Hi.
I’ve been using Dramatica for a couple of years, first I used the Story Guide to get to a storyform, but now I feel comfortable enough with the concepts to play directly with the Story Engine.
I was wondering if some of you get to a single storyform using the Story Engine and wanted to share the way I’m doing it to get feedback and comments. I’d like to know of any pros and cons of doing it this way, in this order. I’d love to hear your comments.
1)I start with brief logline about what I want the movie to be about in very bold terms. “An entrepreneur wants to sell miracle product X”.
So I select a Story Goal, from this I look for a GIST. I found “Selling something”. Now we have "Story Goal > Doing (Selling something).
2)I want the story to end in a personal tragedy (Success / Bad). So I select Outcome: Success and Judgment: Bad.
3)I choose the MC resolve. In this case I want steadfast.
4)Next I think about the MC’s domain, having as reference the sixteen possible class/domain combinations as described in the manual. Now my choices for MC are limited to Situation and Fixed Attitude. I pick fixed attitude because I think it suits more the character I’m thinking of. His journey of growth concerns a fixed attitude.
5)I pick an MC Issue. For example, value. It seems to fit his thematic focus. (MC is driven by how much money he can get).
6)I pick an MC Problem or Solution or Symptom or Response. For example, Problem: effect. (The MC is focused on getting what he wants, regardless of consequences)
7)Then I think of a benchmark. how he measures his progress. For example, Innermost desires (MC is not aware he doesn’t want money but rather to be loved)
8)Sometimes the MC’s unique ability and critical flaw are automatically selected, but not now. I’ll select a critical flaw of Desire (MC imagines he could be having a better life)
9)I select a limit. I go for Optionlock, (There’s a limited number of activities to sell his product)
And now I have a single storyform.
Any pros or cons of doing it this way? In this order?
Of course I try to select different items so I can experiment a little and end up with two or three storyforms before finally settling down on one.
Notes:
-In the example I’m assuming MC = Protagonist, but it could be any character.
-I could choose items for the IC instead of the MC, if I’m more familiar with the IC.