Lecture 9: Building the Tension

1. Lecture 9:Building the Tension Professor Christopher Bradley Psycho (1971) Screenplay by Joseph Stefano, based on the novel by Robert Bloch

2. Previous Lesson Finding Meaning Aesthetic Emotion Finding (or creating) meaning out of life’s random events Premise And the “What if” question Other inspirations Donnie Darko (2001) Screenplay by Richard Kelly

3. Previous Lesson (Cont.) The “Controlling Idea” What is it? What will you prove? Avoiding didacticism! How do you find it? The Counter-Idea Progressions Requiem for a Dream (2000) Screenplay by Hubert Selby

4. Previous Lesson (Cont.) Identifying Your Story Type What kind of story is your story? Idealistic Pessimistic Ironic The Bicycle Thief (1948) Screenplay by Cesare Zavattini & Suso Cecci D’Amico & Vittorio De Sica & Oreste Biancoli & Adolfo Franci & Gerardo Guerrireri

5. This Lesson Complications Complexity on Three Levels: Inner Conflict Personal Conflict Extra-Personal Conflict The Insider (1999) Screenplay by Erik Roth & Michael Mann Based on an Article by Marie Brenner

6. This Lesson (Continued) Reversals In Scenes In Sequences In Acts Assignments Fargo (1999) Screenplay by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen

7. Complications Thelma and Louise (1991) Screenplay by Callie Khouri Lesson 9: Part I

8. Complications (2) You build tension in 2 ways: Complications Complexity Thelma and Louise (1991) Screenplay by Callie Khouri

9. Complications (3) Inciting Incident Points of no return Build, build, build! Remember! Story moves forward only by conflict. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

10. Complexity • Complexity happens on 3 levels: • Inner Conflict • Personal Conflict • Extra-Personal Conflict One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

11. (A Note About the Antagonist) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey • Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a perfect antagonist. She’s right. These are deranged men who cannot care for themselves. 11

12. (A Note About the Antagonist) - 2 One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey • She is stern, but never, never unkind. She is perfectly justified to herself, which is what makes her so haunting and terrifying. 12

13. Clip and Complexity One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey • Now, please watch the clip from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 13

14. Inner Conflict • Billy is internally conflicted in what ways? • How are the other characters experiencing inner conflict, particularly McMurphy? One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

15. Personal Conflict • With which other characters is Billy in conflict? Nurse Ratched yes, but who else? • How are the other characters in inner conflict and in conflict with each other? One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

16. Extra-personal Conflict • In what ways are the characters in conflict with the larger world? (Families, the government and society with its concepts of mental illness might be three ways.) One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

17. Building Tension! • Point of no return • Build, build, build! No regression! • Moving the story forward by conflict One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) Screenplay by Lawrence Hauben and Bo Goldman Based on the novel by Ken Kesey

18. Reversals Thelma and Louise (1991) Screenplay by Callie Khouri Lesson 9: Part II

19. Reversals • In every scene, every sequence, every act and, of course, in the entire story. Thelma and Louise (1991) Screenplay by Callie Khouri

20. Reversals (2) Thelma and Louise (1991) Screenplay by Callie Khouri • Please watch the clip from Thelma & Louise. 20

21. Reversals (3) • In what state of power are Thelma & Louise at the beginning of the scene? • Louise being watched by the women inside– what does she learn about herself through their eyes? Why does she throw away the lipstick?

22. Reversals (4) • What state of power are the women in at the end? How does each woman’s interpretation of where they stand conflict? • How does their state of power in relation to the FBI agents and Thelma’s husband change?

23. Reversals (5) • Going back to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, in what state of power are McMurphy, the patients and Billy Bibbit at the beginning of the scene? • What are some moments when they claim and lose power?

24. Complexity • In Thelma & Louise, what are the 3 levels of complexity represented? • How are they in inner conflict? • Interpersonal conflict? • Extra-Personal conflict?

25. Assignments Vertigo (1968) Screenplay by Alec Coppel & Samuel Taylor Lesson 9: Part III

26. Reading • Read Chapter 9 in Story, “Act Design”. • Do the Reading Review to be sure you’re clear on what you’ve read!

27. E-Board Post In a favorite film, cite a specific moment when the tension in the story ratchets up suddenly. Considering today’s readings and lecture, identify why this scene is so effective. 27

28. End of Lecture 9 Next Lecture: Keeping the Audience in the Story Psycho (1971) Screenplay by Joseph Stefano, based on the novel by Robert Bloch