I’ve begun an analysis of Margin Call. You may get the screenplay from here: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/Images/web/template/awards/2012/scripts/margincall.pdf
I’m setting the MC as Sam Rogers, and the IC as John Tuld.
Would the overall story be Situation? I haven’t seen the whole movie, yet, but fixed attitude could be a possibility, from the clips I had seen. However, I’d think the screenplay writer intended Situation.
Hi Prish,
That’s how it looked to me. Here’s my *.dsf, so far. I used the screenplay template for convenient, since it has the steps already in place.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B06CwLxM7HgKMkdnT1paYVR0QzA/edit?usp=sharing
Charles
Charles, why did you choose Decision? I, usually, have a hard time with that one, so I am curious what point in the story made you choose it.
Hi Prish,
I chose “Decision” because John Tuld decides what has to be done and Sam Rogers decides to accept that decision, even though he rationalises it by saying that he always does what’s good for the company. This happens from page 52 onwards. Jared Cohen offers this as an option to John Tuld, an option that he already made to Sam Rogers, before the John Tuld meeting, but one which Sam did not take to be a serious option.
Hi, Charles,
Could the initial decision be when WILL EMERSON says, “Best to just ignore it. Keep your head down and get back to work…” and Peter makes the decision to ignore things, putting on his headphones? Since the Human Resources people approached Peter, thinking he was Eric, and since Eric gives Peter the flash drive as he leaves, could Peter be the MC with Sam Rogers the IC? I have to see the film. I just scanned the beginning of the screenplay. I’ll track it down, tomorrow, at a Red Box or the library. It will take a few days to view it.
This is fun practice. I guess both ways could be accepted, since if something has not be written from a storyform, all that is needed for an analysis decision is to find some point to support an argument, if you get my drift. That was what the dram customer service told me, years ago.
Back later, Prish
Hi Prish,
Due to the way that Margin Call finishes and how the finish has been set up, Margin Call could be thought of as the pilot for a series, like Glee or ER. Thus, I am inclined to go with Sam Rogers and John Tuld as the primary storyline for Margin Call, with the other story lines as the means via which the world of the story is imbued with interrelated humanising and thematic elements that make the primary story a fit with the audience’s general experience, more humanly appealing and expositional about an industry that is somewhat specialized.
The world of ER is somewhat specialized, too, in reality. Yet, due to to decades of film and TV familiarity, who with an 18-24 volt, high-torque power drill,[1] isn’t a brain surgeon. Also, via the likes of Bloomberg and CNBC’s Jim–Mad Money–Cramer,[2] for example, who isn’t Warren Buffett or The Donald… 
As you have pointed out, other factors abound. However, these are aspects of the rhetoric that apply to the drama that is not so much a point-and-click aspect of Dramatica, when down in the trenches of illustrating, etc.
Happy viewing
Charles.
[1]. The English surgeon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PffLmmM0OxI
[2]. Mad Money Cramer http://www.cnbc.com/id/15838459