play is essentially the history of« per ticular confice ‘The story begins with the fis inkling of conflict and traces i through a series of pesks as the conflict grows to eli= ‘max. Conf (explicie andlor implicit is at the core of every scene, every character, and most every moment of « play. Oaly che final scene, after sionally played without conflict, “Drema imax (catharsis), is oom ‘may be called the are of confi” ssid crite Willa Archer. Those elements of ie that 0 not contain conflic, the pars that aren't bout an immediate dilemma or entangle- ‘ment, may be writen sbout but ack in the form of a play. No one wants to see a play bout what UCLA writing profesor Richard Walter call “the land ofthe happy people.” Yet, we seldom take the time to understand this coe element the action of pay. ‘Ae es mast bai, conf i the ese of « seule fr power We al dese ower over our enemies, aver out fives, over ovr desing IF ther inn power nga there en confi. f there no confi, there i 9 ay, becuse verone has what hey want oi vl Saying thal confi is bout power sug es sounds 3 very missing a8 ply ae only sbout violent Darwinian arugles of predator and prey or good and ei. Tres he Simplest and most visually gripping cof: it yc vlc, which x why so many Helly ‘ocd movies reso wit However power sug les come in many ies. In play it often kes 4 more refined fom. Stile mernens, spe logue, and quiet ees in which a character secs out empower her ifecar be bling with ti ‘There is ko a tendency o uit conte only wit estucton, ba inf, aso che basi ocean. ply is about only dase exe ics a esl in ange, growth, fnew wi om (at Jres Joe caled “epiphany” « ord of blace i resend esi alee, reseed toa wd ha smote poe founaly ndemtaod GF not by the chants, then by ne audience Tso ina playa caste arin contic, (vith ehenselves with oes, ith soir. with naar or wich thir own ese they att ‘wempveroretange theirlives. So let exam ine the race of conf andthe vecigues ha ply etree ie The Mechanics of Confit Conic's made vp of thee elements: desi, ce, nd aac of compro, Dai Pay te ne shoue people whe hive lay es Theyre abe poop whos es ste inanples and who cherfore have nf filed needs and denies. These desis exit when sr ing tom yet stained bur penly dosed in any oie Waris sing es diesay ins the chances pal ane whet the carci willing 10 do The eater che mis ing clement, the teter the need The grster (atone abies {he metacon the grater the resling ton. (Ou The cheacer ce eal Files or the pe Willen bie od desea ie begie ~ sussens i predetermined. There ‘man be bare, an obtcl, oranoppanet or serie ofthese) tut prevents the rutgnist from obuining whet she wats. In hag bere rus be argo Tce scene Gees, wh inves che erm, he etagnis was bly “the opponent of dhe ation” They dda beieve teenage ha be el ecu. oF immer The antagonist ws spy the chic:‘ert fore tat tod in the way of he pote nits action, For explain love sory: boy ‘eo wil bey les gil ad bor go git. The one who i in ove i the proteins the one who denies love ihe antagonist Lach of Compromise. Te ast denen ne ing conte he characters uawiingnes co Compromise in hs srugae w deft or ove came the obuacle of opponent Compromise anaot be an option, Bena i i the end of confit IF she page twinge ate to ormpromse in posive may but doc, he wl ose spay Ihe prone or antago: ist is willog and able ocomromise in any seo. The only way solve these pecblen ito eliminate the posbicy of compromise alo. gether Stay cum when there no mul sgeement, because the antago won't low iano the progenies to rest. Confit camer fiom simple equation of ese and absacle mulled b ack of can promise. The folowing a threexamples, 1. Desi date wane my busin eo find out ha forged ey athe sme on an ila teen, Oats Te lous shack hesening backnil me. Why Compromie I a Optio My husband is he manager of the bn, an if ‘he publi ind ou, he wl xe io 2, Dis The daugher desis the wedling | ether deams. Oba Hex gay mother mans tochoowe the bridesmaid’ ess Wy Compre | melt on Optio: Bride massa il be ete | and wit ofr the aupher job the weding 3. Des: T mus avenge my tends dex (bak dota wa ile Kin, Why Com promi oe an Option ve bean acsed of the muds, Novice that she tid element what makes ‘he story posible. The deste and obacle may beintroing oe the sory exatbocre com: | promise i tan option the beginning of confi ‘The Orchestration of Confict Ina if, mow people have tendency oie seep colic, to deny rl 0 aon thei de Stes, adm avai obacer and lear con promise. However, in pl every scene must iwolve characte that embrace ot promise conflict. This rcane thatthe playwrghe must chert ange or chang) che prog rig) and argon’) so tat ea ne viable. The cbacters mat ot be oly the bese opponens for his say, bu they mest, seer like the only opponents posible. T rougonsecan oleh problems only bycon- Froatng the acegoit and the antag an only get what he wants By enfontng te po ‘aginst. Oschesrating conic is an ies ehat come tum Lajos Eg Te Art of Dramatic Writ He fle ha, when the shuts ae ropecy ochesazed, che ory is inposible to aol, because the svasion i boling with Orchesuating the cont” sounds 0 vary soncrling, i borders on formal wring, butall playwrighe doit When the process hap. pens consciously, we often Ibe the proces “technique” or "formule Ye when the sme process happens subcoscousy by cane ‘we ell ie mtr” Whether i hsppene nat lyr pao fom, che same ing the orcesccion of @ peopresvely complex power sng nk sequences of fsng econ ‘hac las ou the conan shapes he we ‘are ofthe pl The Fellowing re sever ech niques that an bp inset conte 1. Te Praia Waker Thanh Ante “The protagonist nays stats fom poston of disadvantage (Le, ess power Beck the prog ons and the antagonist rust have ep de se and song jutiatios, bu if your p= ‘aos sas uc suonge han your snag oes, your sory willve ite conic, bese is exserilly over bef it begins. Therese lution can only go ene way: your prosaginise will win, because he his the power todofrm te gga ‘The enagonis: mux have nou power at you proonins chances force nvnysin dub nl he ines Ie your sr ek enfi he problem can sully be ced om Wek neni or 00 owe prego “Conflet at "2. The Tap. Recent, Puhr Waly o> Inhorony present ised at cies bok ie ht were sce, Oe ofthe tera Te il Tra "har Cot ut Ch Nt rein ite Jost eesti she sauna ic wat set Tae sy lacked “tmp” to fe she ena power arate In oe! word, te promi i nt conan porn fr confi, eee he po ‘ern et minted or tapped cow ‘x bur wm wing rampant. Once tc mages n.aposon f owe oe te pro ‘aon, ons te puget aves he gos (tern exea they tbe ples on scl cme, One way oe ‘colon is wh up: sition, envio ‘Ronn ck needle edn) orca seer ae emake imple fr te po ‘non and ano 9 cid ech te Fercampl Willa agro vin ‘asp niche hate epee bus op ding x sno, They cat ee satya faced werkt tbe In she aces Gree gy OR te cy of Thebes rcs by pees. fog te king ‘meine problem nme. In tae specs The Tp, he hace i secon an ad In ven A Dells Hoa, Nort maar ere er std coven he forgery. Bad sitcoms use cliché traps. The wricers og" chancen inn ceva, whee ‘hey ae foe ook ack td ener pat pisos. Yee mp iastied tinea ofthe pi a pres ket Sd py he ex of ny cons ying te chance cnet eath tit. A tap ‘ion ang th cane 4 es why they comet ne od he ci). 1. pig He Ses, rey sre for poe ih owes dees someting oe, Whe ply ihc "os the sakes she king the ps sible ire and is consequences as rests the sry wlan. Thisisa problem fr many Se time playwrights. They make he stakes fw ‘9 eammonplice,o 1 neligbe that hey nr noc generate enough confer ay the ary ‘Thi i aot sy hal ply ma be bout ‘oa wold dentin (as Hotywoad loves 60 a), bu the sakes mist be igh veh that the character snd o ae semechngsbsan- Ai hy fl your soy cs eo, ok sac whit the pogo sande 29 lor, then blghen the consequenes of he setions 4 Conf ond Eatin, Sane playwrights onfxe confit with emedoral sisatons. A ley can and sheuld be fall of emetins) momen but dese musts inale conic, if te mor is oing wo suse ial, Cone in oherenty present ina seme je Beane 18s emrional. A wedéing may be emodna, but i here cone if everyones app? Ie thee 4 desir, obeuce, and lak of compe ise A retremens pay may be fll of ere- opal samene and srpesa o end cieshe pat, bis sere onli? Nocunlss Someone wants romshing,romneone ome thing is standing inthe wr, and compromise is ‘not an opcon kiss may be emia, batt lacks cof unless mene doen wan the ssw happen So, we senes with ats of ins, bt rember that emeins ae 99 sustace for cone, 5: Matcaion, Ofer, beginsig plywighs biniy por their bare in eve eppos ion to each eter without cea « reason. Coldly manipulating che carrer ito opp se comer of boxing rng meas tat you ‘maneulng them ito conlctsather an eneming the confit oof dep mvatons snd needs, Les say hat youre wing about young drier who wins to mary the boy thats foves. She's ur prsagnis, and its & much mae in heaven. Amps way eesteconflie woud beta dhe gl fitker ino sn evik powerhuny guardian who wans to ‘onuel and perhaps destoy hie dager ie. ‘She ores the Bay jus beens se des Js, in hit mole, would have been Kept fom Romeo becase ofthe simple, contaling sl Ishnes of ber father and would have no iden why she was in love wih Rome. ee este asin theo, progammed wersrs whee the pate honorable homestead fights of the wicked Ind baron whose sou is ak mide igh This frm of confer descends ciety from the mil ad myer plays f the Md Ai Ages, where pure god fice pure evi ee tae tat grees confi can be dwn this wa, buen more skiing conte eames when wo ‘opposingchariter(poagonic and antagonist) both see themseten, eheir gol ad hele essa ighteous, honorable, and woth of ‘the good fight Now lesz of god venus ei, he plywrighe has the mest poet frm of onli fl perceived good vers peteived 0. 6 Bain Conf od Dall Sp. One et nique to esp the coal owing ic ofan act seme oc French sene jn bee the confit has chance explode or eave el ‘hereby investing or xing over the ener of ‘ee unresolved coi athe nent et, ene, or French scene Wie sould ake « moment expin, het” And “teens” are selexplaatny, bot sine lyweighe gb eo Know what a "Fiench scene” is A French scene bevine whenever a charter enters or exits andi conines vas ‘he next entrance o exit For exampi, if Joba nd Bo ae ssing aod Mor walks in Moms ‘nuance ath the begining of new Fieach seene. I Bab toms of, we fave another new French scene, The lngth each French scene varies as dose the oumber of Frnch snes hina ply aco See. A fice may have tens of dozens of Freoh senes, while pley with eneances oF exits bas only one. The French scene oigisted in of coun, France, lunes of yeas agp, when he pitng pest. lla novel and quite expesive, theaters ‘woul eu css by ving an nor only dare pages tut concemed his chancer rae cha the emire sips The ment case efile way of living phy was fom one eauanceorexiczo “EACH step of the next entence or exit While this lice the story fy defined hep acon with charts alse nd eonine gy a iy ie id ave fw presions page. Tis (usted method of dvsing spay would aye of eon” been ng organ had int been sch help ‘in plying. Because x French scene dens = ——~ with ony censin ehancter: at piculer ‘moment in the ply, vies play ins smal, exsily workable wits ‘The key to maining cof i wen an cu scene or French scene ju bef the ven oft has peaked. Ta aher word, at one ends on & unanswered damatic qieton, scene ens before sean spoils end French sene is incenped by an encunce of ‘exit efare the chasers fave a chance untangle the oo. Tes neropon allow ‘he onli to build a ersten eens of pace and urgency by the eb and flow Final Thoughts ‘Look at your fret plays with an eye to he ‘echniqus cat he playwight ue cess font, snd youl come t undemt tht ‘onic atthe core of every pay 2%, scene and French seene. Bach step of # nary it {efined bythe ebb and flow f coi bythe ‘ower sougules that rau in the propesive ‘empowerment (nd occasional setbacks ofthe ‘rages, and the progessive weskesing (and ocesonal vcore) of the sega. @ Los Ase Wight nd Wiliom Mizoar Des ee te atts of Playing: Fom Formals to Fon, piel by Horcwrt Brac liom eeutiore/ Screenplay: Wong te Pica, alin published by Hare Brce