you…

Spat,

May the FORCE be with you… LOL. Or rather, “When I investigate and when I discover that the forces of the heavens and the planets are within ourselves, then truly I seem to be living among the gods.” –Leon Battista Alberti.

Josh,

I ain’t feelin’ it… LOL.

Unk

]]> By: Joshua James http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2089 Joshua James Tue, 23 Jan 2007 14:37:18 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2089 Face it, Unk . . . you're Obi-wan, and not just 'cause you live in the desert;)! We all bow to the master! Face it, Unk . . . you’re Obi-wan, and not just ’cause you live in the desert;)!

We all bow to the master!

]]> By: spatula http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2088 spatula Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:38:19 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2088 This has been great. I'm reading a lot of you and Syd Field, and the confidence is building. Structure and this kin of prep work really just makes you feel "more right" about writing the screenplay. Really helps to define purpose. I am SO using the "FORCE". This has been great. I’m reading a lot of you and Syd Field, and the confidence is building. Structure and this kin of prep work really just makes you feel “more right” about writing the screenplay. Really helps to define purpose.
I am SO using the “FORCE”.

]]> By: Khid http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/depth-charging-clarification/screenwriting/2007/01/22/comment-page-1/#comment-2081 Khid Tue, 23 Jan 2007 05:45:19 +0000 http://www.unknownscreenwriter.com/2007/01/22/depth-charging-clarification/#comment-2081 Thanks for clairfying the use of the pyramid. I had to sit down for another hour during lunch break on set today to really construct a plausible way to use it; turns out I wasn't far-off. Another tool tucked into the box for me. But, as I go through the list and decide how I want to use it to fit my writing sytle, and while moving BACK to the days when I'd write a college-ruled notebooks worth of backstory for characters I realize that I don't know the difference between desire and motivation. It keeps sticking me in the throat, and I'd like to get past that. This has a bit to do with the Maslow (spelling?) Pyramid. What is the characters desire? Doesn't desire change through-out the course of the story? What's the difference between Desire, Motivation, and Goal? These seem to change for me during the course of writing, and I feel like I'm doing something incorrect. Maybe the Pyramid will help. Thanks for clairfying the use of the pyramid. I had to sit down for another hour during lunch break on set today to really construct a plausible way to use it; turns out I wasn’t far-off. Another tool tucked into the box for me.

But, as I go through the list and decide how I want to use it to fit my writing sytle, and while moving BACK to the days when I’d write a college-ruled notebooks worth of backstory for characters I realize that I don’t know the difference between desire and motivation. It keeps sticking me in the throat, and I’d like to get past that. This has a bit to do with the Maslow (spelling?) Pyramid.

What is the characters desire? Doesn’t desire change through-out the course of the story? What’s the difference between Desire, Motivation, and Goal? These seem to change for me during the course of writing, and I feel like I’m doing something incorrect. Maybe the Pyramid will help.

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