. 25 .

iow Cu.:ct Gt:rs .:

Auo:t:ct

Most pcoplc or| prctty |ard avoidiug c|augc. Souc o us

cvcu car c|augiug t|c rcally lousy parts o lic. iut t|cu c gct
to go to t|c uovics.
At t|c ciucua c cut loosc aud cujoy c|augc. Vit| .cro
pcrsoual ris|, c iusist ou it. Ouc uajor rcasou |y cvcry|ody
lovcs t|c uovics so uuc| is t|at the language of flm is a language of
constant change.
S|illcd scrccuritcrs |oo| au audicucc t|roug| idcutinca-
tiou it| t|c |cro, t|cu |old t|cu iu t|rall |y uauipulatiug t|c
story to providc a rclcutlcss no o trausoruativc cvcuts.
V|ct|cr a uovic coucs ou |ig aud loud or suall aud
|ispcry, au audicucc cxpccts cac| |cro to cud up soucplacc
vcry dincrcut rou t|c |ouc grouud |crc t|c story |cgau.
At t|c start o Forrest Gump, lorrcst 1ou iau|s) is a
slo-ittcd |audicappcd |id |o gcts |ullicd all t|c tiuc. ic
|asut got a suo|alls c|aucc o cvcr auouutiug to auyt|iug.
iy t|c cud o t|c uovic |cs a auous scl-uadc uilliouairc
tycoou ar |cro, as cll as a isc, loviug |us|aud aud at|cr.
C|augc.
At t|c start o Bridget Jones Diary, iridgct is a lo-lcvcl o-
ncc drouc lac|iug iu scl-ort|, rouautically attractcd to cads,
aud uua|lc to nud auy uau illiug to uarry |cr. iy t|c cud
s|cs a scl-posscsscd, uatioually rcuoucd 1\ ucsouau
iu lovc it|, aud lovcd |y, a oudcrul aud calt|y |arristcr.
iridgct aud |cr orld |avc c|augcd couplctcly.
chapter three
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 26 .
1|c ouly pocrul piccc o drauatic ritiug I cau rcucu-
|cr t|ats a|out a lac| o c|augc is Sauucl icc|ctts classic stagc
play Waiting for Godot. Aud its rcvcaliug to uotc t|at cvcu t|oug|
Godot as uadc iuto a nlu, I dout |uo to pcoplc |o |avc
cvcr actually sccu t|c uovic vcrsiou. io c|augc.
Cuuulativc story trausoruatiou is |uilt rou a scrics o
suallcr c|augcs t|at ta|c placc stcp |y stcp t|roug|out t|c |olc
story. Au audicucc ill ouly rcuaiu cuotioually iuvolvcd iu a
uovic i t|cy cxpcricucc uuits o c|augc at rcgular iutcrvals.
Aud |crcs t|c |ic|cr: the number of smaller changes needed for any
flm story to succeed dramatically is both quantifable and constant.
1|c uuctiou o c|augc as t|c ccutral driviug drauatic
orcc iu all uovic plots is uot raudou. 1|c si.c aud purposc o
story cvcuts rcquircd or cac| uuit o c|augc to or| cll is uot
raudou cit|cr. You cau, iu act, prcdict cxactly t|c uuu|cr aud
dcgrcc o story c|augc |uups uccdcd, aud you cau tiuc aluost
to t|c uiuutc |cu t|osc |uups s|ould appcar.
Soou I ill s|o you t|c cxact uuu|cr o c|augc uuits
uccdcd or cvcry caturc nlu. 1|is yardstic| is so prccisc you
ill alays |uo iu advaucc |ct|cr or uot your script ill
or| cuotioually or au audicucc.
1|csc uuits o c|augc arc icro Goal Scqucuccs

.
Lvcry succcssul uotiou picturc story youvc cvcr cujoycd
cau |c |ro|cu dou t|is ay. Oucc you lcaru to idcutiy t|csc
uuits you t|cu |avc a tool to |uild your ou grippiug, cncctivc
scrccuplays. io uorc gucss or|. You cau iustcad |uo cxactly
|o to s|apc a script or t|c uaxiuuu drauatic puuc|.
I rcali.c t|crc arc lots o pcoplc |o aut to couccivc o
t|c crcativc ritiug proccss as au ctcrually uuat|oua|lc t|iug.
1|csc good souls ill uaturally rcsist auy practical aualysis o
story picccs or car t|cir crcativc spar| ill souc|o |c cx-
tiuguis|cd.
iut couparc t|c idca o 23 icro Goal Scqucuccs

to t|c
progrcssivc c|aptcrs iu a |oo|. Lac| passiug c|aptcr lays t|c
grouudor| or t|c ucxt. 1|cy liu| aud |uild ou cac| ot|cr.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
. 27 .
1|c ucrc couccpt o au orgaui.iug tool callcd c|aptcrs docs
uot iu auy ay iu|i|it or liuit |at t|c |oo| cau |c a|out, uor
docs it diuiuis| its pocr, its origiuality, or its artistic ac|icvc-
ucut.
A syup|ouy usually rcquircs a scrics o prcscri|cd uovc-
ucuts. 1|c uovcucuts couc iu au cxpcctcd ordcr, aud t|csc
parts, too, |uild ou cac| ot|cr. 1|is orgaui.atioual couccpt |as
scrvcd couposcrs vcry cll or ccuturics.
So |corc juupiug to auy couclusious a|out |crc t|is
|oo| is lcadiug, poudcr Mo.art. Or Dic|cus.
Vc ill cousidcr iu latcr c|aptcrs t|c cxact usc o Goal Sc-
qucuccs or dcsiguiug stroug storics. iut or uo, siuply |ccp
iu uiud t|at plauuiug drauatic c|augc cncctivcly is au csscutial
coupoucut o grcat scrccuritiug.
THE NEED FOR HIGH STAKES
iig| sta|cs uotivatc auy |cro to pursuc |ig c|augc.
Cousidcr, i you ill, a ricudly lriday uig|t card gauc
youvc got goiug arouud your |itc|cu ta|lc.
io|cr uig|t it| your |uddics. iorsiug arouud, laug|tcr,
|ccr. Lvcry|ody |u..iug aud uo oucs rcally payiug uuc| attcu-
tiou to t|c currcut |aud |ciug dcalt.
1|cu suddculy lorraiuc drops a clattcriug nstul o c|ips
iu t|c uiddlc o t|c ta|lc.
Silcucc alls. Lvcryouc rcali.cs t|ats t|c attcst pot
t|cyvc cvcr sccu. lorraiuc grius.
All cycs turu toard scct, sot-spo|cu |crry, ucxt iu liuc
or t|c |ct. ic ipcs a scaty palu ou |is paut lcg. Dccidiug
i lorraiucs |lunug or uot uo ucaus scrious uoucy.
iot to ucutiou t|at uutil a couplc uout|s ago |crry aud
lorraiuc crc uarricd. icorc s|c tapcd a Dcar |crry uotc ou
t|c aquariuu tau| aud rau on it| t|c pool uau.
1|c jocular uood o t|c cvcuiug cvaporatcs. Lvcryouc
aits to scc |at poor |crry ill do.
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 28 .
lorraiuc radiatcs au ir|souc coundcucc |c|iud |cr goldcu
tau, givcs on t|at uccdliug sucll o c|loriuc s|c alays |as
a|out |cr t|csc days. |crry loo|s palc.
ic clcars |is t|roat. 1|cu slidcs out cvcry last c|ip |cs
got. iis rcut or ucxt uout|. Its uot li|c you |avcut licd |c-
orc, |crry uuttcrs.
lorraiuc ruus |cr touguc across collagcu lips.
1|cu o| so sloly, ouc |y ouc, s|c lays dou |cr cards.
Arc c curious to nud out |o ius.
Surc. iccausc t|is po|cr gauc isut just a|out t|c uoucy
auyuorc. Alt|oug| t|crc arc plcuty o |uc|s ou t|c ta|lc, ad-
ditioually t|is s|odou is a|out a |ro|cu |cart, a drcau s|at-
tcrcd, a lovc |ctraycd, aud t|c possi|lc loss o a |ouc. All o
|ic| raisc t|c sta|cs.
Audicuccs arc ar uorc iutcrcstcd iu |at |appcus ucxt
|cu t|c |cro stauds to losc souct|iug iuportaut. Aud t|c
uorc urgcutly a |cro auts souct|iug, t|c uorc illiug t|cy
arc to ta|c auy |ig ris| ucccssary to gct it.
A guy |o is a total slo| uig|t suddculy sct out to clcau
up |is act atcr |c alls dcspcratcly iu lovc it| a coupulsivcly
ucat ouau. Aud a youug lady addictcd to drugs uay nually
nud t|c couragc to quit atcr s|c lcarus s|cs prcguaut.
1|c grcatcr t|c uccd, t|c |ig|cr t|c sta|cs, t|c uorc rivct-
iug your script.
lcts say yourc t|iu|iug o |aviug your |cro dyc |cr |air
|rig|t rcd iu Act 1o. A uc coinurc ill |c a uicc visual
c|augc.
So is t|at a good story idca or uot.
It dcpcuds. I your icro is siuply c|augiug |cr |air color
ou a |iu, t|crcs uo |uruiug ucccssity. It ill just slo t|iugs
dou.
iut iu The Pelican Brief, Dar|y |ulia lo|crts) stops to dyc
|cr |air |ilc s|cs |idiug out alouc iu a ic Orlcaus |otcl
roou. iillcrs arc closiug iu. S|cs dcspcratcly tryiug to couccal
|cr idcutity iu ordcr to cscapc. Aud |ciug |y |crscl iu t|c
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
. 29 .
|otcl roou is all t|c uorc |ittcrly paiuul |ccausc just au |our
ago Dar|y itucsscd t|c uau s|c lovcs |ciug |lou to picccs
|y a car |ou|.
Iu t|is casc t|c |cro c|augiug |cr |air color is au urgcut
actiou uclcd |y iucrcdi|ly |ig| sta|cs. S|c uust c|augc |cr
appcaraucc aud vauis| iuto t|c crod or dic.
iig sta|cs raisc t|c tcupcraturc o cvcryt|iug aud c caut
pull our cycs aay rou pcoplc |o arc cxpcricuciug cvcr |ig|-
cr lcvcls o cuotioual |cat.
TYPES OF HIGH STAKES
Siucc |aviug souct|iug iuportaut at sta|c dras au audi-
cucc cvcr uorc dccply iuto your story, c uccd to |uo t|c
various |iuds o sta|cs t|at ua|c t|c |cros dcsirc or c|augc as
grippiug as possi|lc. icrcs t|c list:
1. LIFE OR DEATH.
list nuis|cd.
V|ats at sta|c or t|c |cro uust |c ou t|c lcvcl o uot|iug
lcss t|au lic or dcat|. Ouly t|c |ig|cst uotivatiou ill drivc
t|c lcad orard t|roug| all t|c iusuruouuta|lc o|staclcs to
couc aud |ccp viccrs rivctcd to t|c vcry cud.
iut arcut t|crc lots o nlus |crc t|c possi|ility t|at t|c
|cro uig|t gct |illcd isut cvcu a cousidcratiou. li|c iu uost
coucdics.
O coursc. Aud iu drauatic ritiug t|crc arc to su|-
catcgorics o lic or dcat| sta|cs.
1. LIFE OR DEATH STAKES, TYPE A
1|c litcral |iud.
icrc, i t|c |cro ails, |cs |urut toast. Finito.
1|is rcprcscuts pcr|aps 80% o all couucrcial uotiou
picturcs produccd |y iollyood.
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 30 .
loo| at auy o t|c |ig studios suuucr rclcasc sc|cdulcs.
Youll scc vcry c nlus |crc t|c possi|lc outcouc or t|c
|cro is auyt|iug lcss t|au to stay alivc or gct dcad.
2. LIFE OR DEATH STAKES, TYPE B
1|c uctap|orical |iud.
V|cu soucouc cxpcricuccs a soul-rcuc|iug dccat or loss
rou |ic| t|cy ucvcr ully rccovcr, c otcu spca| o t|at pcr-
sou as |aviug dicd iusidc. Or t|at t|cyrc auoug t|c al|iug
dcad. Lvcu t|oug| t|cy coutiuuc to |rcat|c aud or| aud cat,
c rccogui.c suc| a pcrsou as a ucrc s|cll o t|cir orucr scl.
icsidcs p|ysical dcat| t|crc cau |c a dcat| o t|c spirit.
Auyouc |o |as cvcr oug|t or t|c ultiuatc pri.c o truc
lovc |uos t|at qucst, too, is a uattcr o lic or dcat|.
Serendipity is a rouautic coucdy a|out |ouat|au |o|u Cusac|)
aud Sara iatc icc|iusalc), |o ucct, spcud a c gloriously ro-
uautic |ours togct|cr, aud ccl t|c lig|tcuiug |olt stri|c. iut Sara
scts up a tcst or |ouat|au iu ordcr to scc i atc rcally iutcuds t|cu
or cac| ot|cr. Luair Iujury stri|cs aud causcs |ouat|au to |lo
Saras tcst. 1|cy arc partcd.
Ycars latcr, |ot| arc it|iu |ours o uarryiug soucouc lcss
ort|y. Scparatcly, |ouat|au aud Sara scusc t|cy uig|t |c uar-
ryiug t|c roug pcrsou |ccausc uay|c, just uay|c, dcstiuys 1ruc
Iutcudcd or t|cu as lost ycars |corc.
Iu t|c dcspcratc c |ours |corc uatriuouy, cac| ta|cs
on ou a uad |uut or t|c ot|cr.
V|at c|aru Serendipity posscsscs gros out o t|c ay t|c
nluua|crs play on o t|c uctap|orical lic or dcat| sta|cs |uilt
iuto a t|crcs-ouly-ouc-truc-lovc-or-uc p|ilosop|y: cit|cr lov-
crs rccogui.c t|cir prcordaiucd pcrcct uatc| at t|c iustaut t|cy
ucct, or t|c c|aucc or ultiuatc |appiucss vauis|cs orcvcr.
Aud t|c act t|at Sara aud |ouat|au arc |ot| ouly |ours
aay rou uarriagc to t|c roug pcoplc raiscs t|csc cuotioual
lic or dcat| sta|cs to t|c uaxiuuu attagc.
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
. 31 .
1|crc arc |uudrcds o uovics it| iupcudiug cddiugs
iu t|cu |ccausc t|ats |crc souc o t|c |ig|cst cuotioual
sta|cs iu lic cau |c ouud. 1|corctically, at lcast, cddiugs crc-
atc a pcruaucut uuiou. So t|c loouiug sta|cs o pcrsoual ul-
nllucut or ctcrual loss risc to a lcvcl o spiritual lic or dcat|.
Iu t|c uiddlc o t|c rouautic coucdy Working Girl, |cro
1css McGill gocs to a |luc collar |ar iu t|c lo-rcut ic |crscy
ucig||or|ood |crc s|c |as alays livcd, to attcud a cddiug
s|ocr or |cr |cst ricud, Cyu |oau Cusac|). 1css as |oru
iuto t|is or|iug-class orld, |ut s|cs uo sc|cuiug to |c-
couc a succcssul |usiucss cxccutivc.
1css arrivcs at Cyus cddiug s|ocr iu a tailorcd suit it|
|cr |air aud ua|cup strictly |ig| class loo|iug vcry dincrcut
rou |cr |ouc-rout ricuds. As t|c |olc party atc|cs, 1csss
|oyricud Mic| Alcc ialdiu), a couucrcial ns|cruau, gcts
dou ou ouc |ucc aud as|s 1css to uarry |iu cvcu t|oug|
just to days carlicr 1css caug|t |iu iu |cd it| auot|cr ou-
au. iut ou t|c spot, 1css auscrs it| a tcpid uay|c.
Storuiug aay rou t|c |ar, Mic| rails t|at 1css uadc a
ool out o |iu. 1css rctorts, Iu uot stca|. You caut ordcr
uc. Mic| dcclarcs t|at uutil s|c gcts |cr prioritics straig|t,
t|cyrc t|roug|. ic |uns on.
io 1css al|s dou to t|c iudsou livcr aud ga.cs out
across uig|t atcrs to t|c gloiug lig|ts o Mau|attau ou t|c
ar sidc. Its crystal clcar s|c uo lougcr |clougs iu t|is or|iug-
class orld. S|c caut go |ouc agaiu.
1|osc tiu|liug lig|ts o ic Yor| City arc uo 1csss
ouly |opc to |ccouc t|c rcc aud scl-posscsscd pcrsou s|c
lougs to |c.
1|c sta|cs o 1csss upcouiug |usiucss dcal |avc just |c-
couc uctap|orical lic or dcat|. 1|c |ig|cst sta|cs possi|lc.
Ivc rcad scorcs o scrccuplays |y uccoucrs it| plots iu-
volviug |crocs |o arc or|iug toard a jo| prouotiou, just li|c
1css McGill. iut otcu |ats uissiug is t|at i t|c |cro docsut
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 32 .
gct t|c dcsircd prouotiou, uot|iug ill c|augc. lic ill go ou as
|corc aud t|crcs uo pricc to |c paid i t|c |cro docsut succccd.
lcccutly I rcad au ot|crisc cll-rittcu script cxccpt
it as |uilt arouud t|is plot: a |cautiul, |rilliaut, ric| youug
ouau or|s as a uid-lcvcl cxccutivc iu |cr at|crs |ugc cor-
poratiou. S|c uaucuvcrs or a prouotiou |ut docs uot gct it.
Vit| piquc t|c |cro quits |cr dads coupauy aud scts up a
|usiucss iu dircct coupctitiou agaiust |cr at|cr. iclpcd |y |cr
vcry ric| ricuds, rig|t aay t|c |cro |ags a |ig dcal aud |cr
coupauy gros largcr t|au dads. 1|c cud.
V|at as at sta|c or t|is |cro.
A|solutcly uot|iug.
V|cu s|c docsut gct |cr prouotiou rou papa s|cs still
ric|, still |cautiul, aud still |cir to a vast ortuuc. Lvcu |cu
s|c lcavcs |cr at|crs coupauy s|c rcuaius daddys littlc girl,
still iu a privilcgcd positiou aud |clpcd |y cvcryouc.
Events ta|c placc iu t|is story, |ut t|crcs uo change, uot|iug
to losc, uo issuc o dccp iuportaucc at sta|c or t|c |cro asidc
rou |cr ou cgo.
Couparc t|at to t|c sctup iu Legally Blonde. icrc t|c |cro
Lllc Voods lccsc Vit|crspoou) also |ails rou a rat|cr privi-
lcgcd |ac|grouud. iut Lllc is dccply iu lovc it| Varucr |o
duups |cr |cu |c |cads on to attcud iarvard la Sc|ool.
S|attcrcd, Lllc dccidcs t|at t|c ouly ay to laud |cr uau agaiu
is to gct iuto iarvard la |crscl aud provc to Varucr just |o
classy s|c cau |c.
Lvcryouc sccs Lllc as au air-|cadcd |loudc it|out a
c|aucc iu iadcs o ua|iug it iuto iarvard la. iut t|roug|
suarts aud |ard or|, s|c docs gct iu. 1|cu |cu Lllc ollos
Varucr to la sc|ool s|c nuds cvcryouc at iarvard also as-
suucs s|cs a duu| |loudc. Varucr quic|ly |ccoucs cugagcd
to au old uoucy suo| aud Lllcs goal o uarryiug Varucr
slips urt|cr aay t|au cvcr.
S|cs rcjcctcd aud |uuiliatcd cvcu t|oug| Lllc s|os a aru
aud cariug |cart aud gocs out o |cr ay to |clp pcoplc. Lllc uo
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
. 33 .
stauds iu or all o us |o |avc cvcr sccu oursclvcs as uisuudcr-
stood aud uudcrvalucd |ic| is just a|out cvcry|ody.
Lllcs qucst atcr Varucr |ccoucs a |attlc to rcsolvc or a
lictiuc |cr ou ort| as a pcrsou, |cr spiritual lic or dcat|.
Scc t|c dincrcucc t|at |ig| sta|cs ua|c |ctccu t|csc to
storics.
Also uotc t|c c|aractcr syupat|y tools uscd iu Legally
Blonde to couucct us cuotioually to t|c |cro. All uiuc syupat|y
cu|auccrs arc cuploycd: Couragc, Luair Iujury, S|ill, Iu Dau-
gcr, a iicc icrsou, luuuy, lovcd |y Ot|crs, iard Vor|iug, aud
O|scsscd.
ONLY THE HERO CAN MAKE CHANGE HAPPEN
C|augc is ccrtaiuly critical iu cac| scrccu story, |ut t|c
sourcc o cucrgy prcssiug to ua|c t|at c|augc |appcu is |cy as
cll. It uust couc rou t|c |cro aud uo ouc clsc.
1o |c spccial, to |c |ravc, to |c a cut a|ovc ordiuary ol|s,
your |cro uust sci.c |is ou atc aud activcly or| or a solu-
tiou to t|c counict |c accs. I auyouc clsc solvcs your |cros
pro|lcu or |iu, your uovic ill n..lc.
Lllc Voods iu Legally Blonde |cgius |cr jourucy as a youug
ouau |o plaus to ua|c a carccr out o liviug or suraccs,
gcttiug |cr uails aud |air douc, aud dcsiguiug t|c pcrcct piu|
ardro|c. 1|is is all t|ats cvcr |ccu cxpcctcd o Lllc.
iut |cu Varucr duups |cr aud gocs on to la sc|ool, our
|cro is suddculy losiug orcvcr t|c ouc uau |o dcnucs |cr lic.
So t|c |cro uustcrs all |cr couragc aud ng|ts |ac|.
1|ats |o cvcry good uovic |cgius. Iuto t|c lic o a
syupat|ctic |cro plops a iig iro|lcu, iguitiug iu t|c |cro a
stroug dcsirc to crcatc a c|augc t|at ill solvc t|c pro|lcu. 1|c
lcad suc|s up |cr couragc aud scts out to |cat t|c iig iro|lcu
or dic tryiug, p|ysically or uctap|orically.
iy t|c cud o Legally Blonde, Lllc Voods |as altcrcd |cr
|olc orld. io ouc t|iu|s Lllc a duu| |loudc auyuorc. S|c
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 34 .
siuglc-|audcdly ius au iuportaut criuiual casc, graduatcs at
t|c top o |cr la sc|ool class, aud s|c |ags Varucr, |o |y
uo is grovcliug to gct |cr |ac|.
iut Lllcs iuucr orld |as uaturcd as cll. S|c at last sccs
clcarly t|at |at s|c autcd at t|c |cgiuuiug o t|c uovic,
Varucr, isut rcally ort| autiug at all. iy t|c cud s|c uo
lougcr dcsircs to |c just au oruaucut ou souc uaus aru. S|cs
|ccouc au|itious aud rcspcctcd. Lllc tclls Varucr t|at i s|cs
goiug to ua|c la nru partucr |y 30, s|c uccds a |oyricud
|o isut suc| a couplctc |ouc|cad.
O|, |o Lllc |as changed.
iut |crcs t|c |cy rcasou crc so cutcrtaiucd as c atc|
t|is |cro ac|icvc |cr trausoruatiou. She does it through her own
willpower and actions.
V|cu c o|scrvc |ad t|iugs |appcu to a |cro |o just
stauds t|crc aud docsut ng|t |ac|, its ouly iutcrcstiug or a
s|ort |ilc. V|cu c scc a c|aractcr crcatc |is ou dcstiuy
t|roug| pcrsoual c|oiccs aud stroug cnorts, c rcuaiu cu-
t|rallcd to t|c cud.
iart o t|c grcat valuc o icro Goal Scqucuccs

is t|at
t|cy ill cusurc your |cro ucvcr |ccoucs passivc. Lvcry scrccu-
ritcr uust lcaru |o to spot passivc ccutral c|aractcrs |ccausc
t|cy siu| scripts astcr t|au coucrctc s|ocs siu| gaugstcrs.
House of Sand and Fog tclls t|c story o iat|y |cuuicr Cou-
uclly), a youug ouau cvictcd rou |cr rcccutly iu|critcd |ouc
|ccausc t|c city |as uadc a uista|c a|out uupaid taxcs. icr
|ousc gcts auctioucd on to a rcugcc Irauiau, Coloucl ic|raui
icu iiugslcy), |o sccs t|c |argaiu-priccd dclliug as a last
|opc or |is struggliug auily. iat|y trics to tcll cvcryouc t|at
a uista|c |as |ccu uadc. Coloucl ic|raui ng|ts |ac|.
Iu its iuitial t|catrical rclcasc t|is nlu did vcry littlc |usi-
ucss at t|c |ox oncc. I |clicvc t|crc arc to priuary rcasous.
lirst, t|c lcad c|aractcr o iat|y, as rittcu, is uot syupat|ctic.
S|cs c|urlis|, uugratcul, stupid, uucouragcous, scl-pityiug, aud
|ad at t|c uost |asic tas|s iu lic. Ou t|c ot|cr |aud, iat|ys
LAYING THE FOUNDATION
. 35 .
advcrsary Coloucl ic|raui posscsscs t|c qualitics o couragc,
lovc, strcugt|, |iuducss, aud c|aru. Our cuotioual syupat|ics
arc couplctcly out o |ac|. Vc li|c t|c advcrsary aud dout
li|c t|c |cro. 1rou|lc a|cad.
Sccoudly, the hero is passive. V|cu t|c goiug gcts toug|,
iat|ys solutiou is to attcupt suicidc. iut s|c provcs as iucou-
pctcut at suicidc as s|c is at cvcryt|iug clsc. V|cu t|at docsut
or| out or |cr, s|c just sluups iuto a statc o couplctc pas-
sivity aud stops ta|iug auy actiou at all. 1|roug|out t|c cutirc
t|ird act t|c |cro o House of Sand and Fog is cit|cr uucouscious
or audcriug iu au aiulcss da.c. litcrally.
Siucc iat|y docs uot|iug to rcsolvc |cr ou counict, it
|ccoucs t|c actiou o t|c |cros uarricd |oyricud, a dcucutcd
cop c also disli|c, t|at drivcs t|c uovic orard to a cliuax.
1|c conu uails or House of Sand and Fog arc au uusyupa-
t|ctic |cro, aud a passivc |cro. 1|c |crocs c aut to atc| arc
activc, uot rcactivc.
SUMMING UP
Audiences enjoy movies that give them what they often
avoid in life: change. The emotionally loaded experience
screenwriters seek to create in a flm story is always built
around a concept of constant dramatic plot evolution.
The big change in a screen story, from the heros situation
at the start of the movie to his very diferent situation at
the end, is constructed from a series of smaller changes
that take place step by step through the movie. The ex-
act number and content of these steps are predictable and
have been named Hero Goal Sequences

.
High stakes are essential for dramatic change to be efective.
The only story stakes powerful enough to grip an audience
throughout a flm are literal life or death, or metaphorical
life or death when the hero risks losing something life-
defning like true love, self-worth, or personal fulfllment.
The Story Solution ~ Eric Edson
. 36 .
Only the actions of the hero can successfully push story
change forward. Responsibility for making things happen
in the plot of a movie cannot be turned over to any other
character.
Passive Heroes who do not take action to solve their own
problems must be avoided.
EXERCISE:
C|oosc auy to couucrcially succcssul Aucricau uovics t|at |avc
ouc |cro iu t|c story. lirst, rcad t|c qucstious |clo so you |uo
|at to loo| or, t|cu atc| t|c nrst tcuty uiuutcs aud last tcuty
uiuutcs o |ot| nlus carcully. Auscr t|c olloiug qucstious:
1. V|at is t|c |cros ordiuary lic situatiou at t|c start o
cac| story. ic spccinc aud iucludc gcograp|y, ricuds,
counicts, or| orld, |ousiug, attitudc, drcaus, |appi-
ucss,uu|appiucss it| a uatc or t|c lac| o ouc), |ats
roug iu |cr socicty, disappoiutucuts aud joys, cuotiou-
ally guardcd or uot, ctc.
2. V|at is t|c |cros lic situatiou at t|c cud o cac| uovic.
As couparcd to |is ordiuary lic at t|c |cgiuuiug, |o |as
t|c iLlOS LX1LlIOl VOllD CiAiGLD. io
|as iIS IiiLl iLlSOiAl lIlL CiAiGLD.
3. io is t|c |cro pcrsoually iustruucutal iu ua|iug t|is
CiAiGL couc a|out.
4. V|ats A1 S1AiL or t|c |cro iu accouplis|iug t|c goal
t|at drivcs cac| story. Arc t|osc sta|cs lic or dcat| cit|cr
litcrally or uctap|orically.
S. io uauy clcar, iudividual uoucuts o CiAiGL iu
t|c |cros circuustauccs do you scc uuoldiug as t|c story
progrcsscs iu t|osc parts o t|c nlus.