5 Essential Storytelling Rules I Just Made Up

Summary

The video script delves into the complex relationship between character development and plot in storytelling. It challenges the notion that characters should mimic real people, advocating for characters as thematic 'survival kits'. The creator shares personal writing insights, emphasizing the importance of relevant backstories and dialogue that serves the narrative. They also discuss the transformative power of language in storytelling and encourage letting characters drive the story organically. The script concludes with a reflection on the impact of audience reception and the joy of creating content that resonates.

Takeaways

• 😀 Characters and character properties are distinct from real people and should not be overcomplicated to mimic human complexity.
• 🎭 The speaker finds Aaron Sorkin's dialogue style excessive but acknowledges the value of one of his quotes that deeply influenced their writing perspective.
• 📚 Characters are like 'survival kits' in storytelling, where only the necessary traits and backstories are included to serve the narrative.
• ✂️ The importance of cutting unnecessary details in scripts to maintain focus and efficiency in storytelling is emphasized.
• 🧩 The process of writing should start with a clear premise and then build characters and plot around it, rather than the other way around.
• 🤝 Defining character relationships based on their perspectives towards the central situation can naturally create conflict and alliances.
• 🔍 Personalities of characters often develop from their core motivations rather than being pre-defined traits.
• 🎬 The horror genre is unique in that it is primarily judged by the emotional response it elicits from the audience.
• 🚫 The advice against writing with the sole intention of manipulating audience emotions is critiqued as potentially insincere.
• 🗣 Dialogue is a powerful narrative tool that can drive stories and express character depth; it should not be undervalued or avoided.
• 🌟 Allowing characters to evolve organically within the story can lead to unexpected but enriching narrative developments.

Q & A

What is the speaker's opinion on Aaron Sorkin's dialogue style?

The speaker does not like Aaron Sorkin's dialogue style, finding it excessive, annoying, and hard to believe.

How does the speaker view characters in storytelling?

The speaker believes that characters are not fully fledged people and their essence is not to mimic the complexity of a human being. They are apparitions and no matter how hard one tries to make them realistic, they will fail.

What is the speaker's approach to writing a movie about the theme of loneliness?

The speaker suggests picking out moments where loneliness is relevant, arranging them into a chronological list of scenes divided into three acts, and focusing on the theme rather than a complete picture of their life.

What is the speaker's advice on character development in writing?

The speaker advises focusing on the relevance of a character's backstory to the story, suggesting that extraneous character details and irrelevant subplots should be cut to maximize efficiency.

How does the speaker define the relationship between characters and their world in a story?

The speaker emphasizes that characters are not real people and their world is not the real world. The story's plausibility and realism should be judged based on the established world and the characters' choices, not on real-world standards.

What is the speaker's perspective on the role of dialogue in storytelling?

The speaker sees dialogue as transformative and a powerful tool for character development and plot progression. They argue against the idea that dialogue should be minimized or used sparingly.

How does the speaker feel about the advice to make the audience cry in writing?

The speaker finds this advice manipulative and prefers focusing on the characters' emotions and letting them go on their journeys without worrying about the audience's expectations.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of dialogue in a story?

The speaker believes that dialogue can be the climax of a story and that words have the power to shape history and the collective consciousness of humanity.

What is the speaker's writing process?

The speaker's writing process involves starting with a premise, defining characters that naturally belong in the situation, defining their relationships, and then developing the plot based on their unique perspectives.

How does the speaker feel about characters taking unexpected paths in a story?

The speaker encourages letting characters take their own paths without interference, believing that stories sometimes write themselves and that characters can evolve in unexpected ways.

What advice does the speaker give on first drafts in writing?

The speaker advises against endless drafting and redrafting, suggesting that writing should be more than just scripting and that a clear head and plan are more satisfying than constant revisions.