Thanks to the clearly argued themes in “The Terminal”, we can begin charting the Dramatica story form. All the characters are stuck: Viktor in the terminal, Emilia’s mature age and unmarried status, several characters having to stay out of recognition so as not to be deported, Dixon being field commissioner of the terminal with insufficient authority.
So the objective story is in “Situation” domain. Throughout the story, arguments are made about the worthiness of waiting. Viktor, it turns out, has been waiting a long time to fulfill a promise. He also waits weeks at a time to re-unite with Emilia. Dixon has been eagerly awaiting to become full commissioner. So, “Delay” is likely the Issue; either this or “Choice”. This nicely fits with a concern amongst all the characters’ “Futures”. This happens to be the American sweet spot, where many movies fall.
This movie elegantly presents a “delay” related question — what some have called the Dramatic Question — at what I suspect is the entry into Act Two. Dixon asks: “who the hell waits in a crack?” It seems to me good story telling involves manipulating the audience into initially thinking one way, then the opposite in the Third Act. The story’s events steer you. So, into what seems the third Act, more focus is placed on Viktor’s mysterious Planters can. What’s in it? Dixon asks why he’s been carrying it around. The answer to this revealed, later in Act Three, persuades the audience that “waiting in a crack” for something worthwhile is good. This is the sway between Issue and Choice, as I interpret the application of Dramatica.
The OS being in Situation automatically puts the Relationship in Fixed Attitude. Viktor is no doubt the main character. I would guess the other character in the RS — the IC — is Emilia and it’s a growing romantic relationship. She begins the story by mentioning she hinders herself. She even admits this, admitting she’s been helping the adultering husband with whom she’s been having an affair to seek treatment. She, at one point, says “all men are liars”. I believe she’s the change character because she begins warming up to Viktor. There may be a deeper change when Viktor tells her she can turn her beeper off. She no longer needs to rush off; she can wait. In Act Three, she tells Viktor she’s finally informed her affair partner that she’s leaving him. She’s now “free”. Viktor seems not to change. He came to NYC to fulfill a promise. He’s waited as long as it takes to complete that goal.
Within the OS issue of Delay, we should find the problem, symptom, treatment and solution. We see Pursuit, Prevent, Support, and Oppose. Unless this is affected by some other story form trait, the change character automatically shares the problem with the OS through line. Now, is Emilia a Psychology or Physics character? Well, we see Support and Oppose in Attitude under Physics, which seems the only Variation which could match her. If she’s a Physics character, Pursuit-Avoid are in Closure and Support-Oppose are in Dream. This is tricky and requires further analysis. Her issue could be in Attitude under Physics and we’d get a feeling as if she’s a Psychology character. Under that quad of Physics, one of the Elements is “Help”, which could be her problem. She even regrets at one point having helped her adulterous lover seek treatment.
To better determine which domain Emilia fits into, we’d have to look more closely at the true nature of her problems. Are they because of activities she’s doing or her beliefs?
I am inclined to put Viktor in Physics due to his efforts at learning english and trying to obtain a job. Emilia would fit in a fixed attitude because of her struggle to overcome issues with men and impulsive reactions.
The very nature of waiting in this story precludes a time lock. The options would be Dixon’s possible methods of getting rid of Viktor: establishing a credible threat, classifying him as a national security risk, etc. Perhaps it’s the various federal agencies which could help him, such as the FBI, NSA, INS, etc.
Another point deals with the author’s argument. Either upon entering the classically recognized Third Act or at the conclusion of the Second Act, Viktor decides to lie for the sake of helping a begging Russian take in medicine to help his parent. Immediately afterward, Dixon’s predecessor tells Dixon that ignoring legalities and focusing on people is important. I think this fits in somehow with the author’s argument about waiting for something worthwhile being important. You determine it’s worthwhile because you’ve understood the circumstances. You appreciate it. Emilia later gives Viktor a document to let him visit NYC presumably because she’s gotten to know him as a person… some element of trust.
As I understand Dramatica algorithms, this is how the Additional Story Points are calculated: Goal (OS Concern), Requirement (OS Benchmark), Consequence (RS Concern), Prerequisite (RS Benchmark), Dividend (MC Concern), Forewarnings (MC Benchmark), Cost (IC Concern), Preconditions (IC Benchmark).
The Concerns are easy to determine. They all share the same quad location in the various classes. A Concern of Future for OS puts RS Concern in Innermost Desires/Fears, MC Concern in Obtaining (assuming Viktor is a Doer), and IC Concern in Innermost Desires/Fears.
The Benchmarks are more difficult, as they could be diagonally, vertically, or horizontally related to the Concern. So playing it safe, I laid out a grid. All the vertical possibilities in one row, all diagonals in another row, and the third row being all horizontals. We can knock out one of the rows automatically. I don’t see how the Past could be a requirement for the story at all. That leaves two rows: one with Progress as the Requirement and one with Present as the Requirement. I am inclined to think of the Present as Requirement. Krakozhia dispels its chaos just after the beginning of classic Act Three. Enrique tells Viktor the war is over. He can go home now. There are many contemplations in this Act, nicely illustrating the author’s argument. Viktor explains he’s been waiting all this time for Emilia. He’s also been undergoing all this for his father. Emilia sacrifices a chance at travel in NYC with her adulterous friend so Viktor can have it. Gupta decides to return home and face charges so that Viktor can have the trip in NYC. This matches Contemplation as the Prerequisite. That makes Conceive be the Precondition and Learning be the Forewarnings. It also hints the progress Viktor makes in the terminal (i.e. getting a job, learning English) as his own through line.
One example of Learning as a Forewarning could be Dixon learning in or near the Third Act from his predecessor that he’s lost this chance for promotion.
From what I’ve selected, the Dividend would be Obtaining. This may be a stretch, but Viktor obtains a heroic (albeit inflated) reputation, courtesy of Gupta, after helping the Russian.