Re-write the Hero last - Marilyn Horowitz

*article is found in SCR(i)PT magazine, volume 11 no. 1.*
Featured on the cover is "The Life Aquatic" with Steve Zissou
The full article can be found in page 72 - 75 of the magazine.

Rewriting the hero last. Because some script has got good plot and all, but hero's too flat.

How to do it? 5 questions and 5 exercises.
Q1. What is your hero's dream? Is he aware of it?
Q2. What is your hero's worst nightmare?
Q3. For whom will your hero die
Q4. Why is your hero the only person who can be in the story?
Q5. What is the hero's unbreakable bond with the hero?
The plot must have high stakes, as the stakes are usually not high enough.
Are there enough events to ratchet up the story?
Is the relationship between the hero and villain intense enough?

Exercise 1: ASK: what happened was...
Write the script as though you are the hero, telling the story to a friend.
Put it aside for a few hours, then read it to a trusted ally.

Excercise 2: The premise: Ask a question...
If you are writing a plot base on a statement, you have no premise.

Example: The Godfather
- Family duty is greater than personal acheivement. -> not good
- Is family duty is greater than personal acheivement? -> good

* It helps to stimulate you to come up with twists to the plots, creates a better story *

- Write the premise on the top of a paper
- divide the section below into 2 columns, "yes" and "no".
- List other charcters into the "yes" and "no" column, to denote their role in helping the hero to achieve the premise.

* This gives you a more organised picture of the people involved and how they affect the hero. *

Excercise 3: Obstacle/Opportunity Chart:
- Draw a horizontal line across the paper
- divide the line into portions, where each portion represents 1 act in the script.
- indicate events in the story along the horizontal line. events above the line helps to motivate the hero towards the premise. Events below the line moves the hero away from the premise.
* This helps to list out events. Is there too many "opportunities" and too little "obstacles"? Or vice versa?*

Excercise 4: Prepare a log line:
- this step is likened to "vomiting into a thimble"
- Fit the screenplay into reductionistic abstract structure.
- When [person][gets into trouble], he/she must [risk] or [lose].
- Example: When advert executive is mistaken as a spy, he must risk his life or beautiful spy will die.

Exercise 5. Interview the villain:
*Helps to answer question 5. What is the hero's unbreakable bond with the villain?*
- Helps to give a new perspective of hero.
- uncover history between both of them. (may expose hero's flaws)
help heighten conflict and creates a better event.

for a better idea... read the magazine... you can find a browsing copy at the Library@Esplanade. Be warned, it is a library for PERFORMING Arts, not drawing etc.