If you want to sell a screenplay you have to make sure it contains that vital ingredient in all movies — its characters don’t talk and behave as we do in real life. We all know realism is essential in a film or else it loses credibility and, eventually, the…
Here’s the final part in the series looking at your protagonist’s want and need. The next day, Miles and Maya finally get together after spending the day with Jack and Stephanie. Miles’ unconscious desire has seemingly won out; but not for long. His old self,…
In this post we’ll show how a protagonist’s conscious and unconscious desire, or want and need are interwoven in the second act of a screenplay. Right through the first half of the second act, Miles’ conscious desire has full hold of his senses — he flips out when…
Working out your protagonist’s conscious and unconscious desires is a vital part of the screenwriting process. Some people have it all mapped out before they start writing, while others knock out a draft or two before it all starts to come together. We recommend getting to grips…
So, you’ve worked out both a strong conscious desire and unconscious desire for your hero. But how do you weave both throughout your story’s plot points? In this post, we’ll take a look at weaving conscious and unconscious desire into the set-up, and in subsequent posts tackle the…
In today’s post we’re going to attempt to shed light on a particularly confusing area for many writers. Yes, we are going to dive into the murky world of your protagonist’s unconscious desire. OK, you have a hero, but are you completely clear on what both their…
Don’t worry, we’re not talking gymnastics. We’re talking about your hero’s inner change. We all know that (in most genres) your protagonist needs to change during the course of the script, but just how much does yours? Are they the jealous type at the beginning and…
So, what is the single best way to introduce your hero? There’s a very simple answer to this question: Make them ACTIVE. But here’s the key: The very first thing we should see the hero doing is what makes them who they are as a person. Audiences…