That invisible antagonist

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  • That invisible antagonist

    Playing around with that invisible antagonist - something is driving the story, you can feel the momentum, but not really sure what's doing it - like when you see people run in a panic, so you run too, but not even sure from what.

    Does that make a shake of sense?

    a

  • #2
    Re: That invisible antagonist

    Nope

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    • #3
      Re: That invisible antagonist

      Sounds difficult to write, but I think I understand your concept.
      Last edited by silvercop; 02-01-2011, 10:37 AM.
      www.silvercop.com
      If we don't get the information, and if we don't get the leads, we can't track down the killers.

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      • #4
        Re: That invisible antagonist

        cloverfield - didn't see the giant godzilla monster until the 3rd act
        poltergeist - we didn't see any ghosts until well into the 2nd act.
        the "original" war of the worlds - we didn't see the aliens until the last act.
        signs - we know there were aliens but we were deep in the 2nd act before we saw a glimpse
        close encounters of the third kind - again, deep into the 2nd act... but our protagonist was running towards it, not away from it.

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        • #5
          Re: That invisible antagonist

          Sounds difficult but should work as long as you have the protagonists actively working toward a goal early enough so as not to lose focus with them.

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          • #6
            Re: That invisible antagonist

            Fear is the enemy, and you don't need to know exactly what is causing it (as fear is often perpetuated by the unknown), but there does need to be some kind of tangible perceived threat that has provoked the panic, and the panic needs to create conflict in and of itself.

            I mean, if you have an orderly and successful response to the perceived crisis, then you don't have any conflict whatsoever.

            For examples of conflict created based on how people react to a perceived crisis, even if they don't understand what the nature of the crisis is, check out the TWILIGHT ZONE episodes "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" and "The Shelter."

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            • #7
              Re: That invisible antagonist

              Originally posted by Anitapooh
              Like The Blair Witch Project?
              Like that, yes. I had forgotten about that one.

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              • #8
                Re: That invisible antagonist

                Originally posted by NikeeGoddess View Post
                cloverfield - didn't see the giant godzilla monster until the 3rd act
                poltergeist - we didn't see any ghosts until well into the 2nd act.
                the "original" war of the worlds - we didn't see the aliens until the last act.
                signs - we know there were aliens but we were deep in the 2nd act before we saw a glimpse
                close encounters of the third kind - again, deep into the 2nd act... but our protagonist was running towards it, not away from it.
                Good list!

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                • #9
                  Re: That invisible antagonist

                  Don't forget The Happening!

                  Actually, on second thoughts...
                  "Only nothing is impossible."
                  - Grant Morrison

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                  • #10
                    Re: That invisible antagonist

                    Cache or The White Ribbon.

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                    • #11
                      Re: That invisible antagonist

                      Jaws, maybe? Don't see a shark for quite a while.

                      The one thing these films have in common is that there *is* an antagonist actively *doing* things that *directly* impact the hero.

                      If your antagonist is not actively doing things that directly impact the hero, then you are probably in trouble, regardless of who sees your antagonist.

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                      • #12
                        Re: That invisible antagonist

                        Originally posted by alex whitmer View Post
                        Playing around with that invisible antagonist - something is driving the story, you can feel the momentum, but not really sure what's doing it - like when you see people run in a panic, so you run too, but not even sure from what.

                        Does that make a shake of sense?

                        a
                        Sounds like you're good at the journey part, but not the driver part. Create a monster.
                        Story Structure 1
                        Story Structure 2
                        Story Structure 3

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