Thursday, March 21, 2013

A DRAMATIC CHARACTER IS ALWAYS STRIVING FOR SOMETHING


It’s no accident that drama is all about “what happened” and “what comes next”. As such, it is almost always always about characters that are running FROM or running TOWARDS something. Similarly, many writers write out of their depressions or out their anxieties. When you are depressed, you are living out of your past; when you are anxious, you are living out of your fears of the future. The screenwriter that wishes to write a story that ultimately transcends both depression and fear must write in such a way that both past and future are made present - and continually present - in the actions of the characters. What ultimately counts in drama is what the characters are doing NOW, vividly and deeply, so that we - as both writers and audience - are able to enter into their PRESENCE as they enter ours. From this experience, exhilaration and joy are born.

- Billy Marshall Stoneking


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