The LEGO Movie - would like to check my work!

analysis
#1

My sister was visiting and the other night we watched The LEGO Movie with the kids. I had assumed there was a published storyform for it… I remembered an old Narrative First article talking about there being a substory* with the boy and the father. After watching my sister and I tried to get the storyform on our own (partly as an exercise of showing my sister what Dramatica analysis is all about)…

… but it turns out Jim’s article only contains the top level stuff (Concerns, Resolve). There’s a link to storyform in Subtext but it’s currently giving a 404 error. https://narrativefirst.com/analysis/the-lego-movie

For the central story we got: Change, Stop, Be-er, Linear, Action, Success, Good, Psychology, Conceiving, Permission, Certainty.

@jhull do you have the full analysis that you could put on Subtext? Our Concerns matched (OS Concern was pretty obvious) so just wondering how close we were. Thanks!

* “wrapper story” might be a better term here; it’s about the boy who’s playing out the main story with Legos!

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The Lego Movie's Substory
#2

Oh Yes! This is one I forgot to add…I’m pretty sure it’s exactly what you have above, but I will look.

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#3

Hey @mlucas, I don’t have everything down to the bottom in my notes.

I agree with all the dynamics and at first glance Certainty sounds right (been awhile since I’ve seen it). What was your rationale behind Certainty for Emmet and Potentiality for Wildstyle? (Crucial Elements)

I’m thinking of “Everything is Awesome” - is that what you’re thinking where all the Certainty is coming from? And is he really a Stop character?

Hmmm…feel like I have to watch this one again! (which isn’t a problem at all)

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#4

It’s totally re-watchable! This was my 4th time watching and I intended to get a bunch of chores done while the kids watched, but got sucked in and couldn’t look away. :slight_smile:

When storyforming I thought Potentiality was really powerful for the OS & MC Solutions – the idea that everyone has the potential to be amazing, to do and build amazing things, to be “the special”.

EMMET: You…don’t have to be the bad guy. You are the most talented, most interesting and extraordinary person in the universe. And you are capable of amazing things, because you are the Special. [Lord Business looks shocked and lowers the Kragle] And so am I. And so is everyone. The prophecy is made up, but it’s also true. It’s about all of us. Right now, it’s about you.

I saw Certainty represented in the movie as “following the instructions” – relying on this certain, proscribed path toward living life. Emmet represents the personal aspect of that: always following the instructions has made him into a nobody.

Lord Business’s plan also fits Certainty (and several of the gists for it) because he’s trying to lock everything into perfection with his Kraggle Spray, so that he can be absolutely sure of it. And at the climax, Emmet suddenly sees Lord Business’s potential to be a good-guy, which is what wins the day (though I think the sub-story helps make that moment work: allowing Lord Business’s alter-ego to Change helps us believe the main story antagonist’s embracing the Solution).

The “Everything is Awesome” song is fascinating because it incorporates BOTH the Problem and Solution depending on how you listen to it, which is why it works so well at both the beginning and end of the film. Initially it seems to mean “everything Lord Business has laid out for you is awesome so just follow the instructions” but after Emmet’s speech it takes on an aspect of “everything and everyone has the potential to be awesome”.

Narrative argument would be something like: Stop relying on the instructions and you can unlock everyone’s awesome ideas. (you could sub in “needing to be sure” for “relying on the instructions” to make it more generic)

I could go on about the Issues and Wildstyle’s impact through her drive of Proaction but I should probably stop now… :slight_smile:

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#5

I was wondering if Vitruvius might be a co-IC? He seems to influence Emmet too at several moments, though Wildstyle takes on most of the Relationship.

In the OS, Wildstyle and Vitruvius are “master builders”. They represent and constantly point out the Potential of what you can build at any moment using just the pieces around you.

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#6

OK. You sold me LOL and yes, I like the idea of the two of them as IC handoffs. There is something really close about the Narrative Argument…the Certainty and instruction books…

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#7

Added to Subtext! Thanks @mlucas

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