Recently, as I started watching a movie on video, a scene came up just before the opening credits of a character having a supremely happy and exciting experience. In that moment, I knew for certain that the character was doomed — in fact would probably not survive past the opening credits.
In another recent viewing experience, I saw a supremely self-possessed character — one who had never been defeated — go confidently into battle, expecting an easy victory. Before the contest had even begun I was already cringing with dread at the horrible defeat I knew the character would suffer. The only question in my mind was how much the writers would pile on the shame and ignominy.
I don’t think it’s that I have ESP. Rather, I believe each of these scenes was designed in such a way that the audience is subliminally tipped off about what happens next.
In a sense, most commercial films are designed on rails: The audience wants to be surprised, but the filmmakers artfully ensure that on an unconscious level the audience will see the surprise coming. I believe this is thought of as good commercial filmmaking.
What if a commercial film were to offer a true surprise — without secretly telegraphing its punches? Could it still be successful?
For me, films are horrific. I am not able to pick up on the cues that things are going to go badly and I’m often traumatized. I don’t see many films made after the 40’s.
I’d love to trade my film experience for yours.
Stories are driven by conflict, you basically can’t have an interesting story without it. Predicting that a story will contain conflict for the main character doesn’t really make the story any more predictable than any other story, considering that practically every story follows that trope.
If someone could write an interesting story without any sort of conflict, now *that* would be a surprise.
Stephan: Of course you need a conflict — there is always a conflict at some point in a narrative.
The issue I was having was that these filmmakers were telegraphing an imminent conflict before it even happened. It was as though they were saying: “OK, everybody get ready, we’re going to have the conflict now, and here is what it will be.”
Personally, I would be curious to have Sally’s experience of not knowing when the conflict is going to occur, or how it will play out.
On the other hand, she seems pretty traumatized by the experience, so maybe I should count my blessings. 🙂
It’s not that great, trust me. Usually I just say, “Protagonists don’t die,” and that covers most of the cases, but sometimes not.
Ok, there are several different things going on here.
The most important part is that you are becoming sensitive to story structure, which is a topic often discussed in Los Angeles. One of the definitions of a well-written mystery story is that you are given all the clues, but the answer to the mystery is still a surprise.
Starting about the time I was 16 or so, 95% of all drama became obvious to me.
An example where the author genuinely surprised me was “Groundhog Day”, by the way.
More on story structure if you like another time.
MW