The View From Here

By Christina Hamlett

I recently finished doing coverage on the manuscript of what would make an excellent book. You’ll note that I said “book” and not “film,” even though the latter was the author’s intended goal. It was one of those stories that not only spanned continents but spanned the course of 60 years, exploring the twisted relationships of a dysfunctional family that made the cast of DALLAS look like THE BRADY BUNCH.

While I enjoy the quirkiness and comic fodder generated by dysfunctional families just as much as the next person, my problem with the story kept coming back to one thing: I never really knew who I was supposed to root for. Just when one character started to get interesting and emerge as the one whose hopes, fears, and dilemmas I thought I was supposed to follow, another character jumped to centerstage and began to project her hopes, fears, and dilemmas. Whose story was this anyway?

By the time the entire family and their social circle had all been introduced, I was completely confused, especially since there was no unifying objective on which they—and a potential audience—could collectively focus. There were no perceptible cause-and-effect relationships amidst all of this intercutting and mini-plots, which resulted in a complete lack of continuity and momentum. What were they all doing here besides just taking up space?

Clearly the writer hadn’t decided any of this before she typed FADE IN.

PICK A POINT OF VIEW

Because film is a vicarious medium, it’s important to establish as early as possible whose story it is that is being told. (What script readers specifically look for, in fact, is whether the main character introduced in the opening pages is still talking—or being talked about—in the final pages.) More often than not, the primary events which unfold will be from the viewpoint of the protagonist or, in the case of a romance, the dual viewpoints of the leading man and leading lady in their quest to achieve the same goal. The moment you start giving more lines and more screen-time to the antagonist and/or subordinate characters, the more you’ve diluted the protagonist’s point of view and weakened the plot’s infrastructure.

A good example of this is Kevin Costner’s ROBIN HOOD, PRINCE OF THIEVES. We know from the star billing and English history that the story is supposed to be from Robin’s perspective. Yet how often did you find yourself waiting in anticipation for his arch enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham, to reappear?
While there are some films which have successfully juggled multiple viewpoints (REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, for example), it’s probably not a good idea to attempt “ensemble narration” on your very first script. Decide whose primary story it’s going to be…and stick with it!

JUST FOR FUN

Anyone who has grown up with siblings can attest to the fact there are multiple sides to every story. No matter what the inciting incident is, every spectator and participant—just like a crime scene—has a different rendition of what happened. Which version is right?

The tale of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD is generally told from the omnipotent, third person point of view. Although it is primarily Red’s story, we’re nevertheless aware of the wolf lurking in the woods and the sweet-faced grandmother waiting for her favorite relative to deliver a basket of fresh fruit and scones. Let’s say your job as a screenwriter is to pitch three different versions of this tale to a producer: one from Ms. Hood’s point of view, one from the viewpoint of the wolf, and the third from the viewpoint of the grandmother.

For each one-page synopsis that you write reflecting these three different views, examine what the goals and objectives are of each party, their state of mind during the events leading up to the woodsman’s fortuitous arrival, and what each of them did with their lives after “FADE TO BLACK…” (assuming they were still alive to tell about it.) When you have completed all three synopses, assess which of these three characters has the most compelling point of view and, thus, should drive the action.

INTRODUCING AGENTS FOR CHANGE

At the start of any story, the protagonist’s point of view stems from where he or she is at that particular moment in time. Maybe they are content with the status quo and abhor the idea of any revision to it. On the other hand, maybe they’re desperate to be somewhere else or to acquire something they’re presently lacking. What will it take to light a fire under them and ultimately force a decision about their future? In order to chart a new course and alter his or her current perspective, what your lead character needs most is to be introduced to a catalyst, an agent for change.

The agent for change is an individual whose own point of view (or personal circumstances) is often in contrast to the protagonist. While agents for change have well defined goals and objectives of their own, they generally don’t have to undergo any character transformations themselves in order to achieve those quests. Instead the agent for change is responsible, either by design or accident, for setting up the requisite strategies and events which will impact the hero/heroine’s emotional growth.

The classic CASABLANCA is a nice demonstration of how this works. Although there is a strong undercurrent of romance between Rick and Ilsa, the story is related to us through Rick’s viewpoint. Here is a man who has basically declared himself neutral while the world around him is gripped in the grim reality of war.

Enter Ilsa, the agent for change. Ilsa is as determined to be proactive in securing the letters of transit to save her husband, Laszlo, as Rick is steadfast to stay passive, cynical, and not to stick his head out for anybody. By the final credits, Ilsa has not only achieved her objective of getting safe passage but influenced Rick to rejoin humanity and take up a cause that is higher than his own self-interests or the feelings they have for each other.

JUST FOR MORE FUN

Identify the agent for change in each of the following films and decide for yourself how he or she specifically impacted the protagonist’s change of heart or purpose:

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
STAR WARS
WITNESS
GROUNDHOG DAY
THE PIANO
TRUE LIES
JERRY MAGUIRE
SEVEN
TOOTSIE
SHAKEPEARE IN LOVE
LETHAL WEAPON
MOONSTRUCK

Ever wonder what the script looked like for TRUE LIES? Or how about RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK? This month’s recommended website to bookmark is www.scriptdude.com, which not only helps teach you correct formatting for feature films but offers a delightful read of over 170 downloadable screenplays in pdf format.

Former actress and director Christina Hamlett is the author of 17 books, 98 plays and musicals, and over 250 magazine and newspaper articles on the performing arts, humor, health, travel, and how-to's for new writers. Her latest book, "ScreenTEENwriters,"is available through Amazon.com. For information on current projects or to engage her services as a stage and screen script consultant, you can reach her at scriptingsuccess@cswebmail.com.