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Story Strategy Reading Notes
This is a mind map of the reading notes for Story Strategy, a book that offers a fresh approach to creating powerful cinematic stories, covering key aspects from building story structure to creating compelling characters.
Edited at 2024-02-11 22:38:06
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"Story Strategy" Reading Notes
Base
Screenwriter's Goal
story ceremony
Why watch movies
get deep feelings
Every story is a myth
How to perceive movies
Make the protagonist relatable
Maintain the balance of character resonance
The secret to character resonance
courage
unfair harm
ability
humor
Kind
in danger
Deeply loved by friends and family
effort
Perseverance
How to attract your audience through change
High-stakes plot conflict
Types of High Stakes Risk
life and death
Literal life and death
spiritual life and death
Only the protagonist can trigger change
conflict is king
two levels of conflict
explicit action conflict
implicit emotional conflict
7 basic elements of conflict
Conflict must be intense
Conflicts must be visible
Conflict must be dangerous
The conflict must continue to develop and escalate, bringing more challenges to the protagonist.
Just one conflict scene isn't enough to sustain a movie
Conflict must surprise the audience
Conflict must be convincing
Conflict must be resolved in a meaningful way
Create a character
Character elements
Protagonist
A righteous hero
unconventional hero
tragic hero
Funny hero
catalyst hero
antagonist/villain
The opponent is the protagonist’s most powerful enemy
The opponent should not be a team of people or a concept, but an individual
A seemingly unbeatable and powerful opponent
The antagonist is convinced of his claims and believes that confronting and stopping the overrated protagonist is the right thing to do
In psychology, the antagonist can be the other side of the protagonist himself
The antagonist may instigate accomplices to fight against the protagonist
The protagonist should not be his own opponent
Natural disasters are no opponent
The opponent can wear the mask of a friend or lover until the disguise is finally removed, but this does not prevent him from always existing as a villain.
The opponent is not always a villain
The antagonist can never be the protagonist, but sometimes they dominate the story
When romance becomes the main plot, the protagonist's love interest functions as an antagonist.
Love object
Love object brings important story changes
Love object triggers sexual tension
The love interest introduces the main plot or the subplot of courtship
The love interest forces the protagonist to introspect and pursue his or her own growth.
Not every movie has room for a love interest, but love is always the best available subplot.
tutor
The mentor can be anyone at any age, as long as he can impart important knowledge or skills to the protagonist
Mentors usually die
There can be more than one mentor in the story
The mentor often gives the protagonist important or life-saving gifts
A mentor can be dishonest or immoral, dishonest or unpopular, frustrated or fallen.
partner
The companion has the same goals as the protagonist but is not the main driver of the story.
The partner does not have the same abilities as the protagonist
The partner is absolutely loyal to the protagonist and trustworthy
Partners will not die
Partner does not experience character growth
Sidekicks often question the protagonist's motives, causing conflict and offering advice.
Same-sex partners often echo the protagonist's love with their own comedic romance
border guard
Other allies
Compare allies
comedy ally
Helper Follower Ally
Promising savior ally
Cheering allies
Innocent allies in danger
antagonist
Adversary Agent
independent troublemaker
Villains
atmosphere character
light of dialogue
Dialogue should advance the dramatic conflict taking place in the present
Dialogue should be full of comedic tension
Generally speaking, dialogue should express only one idea at a time.
Great dialogue often conveys subtext
describe body movements
Dialogue should come from the lives and joys and sorrows of unique characters
avoid small talk
Dialogue should be concise and to the point
Characters must be represented rather than described
Avoid historical backtracking
Don't preach
Build story structure
The basic story structure of the movie
Movies and Novels
movie story structure
Act 1
act 2
act three
trigger event
The sooner the better
amazing surprise
It must happen to the protagonist, not someone else
happened in an instant
The protagonist must be shocked
The protagonist’s situation must be completely changed
Changed the fate of the protagonist
Tell the audience the plot of the movie
midpoint
The midpoint is different in tone, style, and rhythm from the rest of the section, and may use a musical montage to represent the passage of time.
Often the midpoint serves the dramatic function of the point of no return
Conflicts between protagonist and antagonist usually turn personal at the midpoint
In love stories and wolf comedies, the midpoint is often the first time the lovers kiss or have sex, literally or metaphorically.
The midpoint often involves the literal or metaphorical taking off of the mask
The midpoint almost always contains the second major step in a character's growth
The countdown always starts from the middle point
Midpoints often involve actual or metaphorical moments of death and rebirth as a rite of passage for the protagonist.
climax of act 2
amazing surprise
Required scene
ending
character growth arc
growth arc steps
Act One: Hiding behind a protective shell
Act 2: Growing and working hard
Act Three: Completely stepping out of the emotional protective shell
23 Paragraphs of Heroic Goals
Act 1: Paragraphs 1-6
The surprising surprise must appear in target paragraph 6
First half of Act 2: 7-12
The midpoint always occurs at target paragraph 12
The second half of the second act: 13-18
Amazing surprise 2 always appears in target paragraph 18
Act III Resolution: Paragraphs 19-23
Suitable for feature films