The protagonist's journey An introduction to character-driven screenwriting and storytelling

Scott Myers, 1953-

Book - 2022

Character drives plot. Based on this principle, this book walks aspiring writers through the fascinating world of character-driven screenwriting. When a writer engages their characters, they start a process which naturally leads to the storys structure and everything else that makes for a well-written narrative. Exploring the protagonists journey and their "unity arc", Myers explains how a family of characters surrounds the protagonist and influences their transformation process. This ...easy-to-follow guide features activities that will help writers of any level develop their stories from concept to scene-by-scene outline. Based upon a popular workshop Myers has led with over a thousand writers at all levels of experience, this book is a must-have for screenwriting students, both undergraduate and graduate, and those looking at advanced story development.

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2nd Floor New Shelf 808.23/Myers (NEW SHELF) Due Apr 21, 2023
Subjects
Published
Cham, Switzerland : Palgrave Macmillan [2022]
Language
English
Physical Description
xxxvi, 339 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9783030796815
Main Author
Scott Myers, 1953- (author)
  • Part I: The Protagonists Journey as Narrative Imperative.
  • Chapter One:
  • The Protagonists Journey Due to their central role, engaging the Protagonist is the most important aspect of the story-crafting process
  • Chapter Two:
  • Character Arc In movies, there exists a recurring variety of character arcs including the most popular: positive transformation
  • Chapter Three:
  • Disunity The Protagonist needs to change as reflected in their initial state of disunity
  • Chapter Four:
  • Deconstruction Entering the New World, a series of challenges and trials deconstructs the Protagonists old ways of being
  • Chapter Five:
  • Reconstruction Freed from their old ways of being, the Protagonist is reconstructed by embracing heretofore untapped inner potential
  • Chapter Six:
  • Unity The Protagonist brings together all they have learned in the storys final struggle and in doing so achieves unity
  • Chapter Seven:
  • The Protagonists Place Within the Screenplay Universe The Protagonists journey interweaves between the External World and the Internal World
  • Part II: The Protagonists Journey as Family of Characters
  • Chapter Eight:
  • Primary Character Archetypes Five narrative dynamics common to movies represented by these archetypes: Protagonist, Nemesis, Attractor, Mentor, Trickster
  • Chapter Nine:
  • Nemesis By providing opposition to the Protagonist, the Nemesis generates sustained conflict which creates the central drama of the story
  • Chapter Ten:
  • Attractor During their journey, the Protagonist intersects with Attractor characters who connect with the Protagonists emotional development
  • Chapter Eleven:
  • Mentor The Protagonist meets another type of ally, the Mentor who provides wisdom and contributes to the Protagonists intellectual growth
  • Chapter Twelve:
  • Trickster A shapeshifter tests the will of the Protagonist by switching from ally to enemy, enemy to ally, and generating complications
  • Chapter Thirteen:
  • Subplots Each Protagonist relationship with key characters is a mini-story with its own arc, theme, and contribution to the overall narrative
  • Chapter Fourteen:
  • Character Map There is a structure to the Protagonists relationships with the storys major characters
  • Part III: The Protagonists Journey as Screenplay
  • Chapter Fifteen:
  • Breaking the Story I Begin the story-crafting process by engaging the storys central character with a Protagonist Character Treatment
  • Chapter Sixteen:
  • Breaking the Story II Use a series of brainstorming exercises to explore the story universe and develop its characters
  • Chapter Seventeen:
  • Breaking the Story III A first pass at wrangling the plot by working with Four Primary Plotline Points
  • Chapter Eighteen:
  • Breaking the Story IV Track the Protagonists transformation arc through Four Themeline Movements
  • Chapter Nineteen:
  • Breaking the Story V Expand the framework of the plot by identifying Ten Major Plotline Points
  • Chapter Twenty:
  • Breaking the Story VI Construct the final story structure, both Plotline and Themeline into a Narrative Throughline
  • Chapter Twenty-One:
  • Writing the First Draft Break down the writing process into sets of scenes from one Plotline Point to another all the way through the Denouement. .