Central Dramatic Argument

[christopher jon]

OK, Back On Track:

I'm not sure if I'm over-thinking, under-thinking or completely off track when it comes to Theme and Central Dramatic Argument.

Let's say you were hired to write SAW 27, would your Central Dramatic Argument be something simple like Surviving The Traps, or would it be something deeper or more complex?

For a RomCom, would Searching For True Love be the CDA?

[iggy]

Originally Posted by christopher jon

OK, Back On Track:

I'm not sure if I'm over-thinking, under-thinking or completely off track when it comes to Theme and Central Dramatic Argument.

Let's say you were hired to write SAW 27, would your Central Dramatic Argument be something simple like Surviving The Traps, or would it be something deeper or more complex?

For a RomCom, would Searching For True Love be the CDA?

For a RomCom a good example might be When Harry Met Sally -- with a Central Dramatic Argument of "Can men and women just be friends?"

That question is explored throughout the entire movie with some scenes/characters saying yes and some saying no.

[sc111]

Originally Posted by Jeff_Shurtleff

Just so you know, this come's off as you being a kiss a$$ and being very condescending.

Maybe you were talking about me, BIO, or any other person who doesn't subscribe to your point of view... doesn't mean they're wrong.

For the record, I agree with a lot of what Bio has been saying.

Jeff Shurtleff

Wait -- aren't you the guy who gave up screenwriting?

You accuse me of a$$ kissing but in the same post my driving point is that worthwhile advice gets lost in (and I quote myself, here) non-essential bickering.

And what do you do? You start another round of non-essential bickering about a$$-kissing. Classic.

Do you have anything to say about the topic?

[iggy]

Originally Posted by sc111

Wait -- aren't you the guy who gave up screenwriting?

You accuse me of a$$ kissing but in the same post my driving point is that worthwhile advice gets lost in (and I quote myself, here) non-essential bickering.

And what do you do? You start another round of non-essential bickering about a$$-kissing. Classic.

Do you have anything to say about the topic?

Curious, what do you think your post consists of?

(a) non-essential bickering, or
(b) on-topic information

I came back to find 7 pages of posts in this thread. 8 posts are on-topic.

[nic.h]

Let's not get sidetracked again - we've all read the posts and can judge for ourselves what they mean. We can't stop individuals drawing their own conclusions, but just because they cast aspersions doesn't make them true. There's plenty here to learn and remember, and there's no shame in bookmarking it for future reference. Have done the same thing myself.

So. Can we all please stop with the personal bickering and bollocks? It doesn't become you, and is against forum guidelines.

Back to topic please.

[sc111]

Originally Posted by iggy

Curious, what do you think your post consists of?

(a) non-essential bickering, or
(b) on-topic information

I came back to find 7 pages of posts in this thread. 8 posts are on-topic.

In my most recent post - yes, I was late to the off-topic party so it would have to be (a). But since I was personally accused of the butt kissing I wanted to respond.

I tried an on-topic post back on page 3, though. Didn't go anywhere.

However, in response to your on-topic point -- it gets sticky trying to figure out the thematic question/dramatic argument in a produced film. It's more important for the writer to know what it is allowing it to inform scenes, sequences, etc.

[asjah8]

Originally Posted by christopher jon

OK, Back On Track:

I'm not sure if I'm over-thinking, under-thinking or completely off track when it comes to Theme and Central Dramatic Argument.

Let's say you were hired to write SAW 27, would your Central Dramatic Argument be something simple like Surviving The Traps, or would it be something deeper or more complex?

For a RomCom, would Searching For True Love be the CDA?

somewhere in either this thread or the plot point thread craig said the CDA is an assertion that can be argued (which implies there is a thematic question of sorts). sorry, i'm not going to dig back to find it but i'm sure it's there. i think iggy's example explains it very well - at least my understanding of it.

[emily blake]

The Book of Eli is a good example. The theme to that film is undoubtedly faith. The protagonist has faith. The book he protects is about faith. Gary Oldman sees the power in that faith.

And even the protag himself is an example of

SPOILER

Blind faith.

And I believe there are a lot of conversations that allude to faith along the way. It's repeated over and over, but not so much that someone's hitting you in the face with a theme hammer.

A theme is not the same thing as a moral. So what's the difference? A theme is a question. A moral is an answer.

Let your story ask a question so that people can leave the theater discussing the answer.

[asjah8]

this is where i sort of diverge em. i think simply saying "faith" would be an example of a bad CDA because it doesn't leave room for interpretation. i'm totally basing this on my own understanding of course. given what craig said here and in his blog, i think for the book of eli, an example of a good CDA would be, for example: can faith exist in a world that doesn't have any? or something along those lines...

eta: or, he did say "assertion" so maybe it could be phrased as: faith doesn't exist in the future, then the story sets out to prove that it can and does...? i dunno, just spitballing here.

[TwoBrad Bradley]

This entire thread has its own Central Dramatic Argument.

And this thread illustrates that different people can watch the same movie (read the same thread) and come away each with a different Central Dramatic Argument. It has to do with the "baggage" each person brings to the table - how predisposed each person is.