U64006 INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING

WEEK 8

Complex narratives

Case studies:

- Pulp Fiction

- Memento

- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

- Mulholland Drive

4 MODELS

• Field’s 3-act paradigm (Aristotle)• Vogler’s 12-step hero’s journey• 7-step pattern (comedy)• Krevolin’s 15-step pattern (simplified)• Traditional + internal patterns

• Alternative models?

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

Traditional 3-act structure• Significant events in linear structure (logical flow)

• Cause and effect

• Climaxes and turning points at end of acts, final resolution

• Main narrative device: conflict goal

• Usually “closed” ending (consistent fictional reality, emphasis on external conflicts, all questions resolved)

• Majority of Hollywood films (archetype is Casablanca)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

Mixed / complex structures• Structure is not clear-cut

• Still beginning, middle, end BUT not 3 acts, no usual climax, turning points, act breaks.

• Can reverse chronological or logical order or events

• Series of episodes, incidents on a central theme OR apparently separate stories that interweave – also multi-plot stories

• Often “open-ended”

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION• Causal relation between sequences not explained,

nor evident to viewers at the beginning (and most of movie)

• The overall plotline jumps backward and forward in time, but begins and ends in media res (in the middle of the chronology)

• Three stories (plus prologue) with narrative connections that explains the cause-effect logic, even though at different times- Honey Bunny and Pumpkin at diner- Jules and Vincent (The Bonnie Situation)- Vincent and Mia- Butch and Marsellus (The Gold Watch)

PULP FICTION

• Diner, Honey Bunny and Pumpkin• Previous jobs, decision to hold up diner• Priming effect, protagonists (?) BUT…• Freeze frame• Credits

PULP FICTION

• New situation, causal relationship unexplained• Jules and Vincent

A) Conversation in car (expectations, diner?)B) Retrieve case at Brett’s flat (“business partners” double-crossed boss)

• Backward in time (unaware) non-linearity

PULP FICTION

• New situation, Marsellus and Butch (paid to throw boxing match), BUT causal link…

• Jules and Vincent, connection between characters1) Vincent’s episode (later)2) Butch’s episode (later)

• Case + different clothes Forward in time (aware) non-linearity confirmed

PULP FICTION

• New situation (Vincent and Mia) BUT linearity• Forward in time (aware, previous conversation

w/Jules)• First self-contained story• Internal 3-act structure

- Preparation (Lance)- Main event (night out with Mia and complication)- Climax and resolution (Lance)

PULP FICTION

• New situation, causal relationship unexplained• Butch’s father and gold watch

A) Self-containedB) Plot element for subsequent section (Butch’s story)

• Flashback (visual and oral info) = Backward in time (unaware for now) non-linearity

PULP FICTION

• New situation (Butch and Marsellus, and Fabienne) BUT linearity• Forward in time (aware, previous conversation w/Marsellus + ellipsis at

motel day after the match, simultaneous w/Mia story)• Second self-contained story• Internal 3-act structure

- Prologue (Gold Watch flashback) + ellipsis- Setup (preparing to flee with Fabienne) + disturbance (watch)- Main action/goal (retrieving the watch) + complications (Vincent + Marsellus + S&M gay perverts in dungeon)- Climax and resolution (Butch and Fabienne leave)

ALTERNATIVE MODELSPULP FICTION

1 2 3 4 5 6

Gol

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(20

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Acc

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arvi

nA

t din

er w

ith H

oney

Bun

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Pum

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Vin

cent

and

Mia

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ight

out

But

ch V

s. b

oxer

/Fab

ienn

e/V

ince

nt/

Mar

sellu

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ts

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

1 2 3 4 5 6

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

• Paradigm/pattern/3-act ??

• Character’s goal-plot/arc/growth- Protagonist(s) ?

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

• Vincent Vega (protagonist 1)• Night out with Mia (setup)• Attraction + boss’s jealousy (disturbance) RL• Mia ODs (TP1) AL• Foiled by Lance’s reluctance (setbacks)• Mia almost dead (TP2)• Adrenaline shot, Mia revived (climax)• Return home (resolution)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

• Butch Coolidge (protagonist 2)• Accepts bribe from Marsellus (setup)• Double-crosses Marsellus (disturbance) AL• Fabienne forgets watch (TP1) RL (linked to flashback, back

story)• Foiled by Vincent (setback 1) and Marsellus (setback 2)• Dungeon with perverts (TP2), manages to escape• Goes back and saves Marsellus (climax)• Rides away with Fabienne (resolution)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

• Jules Winnfield (protagonist 3)• Teams up with Vincent (setup)• Executes Brett’s gang (disturbance) AL• Hidden guy, divine intervention (TP1) RL (inner torment)• Foiled by Vincent’s accidental shooting of Marvin (setback 1)

and Bonnie’s imminent arrival (setback 2)• Held up at gunpoint by Honey Bunny (TP2)• Solves problem, paths of God (climax)• Walks away with Vincent (resolution)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

Change Characters’ arc/growth?

• Vincent no change dies• Butch changes new life• Jules changes new life

Paradigm portmanteau structure

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

PULP FICTION

Paradigm portmanteau structure

{ HB&P + J1 [ (VV) (B) ] J2 }

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

MEMENTO

• Not just backward chronology

• Colour scene / BW scene pattern

• Specific pattern?

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

MEMENTO

C1 – Credit sequence / polaroid (someone killed)BW1C2 – Motel, then derelict building with Teddy

C1(e) + BW1 + C2(e-1) ...BW2C3 – Motel room, photograph of Teddy (“Kill him”)

C1(e) + BW1 + C2(e-1) + BW2 + C3(e-2) ...

• Colours scenes show event moving backward, time “turns back”• BW scenes show event in chronological order but with abrupt

interruptions of action• Birectional structure (not just backward)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

MEMENTO

OVERALL STRUCTURE

BW scenes numbered 1 to 22

• Continuous action, no ellipses• 17 minutes in total• Abrupt, short interruptions of colour sequences• Leonard in room (mirror, tattoos), 4 phone calls (monologues + 6

flashbacks story of Sammy Jankis), voiceover

• Scene 22 transitions to colour (A)

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

MEMENTO

OVERALL STRUCTURE

C scenes named A to W

• Retrograde movement (reverse motion in W, then in steps)• Matching shots mnemonic device, orienting elements• Mental temporal reordering

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

MEMENTO

OVERALL STRUCTURE

BW scenes numbered 1 to 22C scenes named A to W

Film StructureW-1-V-2-U-3-T-4-S-5-R-6-Q-7-P-8-O-9-N-10-M-11-L-12-K-13-J-14- I-15-H-16-G-17-F-18-E-19-D-20-C-21-B- 22+A

Story chronology1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22+A-B-C-

D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

• Layered 3-act structure• Double/tandem narrative

1) Joel & Clementine’s story (plot, RL, triggers AL)

2) Lacuna’s staff stories (AL new RLs themes: love, pain, memory, mental manipulation)

• Preview flashback + Regret flashback

ALTERNATIVE MODELSETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

JOEL’s STORY

• Protagonist (asleep ?)

• Joel is engaged with Clementine (setup)

• Discovers Clementine had him wiped from her memory (disturbance)

• Joel decides to do the same (plan, preparation, delay)

• Lacuna’s staff start procedure (TP1, threshold)

• Act 2=memory-wiping process Joel changes his mind Vs computer (external antagonist force) and Vs. painful memories (internal antagonistic force) complications

• Joel’s memory wiped (Black moment) BUT decides to fight back (TP2) and goes to Montauk (Road back)

• Newly attracted to Clementine BUT Lacuna’s file (climax)

• Continue relationship (?) (resolution)

ALTERNATIVE MODELSETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

TP2TP1

1

Preview flashbackFlashback

Dist. + Plan

Lacuna stories

Memory-wiping

Regret flashbacks (non-chronological)

Flashbacks as illustration (surreal escape)

ALTERNATIVE MODELSETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

TANDEM STRUCTURE

1. Consequences (TP2)

2. Original cause (Dist.)

3. Plan links to tandem story

4. Tandem Process (execution of plan; exploration of themes and conflicts) A+B+flashbacks (layered narrative)

5. Return to opening (but new course of action)

6. Resolution

HOMEWORK FOR WK 9

SEMINAR- Watch/Analyse “Slumdog millionaire”- Prepare presentations (booked students)

- 3-Act structure (?); two storylines (past and present)

- Internal patterns (including relationship lines and dynamics, tandem ?)

- Characters