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	<title>montage &#8211; The Story Department</title>
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		<title>Structure: The Incredibles</title>
		<link>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/structure-the-incredibles/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Karel FG Segers]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:01:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Post Series]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Structure Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act one]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act three]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act two]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direction]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hero]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[A structural overview of The Incredibles (Brad Bird 2004) &#8220;Animation is not a genre but an art form&#8221; says writer-director Brad Bird on the commentary track. This is one of the most enjoyable superhero action adventures I know. It is also the #1 movie I will never forgive myself for not seeing in the theaters ... <a title="Structure: The Incredibles" class="read-more" href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/structure-the-incredibles/" aria-label="Read more about Structure: The Incredibles">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>A structural overview of The Incredibles (Brad Bird 2004)<br />
&#8220;Animation is not a genre but an art form&#8221; says writer-director Brad Bird on the commentary track. This is one of the most enjoyable superhero action adventures I know.</h3>
<hr />
<p><strong><span style="color: #336699;">It is also the #1 movie I will never forgive myself for not seeing in the theaters at the time of release. It&#8217;s in my Top 10 of all-time favourites and a strong reference movie in almost all my story classes.</span></strong></p>
<h2>ACT ONE</h2>
<p><strong>Prologue: The Glory Days &amp; Wound (11mins)</strong></p>
<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2940" title="Telephone_D1A-0" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-01.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-0" width="450" height="187" /></p>
<p>00.00 TV interview: The Incredibles about their secret identities.<br />
02.00 Mr Incredible called to the rescue, but saves the cat first.<br />
04.30 Meets with Elastigirl on rooftop &#8211; &#8220;prior engagement&#8221;.<br />
05.30 Bob saves man from suicide attempt, he&#8217;s not happy.<br />
06.30 Bob stops Bomb Voyage, Incrediboy complicates matters.<br />
09.00 Bob marries Elastigirl: she needs more than Mr. Incredible.<br />
10.00 Superheroes are sued by suicidal: relocation program.</p>
<p><strong>Sequence A: The Ordinary Life (9mins)</strong></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2939" title="Telephone_D1A-1" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-14.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-1" width="450" height="187" /></p>
<p>11.00 15 years later: Insurance clerk, warned to stop writing cheques.<br />
13.00 After Helen sees headmaster, Dash told to be like everyone else.<br />
15.30 Violet is shy. Always trying to be invisible. Boy looked at her!<br />
16.00 Bob comes home, frustrated. Neighbour&#8217;s boy sees him.<br />
16.30 Dinner: they all use their powers, Bob is not in control.<br />
18.30 Robert reads paper: Advocate of superhero rights is missing.<br />
19.00 Frozone calls: Wednesday, it&#8217;s bowling night.<br />
19.30 Violet: What does anybody know about normal?</p>
<p><strong>Sequence B: Secrets, Lies &amp; Inciting Incident (14mins)</strong></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2941" title="Telephone_D1A-2" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-21.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-2" width="450" height="187" /></p>
<p>20.00 Frozone: What if we did what our wives think we&#8217;re doing?<br />
20.30 Mirage: &#8220;He&#8217;s not alone&#8221;.<br />
21.00 Fire rescue, escape into into jewellery shop, police catches them.<br />
23.00 Helen: Uprooting our family to be a superhero is not good.<br />
26.00 Boss cross: customers are experts, Bob has enough, loses it.<br />
28.30 Boss in hospital. Relocator offers to help Bob &amp; family.<br />
<strong> 30.00 Invitation from Mirage: Do great things. 24 hours to respond.</strong><br />
<strong> 32.30 Lying to Helen: sent to conference. Accepting Mirage&#8217;s call.</strong></p>
<h2>ACT TWO A</h2>
<p><strong>Sequence C: Living the Dream again (12mins)</strong></p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Telephone_D1A-4" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-4.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-4" width="450" height="187" /><br />
</strong></p>
<p>34.00 Mirage gives Bob instructions, he arrives on the island.<br />
36.00 Bob fights the robot, terminates it. Mission accomplished.<br />
38.30 Invited to dinner with Mirage; everything is delicious.<br />
39.30 Montage sequence: Bob is loving the great new life.<br />
41.00 Bob asks stylist E to repair suit; she will design new supersuit.<br />
44.00 New assignment: Bob keeps lying to Helen.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Sequence D: Things are not what they seem (7mins)</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" width="450" height="196" class="size-medium wp-image-994 aligncenter" title="pdvd_001-4551" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/pdvd_001-4551.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/pdvd_001-4551.jpg 450w, https://www.thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/pdvd_001-4551-300x130.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></p>
<p>45.00 Flying to island, nice to be back, Mirage. Briefing for 2pm.<br />
47.00 Helen finds patched suit, calls Edna. You come in 1 hour I insist.<br />
48.00 Bob&#8217;s meeting: I&#8217;m Syndrome, your biggest fan. You work alone.<br />
50.30 Syndrome tries to kill Bob, he jumps in water.<br />
<strong>51.00 Bob finds dead super Gazerbeam. &#8220;K R O N O S</strong>&#8221;<br />
51.30 Tracers trying to find Bob: terminated.</p>
<h2>ACT TWO B</h2>
<p><strong>Sequence E: Approach to Syndrome&#8217;s HQ (9mins)</strong></p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Telephone_D1A-5" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-5.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-5" width="450" height="187" /><br />
</strong></p>
<p>52.00 E shows Helen her work: we are retired! Do you know where he is?<br />
55.00 Removing the guards, going in.<br />
57.30 Bob learns that the Supers are dead.<br />
58.00 Helen finds out Bob left company, he&#8217;s  been lying.<br />
59.30 Locator betrays Bob. Bob caught in Blobs.<br />
60.00 E to Helen: go, fight, win!</p>
<p><strong>Sequence F: Bob in the Cave / Family to the rescue (9mins)</strong></p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Telephone_D1A-6" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-6.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-6" width="450" height="187" /><br />
</strong></p>
<p>61.00 Helen gets ready, Dash sees outfits. Calling Snug.<br />
62.30 Helen &amp; kids flies gov. jet, missile attack on approach.<br />
63.30 Bob chained &#8211; Syndrome shows up.<br />
67.30 Helen saves the kids. Get a grip!<br />
68.30 Bob threatens to kill Mirage, doesn&#8217;t do it. S: You&#8217;re weak!<br />
70.00 Helen to kids: use your powers. I&#8217;ll be back by morning.</p>
<p><strong>Sequence G: FINDING BOB (9mins)</strong></p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Telephone_D1A-8" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-8.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-8" width="450" height="187" /><br />
</strong></p>
<p>72.30 Mirage: Next time you gamble, bet your own life.<br />
73.30 Helen goes into HQ, using her Elastigirl powers.<br />
76.00 Dash: I&#8217;m gonna look around.<br />
77.30 Rocket launch: Dash &amp; Vi run.<br />
78.30 Dash &amp; Vi discovered. They have to run.<br />
79.30 Mirage tells Bob his family is alive. Helen finds the two.</p>
<p><strong>Sequence H: REUNION IN THE CAVE (7mins)</strong></p>
<p><strong><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: 0px initial initial;" title="Telephone_D1A-12" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-12.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-12" width="450" height="187" /><br />
</strong></p>
<p>82.00 Dash runs &amp; fights &amp; runs.<br />
83.30 Bob &amp; Helen // Violet disappears, Dash to the rescue.<br />
85.00 Family reunion.<br />
85.30 S appears. Captures them, shows what the robots do. &#8220;I&#8217;m real&#8221;<br />
<strong>87.30 Bob apologises, Violet releases them, escaping.</strong></p>
<h2>ACT THREE</h2>
<p><strong> Sequence I: Threshold Sequence (5mins)</strong></p>
<p><img decoding="async" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Telephone_D1A-13" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Telephone_D1A-13.jpg" alt="Telephone_D1A-13" width="450" height="187" /></p>
<p>88.00 To the rocket, Mirage helps<br />
89.00 Frozone getting ready<br />
90.00 Syndrome &#8220;saves baby&#8221; but can&#8217;t stop robot.<br />
91.00 Incredibles arrive with bus.</p>
<p><strong>Sequence J:</strong> <strong>INCREDIBLES vs. SYNDROME (8mins)</strong></p>
<p>93.00 Robot attacks them.<br />
94.00 Frozone helps. Bob has the remote control.<br />
97.00 Taking out the robot.<br />
97.30 Syndrome still around<br />
98.00 New hope for the supers.<br />
99.00 Kari (babysit) calls: thanks for replacement &#8211; S<br />
<strong> 99.30 Jack-Jack&#8217;s special powers. Bob throws Helen.</strong><br />
100.30 S in turbine / Violet protects them.</p>
<p><strong>Sequence J: THE INCREDIBLE(S) TEAM (3mins)</strong><br />
101.30 3 months later: Tony &amp; Violet / Dash comes close second<br />
102.30 The Underminer: they all get ready to work together.</p>
<h2>THE HERO&#8217;S JOURNEY</h2>
<p>In a prologue full of beautifully dramatised exposition, we meet Bob, Helen, Frozone and Incrediboy. We learn about the role of the Supers and their fall &#8211; or Bob&#8217;s &#8216;wound&#8217;.</p>
<p><strong>ACT ONE</strong></p>
<p>The Ordinary World for Bob doesn&#8217;t start until after the prologue, &#8220;15 Years Later&#8221;. It is literally an &#8216;ordinary&#8217; world and he has a strong longing to swap this life for something more exciting. This stage extends for two sequences, in which we see Bob&#8217;s boring day job as well as his exciting secret night escapades.</p>
<p>But he is a flawed hero. He lies to his wife and hates his job. He is blamed of not doing his fatherly duties. This Hero is ready for change.</p>
<p>The Call to Adventure comes with the message from Mirage, the Herald and Shapeshifter who seduces Bob into a adventure that promises exactly what Bob has been lacking in his life.</p>
<p>After hardly any Refusal, Bob crosses the Threshold and accepts Mirages offer. Again he lies to Helen, saying he&#8217;s off to a conference.</p>
<p><strong>ACT TWO</strong></p>
<p>The typical pitfalls of a second act are overcome by using a solid sequential structure and by interweaving Bob&#8217;s journey with that of his family. In the middle of the act sits a powerful Mid Point Reversal, which accelerates the Hero&#8217;s Inner Journey and gives his Outer Journey a new direction.</p>
<p>The first half of Act Two consists of a number of Tests for Bob, leading to his first assignment, which Bob completes effortlessly. So in a way this assignment can be seen as just another &#8216;test&#8217; in the journey. Bob is loving his new life. But he&#8217;s still living the lie, so a reversal is looming. Going back to the island, he is to meet with with his employer but instead he is attacked by a robot and for the first time, he finds himself face to face with Syndrome, his Shadow.  It turns out he has created this shadow by rejecting (his need for a) Buddy. In order to resurrect as the transformed Hero, Bob will not only need to defeat Syndrome, but take on the very character quality Buddy/Syndrome represented: team spirit.</p>
<p>Although The Incredibles never FEELS formulaic, it ticks all the boxes of the Journey, including the almost cliche&#8217;d beat of the Mid Point: the Leap of Faith. To escape his enemy, Bob dives off the cliff (Butch &amp; Sundance style) into the water below. Seconds later, the reversal is complete when he learns the full truth about Syndrome and the fate of the Supers by discovering the meaning of &#8220;KRONOS&#8221;.</p>
<p>The next sequence is a typical Approach to the Inmost Cave, i.e. trying to get into Syndrome&#8217;s HQ. There, Mr Incredible will face his lowest point when he is chained in the cave, first alone, then together with his family.</p>
<p>The traditionally melodramatic Ordeal scene is peppered with mild sarcasm,  when Dash cuts into Bob&#8217;s redemption speech and Helen says: &#8220;Shhht! Don&#8217;t interrupt&#8230;&#8221;</p>
<p>Brad Bird shows again how you can use a template like the Hero&#8217;s Journey and use it in an original way: the Reward is shown BEFORE the Ordeal, as we see on a big screen what Syndrome is up to. So the Incredibles know where to go and what to do once they&#8217;re out of their predicament. It makes the transition more fluid than in many movies, where the Reward magically &#8211; and quite randomly &#8211; appears immediately after the redemption.</p>
<p><strong>ACT THREE</strong></p>
<p>The Road Back &#8216;Threshold Sequence&#8217; is a fully fledged chase sequence back to the Ordinary World, including running, flying and driving.Technically you can argue that this sequence belongs nor in Act Two (Special World) nor Act Three (Ordinary World) but I place it in Act Three because it happens after the Hero is ready to confront the Shadow. The race to the mainland is in effect the first action after the 2nd Act Turning Poing (PP2 or Ordeal/Reward).</p>
<p>Back on the main land, the family engages with Syndrome. The subplot of Jack-Jack and the babysit leads into the final showdown and Syndrome&#8217;s demise pays off the setup about the caped Super-costumes. Delightful.</p>
<p>In a brief Elixir-sequence, Dash finally  gets his chance to shine and Violet shows her regained self-esteem. In the final scene of the movie we see how the Incredibles will continue their lives.</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"><img alt='Karel FG Segers' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=100&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' itemprop="image"/></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/author/karel-segers/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Karel FG Segers</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><p>Karel Segers wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PqQjgjo1wA"> his first produced screenplay</a> at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.</p>
<p>Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheStoryDepartment">YouTube Channel</a>!</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">436</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Structure: Thelma &#038; Louise</title>
		<link>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/structure-thelma-louise/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/structure-thelma-louise/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Karel FG Segers]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2009 04:03:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Structure Analysis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act one]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act structure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act three]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[act two]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antagonist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[call to adventure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[character]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[character arc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[climax]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[filmmaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hero]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[montage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ordeal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passive protagonist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Point of View]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pov]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[protagonist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[resolution]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[reversal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ridley Scott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[screenplay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[script]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sequence]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[setup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[story]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Inciting Incident]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Thelma & Louise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[turning point]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UNK]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">/?p=1391</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[I am a fan of Ridley Scott&#8217;s flamboyant visual style of filmmaking. Although he has had numerous box office successes, in my view he has never equalled the overall excellence of THELMA &#38; LOUISE (1991). It is a fabulous movie and an outstanding debut script by first-timer Callie Khouri. Here is an attempt to analyse ... <a title="Structure: Thelma &#038; Louise" class="read-more" href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/structure-thelma-louise/" aria-label="Read more about Structure: Thelma &#038; Louise">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h3>I am a fan of Ridley Scott&#8217;s flamboyant visual style of filmmaking.<br />
Although he has had numerous box office successes, in my view he has never equalled the overall excellence of THELMA &amp; LOUISE (1991). It is a fabulous movie and an outstanding debut script by first-timer Callie Khouri.</h3>
<p>Here is an attempt to analyse the structural dynamics of this wonderful screenplay and film.</p>
<h2><strong><span style="color: #336699;"><span style="color: #000000;">ACT ONE</span><br />
</span></strong></h2>
<p><strong>SEQUENCE A (8.5mins): Preparations.</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/normal-life.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1404" title="normal-life" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/normal-life.jpg" alt="normal-life" /></a></p>
<p>00.00	Opening Titles: Landscapes that express freedom.<br />
02.00	At diner, Louise is serving &amp; advises against smoking, then smokes.<br />
03.00	Thelma at home, hasn&#8217;t asked husband yet for permission to leave.<br />
03.30	Darryl patronises Thelma, humiliates her, she still doesn&#8217;t ask.<br />
04.30	Darryl leaves in sportscar, shouts at workmen.<br />
05.00	T. calls L.. After the manager&#8217;s innuendo, they arrange their departure.<br />
06.00	Louise leaves, montage shows both  getting ready.<br />
07.00	Louise picks up Thelma, who carries half household with her. Polaroid.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1396" title="endsequencea" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/endsequencea.jpg" alt="endsequencea" /></p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE B (13mins): Departure and disaster.</strong></p>
<p>08.30	Driving. T.: I didn&#8217;t ask. L.: You get what you settle for (i.e. Darryl).<br />
09.30	Thelma is smoking, looking in the mirror: &#8220;I&#8217;m Louise.&#8221;<br />
10.30	Dusk, Silver Bullet, going to have fun. Different responses to Harlan.<br />
13.30	Louise is reserved, it makes Thelma nervous. Harlan shouts drinks.<br />
15.00	Dancing, line dancing. Thelma dances with Harlan.<br />
16.30	Louise back to table, Thelma keeps dancing. Louise wants to leave.<br />
17.30	Thelma is unwell, they go outside. Louise is looking for Thelma.<br />
18.30	Harlan: Not gonna hurt you. T. resists. He hits her and attempts rape.</p>
<p><span style="color: #336699;"><strong>19.30	Louise appears with gun. &#8220;Suck my dick&#8221;. She shoots. (I.I.)<br />
</strong></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1401" title="incitingincident" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/incitingincident.jpg" alt="incitingincident" /></p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE C (11mins): Figuring out what to do.</strong></p>
<p>21.30	They escape. L. blames T. for her behaviour. Police won&#8217;t believe them.<br />
22.30	Louise vomits. Trucks &amp; noise everywhere. Let&#8217;s have a coffee &amp; plan.<br />
24.00	They try and figure out what to do. Thelma calls Hal. Nobody home.<br />
25.30	Detective Hal with waitress: Harlan deserved it! She defends T&amp;L.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1399" title="halslocombe" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/halslocombe.jpg" alt="halslocombe" /><br />
27.30	No money. Need to figure out what to do.<br />
28.30	They argue. Go to police? Not ready to go to jail.<br />
29.30	T. at the pool, L. calls Jimmy for money. Do you love me?<br />
<span style="color: #336699;"><strong> 31.30	L. &amp; T. leave in a hurry. They have decided to run. (PP1)<br />
</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>END OF ACT ONE: The decision has been made to go on the run.</strong></p>
<h2><strong> </strong><strong><span style="color: #336699;"><span style="color: #000000;"><br />
ACT TWO<br />
</span></span></strong></h2>
<p><strong>SEQUENCE D ( 8.5mins): Organising money.</strong></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1393" title="act2firstscene" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/act2firstscene.jpg" alt="act2firstscene" /></p>
<p>32.30	Hal&#8217;s boss: Possibly interstate. Let the FBI in on this.<br />
33.00	Louise: Let&#8217;s go to Mexico. Are you up to this? I&#8217;m going.<br />
34.30	L. calls Jimmy. He will send the money. I miss you, Peaches.<br />
36.00	T. calls Darryl, he&#8217;s watching a game, judging but not concentrating.<br />
39.00	Young handsome JD asks for a lift. Thelma is keen, Louise says no.</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE E (10.5mins): To Oklahoma for the money pick-up.</strong></p>
<p>41.00	Hal is on the case, looks up Louise&#8217;s car: &#8217;66 Ford Thunderbird.<br />
41.30	Louise doesn&#8217;t want to Mexico go through Texas.<br />
43.00	Hal is investigating at Louise&#8217;s place.<br />
43.30	Thelma and Louise are enjoying the ride.<br />
44.00	Detective Hal is investigating at Louise&#8217;s Diner.<br />
44.30	They see JD again; Thelma begs to pick him up. Louise gives in.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1403" title="jd" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/jd.jpg" alt="jd" /></p>
<p>45.00	Detective Hal interviews Darryl, who is more concerned about himself.<br />
46.00	JD to T.: Your husband sounds like a real asshole. T: he is. They bond.<br />
47.00	JD warns them, they avoid an approaching police car.<br />
47.30	Hal has info on Thelma&#8217;s gun etc.<br />
48.30	They go to pick up the money. Jimmy is there, he books rooms.<br />
50.00	JD leaves them and each go to their rooms. L. to T.: Guard the money.</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE F (16mins): Mid Sequence, cross-cut.</strong></p>
<p>51.30	Jimmy is jealous &amp; violent. He calms down and proposes to her.<br />
54.00	JD knocks on door. T invites him in. They have fun and make love.<br />
1.00.0	Over breakfast Louise and Jimmy kiss goodbye.<br />
1.04.3	T. arrives: Finally got laid properly. Left money in the room. Run!</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1398" title="gotlaid" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/gotlaid.jpg" alt="gotlaid" /><br />
1.06.0	Money gone. Louise breaks down. End of Thelma&#8217;s innocence.<br />
<span style="color: #336699;"><strong> 1.07.0	T. cheers L. up, takes control and drives. Move! (MPR)<br />
</strong></span></p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE G (10.5mins): Thelma has found her calling.</strong></p>
<p>1.07.3 Hal &amp; Co with Darryl. When she calls, be gentle. Women love that shit.<br />
1.10.0	Thelma robs Store. Drive us to Mexico.<br />
1.11.0	FB: This is a robbery // Hal &amp; Darryl watching. Everybody is shocked.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1405" title="thelmasrobbery" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/thelmasrobbery.jpg" alt="thelmasrobbery" /></p>
<p>1.12.3	Thelma brags about her robbery. Found your calling. You&#8217;re Disturbed.<br />
1.14.0	Sexist truck driver. They think we like it.<br />
1.15.0 Police now with Jimmy.<br />
1.16.0	Louise with old man, gives him her jewellery.<br />
1.17.0	L.: murder one, little defense. T.: How do you know all these things?</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE H (8mins): Fugitives.</strong></p>
<p>1.18.0	Hal blames T.&#8217;s robbery on JD. They wouldn&#8217;t have otherwise.<br />
1.22.0	Thelma calls Darryl. He knows. L. calls, asks for police.<br />
1.23.3  Hal knows about Mexico. T. talked. L. angry: We&#8217;re Fugitives now.</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE I (11.5mins): Speeding towards Mexico.</strong></p>
<p>1.26.0  Darryl with cops changes channel, annoys cops, changes back.<br />
1.26.3	Driving through National Park by night.<br />
1.28.3	Dawn. Passing sexist trucker.<br />
1.31.0	T.: Texas. You was raped. L.: I&#8217;m not talking about that.<br />
1.32.0	Stopped by cop: clocked at 110km/h. In trouble.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1395" title="cop" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/cop.jpg" alt="cop" /><br />
1.34.3	Thelma with gun, shoots radio. They put cop in trunk.<br />
1.37.0	Thelma: I&#8217;ve got a knack for this shit.</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE I (5.5mins): Dead or alive.</strong></p>
<p>1.37.3	Hal: Brains only get you so far &amp; luck always runs out.<br />
1.38.0	Louise has doubts &amp; regrets. Thelma justifies. Having fun, not sorry.<br />
1.39.0 L. calls Hal: charge w/ murder;knows about Texas. Dead or alive?<br />
<span style="color: #336699;"><strong> 1.41.3	Not giving up. Not making any deals. Dead or alive. (PP2)<br />
</strong></span></p>
<p><strong>END OF ACT TWO: Their fate has been sealed. T.&#8217;s arc complete.<br />
</strong></p>
<h2><strong> </strong><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong><span style="color: #336699;"><span style="color: #000000;"><br />
ACT THREE</span></span></strong></h2>
<p><strong>SEQUENCE J (6.5mins): Revenge.</strong></p>
<p>1.43.0	Thelma feels awake.<br />
1.44.0 They see macho trucker again. Ready to get serious? Yes.<br />
1.46.0	They ask for an apology. Fuck that! They shoot, truck explodes.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1392" title="trucker" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/trucker.jpg" alt="trucker" /><br />
1.48.3	Drive on.</p>
<p><strong><br />
SEQUENCE K (8.5mins): Freedom at last</strong></p>
<p>1.49.3	(POV) Stoned bicycle rider, smoke into air hole.</p>
<p>1.50.3	Police helicopter: closing in.<br />
1.51.3	Police cars chasing them, they go off the road. Cars follow.<br />
1.54.0	Temporarily shake them off under bridge. Eerily quiet.</p>
<p>1.54.3	Thelma: crazy, first chance to express yourself.<br />
1.56.0	They reach the edge of a cliff: Grand Canyon. Hal appears in heli.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1394" title="carheli" src="https://thestorydepartment.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/carheli.jpg" alt="carheli" /><br />
1.57.3	Surrounded. Hal lands. Orders to surrender.<br />
<strong><span style="color: #336699;"> 1.58.3	Louise: not giving up. Thelma: let&#8217;s keep going. (C&amp;R)</span></strong><br />
2.00.0	They drive, hal runs.</p>
<p><strong>I.I.: Inciting Incident (or Call to Adventure)<br />
PP1: Plot Point 1 (Act 1 Turning Point / Crossing the 1st Threshold)<br />
MPR: Mid Point Reversal<br />
PP2: Plot Point 2 (Act 2 Turning Point / Ordeal &amp; Reward)<br />
C&amp;R: Climax &amp; Resolution (Resurrection)</strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #336699;">PROTAGONIST</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">In my view, Thelma is the protagonist, for the following reasons:</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">1. She is prominent in the setup and we empathise/sympathise with her.<br />
2. We may hope that she will become less submissive and find freedom.<br />
3. Her story has a clear Inciting Incident (a major event happening to her).<br />
</span><span style="color: #000000;">4. She has a clear Mid Point Reversal</span><span style="color: #000000;">.<br />
5. She has a clear character arc.</span></p>
<p>Interestingly, if you look at Thelma&#8217;s story in isolation, the first half (before the Mid Point Reversal) she is a passive protagonist, mostly just following Louise. Only after that, she becomes an active protagonist. This passivity is counteracted by Louise&#8217;s initiative until the Mid Point.</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #336699;">ACT STRUCTURE</span></strong></p>
<p>The Inciting Incident is clear: two major events happen to Thelma: Harlan&#8217;s rape attempt and Louise&#8217;s shooting Harlan. Although Louise later argues that Thelma started it because of her behaviour, Thelma&#8217;s actions are two degrees away from the Inciting Incident (Harlan&#8217;s death) that kicks off the story. Therefore, this is clearly <strong>an event happening to</strong> Thelma, not <strong>an action by her</strong>.</p>
<p>This leaves Thelma with the necessity to act.</p>
<p>The 1st Act Turning point is more problematic: Louise takes the initiative, Thelma agrees by following her. After a period of considering their options, they have decided to go on the run. Although the destination won&#8217;t be known until later, Act Two is now set in motion. In my view, this act break is reinforced by the next scene in which we learn the FBI will be on the case. This increasing of the stakes by showing the antagonist&#8217;s power is a frequently used technique to open Act Two.</p>
<p>The Mid Point Reversal is at the same time a reversal of fortune (loss of the money) and proof of Thelma&#8217;s change of heart. She is now committed to her inner journey towards finding her true identity (or essence) and freedom. Two events trigger this: her first fulfilling sexual experience and the realisation that she has failed to take responsibility by constantly relying on Louise. The evidence in her commitment lies in two immediate actions: she drives the car and robs the store.</p>
<p>The crisis occurs when they learn about the major setback that Hal knows where they are heading and he will charge them with murder. It is a crisis moment for both women: Louise has doubts and regrets, so Thelma has to make a choice. Her newly found strength is the Reward, as well as the fact that Louise hasn&#8217;t made a deal with the police. It is a strong Ordeal moment as 1) the image of death occurs when they realise it is now a matter of life or death and 2) it signifies the death of Thelma&#8217;s old identity.</p>
<p>At the climax, two important actions take place: 1) Thelma demonstrates her new strength when she stands up for herself in the confrontation with the sexist truck driver and 2) by saying &#8220;Let&#8217;s keep going&#8221; she commits to her new principles with her life and seals it with the ultimate act of defiance.<br />
<strong></strong></p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #336699;">POINT OF VIEW</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">After the characters have been set up, every scene has the hero (Thelma) or the antagonist (Harlan/the police), except perhaps one or two. </span></p>
<p><span style="color: #000000;">Any scenes that are not told from Thelma&#8217;s POV either add to the jeopardy (as the police makes progress) or they provide comic relief (the black cyclist blowing smoke into the trunk with the cop in it).<br />
</span></p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"><img alt='Karel FG Segers' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=100&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' itemprop="image"/></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/author/karel-segers/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Karel FG Segers</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><p>Karel Segers wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PqQjgjo1wA"> his first produced screenplay</a> at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.</p>
<p>Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheStoryDepartment">YouTube Channel</a>!</p>
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		<title>Michael Mann and Lev Kuleshov</title>
		<link>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/michael-mann-and-lev-kuleshov/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/michael-mann-and-lev-kuleshov/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Karel FG Segers]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:05:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Stuff]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alfred hitchcock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[drama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[filmmaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kuleshov]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael mann]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[montage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pov]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stephen gaghan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[story]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://michael-mann-and-lev-kuleshov/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Michael Mann&#8217;s commentary on the Restored Director&#8217;s Cut of MANHUNTER focuses primarily on the parallel psychology of the serial murderer and the cop. But let&#8217;s skip to the last few minutes of the commentary in which Michael Mann summarises his approach to filmmaking. &#8220;Film is made in the editing room. In the writing and in ... <a title="Michael Mann and Lev Kuleshov" class="read-more" href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/michael-mann-and-lev-kuleshov/" aria-label="Read more about Michael Mann and Lev Kuleshov">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Michael Mann&#8217;s commentary on the Restored Director&#8217;s Cut of MANHUNTER focuses primarily on the parallel psychology of the serial murderer and the cop. But let&#8217;s skip to the last few minutes of the commentary in which Michael Mann summarises his approach to filmmaking.</p>
<blockquote><p><em><strong style="color: #336699">&#8220;Film is made in the editing room. In the writing and in the director&#8217;s preparation you&#8217;re planning what you&#8217;re gonna do in the editing room.&#8221;</strong></em></p></blockquote>
<p>He then refers to the Russian theory of <em>montage</em> from the 1920&#8217;s, which was followed by the Brits in the next decade (and used later to great commercial success by Alfred Hitchcock a.o.).</p>
<p>Anybody with a real interest in the effect of <em>montage</em>, should really do some reading on Lev Kuleshov and what is still known as the <em>Kuleshov Effect. </em>Using this, one could build a case that, if story is structure (which is what Stephen Gaghan doesn&#8217;t like), therefore <strong><em>transitions are structure</em></strong>.</p>
<p>Isn&#8217;t it remarkable that seventy years apart, two Russians were telling the world about <em>transitions </em>in their respective art forms?</p>
<p>Gaghan writes like a director. Similarly, Michael Mann is already thinking of what he will do in the editing room and therefore writes his story from scene transitions rather than starting from the overall dramatic arc.</p>
<h6 align="right"><em>(originally published 06/05/2006, edited 31/10/2007)</em></h6>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"><img alt='Karel FG Segers' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=100&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' itemprop="image"/></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/author/karel-segers/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Karel FG Segers</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><p>Karel Segers wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PqQjgjo1wA"> his first produced screenplay</a> at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.</p>
<p>Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheStoryDepartment">YouTube Channel</a>!</p>
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		<title>A Director&#8217;s Approach</title>
		<link>https://www.thestorydepartment.com/directors-approach/</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Karel FG Segers]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 May 2006 15:04:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alfred hitchcock]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[antagonist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[beat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[character]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[character development]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[drama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dramatic irony]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[filmmaking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kuleshov]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael mann]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[montage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[obstacle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orlando]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pov]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[psychology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[roger ebert]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[stephen gaghan]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://a-directors-approach/</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Following my post on SYRIANA writer/director Stephen Gaghan, I came across an interesting discussion on the necessity of rigorous structuring vs. a more liberal, visual approach to screenwriting. Jim Mercurio makes the following point about Gaghan&#8217;s comments in the notorious CS podcast: &#8220;Gaghan&#8217;s comments are showing that he is evolving from a screenwriter into a ... <a title="A Director&#8217;s Approach" class="read-more" href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/directors-approach/" aria-label="Read more about A Director&#8217;s Approach">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8128/224/1600/still_7.jpg"><img decoding="async" src="https://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/8128/224/200/still_7.jpg" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left" border="0" /></a><strong><span style="color: #336699">Following my post on SYRIANA writer/director Stephen Gaghan, I came across an interesting discussion on the necessity of rigorous structuring vs. a more liberal, visual approach to screenwriting.</span></strong></p>
<p>Jim Mercurio makes the following point about Gaghan&#8217;s comments in the notorious CS podcast: <em>&#8220;Gaghan&#8217;s comments are showing that he is evolving from a screenwriter into a filmmaker. &#8220;</em></p>
<p>With &#8216;filmmaker&#8217;, he undoubtedly means &#8216;director&#8217; and with his quote he hits the nail on the head. However, Mercurio makes it sound as if this is a natural evolution, when he goes on to explain how <em>his own latest script too is told with transitions</em>. All of a sudden Gaghan is fashionable, and screenwriters are re-inventing Tolstoy. Now let&#8217;s not forget the following facts:</p>
<p>1. Tolstoy was a novelist<br />
2. Gaghan is NOT a meanstream screenwriter<br />
3. Transitions do not stand in the way of proper story structuring</p>
<p>What everybody seems to be missing in this discussion is that transitions play on a <em>shot level</em>, or at best on a <em>scene level</em>. Story structure goes way beyond that. Whatever Mercurio may think, a screenplay written solely from transitions will most likely end up in the same tiny niche market as KOYAANISQATSI.</p>
<p><strong>DVD: THE MANN SPEAKS</strong></p>
<p>The same day I stumbled on the discussion above, I heard writer/director Michael Mann&#8217;s commentary on the Restored Director&#8217;s Cut of MANHUNTER.</p>
<p>Mann&#8217;s comments focus mainly on the parallel psychology of the serial murderer and the cop, besides a few killer anecdotes about production nightmares. My favourite: the airplane scene with the little girl freaking out over Will Graham&#8217;s bloody crime scene photos. The only way to shoot this was to book the entire film crew on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Orlando without informing the airline of their plans, keeping all equipment as hand luggage. Mid flight suddenly these hundred or so people got out of their seats and started filming. No need to say that Mann could kiss his United air miles goodbye.</p>
<p>But let&#8217;s skip to the last few minutes of the commentary in which Michael Mann summarises his approach to filmmaking. &#8220;Film is made in the editing room. In the writing and in the director&#8217;s preparation you&#8217;re planning what you&#8217;re gonna do in the editing room.&#8221; He then refers to the Russian theory of <em>montage</em> from the 1920&#8217;s, which was followed by the Brits in the next decade (and used later to great commercial success by Alfred Hitchcock a.o.).</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t want to get too theoretical here, but anybody with a real interest in the effect of <em>montage</em>, should really do some reading on Lev Kuleshov and what is still known as the <em>Kuleshov Effect. </em>Using this, I could easily build a case to prove that <strong><em>transitions are structure</em></strong>. I&#8217;ll spare you that one for now. But isn&#8217;t it remarkable that seventy years apart, two Russians were telling the world about <em>transitions </em>in their respective art forms?</p>
<p>To conclude: Mercurio is right when he says that Gaghan writes like a filmmaker. Like Michael Mann, he is already thinking of what he will do in the editing room and therefore writes his story from scene transitions rather than starting from an overall dramatic arc. This approach to script writing is indeed in many ways similar to that of Hitchcock or Mann but I am sure those last two went through far less drafts than Gaghan.</p>
<p>BTW: Don&#8217;t rush out to get Manhunter from HMV or Amazon.com: unfortunately Mann&#8217;s commentary only features on a rare DVD which has been out of print for a while, which limits your options largely to eBay. But as a bonus from OZZYWOOD, you can download the last four minutes of Michael Mann&#8217;s director&#8217;s commentary here.</p>
<p><strong>LOOSE ENDS: The First Act Monolith</strong></p>
<p>Recently I watched <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080474/">BRUBAKER</a>, not knowing <em>anything</em> about this 1980 drama directed by Stuart Rosenberg. If you haven&#8217;t seen the film but are planning to do so in the near future, don&#8217;t read on as I will spoil the pleasure (and surprise).</p>
<p>The film strays from the traditional structure mainly because of its offbeat First Act. For the life of me, I could not detect an Inciting Incident, nor any significant protagonist characterisation. Instead we witness from Robert Redford&#8217;s detainee character&#8217;s POV how the most appalling injustice and brutality is inflicted relentlessly upon the inmates.</p>
<p>Over thirty minutes into the movie, Redford&#8217;s character identifies himself as the new warden and announces in the same scene that he wants to force through some serious reform. Finally we have our 1st Act Turning Point. I am still trying to understand why the warden&#8217;s identity was kept hidden from the audience all along. Apart from a sudden surprise, it doesn&#8217;t add a thing. The use of <em>dramatic irony</em> (i.e.: the audience knows, but the other characters don&#8217;t) would have been much more powerful and it would have allowed for the badly needed character development.</p>
<p>Leading US critic Roger Ebert wrote about this film: <em>&#8220;There&#8217;s no room for the spontaneity of real human personalities caught in real situations. That&#8217;s especially annoying with the character of Brubaker himself, played well but within a frustratingly narrow range by </em><a href="https://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/classifieds?category=search1&amp;SearchType=1&amp;q=Robert%20Redford&amp;Class=%25&amp;FromDate=19150101&amp;ToDate=20061231"></a><a href="https://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/classifieds?category=search1&amp;SearchType=1&amp;q=Robert%20Redford&amp;Class=%25&amp;FromDate=19150101&amp;ToDate=20061231"><em>Robert Redford</em></a><em>. &#8220;</em></p>
<p>Redford&#8217;s performance is rock solid given the material. BRUBAKER&#8217;s real problem is its flawed structure: half an hour into the movie, we have run out of screentime to sufficiently set up the protagonist&#8217;s character and potential internal conflicts. Redford didn&#8217;t have anything to work with, which makes Ebert&#8217;s comment rather unfair.</p>
<p>What the screenwriters did achieve quite well though, is the setup of antagonists and external obstacles in the way of the protagonist&#8217;s objective. Perhaps this explains why the film <em>did </em>work for me.</p>
<p>It still beats me though why BRUBAKER was nominated for Best Screenplay back in 1980. Perhaps it was a fluke. In my view, this theory gains strength when we look at co-writer W.D. Richter&#8217;s latest work: STEALTH&#8230;</p>
<div class="saboxplugin-wrap" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person" itemscope itemprop="author"><div class="saboxplugin-tab"><div class="saboxplugin-gravatar"><img alt='Karel FG Segers' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=100&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7f7036afec18838e556057d7300476fdc1b21804bf893e3963108bdd69c0f0c7?s=200&#038;d=mm&#038;r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-100 photo' height='100' width='100' itemprop="image"/></div><div class="saboxplugin-authorname"><a href="https://www.thestorydepartment.com/author/karel-segers/" class="vcard author" rel="author"><span class="fn">Karel FG Segers</span></a></div><div class="saboxplugin-desc"><div itemprop="description"><p>Karel Segers wrote <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PqQjgjo1wA"> his first produced screenplay</a> at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.</p>
<p>Subscribe to our <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/TheStoryDepartment">YouTube Channel</a>!</p>
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