Story Design

by Richard Michaels Stefanik

  Deviations from Patterns of Items in a List: Deviations from the expected consistency of the category of items established in the list.

  Dialects: Deviations from the expectation that characters will speak correctly.

  Repartee: Deviations from the expectation of not being hostile. Repartee is an expression of veiled hostility.

  Information that Arrives Too Late to be Beneficial:

  ModaI Jokes: Deviations from the expected rules of discourse. The norm in popular movies is to show the

  actions of the characters, not to comment on the mode

  of presentation.

  Interplay of Dual Scripts: Deviations from the expected rules of communication and discourse needed to facilitate understanding. The norm is not to talk about two different topics at the same time. Humor is created because two truths are expressed from two radically different perspectives at the same time.

  Bizarre Images: Incongruities that are deviations from expected visual patterns.

  Deviations from a Natural Norm: Deviations from the standard laws of nature.

  Deviations from an Established Visual Pattern: Deviations from what we see everyday.

  Relief from Danger: Deviation from the expectation of jeopardy. The tension is released in laughter.

  Avoiding a Near Misfortune: Deviation from the expectation of jeopardy. The tension is released in laughter.

  A Small Misfortune: Deviations from the expectation things will turn out all right if we follow standard procedures. The tension is released in laughter.

  A Confusing Situation Suddenly Makes Sense:

  Deviation from the expected resolution of a situation.

  Pretense: Deviations from the expectation that a character is what he presents himself to be.

  Inappropriate Social Behavior: Deviations from the norms of polite society.

  Deviations from Moral Norms: Deviations from the expected rules of moral behavior.

  Cowardliness: Deviation from the expectation people are courageous.

  Exaggerated Behavior: Deviations from the expectation that people should remain calm.

  Understated Behavior: Deviations from the expectation of displaying appropriate behavior in a situation.

  Expressing an Inappropriate Attitude: Deviations from the expectation that characters will express appropriate attitudes.

  Inappropriate Actions: Deviations from the expectation that characters will perform actions appropriate to a situation.

  Self-Mocking Attitude: Deviations from the expectation that characters will not hold themselves up to public ridicule.

  Deviations from Expected Character Behavior: Deviation from the expectation characters exhibit stereotypical behavior

  Mimicking Another Characters Behavior: Deviation from expectation that a character will not become someone else.

  Exaggerated Facial Expressions: Deviations from the expectation that characters will display the appropriate emotional facial expression in a situation.

  Repetition of Stupid Actions: Deviation from the expectation that characters will learn from their mistakes.

  Incompetent Professional Behavior: Deviations from the expectation that characters will be professionally competent.

  Not Following Explicitly Stated Instructions: Deviations from the expectation that characters will follow instructions.

  Inept Behavior that Results in Destruction: Deviations from the expectation that characters will be competent and non-destructive.

  Inept Behavior which Results in Self-Destruction: Deviations from the expectation that characters will not destroy themselves.

  Wanton Destruction of Property: Deviations from the expectations that characters will respect and protect property.

  Taking Pride in Expressing Negative Traits: Deviations from the expectation of morally or socially acceptable behavior.

  Fooling an Authority Figure: Deviations from the expectation that characters will respect people in authority.

  Ridiculing An Authority Figure: Deviations from the expectation that characters will respect people in authority.

  Playing a Practical Joke on Another Character: Deviations from the expectation that a character will not intentionally humiliate another character by making him look foolish in public.

  Triumphant Laughter: Deviations from the expectation that characters will not gloat over defeating their opposition.

  Sadistic Behavior: Deviations from the expectation of not taking joy in hostility and violence. Audiences will laugh as long as the characters for which they have empathy are not harmed.

  Disgusting Behavior: Deviations from the expectation of normal behavior concerning bodily wastes. The audience will often laugh, but are also often left with feelings of disgust and distaste.

  Physically Punishing the Villains: Deviations from the expectation that characters will not physically harm other characters. The audience will laugh if the characters are not seriously harmed.

  The Misinterpretation of a Situation: Deviations from the expectation that a character will correctly understand a situation.

  Characters that are Oblivious to What is Really Occurring in a Situation: Deviations from the expectation that characters be aware of what is happening around them.

  Illustrative examples of the above categories of humor from popular Hollywood movies can be found in The Megahit Movies book by Richard Michaels Stefanik, available at Amazon.com

  MEGAHIT MOVIE THEMES

  CREATING UNIVERSAL APPEAL

  Themes are statements about the values characters choose when confronting obstacles and conflicts while in pursuit of their objectives. Western culture believes that individuals freely pursuing their vision of happiness is the supreme political value. We believe that people have free will and their lives are not pre-determined. We believe their success depends upon the choices that they make and the actions they take.

  Characters in popular movies are the role models with whom we try to identify and emulate. They have goals and objectives. Often the objects that they desire are unique and are also desired by others. This generates conflict. The obvious case is that in which two men desire the same woman. For dramatic purposes, one of the characters is the protagonist, and the other is the antagonist. The protagonist will possess the values and attributes that the dramatist believes desirable, while the antagonist will perform acts that are socially reprehensible. The craft of the dramatist enables him to manipulate the audience emotionally so that they will have empathy for the protagonist and enmity for the antagonist.

  Audience empathy for the protagonist, critical for making the movie popular, is greatest in stories where the protagonist attempts to achieve his dreams by overcoming difficult obstacles. The greatest emotional involvement is created when obstacles are generated by other characters, that should be supporting the protagonist (lovers, spouses, parents, siblings and friends).

  The Wizard of Oz exhibits these features. Dorothy attempts

  to save the life of her dog, Toto. Her aunt and uncle are unwilling to help her. They even give Toto to the villain, Elmira Gulch, in order to save their farm. Dorothy dreams

  of a place "over the rainbow," where no problems exist. When caught up in a tornado, Dorothy is "transported" to

  the magical land of Oz. Once she discovers that she also has serious problems here, her objective then becomes to return to home to Kansas. The Munchkins tell her that the Wizard of Oz will help her, and she embarks on a journey to the Emerald City.

  On this journey, she makes friends with a Scarecrow, a Tin Man, and a Cowardly Lion. Each has his own objective, and each decides to journey with Dorothy to Oz. But this journey is not free from dangers, for a Wicked Witch wants the magical ruby slippers attached to Dorothy's feet. When they reach the Emerald City, the Wizard demands they obtain the broomstick of the Witch before he will help them. Overcoming many obstacles and dangers, they finally get the broomstick. Upon returning to the Wizard, they discover that he really doesn't have the power to giv
e them what they want. All that he can do is give them the public acknowledgment that they do possess the intelligence, compassion, and courage that they desire. Dorothy is able to "return" home to Kansas once she realizes and accepts that she always had the power to do so. She just had to believe in herself. The film ends with a very simple message: there is no place like home.

  The fundamental themes and objectives found in The Wizard of Oz also occur in most of the popular films analyzed in this book. The desire to return home is the primary objective not only for Dorothy, but also for the Extra-Terrestrial in E.T.

  In the other films, the primary objective is not to return home, but to protect the home from destruction. This is evident in Star Wars, where Luke destroys the Death Star in order to save the rebel home base. His own home and the planet Alderan were destroyed earlier in the story. Preservation of freedom from the Empire is the theme continued in Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

  Freedom from the tyranny of the Trade Federation is a variation on this theme developed in The Phantom Menace. In Independence Day, all the primary characters want to save the world from destruction by the Aliens. This is also the primary objective of J and K in MIB. Batman wants to save Gotham City from the insane Joker, who wants to poison the community, and Kevin, in Home Alone, wants to protect his home from the burglars. In Jaws, police Captain Martin Brody wants to save the community of Amity from the great white shark. While in Jurassic Park, the primary objective is not to save the world, but to save the grandchildren of Dr. Hammond and the remnants of the human species left in Jurassic Park from destruction by the dinosaurs.

  The Grinch plays on a variation on these standard themes. While isolated from the Whos in his cave on Mt. Crumpit, the Grinch nurtures the rage he feels from the humiliations he experienced from the Whos as a child. But ultimately he does rejoice and celebrate his reunion with the community, once all the grievances have been remedied, and all conflicts have been resolved. At the end, the Grinch is once again home, and the home of Whoville is once again

  is safe from his attacks of vengeance.

  The theme of The Sixth Sense revolves around a small boy's efforts to feel safe with himself and his ability to see dead people. It is this special skill that terrorizes him. Once he realizes that the dead people do not mean to harm him,

  but instead need his special skills to help them solve their problems (and finally, like the dead man, Dr. Malcolm Crowe, rest in peace), he feels safe with himself, or "at home with himself."

  In Forrest Gump, another protagonist must come to accept that he is different and be at home with himself. Forrest does this by being completely focused on the moment and concentrating totally on whatever he is doing in the present. This then transforms his "difference" from that of an underperformer on the IQ tests to a person who excels in whatever activity he embarks on, be it football, ping pong, or shrimp fishing. Forrest, in the beginning and end of the movie, is forever at home with himself.

  Finally, there is Titanic. The theme of this film, of course, is that true love is eternal, and if found in life, will even continue after death. Perhaps this is the greatest sense of security, and of "being at home" that anyone could ever achieve.

  The movie E.T. demonstrates that box-office success does not depend on the casting of superstars. The actors who performed in this film were not famous before it was released into the theaters, nor have any of them starred in megahit movies since then. There are no exotic locations or expensive sets in this film. The action takes place in an ordinary suburban community, in a conventional family home, with some scenes in a school classroom and others in a forest.

  There is no explicit sex or gratuitous nudity. The special effects are limited to a spaceship that appears briefly in the opening and closing scenes. It does contain one amazing alien, although it is not the physical appearance of the alien that wins the audience's heart as much as his childlike behavior. This is fundamentally a simple story about innocence, friendship, learning to communicate with different beings, and helping a friend to get back home. Targeted to children throughout the world, it contains two very simple messages: call home and be good.

  Friendship is another common theme that is found in many of these films. In The Wizard of Oz and E.T., friends place themselves in great jeopardy in order to help the protagonist return home. In films such as the Star Wars trilogy and Independence Day, friends help each other protect the home from destruction, even if it means that they might be killed in the process. Batman is different. Batman is a loner who is willing to place himself in jeopardy to save the community from destruction, although he does depend on his butler and friend, Alfred. Loyalty to friends is a common attribute possessed by the protagonists.

  The wanton destruction of human life is a common attribute for most villains. Besides destroying their enemies, they also will destroy their most loyal supporters when it suits them. This is clearly exhibited by the Joker in Batman, who kills his cohort Bob, who had saved his life many times throughout the film.

  The antagonist desires power and control over the lives of the other characters and will break all accepted codes of human conduct in order to achieve this. Terror is their standard mode of operation. The one bit of behavior that is guaranteed to turn the audience against the antagonist is his mocking laughter as he gloats over his helpless victim. The antagonist's lack of mercy and his joy at anticipating the destruction of another human being causes the audience to hate him. This is a standard moment in most popular films: the Wicked Witch laughing at Dorothy's cries of help to her Aunt Em, the two burglars laughter as they are about to harm Kevin, Belloc laughing after he has instructed the natives to kill Jones, and the Joker as he watches Batman and Vicki hanging over the edge of the cathedral in fear for their lives.

  In many of these films, supernatural powers come to the aid of the protagonist during moments of desperation. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, saves Dorothy by creating a snowstorm when Dorothy succumbs to the drugs in the poppy field. The voice of the deceased Obi Wan Kenobe instructs Luke to place his faith in "the force" as Luke attacks the Death Star. E.T.'s telekinetic powers save Elliott and his friends by lifting their bicycles over the police barricade. In MIB, the friendly aliens have provided K with a Neuralyzer that erases the memories of seeing aliens from the minds of human beings.

  Beings with supernatural powers play an essential positive role in many of the most popular films ever made.

  For many protagonists, the primary motivation is to have

  the emotional security of a safe home. Being at home with people who love you provides a character with a sense of safety and wellbeing. In Wizard of Oz, Dorothy learns that she has always had the power to be in this place, she just

  had to believe that she possessed the ability to solve her problems. She learns that with the help of intelligence, compassion, courage and friends, she can overcome any problem. She must believe in herself.

  This is the secret meaning of the ruby slippers

  E.T.

  Friendship sometimes means helping the person you love to achieve his desires, even if it means separation.

  Forrest Gump

  To obtain happiness in life, one must "go with the flow," be flexible, but also be completely absorbed in the moment.

  Shrek

  To achieve happiness one must share one's home with others.

  Monsters, Inc.

  Friendship means helping the person you love to achieve her desires, even if it means separation.

  Pirates of the Caribbean

  A person can both be a pirate and a good man.

  Matrix Trilogy

  Saving the community from evil requires self-sacrifice.

  The Passion of the Christ

  Saving the community from evil requires self-sacrifice.

  Lord of the Rings

  Preservation of the community from terror necessitates fighting and destroying the source of evil.

  Avatar

  A
transformation of consciousness is needed to live harmoniously with nature.

  THE WIZARD OF OZ

  OPENING SCENE: COUNTRY ROAD

  Dorothy runs down a country road that is surrounded by wide open desolate fields. There are wire fences on either side of the road. With her runs her dog, Toto. Dorothy looks back behind herself to see if she is being followed.

  DOROTHY

  She isn't coming yet, Toto. Did she hurt you?

  She tried to, didn't she? We'll tell Auntie Em.

  [Empathy is immediately created for the young girl by showing her terrorized by someone who has tried to hurt her dog and is pursuing them. The audience's interest is aroused by this scene. They are curious to know who is pursuing the girl and why is she being chased? What does the pursuer look like? This is a standard method used to force the audience to focus on the story.]

  [This scene establishes the protagonist (Dorothy), with the object she loves (Toto), placed in jeopardy by some yet unknown villain. Dorothy's objective is to escape from her pursuer.]

  AUNTIE EM'S FARM

  Dorothy is ignored by her aunt and uncle who are very busy with their chores. The incubator has broken and they are about to lose their baby chickens. Dorothy displays sympathy for a small baby chick then tells her aunt and uncle that Miss Gulch hit Toto over the head with a rake because Toto went into her garden after her cat. Miss Gulch is going to get the sheriff. Aunt Em responds that she's too busy to deal with Dorothy's problem.