The Plot Machine Page 6
All this should be illustrated in Act I. We need to see the hero’s day-to-day world and how this world is based on a corrupt power structure. We should witness the hero’s faith in that structure and rejection of any criticism. Consider subordinate characters and plots that could provide counterpoint to the hero’s unquestioning faith.
WIN LOVE THROUGH TRICKERY
SUBTERFUGE stories almost always begin with a what-if premise. What if a woman had to pass as a man, or a man as a woman? What if a servant posed as a wealthy aristocrat? What if a nobody was mistaken for a crime boss? The entertainment value comes in the audacity of the gag. This is a popular endeavor in romantic comedies as love is a great motivator for such wacky schemes. For our purposes we’ll posit that a poor hero must pretend to be a rich.
What do We Have?
WE HAVE A PREMISE OF poor hero pretending to be rich.
We probably also have a desire story in mind. Subterfuge is rarely an effective means to defeat a threat, although subterfuge can be employed to hide from one.
The goal is love and that implies a hero who lacks love in the first act.
The romantic genre implies a fantastical tone.
What is the Goal?
THE GENERAL GOAL IS love/affection/companionship. The specific goal presents itself with the inciting incident. In romantic-comedies this is often called the meet cute moment. Some effort is needed to design the connection between goal and endeavor. The hero could try various conventional means to connect with this love interest, but nothing works.
What is the Endeavor?
THIS IS THE CENTRAL gag that probably sparked interest in the story to begin with. Specificity matters in such fish-out-of-water stories and some thought should be given to the setting. What is the most extreme example of poor/rich contrast. Is a bum mistaken for a Wall Street tycoon? A hillbilly is mistaken for royalty. Let’s say our hero is a servant working for a billionaire who is away on vacation. The inciting incident may involve mistaken identity and it’s a ruse they want to sustain.
What is the Framework of Act II?
MUCH OF THE ENTERTAINMENT value of subterfuge stories comes in the fun and games offered at the start of Act II. The writer must design as many compelling situations as possible. These gags, however, typically can’t sustain the entire second act. A mid-point reversal may serve to keep things interesting.
That reversal may come in the form of the hero achieving his/her initial goal: winning the affection of their desired mate. A milestone is crossed: a first date or a first kiss. The circumstances of the remainder of Act II are more oriented to maintaining the ruse than winning affection.
Sub-plots are helpful in such stories. There should be a handful of B- and C-level stories relating to the hero’s motivation and the antagonists seeking to unmask him. The love interest may have a sub-plot of their own, explaining why they are also looking for love.
Who is the Hero?
ONCE AGAIN, THE LARGER elements of the story dictate the characteristics of the hero. This is a romance, so the hero is clearly lacking love. The use of a false identity implies a theme related to honesty or self-respect. The hero may be ashamed of his/her true identity and circumstances. They believe the only way to win love is to be someone different.
The hero should be smart enough to pass themselves off as their alter-ego, but quirky enough to do so in a comedic or endearing manner. Their goal is relatable even if their means to achieve it is dishonest. To exaggerate the silliness of the gag, design a hero who is the polar opposite of what he or she must be in the second act.
What is the Death Moment?
THIS IS EASY: THE HERO’S false identity is revealed. They may have achieved their goals, but that achievement was based on a lie. Nothing breaks the spell of love faster than a lie. Any goodwill they have earned with their romantic interest is wrecked. Even worse than losing what they have gained, is the fate of returning to their dull original life. Their old life looks even worse given the different world they’ve been living in.
What is the Climax?
SUBTERFUGE stories benefit from a compelling gag, the entertainment value of fun and games, and the drama of the death moment. All this must be topped off with a satisfying resurrection and ultimate victory and this sequence is always the trickiest part of the plot.
If the death moment plays out the hero’s flaw, then this resurrection may be based on strengths. The writer must design a plot thread that results in the hero winning love based on their positive qualities. Sub-plots are ideal for this task. Perhaps there is a B- or C-story in which the hero can secure permanent wealth by some trickery. Being an honorable person, he rejects this scheme. This so endears him to the love interest that she forgives his previous deceit and they build an honest relationship together.
What is the Framework of Act I?
THE FIRST ACT IS LARGELY defined by the elements we’ve established. The hero is seeking love, so it follows he is currently without love. Perhaps he is dumped by his current partner. We could also see the hero go through various conventional attempts to find love: singles bars, dating websites, a matchmaker, blind dates, etc. Their flaw should be evident. Perhaps they are habitual liars or exaggerators.
To justify this extreme endeavor, the motivation must 1) explain why this one particular person is the focus of the hero’s infatuation, and 2) why that person will only be impressed by a rich suitor. This requires both push and pull. The pull comes in the inciting incident where the hero sees their ideal mate and is smitten. Cupid’s arrow has struck hard.
The push can come in the form of a ticking clock, or a fluke opportunity that the hero spontaneously decides to take advantage of. Perhaps the love interest mistakenly assumes the butler is the billionaire, and the butler is too smitten to correct her. Once they’ve stepped down the road of lies, however, it is difficult to turn back.
CRIME STORY
CRIME STORIES MAY BE the most popular story-type in television history. The genre serves the hour-drama format well. The stories are instantly compelling, often starting with a crime, and no motivation is needed to get the hero involved in a case week after week.
A feature length crime story may require some special significance. Perhaps this is the detective’s last case before retirement, or it relates to a case he never solved. Maybe the villain is targeting the detective, seeking retribution for a past conviction.
What do We Have?
CRIME STORIES TYPICALLY start with the familiar genre. It can be challenging to bring something fresh to the table and that new angle often comes in the hero or setting. Maybe the hard-boiled detective is a teenager or a senior citizen. Perhaps the story is set in the old west or outer space.
The genre also tells us a lot about the overall structure. We know there will be a crime in Act I and our hero will investigate it. We know there will be clues to ponder and evidence to process. We know the entertainment value comes from puzzle-solving and perhaps some action.
What we don’t have is the crime itself.
For our purposes let’s say this is a routine investigation, perhaps for an hour-long television series.
What is the Goal?
OBVIOUSLY, THE HERO wants to put the cuffs on the criminal. There are variations within the larger crime genre. The detective may know who did the crime, but lack evidence to prove it. They may have a variety of potential suspects and need to deduce which one is guilty. They may be forced to disprove the conviction of a wrongly convicted suspect.
Must of this depends on the crime itself. Detectives are reactive characters and their actions are linked to what the villain has done or is continuing to do. Let’s say a murder has been committed and our hero wants to catch the killer.
What is the Endeavor?
THE CRIME GENRE LENDS itself to a quest. Even if the hero doesn’t leave their city, they must explore hidden aspects of it. The hero’s journey is more intellectual than geographic. This is a treasure story, but the reward is putting
the criminal behind bars and gaining the satisfaction of restoring balance to the imbalance of an unpunished crime.
As the dogged pursuit of clues and evidence can grow tedious, some key turning points should be established. The first turning point typically raises the stakes for the hero. Often another body is found, implying a serial killer is on the loose. Alternatively, there could be some link to a past case, or a macabre pattern to the crimes.
What is the Framework of Act II?
DETECTIVE STORIES ARE typically filled with one nagging obstacle: the lack of information. While the main goal is arresting the criminal, numerous subordinate goals may be involved, each linked to a piece of information. Who is the victim? Where is the murder weapon? Are their any witnesses?
One way to fill the second act is to take away as much information from the hero as possible. Perhaps there is no identification on the body. Perhaps there is no body. If there are witnesses, they aren’t talking. There is no murder weapon. The cause of death baffles the medical examiner. Give your hero as little as possible to go on.
The hero should stub their toe with each step of their investigation. Information does not come easy and only leads to more questions. Rules may need to be bent or broken. Subplots can serve as counterpoint to the investigation. These may involve the detective’s home life or personal life.
Who is the Hero?
MOST CRIME STORIES involve qualified detectives with skills that justify the position they hold. Often they are righteous heroes, though the film-noir genre adds flaws like addiction, greed, or a callous disregard for others.
Detectives are often imbued with extraordinary investigative skills. The entertainment value comes from having such champion puzzle-solvers initially stumped by a perplexing scenario. Detectives often have no growth arc. They end the investigation much as they began it.
To that end, the writer has to treat the villain as the main character and map out their motivations, goals, plans, and complications. The detective must then unravel these elements through sleuthing. This relationship between the hero’s front story and the villain’s background story can be challenging to design. Foreground detective work must logically relate to the villain’s unseen activities.
What is the Death Moment?
THE TENSION OF A CRIME story comes in the frustrating lack of information. The release comes when nagging questions are answered. The death moment can result from this friction. An arrest could be made, but the hero believes it’s the wrong perpetrator. The criminal could be arrested, but the case tossed out due to the hero’s aggressive tactics.
This turning point is a major set-back to the case, but it should be noted that detectives have little personal stake in solving the crime other than to seek justice.
What is the Climax?
IN CRIME STORIES, THE climax is where the hero identifies and apprehends the criminal. These events can be in close proximity or some distance apart. One final piece of evidence typically leads to this event and that key information is only obtained through the hero’s exceptional skills.
As intellectual exercises, crime stories often involve false leads and misdirections employed to trick the hero (and the audience). In turn, the hero may employ tricks to trip-up the villain. This is another reason why crime stories require the design of the villain’s story as much as the hero’s.
What is the Framework of Act I?
IN THIS GENRE, THERE often isn’t a first act at all. Given that the hero doesn’t change much internally, there is no need to see him in his normal world. Crime stories often begin with the detective arriving on the scene. In feature-length stories, some common investigative steps may happen in Act I. Who is the victim? What is their back-story? Who were their enemies? How was the crime done? What is the physical evidence? Only when the case takes on a special significance do we make the turn into the endeavor.
It is the writer’s job to establish something particularly compelling about this case. There should be a perplexing element that challenges even our detective’s vaunted skills. Perhaps the body was found in a room locked from the inside. Maybe the crown jewels were stolen from an impregnable safe. Establishing a particular intellectual puzzle will hook the audience and draw them through the investigation.
PERSONAL GOAL STORY
NOT ALL HERO’S ARE trying to slay a dragon or catch a serial killer. Some just want to accomplish a personal goal. It might be climbing a mountain, graduating from college, or going the distance with the heavyweight champion of the world. We all set goals, some impossibly high, and inspiring stories of achievement can spur us to face our own challenges.
What Do We Have?
SUCH STORIES OFTEN start with the challenge itself. Perhaps it is the world of marathon runners, professional poker players, or a famous event like the Tour de France, National Spelling Bee, or a talent competition. The entertainment value comes in the vicarious experience of entering this unique world.
The big event may give us the second act endeavor or the third act climax depending on the scale of the story and particulars of the event. The Tour de France lasts for weeks and could consume the second act. A boxing match would more likely occupy the third act, with the second act devoted to preparation.
Let’s posit that our hero is training to run a marathon.
What is the Goal?
OUR HERO’S GOAL IS known early in Act I or Act II. There is no pressing threat nor is there a tangible treasure. Accomplishing the feat is the tangible goal, but the real reward is the intangible sense of accomplishment and self-worth. Through the story, we learn that the emotional reward of reaching this goal takes on more and more importance.
What is the Endeavor?
THIS IS NATURALLY A prepare for battle story. As our hero prepares for a marathon, they are training and running in preliminary races. The writer’s task is to design a group of obstacles related to skills the hero needs to succeed. Soldiers learn battle tactics and how to use weapons. Our marathon runner will train his/her body to build strength and stamina.
What is the Framework of Act II?
TRAINING ALONE MAY not be enough to sustain a full-length story. The writer should consider subordinate goals that relate to the goal. Our marathon runner may need to recruit a coach or mentor. There may be a key challenger. The hero may need equipment and the funds for shoes and travel expenses.
Subplots should relate to the hero’s decision. Look at the race as a pebble in a pond creating waves through every aspect of the hero’s personal, professional, and internal life. There are a steady stream of naysayers happy to mock our hero as he/she makes slow progress toward the big race.
Who is the Hero?
IN THIS STORY, THE hero is largely defined by the universal truth the writer hopes to illustrate. This story lends itself to themes of self-worth, triumph of the human spirit, and rising above adversity. Each theme would merit variations in the design of the hero.
Maybe our marathon runner is older and grasping at a last gasp of youth. Maybe he’s overweight and running is part of a goal to regain fitness. Maybe she is dealing with a disability and wants to prove she can rise above it. An aging athlete may embody the value of experience. A maligned amateur could symbolize the power of self-confidence.
As this endeavor is difficult, our hero is probably not a professional marathon runner. The hero must have some abilities, however, and the story of an unlikely, even unqualified, runner can have deep resonance.
What is the Death Moment?
THE DEATH MOMENT RELATES to the marathon, but has more internal than external resonance. Perhaps the hero didn’t make the cut in a qualifying race. It appears their dream is over. They suffer the reactions of the naysayers and doubt themselves. Conversely, they could double-down on what appears to be an impossible dream. Perhaps they quit their job to train full time. The act may end with personal relationships and professional status in peril.
What is the Climax?
WE HAVE KNOWN ALL ALONG t
hat the climax will be the marathon. This competition may take place in a new geographic location. The hero has risen from his death moment—perhaps another athlete suffered an injury, thus creating a spot for our hero in the race. Often an inspirational story will have a mixed ending in which the hero fails at the tangible goal, but succeeds in satisfying their need for self-esteem. They may not win the race, but win the respect of the community. The denouement depicts their self-esteem and respect.
What is the Shape of Act I?
IT IS IMPORTANT TO view an inspirational hero in his/her real-world environment. We want to appreciate their strengths and weaknesses and also put in place the various sub-plots impacted by their decision to run a marathon. Chief among these elements are the various doubters, the allies the hero will need, and the personal and professional relationships that will be tested.
A GREAT REALM STORY
SOME STORIES ARE TOLD on an epic landscape. The individual characters and their goals serve to depict the spectacle of this great realm. Writers love to create such worlds and readers enjoy immersing themselves in different lands or universes.