But not every character should necessarily change. This runs contrary to the prevailing wisdom in modern storytelling. From screenwriting gurus to studio executives, a successful screenplay is thought to be one in which the principal characters in a story undergo significant change. But is that really true? Must every character grow in such a way that they see the world through different eyes? Partly yes, and partly no.

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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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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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Everyone agrees that the Main Character is the most important character in a film. Why? Because through this person, an audience experiences first-hand the emotions and consequences of the narrative surrounding them. But there is another, less understood character that is primarily responsible for influencing growth in the Main Character. This character is known as the Impact Character.

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