Inside Story : The Power of the Transformational Arc

What is the secret to writing a great screenplay? Whether youre a beginning screenwriter or an A-list Academy Award winner, all writers struggle with the same thing: to get to the great script inside. Step by step, Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc guides you through an extraordinary new process that helps identify your thematic intentionwhat your story is really aboutand teaches you how to turn that intention into the driving force behind all your creative choices. The result is a profound relationship between the movement of the plot and the internal development of character, which is the foundation for the transformational arc. The transformational arc is the deeper line of structure found inside the story. Knowing how to work with the arc enhances your ability to: Express your unique point of view Give meaning and urgency to the line of action Infuse your characters with richness, subtlety, and surprise Develop a powerful emotional undercurrent Make your stories stand out and get attention A strong transformational arc is the single most important element that makes the difference between a good screenplay and a great one. Inside Story delivers what the name implies: its the real inside scoop on how to write a great screenplay with depth, dimension, and substance. It is a must-have for any serious screenwriter, playwright, or novelist. Cover......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 12 INTRODUCTION......Page 16 PART I LAYING STRONG FOUNDATION......Page 26 It Was the Best of Scripts, It Was the Worst of Scripts.........Page 28 Houston,We Have a Problem......Page 29 Trust the Force Within......Page 30 No More “Mr. Nice Guy”......Page 33 The Eternal Story......Page 37 The Why Factor......Page 41 Getting to the Gold—The Transformational Arc......Page 44 Conflict, Action, and Goal......Page 46 Deepening the Plot......Page 50 One Story, One Plot......Page 55 Naming the Plot......Page 58 Case Studies......Page 61 The Myth of the “Hero” Myth......Page 68 Identifying the Protagonist......Page 70 Secondary Characters......Page 72 Co-Protagonists......Page 73 There's More to a Protagonist Than Meets the Eye......Page 75 Case Studies......Page 81 Making Meaning......Page 86 Some Assembly Required......Page 88 Write What You Know......Page 92 The Language of the Heart......Page 94 Finding the Thematic Goal......Page 96 Setting Up a Thematic Structure......Page 99 Case Studies......Page 102 Write What You Don’t Know......Page 114 Sacred Trust......Page 116 System Breakdown......Page 118 The Fatal Flaw......Page 127 Finding the Fatal Flaw......Page 132 Turning Theme into Character......Page 135 Backstory......Page 138 Turning Theme into Plot......Page 140 On the Other Hand.........Page 145 Case Studies......Page 146 PART II BUILDING THE ARC OF CHARACTER......Page 158 Structure—That Dirty Little Word......Page 160 The Dynamic Duo......Page 162 A Bend in the Road......Page 164 The Pattern of Life......Page 166 The Sphere of Influence......Page 168 From Here to Quaternity......Page 169 Getting Back in Shape......Page 171 As Simple As ABC......Page 173 The Wholly Triad......Page 181 Case Studies......Page 185 Putting It All Together......Page 193 Where to Start?!......Page 196 Anatomy of a First Act......Page 200 Image Is Everything......Page 203 No Points for Ambiguity......Page 206 The Great Unknown......Page 212 Taking a Turn for the Worst......Page 215 A Rude Awakening......Page 221 Case Studies......Page 225 The Dreaded Second Act......Page 242 Three’s Company......Page 244 Make Way for the Midpoint......Page 247 Looking Inward......Page 250 The Moment of Truth......Page 254 Case Studies......Page 260 Amazing Grace......Page 268 The Fall......Page 273 The Death Experience......Page 277 A Tragic Turn......Page 283 Getting More Than You Bargained For......Page 284 Case Studies......Page 285 Let the Chips Fall Where They May......Page 298 On Shaky Ground......Page 307 Moment of Decision......Page 309 All Good Things Must Come to an End......Page 312 In Defense of “Happily Ever After”......Page 319 Case Studies......Page 324 EPILOGUE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES......Page 340 C......Page 344 F......Page 345 M......Page 346 S......Page 347 T......Page 348 FILMOGRAPHY......Page 350 A......Page 356 C......Page 357 E......Page 360 G......Page 361 I......Page 362 K......Page 363 M......Page 364 P......Page 365 R......Page 366 S......Page 367 T......Page 369 W......Page 370 Z......Page 371 Cover 1 CONTENTS 12 INTRODUCTION 16 PART I LAYING STRONG FOUNDATION 26 ONE IN THE BEGINNING: THEWORD 28 It Was the Best of Scripts, It Was the Worst of Scripts... 28 Houston,We Have a Problem 29 Trust the Force Within 30 No More “Mr. Nice Guy” 33 The Eternal Story 37 The Why Factor 41 Getting to the Gold—The Transformational Arc 44 TWO PLOT: LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION! 46 Conflict, Action, and Goal 46 Deepening the Plot 50 One Story, One Plot 55 Naming the Plot 58 Case Studies 61 THREE CHARACTER: GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER 68 The Myth of the “Hero” Myth 68 Identifying the Protagonist 70 Secondary Characters 72 Co-Protagonists 73 There's More to a Protagonist Than Meets the Eye 75 Case Studies 81 FOUR THEME: DEFINING INTENTION 86 Making Meaning 86 Some Assembly Required 88 Write What You Know 92 The Language of the Heart 94 Finding the Thematic Goal 96 Setting Up a Thematic Structure 99 Case Studies 102 Write What You Don’t Know 114 FIVE THE FATAL FLAW: BRINGING CHARACTERS TO LIFE 116 Sacred Trust 116 System Breakdown 118 The Fatal Flaw 127 Finding the Fatal Flaw 132 Turning Theme into Character 135 Backstory 138 Turning Theme into Plot 140 On the Other Hand... 145 Case Studies 146 PART II BUILDING THE ARC OF CHARACTER 158 SIX INSIDE STRUCTURE: SWIMMING IN THE DEEP END 160 Structure—That Dirty Little Word 160 The Dynamic Duo 162 A Bend in the Road 164 The Pattern of Life 166 The Sphere of Influence 168 From Here to Quaternity 169 Getting Back in Shape 171 As Simple As ABC 173 The Wholly Triad 181 Case Studies 185 Putting It All Together 193 SEVEN ACT I: FADE IN... 196 Where to Start?! 196 Anatomy of a First Act 200 Image Is Everything 203 No Points for Ambiguity 206 The Great Unknown 212 Taking a Turn for the Worst 215 A Rude Awakening 221 Case Studies 225 EIGHT ACT II—PART ONE:WHAT GOES UP... 242 The Dreaded Second Act 242 Three’s Company 244 Make Way for the Midpoint 247 Looking Inward 250 The Moment of Truth 254 Case Studies 260 NINE ACT II—PART TWO: ...MUST COME DOWN 268 Amazing Grace 268 The Fall 273 The Death Experience 277 A Tragic Turn 283 Getting More Than You Bargained For 284 Case Studies 285 TEN ACT III: DOWN AND DIRTY 298 Let the Chips Fall Where They May 298 On Shaky Ground 307 Moment of Decision 309 All Good Things Must Come to an End 312 In Defense of “Happily Ever After” 319 Case Studies 324 EPILOGUE INFINITE POSSIBILITIES 340 GLOSSARY 344 A 344 B 344 C 344 D 345 E 345 F 345 H 346 I 346 M 346 P 347 R 347 S 347 T 348 FILMOGRAPHY 350 INDEX 356 A 356 B 357 C 357 D 360 E 360 F 361 G 361 H 362 I 362 J 363 K 363 L 364 M 364 N 365 O 365 P 365 Q 366 R 366 S 367 T 369 U 370 V 370 W 370 X 371 Y 371 Z 371 "Whether you're a beginning screenwriter or an A-list Academy Award winner, all writers struggle with the same thing: to get the great script inside. Step by step, Inside story guides you through an extraordinary new process that helps identify your thematic intention--what your story is really about--and teaches you how to turn that intention into the driving force behind all your creative choices. The result is a profound relationship between the movement of the plot and the internal development of character, which is the foundation for the transformational arc. The transformational arc is the deeper line of structure found inside the story. Knowing how to work with the arc enchances your ability to: Express your unique point of view; Give meaning and urgency to the line of action; Infuse your characters with richness, subtlety, and surprise; Develop a powerful emotional undercurrent; Make your stories stand out and get attention. Inside story delivers what the name implies: it's the real scoop on how to write a great screenplay with depth, dimension, and substance. It is a must-have book for any serious screenwriter, playwright, or novelist"--Back cover 'In the beginning there was Syd Field. Then came McKee andVogler. Now there is Dara Marks. Marks has long ranked among the topscreenwriting theorists, now her teachings are available to everyone.'Creative Screenwriting'Offers fresh insights into screenwriting structure, enabling writers to hone their craft and elevate their art.'Prof Richard Walter, UCLA Screenwriting Chairman'This is a book you can read with each script you write, as both guide and inspiration.'Lisa Loomer, Screenwriter, Girl Interrupted and The Waiting Room'Destined to become a classic.'Scriptwriter magazineInside Story offers the most important advancement inscreenwriting theory to come along in years. This innovative method forstructuring a screenplay is designed to keep writers focused on theheart and soul of their story so that plot, character and theme createa unified whole. Marks'method offers an easy to follow template forstory construction, helping the writer to identify what the story isactually about: the thematic intention. It then uses the internalcharacter development of the protagonist as a vehicle to drive thethematic intention and the line of action within the story. Cover; CONTENTS; INTRODUCTION; PART I LAYING STRONG FOUNDATION; ONE IN THE BEGINNING: THEWORD; It Was the Best of Scripts, It Was the Worst of Scripts ... ; Houston, We Have a Problem; Trust the Force Within; No More "Mr. Nice Guy"; The Eternal Story; The Why Factor; Getting to the Gold-The Transformational Arc; TWO PLOT: LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!; Conflict, Action, and Goal; Deepening the Plot; One Story, One Plot; Naming the Plot; Case Studies; THREE CHARACTER: GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER; The Myth of the "Hero" Myth; Identifying the Protagonist; Secondary Characters; Co-Protagonists 'In the beginning there was Syd Field. Then came McKee and Vogler. Now there is Dara Marks.' Creative Screenwriting. Top Hollywood script consultant offers her unique method for story construction based on the internal character development of the protagonist - the transformational arc.