The Dramatic Writer's Companion

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The Dramatic Writer's Companion Page 14

by Will Dunne

ANALYZING THE SETTING OF YOUR SCENE

  You've begun to flesh out the physical life of a place that your characters will inhabit during a scene. Now look again at your findings:

  i. From any character's point of view, what is the most pleasant physical feature of this place? Interpret "pleasant" any way you wish, and either repeat a previous response or find a new one. From Max's point of view, for example, the most pleasant thing about this hotel room is the deadbolt lock on the door.

  2. From any character's point of view, what is the most unpleasant physical feature of this place? Interpret "unpleasant" any way you wish, and either repeat a previous response or find a new one. From Max's point of view, the most unpleasant thing here is the blood stain in the carpet.

  3. From an objective point of view, what is the most striking physical feature of this place? Interpret "striking" any way you wish, and either repeat a previous response or find a new one. To an objective outsider, the most striking feature of the hotel room might be the scratching sound inside the wall.

  4. What are the three most intriguing physical elements? As a way of summing up your work or perhaps still adding new ideas, identify the three most interesting physical elements of your setting-for example, the gun under the pillow, the blood stain in the carpet, and the scratching sound in the wall.

  5. How might each of these elements affect the scene? Physical life can trigger a scene (perhaps the scratching sound inside the wall has prompted Max to ask for Bolton's help) or affect the emotional landscape (the sight of the blood stain has put Max on edge) or turn the action in unexpected directions (Bolton finds the gun, thinks that Max is the one who hid it under the pillow, and threatens to have him thrown out of the hotel). Think about the three most intriguing physical elements you identified and briefly describe how each could play an important role in your scene. Look for possibilities that go beyond incidental stage business to the realm of what is essential to the dramatic action.

  6. What is the most important physical element here? This is a summary of your findings. Of the three physical elements you explored, which one could be pivotal to the scene because of how it affects your characters or motivates their behavior? For example, the scene might center on the hidden gun, and who did or did not hide it under Max's pillow. Briefly describe how the most important physical element in your setting will be pivotal to your scene.

  When writing physical life into a scene, be selective and precise. In the end, one good physical element will serve you better than a truckload.

  WRAP-UP

  Physical life is an important and often overlooked source of story. Here are some physical life tips to keep in mind when you are looking for new story ideas or feel stuck in the middle of a scene:

  • Try changing one important physical element in the setting: alter something, add something, or take something away.

  • Find an object that has been hidden there without your realizing it. Let your characters surprise you. Make the object pivotal to the story action.

  • Take an important object away from one character and give it to another character.

  • Make a radical change in where or when the scene takes place.

  THE QUICK VERSION

  Explore the immediate given circumstances for a scene

  BEST TIME FOR THIS

  During scene planning

  UNDERSTANDING THE UNIQUE CONTEXT OF EACH SCENE

  The immediate given circumstances for a scene reflect what has happened so far in the world of the story and what exists here and now as a result of that history. Some circumstances trace back to the distant past. Some stem from what just happened in the last scene, or since the last scene, or-if this is the first scene-in the recent backstory. The given circumstances for each scene differ from those for every other scene because they keep changing as, event by event, the story unfolds.

  To know the immediate given circumstances is to know the roots of action for the scene. It is to know how the world of the story at the beginning of this scene differs from how it was at the beginning of the last scene. It is to know how the characters will enter the scene because of what they were just doing. It is to know what other positive or negative factors from the past will influence their behavior here and now.

  ABOUT THE EXERCISE

  Think about your characters just before they enter the scene. What have they each been doing? What do they each know or believe now? How do they feel? Use this exercise to address questions like these as you prepare to write a scene. Before you can begin, you need to know who will be in your scene, what their relationship is, and what will happen between them. As you explore the scenic context, stay open to possibilities you haven't considered before. Try to discover something new.

  Exercise examples are from the opening scene of Joe Orton's classic black comedy Loot. Character i is Fay, a practical, emotionally distant home nurse. Character 2 is McLeavy, an elderly Catholic whose wife died three days ago while under Fay's care. The scenic event: Fay launches a plan to seduce McLeavy by persuading him to put his deceased wife behind him and marry again as soon as possible.

  CURRENT SITUATION IN THE WORLD OF YOUR STORY

  What circumstances are at work in the lives of the characters when your scene begins? There may be any number of interesting developments, but the only ones that currently matter are those which could be roots of action for this particular scene.

  i. Physical circumstances. In any story, characters exist in a specific reality where certain physical laws, conditions, and events may influence their behavior. In the opening of Loot, one of the most important physical circumstances-indeed the circumstance on which the whole scene rests-is the death of Mrs. McLeavy. Other related physical circumstances are the presence in the room of Mrs. McLeavy's coffin, Mrs. McLeavy's clothing, particularly her fluffy slippers, and a large wardrobe cabinet which is normally open but now, for reasons unknown to the characters, is locked. Each of these physical elements will influence the dramatic action of the scene. For example, Fay will try three times to open the cabinet. Its lock will finally motivate her to summon McLeavy's son for the key. Think about the current situation in the world of your story. Describe any immediate physical circumstances-personal or environmental-that could affect what will happen between the characters in your scene.

  2. Psychological circumstances. The character's inner world is another key influence on dramatic action. This is the realm of emotions, perceptions, beliefs, thoughts, desires, strengths, and weaknesses. In the opening of Loot, certain psychological circumstances will be critical to the scene. Mr. McLeavy is suffering from the loss of his wife. He has been a widower for only three days and must now face the harsh reality of the funeral today. All this has left him sad, confused, and vulnerable. Fay, on the other hand, feels no sorrow or remorse over the death of Mrs. McLeavy. (In fact, we will find out later that Fay was responsible for the old woman's hasty departure.) Fay is now psychologically at the top of her game with an eye on Mrs. McLeavy's fluffy slippers and her husband's estate. Briefly identify any psychological circumstances that could influence your scene.

  3. Social circumstances. Social dynamics-how people interact, what rules they live by, how they fit or don't fit into a community-are another key influence. Social values, customs, and expectations can play a defining role in how and why dramatic events occur. Important social factors are woven throughout the opening of Loot and define the relationship between the characters in different ways: lower class and middle class, employee and employer, hunter and prey. It is the social realm that brings Fay to the McLeavy household as a nurse, dictates that the death of the patient terminates her contract, and brings a sense of urgency to the launch of her swindle. It is also the social realm that makes it initially unthinkable for McLeavy to marry so soon after his wife's death. He is described as "the leading Catholic layman within a radius of forty miles," and it would trigger a scandal if he were to give in to Fay's charms. Briefly describe any social circumstanc
es that could influence what happens in your scene.

  4. Economic circumstances. Economics-who has spending power and who doesn't-is the focus of many dramatic stories, and Loot is no exception. As its title suggests, money is what makes the world of Loot go round. The most significant economic factors in the opening scene are Mr. McLeavy's access to wealth and Fay's lack of access to it. Are there any important economic circumstances at work when your scene begins? If so, briefly describe them.

  S. Political circumstances. Politics-who has power and who doesn't-is often a significant ingredient in character relationships and interactions. The opening of Loot presents a mix of power dynamics. Fay controls the situation at hand-she has no problem putting on Mrs. McLeavy's slippers and claiming them for herself-and she drives most of the dialogue and action. Fay is in charge of the here and now. McLeavy, on the other hand, has the power in the long term. He may be malleable now due to sorrow and confusion, and unable to stop Fay from saying and doing whatever she wants, but, in the end, he is the one with the money. It is McLeavy-not Fay-who will ultimately decide Fay's fate by saying yes or no to her proposal. Think about the power structure of your world. What are the most important political circumstances at work when your scene begins?

  A CLOSER LOOK AT CHARACTER IBS PAST

  The main character of a scene is the one who drives most of the action and makes the scene happen. In the opening scene of Loot, Character i is Fay. Who is the main character of your scene? Begin to focus more on this character as you continue to explore how the recent and distant past may affect him or her during the scene.

  i. Recent past. Just before Loot begins, Fay has been working for the last six months in the McLeavy household as a nurse in charge of Mrs. McLeavy's home care. During this time, she secretly convinced Mrs. McLeavy to change her will and direct her half of the family estate to Fay. The other half of the estate, however, is still in the hands of Mr. McLeavy. Three days ago, in an effort to get that fortune out of Mr. McLeavy's hands, Fay turned him into an eligible bachelor by secretly killing his wife with a generous dose of poison.

  Think about what has happened just before your scene begins and find the last significant event in the character's dramatic journey. This may have occurred in the last scene, since the last scene, or in the recent backstory. Briefly identify Character i's last significant experience.

  • Information acquired. Fay's nursing experience has given her the chance to observe the McLeavy household closely, get the lay of the land, and obtain personal information from family members, including Mrs. McLeavy on her deathbed. Fay has learned, for example, that Mr. McLeavy is a devout Catholic and prominent member of St. Kilda's parish. This information will shape the seduction she launches: she will portray herself as a devout Catholic and Mrs. McLeavy as a false Catholic not worth mourning for more than a fortnight. Fay's presence in the home also has enabled her to evaluate Mr. McLeavy's bank accounts, his vulnerability as an aging man about to lose his wife, and his unspoken attraction to Fay.

  Think some more about the last significant experience in your character's dramatic journey. Whether correct or incorrect, what new information did the character acquire from this experience? Briefly identify any new "facts" that the character learned from the last experience-for example, from the last scene-and that will influence his or her behavior in this scene.

  • Conclusions reached. The knowledge that Fay gained during her time in the McLeavy household has led her to conclude that her plan to get Mr. McLeavy's money will succeed. This belief motivates her to launch her plan now and steer Mr. McLeavy's thoughts to the subject of remarrying someone like herself as soon as possible.

  Think about what your character learned from the last significant experience. Identify one new conclusion that the character has reached as a result of that information: a belief-right or wrongthat may influence him or her in the scene.

  2. Distant past. The immediate given circumstances for a scene are often laced with threads that stretch back to the distant past. In Loot, Fay has a history of marrying and murdering for money. This profession began years ago when marriage to her first husband failed and she decided not to divorce him but to shoot him. Her success in getting away with murder and inheriting a windfall set the stage for a life of crime. With seven successful murders behind her, Fay is cold-blooded and confident in the here and now of the scene.

  Think about what happens in your scene. See if you can find an experience from the distant past-from years or even decades ago-that could influence your character now, even if he or she is not aware of this influence. Identify the past experience and how it might affect your character in the scene.

  A CLOSER LOOK AT CHARACTER 21 S PAST

  Every character in a scene is influenced, to some degree, by the recent and distant past. In the opening of Loot, the second most important-and, in this case, the only other-character is Mr. McLeavy. Who is the second most important character in your scene? Focus next on this character as you continue to explore how the past may affect him or her during the scene. If there are other characters in your scene and if it feels appropriate, you can use the following steps to flesh them out later as well.

  I. Recent past. Three days before the opening of Loot, McLeavy's ailing wife of many years, the mother of his son, died. Think about what has happened just before your scene begins and briefly identify the last significant onstage or offstage event in this character's dramatic journey.

  • Information acquired. McLeavy has been told by Fay that his wife's death was due to natural causes. This information will dissuade him from suspecting anything unusual about the death. As a result, he is now primarily concerned about the funeral arrangements, particularly the floral displays. In fact, as an enthusiast of roses, his only comment on his wife's death is that he's "glad she died in the right season for roses."

  Think some more about the last significant experience in your character's dramatic journey. Identify any new "facts"-right or wrong-that the character learned and that may influence him or her in the scene.

  • Conclusions reached. The discovery of his wife's death and the information that it was due to natural causes has led McLeavy to believe that the matter of his wife is over and done with, and that he will live out the rest of his life as a lonely widower. This belief adds to the resistance he displays in the opening scene when Fay suggests a different type of future for him-as her husband.

  Think about what your character learned from his or her last significant experience. Identify one new conclusion that the character has reached as a result of that information: a belief-right or wrong-that may influence him or her in the scene.

  2. Distant past. Long ago in the world of Loot, McLeavy once met and kissed the pope. This experience sealed his commitment to the Catholic church and triggered his quest to be a lay Catholic leader in his community. His religious background will make him strongly resistant to Fay's advances and scheming in the opening scene.

  Think about what happens in your scene. See if you can find an experience from the distant past that could influence your character now-even if he or she is not aware of this influence. Identify the past experience and how it might affect your character in the scene.

  THE SCENIC CONTEXT: WHAT MATTERS MOST

  In Loot, the given circumstances that most affect the opening scene are: (I) Fay is a cold-blooded killer driven by greed; (2) McLeavy is a wealthy Catholic mourning the recent loss of his beloved wife; and (3) Fay secretly murdered his wife and is planning to murder McLeavy as well after marrying him and inheriting his half of the estate.

  These three facts woven together create a scenic context from which character objectives, problems, motivations, and actions will grow. It is important to note, however, that not all of these critical facts are revealed to the audience at this time. By the end of the scene, we know only that McLeavy is a wealthy Catholic mourning the loss of his wife and that Fay has a desire to marry McLeavy. It will not be until later in the sto
ry that we discover that Fay is a cold-blooded killer with McLeavy's life and loot on her mind. The importance of the immediate given circumstances is not measured, therefore, by how much time is devoted to them in the dialogue of the scene. Rather, their importance is measured by how much they affect the characters here and now.

  Think about the context for your scene. Regardless of whether or not they are revealed during the scene, what are the most important given circumstances?

  WRAP-UP

  To write a scene, you need to know the circumstances that will fuel the dramatic action. It is especially important to know the most immediate of these circumstances-what happened just prior to the scene-so that you know what the characters have most recently experienced, and how they are thinking and feeling as a result of this. By taking the time to explore the scenic context, you also may find it easier to determine the scene's point of attack: when exactly it should begin.

  THE QUICK VERSION

  Flesh out the main objective of the character who drives a scene

  BEST TIME FOR THIS

  When you are planning, writing, or rewriting a scene

  DESIRE AS A KEY TO UNDERSTANDING CHARACTER

  Like people, characters do not act or even speak unless they want something. This desire may be conscious or unconscious, physical or psychological, healthy or unhealthy. Know what your main character wants most in life and you will have a better understanding of what your story is about. Know what the character wants in each scene and you will have a better understanding of who the character is. Know what the character wants in each beat and you will have a better understanding of how the character will behave next.

  A "beat" is a unit of dramatic action in a scene. If you are not familiar with beats, see "Thinking in Beats" later in this guide

  Character desires come in different sizes and operate at different levels. Whether they are driving a whole story (story goal), a whole scene (scenic objective), or only a beat of a scene (beat action), these dramatic needs are what make the character active and cause things to happen. Most character objectives, particularly at the scenic and beat level, are behavioral. They reflect the desire to affect another character in an important way. While countless behavioral objectives are possible, all fall into four basic categories: to make the other character feel good, to make the other character feel bad, to find out something important from the other character, or to convince the other character of something important.

 

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