Quote From Anthony Minghella

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  • Quote From Anthony Minghella

    "There's often a mistake in thinking that because this is the central character [I have to] believe in the values of that character. One of the sort of principles for me in filmmaking is not to judge character. Because if the filmmaker is judging the character it also means that there's nothing for the audience to do.... I like to come to my own conclusions about the choices that people have made. I can't bear the sort of protaganist/antagonist architecture of films."

    The last line is what grabbed me. How have you gone about tackling a script (be it hi-concept or not) where there is no real protag or antag, where certain things are sort of left in ambiguity?
    "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
    - Screenwriting Friend

  • #2
    Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

    As both writer and viewer, I prefer a little complexity beyond the standard black n' white approach to the protag/antag template.

    Gimme a dynamic where you have to figure things out, rather than "Yay!" the good guy and "Boo!" the bad guy.
    "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

    My YouTube channel.

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    • #3
      Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

      For me "no real protagonist" means there aren't any characters who want anything.

      Isn't there some confusion here with equating protag/antag to good/bad?
      "I am the story itself; its source, its voice, its music."
      - Clive Barker, Galilee

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      • #4
        Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

        Well (generally speaking), every character in any piece should want something. Even if it's the barista with one line that wants to get the protag's order so she can continue down the queue.

        But all I was sayin' is that (for the most part) your average protag/antag dynamic isn't all that far removed from the white hat/black hat days.
        "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

        My YouTube channel.

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        • #5
          Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

          Yeah. Protagonist is not always well defined. I think Minghella was thinking traditional good guy/bad guy. In truth, there's a protag and an antag in virtually every narrative.

          For some characters, the antag is really within themselves, like Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull, or Kane in Citizen Kane . In fact, Minghella made a film called Breaking and Entering where Jude Law's antag is not so much the kid who steals his laptop, its unfulfillment and the inability to deal with Robin Wright's troubled daughter.
          "There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
          -Maya Angelou

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          • #6
            Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

            Thinking about his movies that makes sense. In The Talented Mr. Ripley you could understand the motivations for the characters so it was up to you to decide who was morally wrong.

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            • #7
              Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

              I was going to say that I can't really comment on Minghella because I've never watched any of his pics all the way through in one sitting...but then that is a comment.

              I wander off and that is probably because the format and characters seem to be wandering around aimlessly as well. For some people it works (he did get an Oscar!), but not for me.



              R.O.T.

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              • #8
                Re: Quote From Anthony Minghella

                Yeah. Minghella's work may be an acquired taste for some, but his stories can be rewarding for the viewer who stays for the ride. Breaking and Entering's (the AM quote comes from the film's DVD commentary) first twenty minutes or so kind of lagged but hanging in there was worth the effort -- especially for someone trying to get a hold of character development.
                "I ask every producer I meet if they need TV specs they say yeah. They all want a 40 inch display that's 1080p and 120Hz. So, I quit my job at the West Hollywood Best Buy."
                - Screenwriting Friend

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