Between the Temples – Alternative Forms of Structure

“...Traditionally, when we build even the most independent character driven screenplay, and certainly any Hollywood film, the action of the movie is driven by the desire of the main character.  Usually it is their wish, their dream, their need, their choices, their actions that are driving the movie forward and around which the structure is built.  In fact, when this doesn't happen, there's even a name for it:  When your main character, like Jason Schwartzman’s Ben Gottlieb in Between the Temples isn’t driving the structure, you'll often receive feedback saying you have a passive main character.  (That's if you're getting feedback from someone who somewhat knows what they're doing.) If you're getting feedback from somebody who does not know what they're doing (which is most feedback), when you have a passive main character, you're more likely to get feedback like this:“I just didn't care... I just didn't like them… You need to raise the stakes… I found them hard to root for…You need to work on your structure…”  But really, almost all of those notes are actually pointing to the challenge of a passive main character. Which raises the question, well, what do you do if your character's dominant trait is passivity?...”In this podcast, we’ll be studying Between The Temples to understand how to build Alternative Forms of Structure, (and make them work!), for screenplays that don’t fit into the traditional structural model, plus:  * The power of reflected images in alternative screenwriting structure * The pros and cons of passive main characters in screenwriting * Building narrative drive in scripts * Character wants and goals in screenplays * Episodic vs. structured storytelling * Creating empathetic characters in film * The concepts of MIRRORS and FOILS and how to use them in your writing. * Dramatizing psychological journeys in scripts * Balancing character growth and plot development * Writing compelling dialogue for movies * Crafting memorable scenes in screenplays * Subverting traditional narrative structures * Creating structure without conventional plot drivers Join Jake for free every Thursday night at Thursday Night Writes, RSVP here and check all of our classes!