"Notes on the Art of Screenwriting" (Part 2)

Continuation from Last Time #

This is a classic work that delves into the process of screenwriting for films and TV dramas. The author reveals the key to creating captivating and emotionally resonant stories by elaborating on techniques such as plot construction, character development, and dialogue creation. It is also the book that enlightened me in self-studying screenwriting, and there are many points worth recording and reflecting on. I would like to share them with you here, and I hope they will be helpful to you.

Below is a summary I have compiled during the reading process. It is not a verbatim copy of the original text. To facilitate my own understanding, I have made some adjustments to the wording and context, making it easier to comprehend in the future.

III. Conflict#

Source of Action#

Every action has a cause and effect; there are no spontaneous actions.

Cause and Effect#

Every intensifying conflict should show signs of its determining forces before it occurs.
The small conflicts that lead to major conflicts follow the premise of drama. Small conflicts serve as "transitions," continuously changing the characters' mental states until they are forced to make decisions.
The seeds of conflict are present in everything. Regardless of how humble a character may be, they will always have their own goals. Even small goals can lead to escalating conflicts.
Conflict takes on many complex forms, but they all evolve from the forms of "attack" and "counterattack."
On the surface, a reasonable conflict contains two opposing forces. At its root, both forces are the result of quantitative changes. The tension caused by these two forces can only be resolved through the comprehensive eruption of conflict.

Static Conflict#

When a character appears on stage, introduces themselves, and then exits, it is solely because the author needs to introduce a new character at that moment. Their re-entry into the plot is also at the author's will. They come on stage to express their thoughts and feelings, and then disappear to make way for other characters.
Even if a scene has interesting dialogue, if it does not advance the conflict, the plot will stagnate. Only conflict can ensure more conflicts. After consciously initiating the first conflict, one must strive to continue initiating conflicts in accordance with the premise of the drama.
A scene should only have one main premise, and each character should have their own premise. They collide with each other, collectively propelling the story towards the main premise.

Leaping Conflict#

The audience must be fully informed about the characters, but in leaping conflicts, they only know surface-level information. The author must provide opportunities for the true characters to reveal their inner selves, and give the audience a chance to observe the significant changes happening to them. The technique used to achieve this should not be deliberate or explicit; trust that the audience will discover it on their own.
Regardless of whether the conflict slows down, suddenly rises, remains static, or leaps, the author needs to go back and check the premise. Is its expression clear? Does it still hold true? Adjust any potential errors in a timely manner, and then study the characters again.
Drama is not an imitation of life, but a reflection of its essence.
The protagonist is of utmost importance in the conflict. They allow other characters to grow in the conflict. It must be ensured that the protagonist is unwavering, unable to compromise, and will never compromise.

Escalating Conflict#

Escalating conflict is the result of a clear premise, well-developed three-dimensional characters, and the close relationship of opposition and unity between characters.
As long as well-developed three-dimensional characters are given a clearly defined premise, any type of conflict has its value. Through conflict, characters naturally showcase their characteristics, fulfill their missions in the story, create suspense, and fill the story with tension.
In daily life, people tend to argue about the same thing year after year without ever truly resolving the root cause of the conflict. In drama, this situation needs to be condensed and refined. It is not necessary to create signs of accumulated conflict through lengthy dialogue.

Action#

Every conflict involves attack and counterattack, and each conflict is unique. In the progression of conflict, there are many subtle movements that are almost imperceptible. These movements determine the type of escalating conflict the author will use.

Foreshadowing of Conflict#

Foreshadowing in drama is actually a guarantee of subsequent events, a commitment to the conflicts that will inevitably occur.
In real life, it is difficult for strangers to trust each other. It is only through conflict that others can understand you and "prove yourself." Because only in conflict can one reveal their true self.
Politeness and clever words cannot prove a person's sincerity and integrity, but sacrifice can.
In reality, most people disguise themselves, and everyone is interested in seeing what those who are forced to reveal their true character under the pressure of conflict will do. The truth beneath the mask has a fatal attraction for the audience.

Point of Attack#

There must be an urgent or even life-threatening matter that compels the character to make a decision and take action. The character's actions must be necessary for themselves in order to drive the development of events.
The opening of a scene can be a critical moment of conflict. It can also start from a turning point in a character's life or from a decision that triggers the conflict.
A good point of attack is to showcase a moment when an event is on the verge of happening in the drama. It must be a moment of decision-making or preparation for decision-making.

Transition#

Daily life and nature do not skip any steps. There are no leaping conflicts in life.
Even if some transitions exist for a short period of time and only in the characters' minds, imperceptible even to themselves, transitions still exist and should be shown. Transitions are the lifeblood that ensures the authenticity of drama.
Transitions connect seemingly unrelated elements, such as winter and summer, love and hate.
The audience does not need to see every action of a character's transformation in detail, but it must be described.

Crisis, Climax, and Resolution#

A crisis is a moment of decisive change that will propel the events in a different direction.
Nature has no beginning or end, so the opening of a drama is not the start of conflict but the climax of a certain conflict. The character makes a decision, acts according to that decision, initiates an escalating conflict, and finally forms a new crisis and climax.
Even the shortest scene should contain all the elements of a three-act play. It should have its own premise, which can be revealed through conflicts between characters.

IV. Some Conclusions#

Essential Scenes#

These are scenes that must be present in a play. They attract great attention, and everyone anticipates their occurrence. The entire play sets the stage for these essential scenes. The importance of these scenes surpasses any other scene.
The script can only "arouse the audience's highest expectations" when it is arguing the premise. The proof of the premise occurs in these essential scenes.
Only scenes rooted in the overall plot can make the audience anticipate the next scene. The emotional intensity of the next scene will always be stronger than the previous one.

Presentation#

Through a character's goals, the audience can understand their personality. The author does not need to fully display their emotions and other information. Those details will be revealed throughout the development of the play, as the characters gradually prove the premise.
Presentation is an ongoing process that naturally occurs within the entire script. It is not something that must be explained at the beginning of the story, and it should continue uninterrupted until the end.

Dialogue#

Dialogue is the primary means of proving the premise, revealing character traits, and driving conflict. It is the most direct part of a play for the audience.
Dialogue is crucial and effective only when each line naturally and unrestrictedly showcases the characters' traits and the events happening to them.
Use concise language. Unlike photography, if the author wants to convey a viewpoint, they cannot let unnecessary information hinder the expression.
The dialogue should match the characters' identities. If necessary, the author should sacrifice their own "talent" for the sake of the characters. No memorable line is worth sacrificing the characters created by the author.

Experimentation#

Every great artist has broken some sacred laws that seemed insurmountable in the industry at the time.
Learn from nature.
Necessity will naturally lead characters to do things they would never do under normal circumstances.

Timeliness of Drama#

As long as a story is well-told, all scripts are relevant to their time. Describing and reflecting the essence of human life is valuable at any time.
If telling a story set in the past or future, one must be well-versed in that era.

Entrance and Exit#

If the author does not handle a character's entrance and exit well, it indicates a lack of sufficient understanding of the character.
The appearance or departure of a character only occurs when the plot requires it, and their actions must propel the development of conflict and reveal their characteristics.

Why Some Bad Plays Succeed#

These scripts have obvious flaws, but they still contain premises, conflicts, and character arrangements. Because the author describes characters that the audience is already familiar with, it compensates for the shortcomings in character development. It is the active participation of the audience that makes the characters vivid and real in their eyes.
It allows the audience to experience a sense of superiority, but the fatal flaw is that the characters do not grow and change.

Steps in Writing a Script#

First, find the premise you want to prove.
Choose a protagonist who will drive the conflict.
Showcase each character, carefully arrange them, and grasp the opposition and unity between characters.
Choose the precise point of attack to ensure that it is a significant turning point in the character's life.
If the conflict can continue to escalate steadily, the crisis will develop into a climax.
After the climax, the result must ensure that the opposition and unity between characters are strong enough. This way, the process of characters developing based on their wills will not be weakened. Otherwise, characters may give up pushing the conflict forward if it is interrupted in the drama. Each character currently has urgent matters to deal with, and the stronger the opposition and unity between characters, the more it can prove the premise of the drama.
Let the dialogue originate from the characters, not the author.

How to Get Ideas and Inspiration#

Even the most ordinary people have experienced intense impulses. The author's task is to capture the characters in their most intense moments.
When the audience appreciates a story, they can see their own shadows in those cruel, violent, abusive, and beast-like impulses, even if only for a moment.
Only characters who reach a turning point in life are worth depicting. They can alert us and bring inspiration.