Digital storytelling 2016-17 |
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writer's guide
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The reader
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his/her MONSTER
Is there an IDEA about life they want to talk about?
How do they represent themselves?
How do they give sense to their life, as a sequence of chronological events?
How do they talk about themselves?
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‘space drama’
how can I let the reader in this ‘other world’?
How can he familiarize with my space?
How can he interact with my world?
GIVE A TWIST TO THE EVERYDAY.
An IDEA
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Who is the main character + Who is the narrator
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HERO + Anti-HERO
Characters should be involved in a CONFLICT : the character should be in imminent danger of losing something of importance.
The main character cannot be weak. At least he is not strong enough.
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To be effective, characters need conflict. There are four types of conflict:
INNER CONFLICT - Characters are unsure of themselves, or their actions, or even what they want.
SOCIETAL CONFLICT – The character can be against a group of people who represent society (a political group, a team, town leaders).
SITUATIONAL CONFLICT - Something happens suddenly to the character (it could be a personal situation). How will s/he handle it?
COSMIC CONFLICT - The character has to face supernatural forces. [[Mara Logaldo, English for the Media, Arcipelago Edizioni 2014-15]].
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an everyman thrown into extraordinary circumstances,
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an extraordinary person in ordinary circumstances
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CHARACTER’S NAME SOCIAL
BACKGROUNDCULTURAL
BACKGROUNDPHYSICAL
OUTFITPROFESSION
PSYCHOLOGY/
PERSONALITY
John Smith
Pippo Potamo .
Characters should be plausible – although fictional – beings. The following aspects should always be taken into account:DRAMATIC NEED - What does the character want? What is he/she going to get or going to achieve?
POINT OF VIEW - Ways the character views the world
ATTITUDE - Manner of opinion
CHANGE - Characters must change[Mara Logaldo, English for the Media, Arcipelago Edizioni 2014-15]..
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To create empathy, the hero should share the virtues we usually admire in life: : generosity, honour, humility, compassion, selflessness.
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some flaws to be believable
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VILLAIN: negative main character >> DANGER
the reader usually hates the villain.
The more the villain acts hideously, the more the reader dislikes him
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MINOR CHARACTERS; with or without names
CHARACTER IDEAS >> more believable and more consistent.
EXAGGERATE
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Past
Present (a social circle, a home, an occupation, hobbies, …)
Future.
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SETTINGS must be pertinent to the story, vibrant and real. Don’t overdo it.
Settings should be able to create the MOOD
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primary emotions and secondary emotions
1. Love
. Affection, lust, longing, adoration, fondness, liking, attraction, caring, tenderness, compassion, sentimentality, arousal, desire, lust, passion, infatuation
2. Joy
. Cheerfulness, amusement, bliss, gaiety, glee, jolliness, joviality, joy, delight, enjoyment, gladness, happiness, jubilation, elation, satisfaction, ecstasy, euphoria, zest contentment, pride, triumph, optimism, enthrallment, relief 3. Anger
. Irritation, exasperation, rage, disgust, envy, jealousy, torment, outrage, fury, wrath, hostility, ferocity, bitterness, hate, scorn, spite, vengefulness, dislike, resentment, revulsion, contempt, loathing, agitation, annoyance, grouchiness, grumpiness 4. Surprise
. Amazement, astonishment, bewilderment 5. Sadness
. Agony, suffering, hurt, anguish, depression, despair, hopelessness, gloom, glumness, unhappiness, grief, sorrow, woe, misery, melancholy, dismay, disappointment, displeasure, alienation, isolation, neglect, loneliness, rejection, homesickness, defeat, dejection, insecurity, embarrassment, humiliation, insult, pity, sympathy, mortification 6. FEAR
. Alarm, shock, fear, fright, horror, terror, panic, hysteria, anxiety, nervousness, tenseness, uneasiness, apprehension, worry, distress, dread .
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IDEAS: ask questions until you find conflict!
Who is your main character, and what is his objective?
Who is the opposition, and what is his/her objective?
What other characters are needed?
What is the conflict?
What stands between characters and their objective?
Give your reader a reason to be for or against your characters
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IDEAS < VS > STORY
story
plot
discourse
voice, the viewpoint, the mood > STYLE
set the stage, explain the conflict, give the resolution