In my previous analysis of the film I Am Legend, I examined the meaningful differences between the theatrical and the alternate version released on DVD. In this “deeper” look into the film, I’ll go into more detail why I made the choices I made using the Dramatica theory of story as my key reference point.

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The Will Smith blockbuster I Am Legend was an undeniable box office success. Having set the record for the highest grossing December opening ever ($77.2 mil.), it is safe to say that audiences everywhere loved the film. Yet there were many who were left feeling cold and empty with the rather incongruous ending. Why was there this sudden tangible shift in the narrative during the last 10 minutes? It wasn’t until the recent release of an alternate version of the film on DVD that those who were left bewildered in the theaters finally found the ending they had hoped for.

So why was one version so much more emotionally fulfilling than the other?

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Finally. A decent trailer for Pixar’s 2008 Summer release Wall-E.

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There are several different ways one can figure out the unique Dramatica storyform for a story. The straight ahead linear approach presented in the software’s StoryGuide, while helpful and ultimately necessary when first learning the theory, can actually be quite cumbersome to work with later on in your understanding. Your best bet is to use a combination of the Theory Browser, the Story Engine Settings Panel, and yes, even the Plot Progression Panel.

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Stories, like bridesmaid dresses, come in all different shapes and sizes. And while the purpose of most of these dresses seems to be to insult and shame the wearer, the majority of stories out there aren’t created with the same dismal intentions. In fact, most stories exist to satisfy and emotionally fulfill their audience.

Thankfully, 27 Dresses is one of these stories.

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It’s not an easy thing adapting a short story into a workable screenplay. Some writers find themselves at a loss trying to transmogrify 20-30 pages into a two hour movie; others have no problem finding the material necessary to fill in the blanks and come out with a wonderfully meaningful story. Unfortunately it seems that Frank Darabont was more the former when it came to adapting Stephen King’s short story The Mist for the big screen. With bold confidence he managed to take a delightfully scary story and turn it into a disturbing piece of propaganda.

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Main Characters generally start out a story with everything worked out. Although they may have some deep-seeded problems, as far as they’re concerned, everything is hunky-dory. Until of course, that pain-in-the-ass Impact Character comes along and ruins everything!

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Everybody loves Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The 1961 romantic comedy by Blake Edwards is so beloved that it even inspired a pop song several years ago. Central to everyone’s love for this film is the spirited performance by Audrey Hepburn. So captivating is this performance that most people assume, as did I, that Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly was the Main Character of the story.

Further examination proves that this is not the case.

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Constant readers of this site will know why I got such a kick out of this latest trailer. Besides the fact that I’m a sucker for any Western (my love for Deadwood and Unforgiven knows no bounds), this film actually looks like it could be pretty decent. For those just happening by, pay special close attention to the back and forth between Jesse (Brad Pitt) and Ford (Casey Affleck).

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Because the Dramatica theory of story goes into such finite detail, it can be hard sometimes to really visualize how all the pieces fit together. What does one appreciation have to do with another? Are all these appreciations really that disconnected and how can I use them to write a story? The Visual Storyform is here to help.

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