What do Sean Penn’s Into the Wild and M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense have in common? Much more than you would probably think. Beyond the obvious differences in genre and subject matter the basic structure of each story is almost exactly the same…except for one major difference.

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One of the most important things I learned from the Dramatica theory of story was this idea of a separation between the Main Character’s storyline and the overall storyline. It’s a basic concept but one that, if not done correctly, can cause all kinds of problems when trying to write a meaningful story. The biggest is the idea that the Main Character is always the Protagonist.

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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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Can there be anything more dramatic than a story of revenge?! That initial stinging feeling of being unjustly wronged, the wicked and intensely private scheming that goes on as one plans what is dutifully owed the offender, and finally the execution of said sweet reward. Nothing is more universal than the satisfaction of one getting what one so rightly deserves.

But how does one go about constructing a story like this?

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A great story consists of two fundamental arguments: the headline and the heartline. One argument plays towards the logical side of our existence; the other plays more towards the emotional. Both are essential. Why? Because you want to create stories that are both logically satisfying and emotionally fulfilling. Leave one side out and the audience feels cheated.

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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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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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Just the other day I had another “real world” experience dealing with Mental Sex that I wanted to share. For the new readers out there, the Mental Sex of a character describes the sort of base operating system from which that character engages the world. It’s a trait that is hardwired and, as I’ll point out, filters out the world around a character without them even knowing it.

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