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Dramatic Elements of a Story
This document outlines various dramatic elements and techniques used in storytelling. It discusses key elements like theme, plot, subplot, conflict, obstacle, crisis, climax, and denouement. It also covers storytelling techniques such as backstory, exposition, preparation, planting, foreshadowing, hooks, jeopardy, reversals, flashbacks, suspension of disbelief, genre, and avoiding contrived coincidences. The document is intended as a guide for scriptwriters to understand fundamental components of crafting an effective narrative structure and story.
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Dramatic Elements of a Story
- 1. Dramatic Elements of aStory SCRIPTWRITING – SEYMOUR B. SANCHEZ
- 2. THEME The largercultural meaning, message or significance of a story
- 3. PLOT A scheme,plan or method to execute the premise The execution of the story The HOW of the story
- 4.
- 5. SAMPLE PLOT: THREELITTLE PIGS
- 6. SUBPLOT Mini-stories thatmay or may not be related to the main story Generally involves incidents surrounding some character(s) other than the main characters
- 7. SAMPLE: THE HUNGERGAMES
- 8. CONFLICT Dramatic structurethat is important for the story “man versus self” “man versus nature” “man versus man”
- 9. OBSTACLE A barrieror impediment to reaching a goal – something that the main character(s) must bypass or overcome
- 10. CRISIS A challenge,threat, or problem for the protagonist Developed in the middle section of the story through a series of crisis The largest crisis usually comes just before the climax
- 11. CLIMAX The emotionaland often physical high point of the story Resolves the suspense of the storyline
- 12. DENOUEMENT Short wind-upof the story that occurs after the climax
- 13.
- 14. BACKSTORY Events thathappen before a script begins that are important to the story A character’s previous history
- 15. EXPOSITION Information givento the audience about something that happens off- screen or before the story begins (backstory) It is most commonly given in dialogues because this is the easiest way to communicate information Other ways are through flashback, a narrator, or even a title (“A long time ago in a galaxy far away…)
- 16. PREPARATION Technique toset up the audience for something that will be important later It prepares us for certain actions or events, or for the appearance of a special object or person in the story. Later occurrences no longer seem overly coincidental or contrived
- 17. PLANT (Preparation Technique) Preparationtechnique in which an object or person is presented so that it may be used later To paraphrase Chekhov, if you’re going to use a gun in Act III, show it in Act 1
- 18. FORESHADOWING (Preparation Technique) Settingup events to come Used both in suspense and preparation Suspense foreshadows – the audience is cued to expect something, and anticipates the payoff
- 19. HOOK A plottwist or development that grabs the audience’s attention and compels them to keep watching
- 20. JEOPARDY A characterin physical or emotional danger Typical way to end a television or radio drama act (cliffhangers)
- 21. REVERSE A twistin the plot A turnaround of a character (as from bad to good) or character fortune
- 22. FLASHBACK Scenes thatgo back in time to reveal prior events in the story Is a cinematic technique where we are transported back in time to see some event visually take place For this technique to work well, audiences need to know this is a flashback and that they are seeing something out of the past so it is not confused with the present
- 23. SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF The audience’s deliberate withholding of their expectations of reality in a story’s plot
- 24. ON THE FLY A story that begins quickly with lots of actions
- 25. WITH ADAGIO Aterm for a story that begins with a subtle, often slow opening
- 26.
- 27. GENRE Genres identify similarfilm and television types. This is because of plot similarities, typical characters, themes, settings, or even the “look” of the film Examples: westerns, action/adventure, romance, comedy, science fiction, gangster, horror, disaster films, etc.
- 28. GENRE To writewithin a genre, it is necessary to study the form. Who are the heroes and how are they portrayed? What is ritualistic elements are usually present? Remember. Producers buy genres.
- 29.
- 30. COINCIDENCE, CONVENIENCE, and theCONTRIVED Using incidents that seem coincidental, convenient, or contrived strains credibility and makes the audience feel manipulated. The audience is inclined not to believe these things. Coincidences happen by chance rather than logical plotting. They include overheard conversations, chance sightings, and items forgotten or found One type of blatant convenience is the IDIOT PLOT in which the plot develops as a result of a character’s doing something completely stupid and idiotic