StoryNotesNewsletter #3:


(This is a continuation of the
article which began in Issue #1; see
the online archive at e-groups if you
did not receive or save Issues 1 & 2:
www.egroups.com/StoryNotesNewsletter)


PART 3 (of 4):


THE KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR PROTAGONISTS & SCREENWRITERS


7 -- SUFFERING

This is one more thing audiences respect and admire – a
character who keeps going despite physical or emotional suffering.
It's part of the price which must be paid when trying to do the
difficult.
Seeing a character endure and persist despite pain engages the
audience's sympathy. It also proves to us just how important this
is to the character. And it makes us that much happier at the end
if the character finally succeeds. When characters have tried
their hardest (maximum effort) and endured suffering of one sort or
another, and yet continued (persistence), we feel they have
*earned* their success, and we rejoice at it.

Athletes have an expression: "no pain, no gain." While that
can be taken to unproductive and foolish extremes, it is true that
in physical, athletic endeavors, in order to achieve success, some
sweat, strain, soreness, and exhaustion must be endured along the
way, both during training and often during the event itself.
Many artists have suffered pain while creating some of their
great works – Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine
Chapel, Monet painting outdoors in the bitter cold, and with
arthritis.

Students, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, executives, and
others often sacrifice pleasure in order to do the studying,
practice, training, or extra work needed to attain their goals.
Doctors have a particularly long road, and their year of residency
entails much emotional and physical pain by way of stress and sleep
deprivation.
When a goal is difficult, it will almost always entail some
sort of sacrifice, and perhaps even pain of one sort or another.
It's a price individuals must be willing to pay to enjoy the
benefits of achieving our desires.

For a screenwriter, suffering can come in the form of
frustration at not solving a script problem, at not making fast
enough progress, at lacking connections, at not having enough time
to write, at not making a sale soon enough, and in dealing with
sometimes savage criticism and rejection.
Sometimes we literally suffer pain when hunched over the
keyboard for hours on end, although that generally mild pain should
be kept in perspective.
Often the suffering comes from people who mock our goals and
attempt to dissuade us from pursuing them. As with everyone else,
we must endure the suffering, learn from it, and go on.

8 -- STRENGTH AND SKILLS

When a character uses some special skill or knowledge, make
sure you have planted (established) that the character has that
skill or knowledge earlier in the script.
It helps show determination and a willingness to engage in
maximum effort if whatever physical strength a character has is
called upon at some point, even if the task is primarily a mental
one. It also provides variety. In addition, any good character is
a specific individual, with certain areas of knowledge and certain
particular skills. We find it rewarding when some bit of knowledge
or skill that we know the character possesses is brought to bear in
the solution of the problem or the achievement of the goal.

It's realistic, as well. In real life, the bigger a problem
is, or the harder a goal, the more likely it is that we will have
to draw on many areas of our knowledge, and utilize one or more of
our skills. Not all real-life goals involve physical strength or
effort, but surprisingly, many do, even ones that wouldn't appear
to. Musicians lug their equipment, shopkeepers and homeowners help
clean or remodel their stores and homes, a salesperson may have to
change a tire or push-start a stalled car in order to get to a
vital appointment on time. It's not only athletic goals that
entail some occasional sweat and strain.

Screenwriters can use all sorts of special knowledge and
skills in their screenplays. You know about real estate? That
could be used in some scene, or even be the movie's backdrop. The
inner workings of almost any job can be interesting to those who
don't know about it. And special skills possessed by you can be
given to your characters. You can write about the skills (and they
can demonstrate and/or talk about them) in a convincing manner.

9 -- ASSISTANCE

A character without an ally is rare. If the task is that
difficult, chances are some help will be necessary.
And an ally can be a valuable character. For one thing, it
helps for your protagonist to have someone to talk to. In
addition, if the main character becomes obsessed and acts against
conscience, there can now be conflict with the ally. Finally, the
ally can serve as a foil or contrast character; he or she possesses
some trait lacking in the main character.

In real life, those who try to solve great problems or perform
great deeds alone sometimes succeed eventually, but only after much
extra and needless time and effort. More often, when insisting on
going it alone, they doom themselves to failure. Too often pride,
vanity, mistrust, lack of self-worth ("I'm not worthy of help"),
impatience, or other counter-productive attitudes prevent some
people from seeking or accepting help. The harder the task, the
more likely it is we will need the advice or assistance of one or
more others in order to succeed.
Students need teachers. Junior executives need mentors.
Athletes need coaches. Inventors need investors and assistants.
Producers of goods need employees and distributors. Leaders need
like-minded allies and followers.

Screenwriters, too, need a helping hand. We can rarely learn
enough about the craft on our own. Help is available through
books, tapes, magazines, newsletters, and online newsgroups and
message boards. Where possible, classes and workshops are
valuable.
When it comes to marketing your work, it is impossible to do
it on your own. Networking becomes crucial. Expanding your
contacts. Communicating. It is not you, but others, who will
green-light your progress. Seek assistance when needed. Collect
mentors and allies.

10 -- MAXIMUM EFFORT

With so much against your protagonist, it won't be credible if
he or she doesn't give an all-out effort. And again, audiences
really admire this. It creates sympathy and often empathy, as
well; we really start pulling for this person to succeed.
In life, small problems and quick, easy goals do not require
maximum effort. But tough problems and difficult goals will, at
least at times, require the utmost effort possible.
Becoming a good writer and also a produced one is so difficult
you have very little chance unless you make a maximum effort. Be
like your protagonist: give it all you've got.

11 -- MORAL FACTOR

At one point, many protagonists begin to ignore their moral
code. They are so strongly motivated, so desperate to succeed, so
frustrated and perhaps fearful of failure that they become nearly
obsessed, and sometimes violate their conscience. This creates
inner-conflict (character against self), which is dramatically
helpful, and also usually creates conflict between an ally and the
protagonist. In movies with a positive ending, the character gets
back in sync with what is right.

In real life, too, when persons trying to achieve something
very difficult are hobbled by internal conflicts that stem from
disregarding their conscience, they tend to be distracted. They're
not giving full mental attention and energy to the problem at hand.
And often, subconsciously, they will do something to trip
themselves up.
Also: since more people have a conscience than lack one, a
person of good moral character will attract more support than someone
with a shady, sociopathic, or criminal mindset.

Some screenwriters are tempted to ignore their conscience by
writing material that think will be commercial but which they, in
some way, find personally, even morally, abhorrent.
Writers who don't like or have moral qualms about the stories
they write will not be happy even should they succeed. And chances
are they *won't* succeed; it's extremely difficult to write well
when writing material you don't like or don't believe in.
Writers are best when writing about something they care about,
something that excites them and that they are passionate about.
You can't do that if you're violating your conscience. As the song
says, let it be your guide – that and your passions and enthusiasm
for a subject.

12 -- COURAGE

If we put a character into a situation where courage isn't
necessary, then the stakes aren't high enough. The risks aren't
great enough. Not all stories demand physical courage. But
risking failure, resisting peer pressure, or persevering despite
the ridicule of others also involves a kind of courage.
A character called upon to be courageous despite great fear
creates conflict and often character growth. This is even more
effective with a character who never knew he or she was capable of
bravery. If highly motivated, almost anyone is capable of courage.
But it still isn't easy.

When looking at the lives of real men and women of great
accomplishment, frequently it took courage to even begin their
great quests, plans, journeys, and goals. This is especially true
for those who were pioneers, pathfinders, innovators, or explorers --
whether in the realm of physical travel and discovery, or in the
fields of science, technology, or business. It also applies to
many military leaders and statesmen.
And it took courage again to weather the periods of doubt and
travail -- to continue to believe in themselves and their dreams,
and to push past the setbacks, hardships, and chorus of voices
urging them to quit or turn back. Courage must counter not just
physical fears, but the fear of the unknown path and outcome, and
the fear of failure.

When a screenwriter buys an expensive computer system and
printer (or software program, etc.) that isn't easily affordable,
that's an act of courage. It's even more an act of courage to
stand up to (or ignore) those who try to convince you that your
goals are impossible and foolish, who may even belittle and laugh
at you. This is true for would-be screenwriters and for all others
who are both dreamers and doers, who are bucking the odds and
trying to do the difficult.
Peer, family, and community pressure is a potent force; it
takes courage to rise above it. It also takes courage to commit to
a goal that will take a long time, much effort, and whose outcome
is uncertain.
Thus, courage – physical and/or psychological – is
required for the achievement of great goals.


(TO BE CONTINUED ...)

(End of Part 3; see Issue 4)


Copyright Jeff Newman, 2000


For information about Jeff Newman's "StoryNotes Screenplay
Evaluation Service," go to www.storynotes.net.