bea ignite2015 - egan
TRANSCRIPT
Candace EganCalifornia State University, Fresno
Narrative Film Story Development:
In-class Creativity Exercise with the Storymatic
BEA IGNITE
Field Video Production
Candace Egan
Associate Professor
Department of Mass Communication & Journalism
California State University, Fresno
MCJ 115
Field Video Production
Narrative Story Development:
The Storymatic Exercise
Field Video Production
The Storymatic
Exercise
Wherein you pair up with your partner in crime
for the Movie Opening assignment and
storytelling mayhem ensues
Inspired By: Brian Mooney
The Storymatic.com
A Wrecking Ball For Writers Block,
http://archive.wired.com/geekdad/2012/02/storymatic
Field Video Production
Step 1: Main Characters & Premise
Protagonist & Antagonist
Who are they? - Draw one
gold card for each
Describe the character for
each
• Gender, age, physicality
What is their primary want/need (goal) in
life?
• Why?
Field Video Production
Step 1: Main Characters & Premise
Premise
What’s the movie
about?
What’s the story
action device?
Narrative patterns used to guide plot
Ron Layne and Rick Lewis
Striving toward a goal
Overcoming adversity
Solving a mystery
Solving a problem
Bringing order to chaos- from confusion to
understanding
The journey
Coming of age- from innocence to experience
Personal growth
The Seven Basic Plots
Christopher Booker
Rags to riches
Overcoming the monster
The Quest
Voyage and return
Comedy- Overcoming adversity
Tragedy- Fall from grace to death
Rebirth-from villain to redemption
Field Video Production
Step 2: Conflict
Source of conflict between
two characters –
Draw one copper card
What’s the protagonist’s
side of the conflict?
What’s the antagonist’s
side?
Field Video Production
Step 3: Ending
What happens to
the protagonist
after having gone
through the story?
Field Video Production
Step 4: Beginning of
Story/Exposition
Thing/person/skill that
helps the protagonist
Draw one card
• Introduce early in story
• Plays a key role in
climatic events
When and where do the characters live?
What’s the mood of the story?
Candace Egan
Field Video Production
Step 5: Inciting Incident
What is the inciting
incident that propels
the protagonist on a
quest to achieve their
goal (want/need)?
Which is in direct
opposition to what the
antagonist wants.
Field Video Production
Step 6: Rising Action
Lock in
First culmination
Mid point
culmination
Third act twist
Field Video Production
Step 7: Climax/Resolution
Climax
Confrontation with Antagonist
Second copper card
• Plays a key role in climatic events
Resolution (See ending)
Outcome of climax
What happens to characters as a result of
the climax?