Freitag's Triangle
Plot vs. Dialog.
Most stories are either plot-driven or dialog-driven. Most stories for video have both a plot and dialog, but in some cases the characters are developed first (primarily through their dialog), and the plot just follows. In other situations, the plot comes first and the characters are developed to "people" it.
Most writers have a preference for writing either plot or dialog, but obviously the professional scriptwriter must master both approaches.
A plot is technically nothing more than a series of actions. It is possible to tell a story without a coherent plot, but this is almost unheard of in video, where plots tend to be very linear and constructed around a formula developed to allow for commercial breaks.
The classic model for constructing a plot is called Freitag's Triangle.
The components of the model are:
1. Exposition- This is background information the viewer needs to understand the story. In a series, very little should be needed by regular viewers. Because exposition can be perceived as boring, some writers start with an exciting scene such as a car chase and then place any needed exposition after the 1st commercial break.The Plot Formula.2. Conflict- Most plots revolve around a source of conflict. This needn't be a fight or overt conflict, but may be an inner conflict within one or more of the characters. Forces of nature or "the system" often bring about the conflict.
3. Rising Action- This is where we become familiar with the characters and how they relate to one another and the central conflict.
4. Climax (also called Crisis or Turning Point)- The point at which the main characters have a plan for dealing with the conflict.
5. Falling Action- The implementation of the plan and reduction in the conflict.
6. Resolution- The final resolution of the conflict.
7. Dénouement- While not always present in video scripts, this is a final wrapping up of loose ends and explanation of any parts of the plot left hanging. This was always used in Perry Mason, both the series and the more modern features. Perry would come back after the last commercial break and explain how he solved the case. In most modern television series, this would more likely be replaced by a tease for the plot of the next episode.
Because television viewers typically don't want to think about what they are viewing, TV programming tends to be linear and predictable. A formula has developed which calls for each hour-long dramatic program to have three plots, designated A, B and C.
A Plot- This is the main plot and is usually resolved within one hour-long episode.Scriptwriters deviate from this formula at their peril. The excellent and critically-acclaimed series, Hill Street Blues, was nearly canceled in its first season because the A plot was extended over several episodes. When NBC reluctantly renewed the series, Steven Bochco modified the format so that either the A plot or the B plot was resolved in each episode.B Plot- This often involves secondary characters and may run through several episodes. It can provide comic relief from a very serious A plot.
C Plot- This can be a very minor gag in one episode or can be a trivial plot line running through a whole season. In the animated feature, Ice Age, the squirrel-like animal's obsession with an acorn is perhaps the most memorable part of the film, however it is the C plot.
Hill Street Blues broke with many television conventions and influenced many aspects of network television. All previous police dramas were based on the dominant Western mythology in which the world is ultimately an orderly place and the police usually manage to restore this order within each episode.
Hill Street Blues was based on Norse mythology in which chaos is the natural order of things and the gods (substitute police, government, etc.) ultimately lose. The police of the Hill St. Station manage small successes, but they are surrounded by a system out of control, which they know will eventually overwhelm them. This is emphasized by the constant noise that is bedded under every scene, whether it is a siren, a scream, or just street noise. The fact that the Hill St. police continue to try to do their jobs is a type of heroism that many of us in more mundane professions can admire and relate to.
Character.
The plot is advanced by characters who are developed by the scriptwriter primarily through their dialog. Some common character types include:
1. Protagonist- The character with whom the viewer most closely identifies.Point of View.2. Antagonist- The person or force working against the protagonist (source of conflict)
3. Flat Character- Character whose defining qualities are stereotypes. This need not be a dull character. Tim Taylor on Home Improvement was very funny because of his "flatness."
4. Round Character- A fully developed character who lets us see his or her inner self.
5. Hero- A traditional type who possesses only good traits.
6. Villain- A traditional type who possesses only bad traits.
7. Tragic Hero- Traditional type whose good traits defeat him/her.
8. Anti-Hero- Modern type whose weakness forms the basis for viewer identification.
9. Narrator- Character through whose eyes the plot is presented.
10. Persona- A character who represents the views of the writer. Suzanne Sugarbaker on Designing Women represented the liberal political philosophy of Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, even though the character was played by Dixie Carter, a major contributor to the Republican Party.
The vast majority of television programming is presented in the 3rd person, allowing the viewer to take the role of an uninvolved bystander. Occasionally a character will turn to the camera and address the viewer directly. Dobie Gillis was the first character to do this, followed by Rod Serling narrating the Twilight Zone. Point-of-view shots where we briefly see the world as one of the characters would see it are very effective at drawing the viewer into the story line, but these should be used sparingly and in a way that makes it clear whose point of view is being experienced. Experimental points of view have generally been unsuccessful.
The Teleplay.
A "template" is provided under Downloads for the teleplay format, but it is fairly rudimentary and will require some trial and error to become comfortable with. Most professional scriptwriters who write in teleplay format purchase special software which either functions as macros within MS Word, or serves as part of a full-function production management package. These systems are actually pretty impressive, as they produce cast call sheets, prop lists, location lists and even budgets, all coordinated with the script and updated as the script is modified.
While some students may go on to produce entertainment features, this unit is presented to stimulate thinking on how you can apply narrative techniques to more mundane types of electronic media. The exceptional and award-winning examples of virtually every genre of electronic media contain rudimentary plots and characters.
