StoryNotesNewsletter #22

A reversal is a dramatic device
that goes back to the time of the
Ancient Greeks. In stories with
mainstream or traditional
structure, it's recommended we
have at least three major
reversals.

But just what *is* a reversal?

We'll discuss the definition and
uses of reversals -- citing some
examples -- in this article.

But first:

If you're thinking about obtaining
a screenplay evaluation, there's
only one week left to qualify for
the discount (see the info at the
end of this article).

And now ...


ISSUE #22


Make Sure Your Plot Has Several


* * REVERSALS * *


A reversal is a plot device in which we're led to expect
one thing, and the opposite -- or pretty close to the
opposite -- occurs instead. This can involve a minor matter
within the course of a scene ... or it can be a huge, plot-
changing event.

Reversals are more than just defied expectations --
which is also a dramatically useful technique. With a
reversal, our expectations go beyond not being met: the
reverse happens, or nearly the reverse. It's not just a
different result or outcome than was anticipated -- that
should happen quite frequently in a good script. Rather,
it's in some way the *opposite* outcome.

In short, a reversal is an action, event, or verbal
statement that creates an opposite or nearly opposite result
than was anticipated by the audience and/or the characters.

This "opposite outcome" can be in regard to an
anticipated reaction to something a character does or says.
For instance, a character makes a joking remark. He and we
anticipate a smile or a laugh from the other character.
Instead, the other character bursts into tears.

The "opposite outcome" could also be in reference to the
situation. The boss intends to fire an employee. When
starting to do so, the employee discloses knowledge about
something embarrassing or illegal, and hints at blackmail.
The employee walks out not with a pink slip, but a raise.

Other examples of situational reversals: Kidnappers nab
the wife of a rich man and threaten to kill her if he
doesn't pay a ransom. But he's delighted -- and urges them
to go ahead! A thug pulls a gun on a detective, who quick-as-
lightning grabs the gun away and now points it at the thug.

A larcenous producer learns he can make more money, due
to a tax shelter, by having a flop play which loses money --
if he illegally and secretly overinvests. So he puts on a
play so bad it's guaranteed to flop. But the audience
thinks it's camp -- and loves it.

The "kidnapping" and "producer's scheme" situations are
examples of plot-changing situational reversals. The "grabs
the gun away" situation would probably be a scene-changing
situational reversal, but not a plot-changing one. Still,
it's a reversal.

When you, the writer, lead the audience to expect a
certain outcome, but then the opposite or nearly the
opposite occurs instead ... that's a reversal.

Since reversals can be so helpful to a script's
effectiveness, let's explore them in greater depth.

THE USES OF REVERSALS

What good are reversals? Why do most scripts benefit
from three or more major, plot-altering reversals, and a
number of smaller scene reversals?

Reversals are one way to achieve surprise -- and
audiences love to be surprised. Who would want to watch a
movie that was predictable from beginning to end? Surprise
is a key arrow in the dramatic quiver.

Reversals are also a way to create more variety in the
story. Reversals tend to generate new complications, and
usually a changed state of affairs. For instance, a major
reversal will create the need for new plans. Perhaps a new
task or subgoal as well.

While there are some stories that don't contain a plot-
changing reversal of *situation*, few if any films have
achieved audience acceptance unless they have at least three
reversals of *fortune*.

Let's examine why that is so.

Let's say a story starts out where the status quo is
"mixed" -- in some ways good, and in some ways bad in terms
of the main character(s). If there's no change in this, the
audience grows restless. It's static. There's no sense of
story advancement. There's insufficient variety in terms of
story direction and emotions.

It would be just as dramatically weak for a story to
start out with things going well, and then they stay that
way. Or with things going poorly, and they stay that way
until the end.

Adding a major reversal of fortune helps. But one or
two aren't enough!

If an event occurs which makes things worse (a Big
Problem -- 1st reversal), and that continues for a long
time, except for minor upticks ... after a while, this
situation again lacks interest and variety. But if things
turn around, and now are good (2nd reversal), until the end
... that's better, but still not enough to seem like a
story.

In other words, a "story" where "things get bad, and
then they get good -- the end" seems like half a story.
It's a "V."

And an upside-down "V" isn't any better: "things get
good, and then they get bad -- the end." That, too, is half
a story.

If things are mixed or good at the beginning, then bad
(1st reversal), then good (2nd reversal) for a time, and
then bad again (3rd reversal -- unhappy ending) ... that has
the variety and fullness needed for a story.

The same can be said with going from a mixed or bad
opening state of affairs, to a positive turnaround (1st
reversal) whose effects last for a time, then bad (2nd
reversal), then good again (3rd reversal -- happy ending).
That, too, seems like a story.

And often you have not three but four or more major
reversals of fortune.

But none? Or one -- good to bad, or bad to good -- and
that's it? Or even two -- from good to bad, then bad to good
... or from bad to good, then good to bad? This would seem
too thin, too uneventful, too linear, too unvaried -- too
boring.

By having at least three major reversals of fortune, you
have a plot with richness, variety, and less predictability.

So the basic options are:


AT OPENING > 1st REVERSAL > 2nd REVERSAL > 3rd REVERSAL

bad or mixed > to good > to bad > to good (up ending)

or

good or mixed > to bad > to good > to bad (down ending)


And you could add a fourth or fifth reversal of fortune
to either of these. And, just as the beginning can be
"mixed," so can the end be in some way mixed or bittersweet.

One additional option: no strong, clear-cut major
reversals of fortune, but frequent smaller reversals every
scene or every couple of scenes or so. In other words,
there are no overall sections of "things are going basically
well, allowing for difficulties and obstacles, etc.," and
also no major sections of "things are going poorly, except
for a few brief, minor successes."

Instead, it's neither good nor bad, overall, for any
length of time beyond a scene or two. Just up, down, good,
bad, progress, setback, progress, setback, etc.

That's better than no major reversals -- or just one or
two, with overly long periods of "mostly good" or "mostly
bad."

But the lack of any overall sense of things being
largely positive or negative beyond a scene or two can make
things seem almost linear ... all the minor and frequent
upticks and downticks start to flatten out, to lose their
power. It's like sailing on a mildly choppy sea. That's
more interesting than a flat sea, but not as good
(dramatically speaking) as a sometimes smooth, sometimes
choppy sea which is interspersed several times with some
immense waves.

It's best to have many minor positive and negative
events within several sections that are overall positive or
negative -- in terms of progress towards the goal, or the
main character's perspective. That way we can sustain and
even intensify feelings of hope, despair, joy, tension, etc.

SCENE VS. PLOT REVERSALS

There are three levels of reversals. There are "scene
reversals," "sequence reversals," and "plot reversals."

A scene reversal is a reversal within a scene, but which
does not necessarily alter the story. It's a development
within a scene that generates surprise in the form of a
reversal of expectations, of fortune, or of the situation
within that scene. It may take the form of an obstacle or a
short-lived complication. Or of an unexpected action or
reaction. But it doesn't have long-term consequences. It
affects and serves the scene, but its effects do not lead to
great change in what happens after the scene. The goal, the
course of action, and the plan are still the same, or
basically the same.

An example of a scene reversal?

In KARATE KID, Daniel has been roughed up and taunted by
a bigger guy with lots of karate moves. Daniel wants to
take karate lessons so he won't be picked on and humiliated
again. He goes to the only dojo in the area to sign up. As
he observes, the instructor lets one of his students lead
the class for a while. And it turns out to be ... the
bully.

That's a good scene reversal. It doesn't have plot-
altering consequences, really. At the beginning of the
scene, Daniel doesn't know much karate, but wants to. At
the end of the scene, that's still the case. But this
"intra-scene" reversal made for a delicious surprise within
the scene.

This was a great way to provide a reason for his not
simply taking lessons at the local dojo. Bad writing: the
mom tells him they can't afford it. Good writing: the
scene as described above. The obstacle is provided in a way
that is plausible, fun, and effective by taking the form of
a scene reversal.

Another example of a scene reversal would be a detective
interviewing a suspect, but the suspect is so beautiful and
skillful that she takes command of the interview. She asks
more questions of him -- and gets the answers -- than he
does of her. Assuming that he leaves with no more idea than
before as to the guilty party, this scene doesn't change the
plot that follows. But it's a good "scene" reversal -- a
nice role-reversal. A reversal of expectations.

That's an example of a scene reversal which is based on
a reversal of control. In some scenes, one character
"drives" the scene. That is, a particular character is in
control of the scene -- setting the agenda, pursuing his or
her desired scene goal, etc. If that "switches" at some
point, and another character assumes control of the scene,
and is now "driving" it -- that, too, can be a form of a
scene reversal.

A "plot reversal" is a scene reversal with giant and
long-lasting consequences. It's a reversal which is also a
plot-changing event. It's a reversal combined with a
turning point. And it's quite powerful dramatically.

In KARATE KID, about 20 minutes after the scene reversal
mentioned earlier, there's a strong plot reversal. Daniel
rashly plays a prank on Johnny (the bully) at the school's
Halloween dance. Enraged, Johnny and his buddies chase
Daniel all the way to the apartment complex where he lives.
There they catch him and proceed to pummel him. He's badly
hurt, but Johnny won't stop, and just as Johnny is about to
deliver a kick that would likely result in severe injury ...
the short, dumpy apartment-maintenance guy jumps down and
swiftly overcomes all four of the attackers -- one of whom
was last year's regional karate champion.

Daniel was down, and about to receive a hospital-
requiring blow. When Mr. Miyagi enters, it reverses the
expectation of that scene. It's also a reversal of what we
and Daniel think of Miyagi: an eccentric, pleasant,
harmless guy. Kind of old and pudgy. But now we see he's
brave and, when he wants to be, an effective man of action,
one who knows karate so well he subdues all those guys. And
... in the scene after, he agrees to be Daniel's mentor, to
tutor the boy in karate.

So this is not just a scene reversal, but a plot
reversal as well.

In between scene and plot reversals are sequence
reversals. Sometimes there are three or more scenes that
make up a sequence, in which a subgoal is being pursued,
and/or a plan is unfolding, or an overall action (escaping,
searching, etc.) is in effect. Sometimes there will be a
reversal within that sequence. Often sequence reversals
function like scene reversals: there is some effect on the
overall plot, but not to the degree of creating a plot
reversal or even a major turning point in the plot. If the
sequence reversal does, indeed, create a reversal in the
overall plot ... then it's not just a sequence reversal, but
a plot reversal as well.

So there are three levels of reversals: scene,
sequence, and plot reversals. But just as there are levels
of reversals, so too are there various *types* of reversals.
And again, the magic number is three.

"Three" is the operative number for reversals, it seems.
We need three (or more) major, plot-changing reversals per
story ... there are three levels of reversals (scene,
sequence, and overall plot) ... and there are three *types*
of reversals.

The three types of reversals are:

1. A Reversal of Expectations.
2. A Reversal of Fortune.
3. A Full-fledged Reversal of Situation.


(End of Issue 22;
TO BE CONTINUED with Issue #23.)