Motivators: A list?

K

Kholi

Section Moderator
I'm on a re-write (Finally! GAHD!) and after my script consultations (2 professional in total, logline included) I've got to start on a better motivation. I find that I tend to deal with death as a motivator a lot. I'm pretty sure that it's because I'm afraid of losing friends and family, and it's supposed to be natural to write about fears and the like... but I want to move away from it on this script.

So, aside from Death of a loved one, what are other motivating factors or catalysts for protagonists in your stories? Others that you've read?
 
You know, this is one of those areas where I don't really have a list or secret on how to expand on. I think we all have themes we go back to. I think at first those themes are subconscious, but when you look and reflect on your work you see a pattern and you realize that something keeps drawing you back to that. You just have to look at your work and look for the other patterns there.

I don't think of death as motivator but more of a catalyst. What do characters do when confronted with death? What if a character and his wife are killed and the character is given a chance to come back to life? What does he do? Does he gets revenge?

I don't see death as just being a theme about life, I see it as the end of different events, it could be the death of a relationship, the end of a job, each of those are a death in a way and a catalyst for character change.
 
Thanks for chiming in on the subject.

Should have time today at lunch to sit down and start thinking about this again. Brain fried last night.
 
jpeck said:
sorry for the line, but "write what you know"
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Then we'd have no science fiction...

Of course, it's always a good idea to do the research on what you do write so it will have the ring of truth...
 
What I've learned is that a good character has two different internal directions:

What they want
What they need

Usually what they want is not what they need, and what they need is not what they want. In fact, they're usually at odds with each other.
 
I was just on the way to start a thread concerning character development.

It's probably my weakest point and why I get sent back to the writing board all the damned time. My characters are just... weak and one dimensional.
 
Kholi said:
I was just on the way to start a thread concerning character development.

It's probably my weakest point and why I get sent back to the writing board all the damned time. My characters are just... weak and one dimensional.
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it's really one of the hardest things in a very very hard craft.

alot of writers START with a character and then look for a story to insert them.
 
While often characters help shape a story, I always (if it's a big budget affair) start with a very solid/interesting/commerical/high concept idea, then move onto other elements to developing the idea.

I wouldn't recommend starting with a character, then try and fit them into a story.

Story/premise always comes first IMO.

EJ
 
Kholi said:
I was just on the way to start a thread concerning character development.

It's probably my weakest point and why I get sent back to the writing board all the damned time. My characters are just... weak and one dimensional.
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As far as developing good characters, you have to make them well rounded. Bring out their strengths. But at the same time, bring out their weaknesses and vulnerabilities. As an actor myself, I *always* try to focus on what makes a character vulnerable. It helps develop their strengths and, at the same time, what they're willing to go through to hide the vulnerabilities. Try and visualize the characters in every detail. Bring it to the point where you can almost sit down with each character and have a conversation with them.

Just my thoughts...
 
EJ Pennypacker said:
While often characters help shape a story, I always (if it's a big budget affair) start with a very solid/interesting/commerical/high concept idea, then move onto other elements to developing the idea.

I wouldn't recommend starting with a character, then try and fit them into a story.

Story/premise always comes first IMO.

EJ
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I wouldn't recommend recommending what works for you individually when so many writers do it differently.

"Always" is a word that doesn't even work in the technical forums. So I don't think it should be applied here. The only absolute in writing is that there are no absolutes.

It's whatever works. And if starting with a character first, as so many writers do, is what works, then that's what you should do.
 
There are all types of ways to do things.

I do appreciate the character discussion here. If I find the article that I read last night I'll be happy to share it with you guys. It made me feel better about going back at this damned re-write.
 
brianluce said:
I wouldn't recommend recommending what works for you individually when so many writers do it differently.
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brian,

I don't understand your comment here. Are you saying I can't give my opinion on what I think works for myself? And in my opinion, what might help others?

Kholi,

If you'd like a device to 'flesh' out characters more, you can find a check-list here: http://messageboard.donedealpro.com/boards/showthread.php?t=3292

EJ
 
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EJ Pennypacker said:
brian,

I don't understand your comment here. Are you saying I can't give my opinion on what I think works for myself? And in my opinion, what might help others?

EJ
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You're discouraging a guy from a valid, time tested, and commonplace method of writing and developing screenplays. How can that be helpful?

You've got a lot of credibility in this forum and frankly you deserve it IMHOP- but in this case I think your advice would be limiting and not helpful were the poster to follow it.
 
IMO it all boils down to whether you're crafting a character-driven piece, over something like a high-concept piece.

IMO, if you're creating something you want to sell to the studios, and you're interested in making a career in H-Wood, then the 'concept' has to be placed first (unless character is part of that concept) over the inital creation of a character.

In the end, whatever gets you writing your story in the first place - is the best thing. Whether character comes before premise, it could be one of the same/ or is the same.

It's nearly impossibly to debate 'what comes first' (character vs premise) as not all writers think alike, and there's no possible way in earth to measure this with statistics (how can you record thoughts of the writers?).

But I'm my opinion, it's better to create a solid, marketable and interesting premise, *then* create the characters to populate that universe of your story. Not the other way around.

EJ
 
A writer friend of mine insists that the definition of a story, is 'a person with a problem.'

I suppose there are potentially as many problems, and therefore stories, as there are people.
 
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