An excerpt from my script review for I Think We’re Alone Now which will be available 10/01/18:
3.) Quality of Characters
If we’re going any sort of contained route (or limited budget) we must establish quality characters.
The audience isn’t going to be distracted by extravagant sets or momentous action sequences, but it’s still our jobs to provide entertainment.
One great way to do that is character conflict, and start off simple.
Del doesn’t enjoy being around people, and Grace can’t stand to be alone.
Quite the pair to be chosen as the last two people on the planet, right?
Now you can begin to add complexities to the situation.
Grace is a bit of a free spirit used to getting her own way, especially via sex.
Dell is an extremely practical numbers guy with a touch of OCD. (In other words, sex is too chaotic a prospect for him.)
We find our characters at a crossroads, and as Grace can’t leave, due to her not wanting to be alone, and there being a slight chance down the road that Del may actually want company, they’ll need to figure something out.
The main conflict boils down to a quick exchange between the two early on…
GRACE (CONT’D)
What’s wrong?
DEL
You’ve had too much to drink.
GRACE
I know what I’m doing. You don’t
have to treat me like a child.
DEL
Then stop acting like one.
Ultimately Grace takes his advice and conforms to Del’s meticulous tendencies. This leads him to eventually open up to her, right before we’re delivered the main twist.
And doing so right before the twist is good, because we don’t want our readers becoming too comfortable with them as a couple.
(Especially via some silly ass montage…)
That makes for boring plot!
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