When is too late to introduce love story?

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  • When is too late to introduce love story?

    If we're talking COMEDY and not RomCom.

    Is it okay to wait until the middle of act two to introduce a love interest subplot?

    The reason I ask is that typically you hear that it's the midpoint (or "the pinch") in the middle of the second act where the character takes a more involved stake in the story.

    And with one that I'm currently thinking on, it seems to work best if the impetus for this involvement were a love interest.

    My only concern, obviously being that I'd be too far into the script to introduce such an important character. One that will help drive a pretty meaty subplot.

    Any thoughts?

    S

  • #2
    Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

    Originally posted by creativexec

    And what important actor will play such an "important role" if it's introduced so late in the story?
    maybe one with a fat ass? I'm thinking J-lo.

    Just kidding. Thanks for the input, CE.
    It always blows me away that you take the time to help us out.

    Peace.
    Santino

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    • #3
      Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

      Take a look at 40 Year Old Virgin. In that movie, the love interest didn't arrive until about 30 minutes into the movie but it many ways it is what spun the second act. Andy had his own thing going on being a 40 year old virgin but the minute he met a woman he really like, he had a focus and purpose for losing his virginity.

      If your protagonist is going to actively pursue this love interest, they need to be brought in as soon as possible. Otherwise, what is driving the action/comedy of the story?

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      • #4
        Can't men and women just be friends?

        Unfortunately I saw BENCHWARMERS, and David Spade's character has a love interest that doesn't actually become a love interest until about halfway through the film, though she's introduced earlier (as a waitress in the product placement Pizza Hut the guys hang out in).

        If your story is not about the romance, it's probably less important to have the character introduced early... but I'd ask why is there a romance in the first place? Something to noodle on.

        I have a thriller where the female lead isn't introduced until halfway through - because her character can not be known until tht point.... but she isn't the romantic lead, just some chick involved in the story. If the audience wants to imagine the hero and her hook up after the film is over, that's fine by me. If they never hook up, that's cool too - the story has absolutely nothing to do with them hooking up.

        But half the people who've read the script want her to be introduced earlier (even though none of them can figure out how that's even possible) and want them to hook up in the story. I think that's kind of a conditioned reflex - male and female characters in story... they've got to fall in love!

        The character could have been a male (not in a BROKEBACK way) and the story would be 100% the same (except the film would look like a boy's club). I'm actually thinking about making the character male and letting someone else come up with the idea to make her female.

        If there's some way to introduce her earlier, I'd do that. Even if she's just a character in a scene and not the love interest... yet.

        - Bill
        Free Script Tips:
        http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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        • #5
          Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

          Ditto what CL and BM said.

          If you think of the way a story is structured, act one is about establishing the problems that will concern the hero. Act two is about exploring and coming to understand the problems. Act three is about resolving the problems.

          If the love interest is going to be a concern for the hero (the hero will care about the girl and wants to be with her), that should be established in act one in order to orient the audience to the fact the story is in part about their relationship and to give you enough time in act two to properly develop their relationship.

          My .02

          Fortune favors the bold - Virgil

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          • #6
            Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

            creative exec and deus ex are my sages.
            Joan: What does the "T" stand for?
            Jack: Trustworthy.

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            • #7
              Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

              On the other hand, see what Driftwood said about the romance in 40 Yr Old Virgin starting on p 30. That's true in many movies where the romance is not the entire story, but only a subplot.

              He was with his buddies before that, trying out different ways to solve his A-story problem, losing his virginity. By page 30, we need a break from his random efforts to score. So that's when the romantic subplot kicks in. I don't remember if we met her before that in Act I, but she doesn't become a major focus of the story until p 30.

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              • #8
                Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

                In Mother, Albert Brooks's love interest is introduced in the final scene. Works perfectly.

                So, it all depends on the story you are telling.

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                • #9
                  Re: When is too late to introduce love story?

                  In 40 year-old Virgin we meet both the slutty Girl and the woman he marries fairly early in act one.

                  Haven't seen Mother. But if the hero is not trying to build a relationship with her and is not engaged in any relationship with her, I wouldn't say she is a concern for the hero or a sub plot.


                  Fortune favors the bold - Virgil

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                  • #10
                    Consider this a divorce!

                    In TOTAL RECALL the love interest is on Mars, so she can't really be introduced until Quaid gets to Mars... except we see her early on as one of the fantasy choices at Recall. Her face is the one Ah-nuld choises for his vacation fantasy....

                    And if you're one of those who believes the whole movie from that point on is the "vacation", then it *must* be her face. But if you're one of those people who believe that no one in a dream sweats, it's just a clever way to get the love interest into the story before she's actually a character.

                    - Bill
                    Free Script Tips:
                    http://www.scriptsecrets.net

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