I’ve been reading up on critical elements of late, but this part confuses me. If the critical element is the element which connects the four through lines, then how do you make sense of it in the OS when it is not held by the MC or IC?
The MC Crucial Element is supposed to be held in the OS by the MC character in their OS role. Ditto for the IC Crucial Element and the IC.
It can sometimes seem almost backwards (esp. for Steadfast stories) but it helps to see that character in the OS representing or pointing out how that element affects the pursuit of the Goal.
I’m guessing you’re using Archetypes with the Build Characters in Dramatica. This can often result in a Main Character or Influence Character falling away from their Crucial Element.
You don’t want to do this.
The Crucial Element ties the objective and subjective views of the narrative together. You’ll want to move the MC and IC characters into their respective positions as shown in the Build Characters window.
Can I ask what happens if those characters don’t line up with their elements? For example, in the Casablanca analysis, neither Ilsa nor Rick are lined up with their Crucial Element.
Is there a specific effect that it causes (like a kind of disconnect in the audience)?
I would say the analysis that ships with Dramatica is wrong.
Crucial Elements for Casablanca:
- Main Character: Control
- Influence Character: Free (Uncontrolled)
Rick represents Control throughout the entire narrative – even when he’s “changing” at the end, objectively he still represents Control.
Ilsa is one-hundred percent Free from beginning to end–also objectively. She wants freedom to leave Casablanca. Even when she decides to go back to Rick its all about being free with him.
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Would the same type of error be attributed to the analysis of KLUTE, a
Steadfast Start/ Success Good story with an
OS Concern of Developing a Plan (Conceptualizing) and an
OS Problem/Solution of Speculation/Projection and an
OS SymptomFocus/ResponseDirection of Ability/Desire–
where John Klute (a Doer) is MC and Bree Daniels is IC
but in the Character Assignment window,
Bree is placed in (Purpose) window of Desire which has the MC Crucial Element Bar and
Klute is placed in (Purpose) window of Ability which has the IC Crucial Element Bar?
I think @chuntley or @jhull pointed out at some time in the past that a lot of those analyses were done prior to understanding of the Crucial Elements and may not be entirely accurate on the character elements.
I’d say if the story felt like it was complete and meaningful and firing on all cylinders, and if it has an official storyform, then it’s likely the MC and IC had the right Crucial Elements in their OS roles.
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In other words, the crucial elements should usually be a dynamic pair?