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Theme & Scene:
The Magic of Nuts & Bolts
Week Four
Lord, we know what we are, but know not what we may be.
— William Shakespeare
You may wonder why I began with the scene structure and waited to talk about character since everyone
(studio executives, producers, agents) wants great “Characters.” It’s an age-old argument that coils
endlessly. Does action determine character or does character determine action? The argument is futile.
Action is character.
Hamlet, MacBeth, Puck, Forrest Gump, Rocky, E.T., Flipper, James Bond, Road Runner – all memorable
characters. Naruto, Kabuto, Ochimaru, Sakura—children have taken to Japanese anime like bees to honey.
They know each character’s look, powers, problems, etc. The great characters from literature, plays, movies,
and television shows seep into our blood from the time we start leafing through picture books. Given that
the media bombards us from myriad distribution devices, how do we create great characters?
Lecture Four:
Character
Overview:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Definition of Character
Character Mask versus True Character
Character Types
Character Development & Progression
Designing an Ensemble Cast
I. Definition of Character
Definition of Character:
Any entity capable of making a rational decision…
…from an animated soup can to a wily dolphin to an extraterrestrial. Moreover, a human character is not a
human being as we perceive him/her in real life, but the distilled essence of a human being:





Condensed
Heightened
Accelerated
Knowable
Poetic
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Hemingway’s “Iceberg Theory” is particularly applicable to storytelling on screen or on stage due to the
tight format and the 1-3 hour time limit. There is only so much of a character and his/her life that you can
show in that brief span of time and it must be believable, compelling and active.
The Iceberg Theory, an aesthetic theory put forth by Ernest Hemingway:
“If it is any use to know it, I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There is seven-eighths of it
underwater for every part that shows. Anything you know you can eliminate and it only strengthens your
iceberg. It is the part that doesn't show. If a writer omits something because he does not know it then there
is a hole in the story.”
Iceberg off Labrador
“If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about he may omit things that will have a
feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an
iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A good writer does not need to reveal every detail
of a character or action.”
“…the essence of Hemingway’s aesthetic theory which stated that omitting the right thing from a story
could actually strengthen it.”
In other words, a story can communicate by employing subtext and symbols.
II. Character Mask versus True Nature: Omote & Ura
In Japan, omote and ura are concepts that emerged from that culture’s understanding of consciousness.
Omote (lit. “front”) represents that which is “seen in front of you.” Ura (lit. “back”) represents that “which
is behind or hidden.” Together they shed light on the inner circle and the ability to see what is “behind” or
“hidden” from the public eye.
A Kabuki actor applies his mask…
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This same dualism is seen in well developed and complex characters.
The character adorns a mask in public to disguise the true self.
The mask is what is known as “characterization” or all of the
character’s observable qualities—physical, psychological and
sociological.
I have provided a flexible template to create character biographies—an
important task when venturing into longer work.
Please go to Course Template section to download character template.
True character emerges when the mask is stripped off. And the mask
dissolves when the character is forced to make choices under pressure.
In times of crisis, true character pops out. Who will risk their lives to
save others? Who races to the exit, pushing others aside? Who swipes
expensive goods on the run? (There was plenty of looting during the
attacks of 911).
…and turns into an Onnagata, a
female character.
Major characters usually don a mask that contradicts their true inner self—a hidden dimension that
emerges in times of deep crisis—or exhibit a contrasting quality that adds dimension.
Marlon Brando,
THE GODFATHER
Nicole Kidman,
TO DIE FOR
Sir Anthony Hopkins,
SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
Mafia boss who adores children
and, evidently, cats
Sweet young thing who’ll claw
your eyes out
Cultured psychiatrist and
voracious cannibal
In sum, we watch characters make decisions in extraordinary situations to discover who they really are.
III. Character Types
Protagonist : “agon” = struggle, the pro-side of the struggle. The main or lead character in the story.
In Hollywood-speak, it’s the hero or the person we get behind. In order for the protagonist to fulfill the
demands of moving a story forward to the finish, he/she must have the following characteristics:
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1) Objective / Goal
The protagonist has an objective or goal—an object that he/she desires, wants, needs. The desire is
conscious—winning a race/match/war/trial, finding the man/woman/job of your dreams, unraveling a
crime, stopping the terrorist, rescuing hostages, etc.
In a complex protagonist, an unconscious desire conflicts with a conscious desire. Think: What you want
may not be what you need. Or…what you say you want is not really what you want. In SOMETHING’S
GOTTA GIVE, Jack Nicholson strives to preserve his freewheeling bachelor life when what he really wants
is a committed relationship and a family. In Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche wants to start a dress shop with
Stella, but what she really pines for is a total escape from reality.
2) Willpower
The protagonist must have a will of iron in order to take actions in high-risk situations, surmount obstacles,
and endure the consequences of his/her choices.
Some of the most compelling protagonists are obsessed—a “nail in the head”— with reaching their goals
and will stop at nothing to win.
A dental office X-ray reveals a four-inch nail
embedded in the skull of Patrick Lawler.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2005
-01-16-nail-skull_x.htm
“You talkin' to me?”
Robert DeNiro as the
obsessed Travis Bickle
in TAXI DRIVER.
3) Capability & Skills
The protagonist should have a credible combination of qualities—e.g., intelligence, resourcefulness,
resilience, self-reliance, physical dexterity or strength—in the appropriate balance that allows him/her to
achieve their goal.
In addition, the protagonist must have or develop the skills necessary to reach the goal line. In the classic
three-act film, the Hero acquires qualities, skills and insights via mentors and smaller challenges until the
final battle at the climax. Luke Skywalker must be trained to use the Light Saber as well as how to marshall
the “Force” to his advantage.
4) Chance to Succeed
Even if the odds are overwhelmingly not in the protagonist’s favor, the power balance can’t be such that
he/she has absolutely no chance to succeed. Whether it’s the loser Rocky who faces the match of a lifetime
or Erin Brockovitch who confronts a monolithic corporation, the protagonist is fueled by hope and the drive
to succeed. But there must always be a sliver of a chance that they will succeed. It can’t be hopeless.
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5) Empathetic/Center of Good
Whether or not the protagonist is likeable, he/she must exhibit one dimension that we, as the audience, can
empathize with and recognize as “like us.” This dimension reveals a center of good, a nugget of shared
humanity, thus allowing the audience to want to take the journey with the protagonist. It doesn’t
necessarily mean they are moral and upright in conventional terms. But there is usually some positive
value—e.g., love, justice or fairness--in the protagonist that we can relate to.
The Hamlet Problem:
When the protagonist’s conflict is internal, how do you dramatize it?
Internal conflict must be revealed via the protagonist’s choices and external behaviour. Hamlet feigns
madness, tests his mother, tortures Ophelia, and stages a play reenacting the poisoning of his father to
determine if his uncle is guilty, and so on and so forth. Despite Hamlet’s indecision, he takes active steps to
overcome his fatal flaw (hamartia)…even though it eventually seals his fate.
False Protagonist
A character is introduced as the protagonist at the beginning of the story but is replaced (usually killed) at
around the midpoint. Introduced earlier, a major/minor character assumes his/her place and ends the story.
Ex. Hitchcock’s PSYCHO.
Antagonist -- “agon” = struggle, the anti-side of the struggle. Anyone / thing / force that blocks the
protagonist from achieving his/her goal.
The antagonistic force may be other characters, a corporation, an entire social system, another country,
nature or within the protagonist (see The Hamlet Problem), etc. Antagonism can be based on power,
wealth, social status and personality differences, etc.
The stakes are as high for the antagonist as for the protagonist.
Hence, the antagonistic force or character should be as fascinating and multi-dimensional as the protagonist,
and is superior to the protagonist until the climax. In classic three-act films, the Hero acquires skills and
wisdom before he/she can go head-to-head with the antagonist in the climax and win.
Film
ONE FLEW OVER THE
CUCKOO’S NEST
Nurse Ratchet “wins.”
McMurphy is lobotomized,
however the Chief escapes.
Hero
Villain
McMurphy
Nurse Ratchet
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THE WIZARD OF OZ
Dorothy wins. She destroys
the Wicked Witch of the
West.
Dorothy
Wicked Witch of the West
Mozart
Salieri
Terminator
T-1000
AMADEUS
Salieri “wins.” Mozart dies,
penniless and tossed into an
unmarked grave. However,
Mozart becomes immortal
through his music.
TERMINATOR 2:
JUDGMENT DAY
Terminator wins. He
destroys the T-1000.
The negative, dark side of human nature—the center of evil--is as compelling (if not more so) than the light
side, and usually more mysterious.
Secondary Characters
Aside from the protagonist and antagonist, secondary characters provide a counterpoint to the protagonist.
For example, Character A brings out the compassionate side of the protagonist while Character B incites
hatred. Character C elicits a wise side while Character D provokes a foolish side. Hence, the protagonist’s
multi dimensions emerge due to an array of relationships that he/she has with other characters in the story.
Secondary characters may be one-dimensional or multi-dimensional.
Archetypes of Secondary Characters
Confidante
The confidante is a character whom the protagonist or other important characters confide in…a sounding
board…sometimes known in Hollywood as the exposition doormat. Ex: the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet.
Foil / Counterpart
The foil reveals aspects of the main character by facing similar circumstances but taking a different action
(counterpoint) or by facing different circumstances and taking a similar action (the mirror).
Examples:
Hamlet. Ophelia’s brother, the brash Laertes doesn’t hesitate to take revenge when he discovers the deaths
of his father and sister. His actions contrast Hamlet’s indecisiveness and passive reflection.
STAR WARS. Hans Solo will lie, cheat, and steal to beat the system. In contrast, Luke Skywalker would
never lie, never cheat, and never steal. Solo is Skywalker’s counterpart, the dark alter-ego.
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Mentor / Confessor
The mentor acts as guide and counselor, providing training and insight. Wise old man, commanding
officer, traveling priest, teacher, guru, etc. Ex: Morgan Freeman in SEVEN.
Rival
A personal or professional rival provokes (often extreme) positive or negative traits in the protagonist.
Trickster / Tempter
The trickster forces the protagonist to grow and learn by either succumbing to temptation or steering away
from it. Ex: Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Comic
Often a side-kick or a combination side-kick/rival, the comic character provides comic relief from relentless
dramatic tension and helps to vary the tone. Ex: Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Raisonneur / Author's Character
The Raisonneur is a stand-in for the scribe, expounding his/her morals or philosophy (usually not the
protagonist’s). In many cases, a narrator breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience directly.
There are other archetypes of secondary characters. As you expand your storytelling vocabulary, you’ll
grow accustomed to leveraging their trademark functions in your own work.
Mythic Story Structure
The classic three-act film structure is based on the Hero myth as put forth by Joseph Campbell in The Hero
with a Thousand Faces. Christopher Vogler translated much of Campbell’s text into screenplay structure in
the tome, The Writer’s Journey. According to mythic structure, there are various archetypes that appear in
the Hero’s journey. See table below:
Examples of Character Archetypes
The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
The Writer's Journey, Christopher Vogler

Hero (Arthur, Theseus, Simba)

Hero  to serve and sacrifice

Shadow (Scar, Minotaur, Voldermort)

Mentor  to guide

Outcast (Cain, Ancient Mariner)

Threshold guardian  to test

Devil figure (Lucifer, Anakin/Darth Vader)

Shapeshifter  to question and deceive

Woman figure:

Shadow  to destroy
o Earth mother (Mother Nature)
o Temptress (Eve, Sirens, Delilah)
o Platonic ideal (Dante's Beatrice)
o Unfaithful wife (Anna Karenina,
Madame Bovary)

Wise old man (Merlin, Rafiki, Yoda,
Dumbledore)
For further reference, please see link to Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey in the External Links section.
Minor Characters
In order to stay focused on the protagonist and other major characters, these characters are one-dimensional,
flat and functional. Warning: All too often a colorful minor character can steal the show. (Ex. The Fonzie
syndrome -- a minor character becomes the most popular character on the show.)
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IV. Character Development & Progression
As in any art form, there are various theories (often at odds) about character development and progression
through the story. In many cases, treatment of character change or progression is dependent on genre or
particular structure (anti-hero, episodic, ironic, etc.).
Character Spine
The spine of the character is: What does that character desire? Want? Need?
The spine can be articulated by linking an intransitive verb with a goal:




to win the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE)
to defeat the Japanese at Iwo Jima (FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS)
to attain justice for a gang rape (THE ACCUSED)
to seek reparation due to damage from discrimination (PHILADELPHIA)
See Kazan’s notes below:
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh), a faded Southern belle, comes to New Orleans to stay with her sister, Stella
(Kim Hunter) and Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando). She is horrified by the squalor of the
French Quarter where they live.
She is revolted by Stanley, yet attracted to him. She overstays her welcome by five months, during which
she constantly attempts to break up his marriage. She tells her sister that he is common and animal like,
pleading with her “not to hang back with the brutes”. Stanley takes revenge by dragging up her sordid past
and stripping her suitor, Mitch (Karl Malden), of his illusions about her. He eventually rapes her, driving
her over the edge into madness…
…Kazan organized his notebook by descriptions of the four major characters, beginning with a statement of
the “spine” of each part. He used this familiar Method term because his mentors in the Group theatre had
learned it from their mentor in the late 1920s, Richard Boleslavsky of the American Laboratory Theatre, who
learned it from his teacher, Stanislavski. “Spine” is used as a handy metaphor to describe two things: (1) the
play’s main action and (2) a character’s main action.
Kazan describes the “spine” of the four major characters in Streetcar as follows:12
Blanche wants to “find protection.”
Stanley wants to “keep things his way.”
Stella wants to “hold onto Stanley.”
Mitch wants to “get away from his mother.”
Compounded, these desires account for much of the conflict. These characters are each other’s given
circumstance.
In his notebook Kazan refers only to the character’s “spine,” which means the character’s “throughline.” The
“throughline” is the dominant action of a character’s soul that unifies his varied activities and lends
structure and coherence to the actor’s work on and in the part.
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In orthodox Stanislavskian practice, the key to defining a character’s spine is to use an infinitive verb or
phrase, usually with an object at the end (“to get to Moscow,” “to avenge my father’s death,” “to wait for
Godot”). The verb phrase pictures a spine as “the movement of the psyche, not a passive state, like a mood,”
In a dramatic role, the best kind of spine is a line that turns into an arrowit is a DESIRE. Directors in a
rehearsal frequently call to the confused actor, “But what do you want?”
Kazan has said; “I put terrific stress on what the person wants and why he wants it. What makes it
meaningful for him. I don’t start on how he goes about getting it until I get him wanting it.”
The next step in this process is to introduce the actor to “the circumstances under which he behaves; what
happen before the scene begins”. This is what Stanislavski calls “the given circumstances.” (How do I as the
character behave in this situation?) Kazan says, “I will say nothing to an actor that cannot be translated
directly into actions. The life of a play is in behavior.”
Character Arc
The step-by-step, progressive change in the protagonist and other major characters over the course of the
story is known as the character arc.
STAR WARS
HANS SOLO - DARK
(ALTER EGO)
Lies
Cheats
Steals
Never:
Lies
Cheats
Steals
LUKE
SKYWALKER –
LIGHT (EGO)
Luke becomes
more savvy in the
ways of the world
– his range of
behaviour expands
Hans Solo gains integrity by putting selfish
interests aside for the greater good –
range of behaviour contracts
BEGINNING
END
In STAR WARS, we see the Luke change from an innocent country boy to a savvy warrior. On the flip side,
Hans Solo changes from a hustler and a con to a hero fighting by Luke’s side. In the case of STAR WARS,
the ego (Luke) and the alter-ego (Solo) have been paired up to not only illuminate the contrast but also
integrate the antithetical sides of human nature.
There are various conflicting views re the “character arc.” I’ve included the opposing viewpoints in this
lecture. See article by David Freeman that I’ve posted as well as the excerpt below by Lawrence Konner.
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As I understand dramatic narrative, we witness characters endure meaningful and irreversible change.
That change has to happen in a logical, cause-and-effect progression of steps. If the change is too abrupt,
we may not accept the credibility of the change. If it happens too slowly, we may not even perceive it.
Craft Excerpt: http://www.screenwriter.com/LawrenceKonnerw.html
There is a term called "character arc. First of all, I dislike the term. I think it's one of those terms that has
crept into moviemaking in the last decade or so. I know that when the studios were making the great
movies of the golden eras past like the 30s, or the late 60s-early 70s, there was nobody asking what the
character arc of anybody was. They were just telling stories about people.
The term has come into use because I think people are looking for short cuts to writing screenplays and to
thinking about screenplays. I think "character arc" is one of those short cuts. One of the things that happens
in the books and the seminars about screenplay writing is again these short cuts.
We live in a world in which more people than ever are writing screenplays. Theoretically they ought to be
better just on the basis of percentage. But I don't see that they're getting better. The complaint of most studio
executives is that there are not enough good screenplays and writers.
What writers are lacking is not exactly clear to me; but, I think one of the things is that there are these easy
solutions that people are looking for: "I'll just have a character arc and I'll just have a certain beat on page 47
because that's what the book says to do." Their material becomes more artificial.
BIO IN BRIEF: LAWRENCE KONNER, Screenwriter, professor, producer.
One of the Creative Directors of Sundance Film Festival,
A Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Film and Television at UCLA
True Character: Journey to the Limit of Human Experience
Regardless of genre or structure, the most successful and enduring dramatic narrative—plays, films and
television--explore the far limits or profound depth or necessary complexity of human nature/experience.
As the audience, we sense the outer limits—life’s most intense states--and hope that characters go there. We
perch in front of the screen or stage to watch them take that journey.
Extreme limit of
human
experience
Extreme depth
of human
experience
Complexity of
human
experience
(PARADOX)
There are two reasons to go the distance in a story: emotional and intellectual.
1) Catharsis – The emotional pay-off of the story
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See definition below:
The term in drama refers to a sudden emotional breakdown or climax that constitutes overwhelming
feelings of great pity, sorrow, laughter or any extreme change in emotion that results in the renewal,
restoration and revitalization for living.
Using the term 'Catharsis' as a form of emotional cleansing was first written about by the Greek philosopher
Aristotle in his work Poetics. It refers to the sensation, or literary effect, that would ideally overcome an
audience upon finishing watching a tragedy. In his previous works, he used the term in its medical sense
(usually referring to the evacuation of the 'katamenia' (menstrual fluid) or other reproductive material.[1]
Because of this, F. L. Lucas maintains that catharsis cannot be properly translated as purification or cleansing,
but only as purgation. Since before Poetics catharsis was purely a medical term, Aristotle is employing it as a
medical metaphor. "It is the human soul that is purged of its excessive passions."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catharsis
Whether it’s to laugh or cry or be moved or terrified or delighted, we watch stories for their emotional
impact. We’re not in the theatre or the cinema to be educated or lectured to… we want to be thrust into the
heart and soul of the character.
2) Insight – The intellectual pay-off to the story
In addition to the emotional impact, the greatest stories shed light on human nature or some aspect of the
human condition. None of Shakespeare’s plots were original. He stole plots left, right and center. His
genius was in his ability to capture the profound depth and complexity of the human condition via
character and sublime poetry.
The simplest stories are a battle between good and evil (black and white). But life is filled with paradox and
often a negotiation between two absolutes (further explored in the Lecture on Theme). When we’re able to
successfully dramatize extreme states or paradox via character in story, we’re exploring the grey area in life.



Profound self discovery (depth)
Extreme states of being (testing the far limits)
Emergence of paradox (complexity)
In Story, McKee does a brilliant job in explaining this gray zone…where the value or status of the character
reached by the end of the journey goes beyond the black and the white. (Although I have no idea how to
interpret the “negation of the negation” – it’s far too abstract for me.) I’ve filled out the chart further and am
trying to explain the “why.” As you can see, when the end-state of the character reveals life’s paradoxes or
extreme states… you’re reaching for a bigger truth, a deeper truth, a more complex truth… about the human
condition. Stories that are able to illuminate these truths usually become the classics.
VALUE CHART
Value
Love
Contrast
Indifference
Contradiction
Hate
Paradox
POSITIVE
NEGATIVE
Love disguised
Self-Hate or
as hate to drive
Hate disguised
loved one to a
as Love
higher good
Extreme States
A
B
Love
Hatred of
extended
mankind,
to all
Genocide
mankind
(holocaust
(making
stories)
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Truth
Justice
Communication
White Lies
Unfairness
Alienation
Lies
Injustice
Isolation
Necessary lie to
protect the
welfare of
another
Self Deception
Forced to
commit crimes
to overthrow an
unjust system
(revolution
stories)
Regarded
insane but
enlightened
Forced to
choose between
two
evils/injustices
(Galileo)
Success
Compromise
Failure
Restraint
Slavery
Insanity
(Blanche,
Streetcar Named
Desire)
Failure in public
eye but won
soul/life
Selling out
Jailed but free of
inner demons or
true to
conscience
Slavery
perceived as
freedom
Treachery to
achieve a
greater good
Self betrayal
(BULL
DURHAM)
Freedom
(SOPHIE’S
CHOICE)
of saint
stories)
Tissue of
lies to
protect
the
greater
good
Anarchy,
No laws
(LORD OF
THE
FLIES)
Fabric of lies
sustained by
society
(THE MATRIX)
Tyranny,
Criminals
make the laws
(MISSING)
Governance by
insane policies
(DR.
STRANGELOVE)
(THE SWEET
SMELL OF
SUCCESS)
(MAN FOR ALL
SEASONS)
Loyalty
Rich
Dual
Allegiance
Middle-class
Betrayal
Poor
(Rogue cop
stories)
(A Doll’s House,
WE DON’T LIVE
HERE
ANYMORE)
Poor but
spiritually
whole
Rich but
spiritually
bankrupt
Martyrdom
Damnation
(redemption
stories)
Consciousness
Unconsciousness or
Superconsciousness
Death
(ST. JOAN)
(disillusionment
stories)
(FRANKENSTEIN)
This chart may be confusing. I was confused at first. But as you study it and consider the films that had the
greatest impact on you… you’ll start to understand the “why.” As you progress, fill out your own chart.
V. Designing an Ensemble Cast
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In order to design a cast of characters, split the protagonist into a prism of polarities re character traits. In
doing so, you will maximize conflict by setting up polarities—i.e., opposites in physical appearance,
personality attributes, behaviours, beliefs, and background--between characters. For example:




Physical variations: slim, heavy
Age variations: young, old
Behaviour: aggressive, meek
Beliefs: athiest, devout
In WEST WING, the ensemble cast was carefully designed. The dark circles represent the shadow or alterego characters in relation to the President. Not only are polarities set up between the protagonist
(President) and the rest of the ensemble, but polarities are established between secondary characters.
However, all secondary characters are designed to provoke different dimensions of the President, thus
creating a multi-dimensional protagonist.
Leo
Chief of Staff
Professorial
Guarded
Cynical
Josh
Dep. Chief of
Staff
Outspoken
Arrogant,
Brilliant
Humble, folksy
C.J.
Press Sec.
Tactful
Unassuming
Right
hook
Husband
PRESIDENT
Persona –
“Country lawyer
with a right hook”
Economics professor Father
with a memory for
numbers
Optimist
Cheerful
Toby, Comm.
Director
Pessimist
Jewish
Strong moral
center
Wife
Doctor
Urban
sophisticate
(Stockard)
Zoey
Daughter
Going into
College
Innocent
Mentor
Wise old man
cynical
Sam, Deputy
Communications Director
Optimist
Anglo
Innocent
Charlie President’s
Right hand
Aide
Innocent
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Week Four Assignments
ASSIGNMENT A:
Write a 1-page CHARACTER SPEECH using ONLY DIALOGUE. One character. There can be another
character in the scene, but that character does not speak. There must be a DS, PQ and a deep need. Use
stage play format.
In order to sustain that amount of language, the stakes must be sky high. This is possibly one of the most
difficult exercises to write. The DS, PQ and need must be revealed in the speech.
Tip. Often character speeches revolve around the following motivations:

Confession (exoneration) – Facing punishment or condemnation

Ask (pursuit) – Marriage, job (hire or fired), money, etc.

Plea (escape) – Hostage situation

Witness (rescue) – Testimony to save another human being’s life
ASSIGNMENT B:
Write a 2-3 page film scene. Add DIALOGUE! Hurrah! Try and limit it to two to three characters. There
must be a character speech in the midst of an activity. Break up the speech with the activity and reaction
shots. See the QUILLS example.
Make sure that you reveal the DS, PQ and need. Use standard screenplay format.
NOTE: Since we are not all using the same hardware or software, please make sure to post your
submissions in Rich Text File or PDF.
Good luck!
Dakota