As strange as it sounds, many writers have a hard time finding the best protagonist for their stories... well, there is a nice way to find out who your protagonist is—ask these three questions: Who is in the most pain? Who has the most to lose? Who changes the most? And bingo... instant protagonist. Thank me later. :)
Screenwriting : Finding Your Protagonist by Jeff Lyons
Other topics in Screenwriting:
Check out Trending Discussions
Register / Log In
2 people like this
I would add to that....for each scene....what is each character's purpose and motivation? Couple that with Jeff's three questions....and you are starting to have some of the basic knowledge to create a masterpiece!
RIP BUTCH STEWART (January 13, 1953 - May 19, 2017)
2 people like this
Hmm! Awesome!
1 person likes this
For me a story is a story and I choose whose eyes I'll tell it through. That is my protagonist. What I struggle with (and enjoy) is finding the most base emotions for a character. This is the journey I take when finding my protagonist.
What do you mean by "most base emotions?" As in their driving force? :)
1 person likes this
In "Better Call Saul" the main character could be driven by greed and money. And that makes up a lot of his personality. But at the base of his being, he wants to be accepted and loved. Especially by his brother. He wants to feel like he is more than a failure. I have a script about a drug dealer. Her base emotion is to be better than her mum said she would be. Mum was a loser, she hate when people say things that force her to compare herself to her mum. The story is all about a deal going wrong. But her need for it to go right to prove to herself she can care for her sister, which my didn't do. It isn't even stated, it is the subtext and what drives her.