This is fine for a Dividend, though note that these are story points that often occur within a story, not after. We tend to think of dividends as something that happens at the conclusion–which is how this one sounds (since, presumably, the goal is getting them to realize that women should be in the industry). It works, just wanted to let everyone know that they can happen during the course of the story as well.
@SPotter, batter up…
Relationship Throughline> signpost one > doing some city planning – Sebastion has to design a 3D rotating diarama of Atlantis for an upcoming animation. Marybeth helps him plan out the Atlantis cityscape.
Would that be happening during the story, many times? Or, would that mean just once during?
As many times as you want.
Could it do a double, dividend and benchmark?
IC Resolve: CHANGE – Like the MC in the classic Sullivan’s Travels, the IC here (Sebastian) changes to realize that Marybeth’s irresistibly humorous animations are just as valuable, if not more valuable, than his own bigwig-accusing efforts. Marybeth’s work gives hope, laughter and encouragement to millions across the country, creating harmony and unity rather than hostility and hatred.
Nice one! Although the last sentence I left out…you should save it for the next round, since it seems like it might fit better somewhere else… 
@Writegeist the floor is yours!
OVERALL STORY CONCERN: Having an Intuitive Understanding of Oneself
Each player struggles to some degree with rationalizing his or her view of women in this workplace, either in complete denial, or thoughtfully considering the positives and negatives, or even blatant radicalism. In addition, there is a struggle, particularly with the women, to break out of the traditional view of women in the culture so each one can experiment with her potential.
I’m having trouble seeing the problem here…how does Having an Intuitive Understanding of Oneself create difficulties for everyone involved in the story?
This happens a lot with Dramatica…and Gists make it easier to do…where the terminology assumes the role of storytelling rather than operating as a function of the storyform. It’s not enough to simply encode a paragraph that describes people having an intuitive understanding of themselves–you must show how that is a CONCERN for everyone–in other words, how does that create problems?
Hmm… How about: As the players come to grips with their own views of women in the workplace, the tensions between those who are in denial and those who actively want to discuss the issue results in regular workplace disruptions. This affects the productivity of everyone in the workplace and could end up affecting the bottom-line. If the business tanks, people will be looking for work.
@jhull. Question on this, is the creating a problem/conflict for all the appreciations or just the Concern/Issue/Problem ones in each of the 4 throughlines? Or should symptom/catalyst/response etc. also be encoded as “problems?”
Concern/Issue/Problem (you forgot Domain) all describe the same thing – just from a different magnification (see the article I’m about to publish later this afternoon ), so yes – those all represent different ways of looking at the problem.
Symptom/Response deal with the results (or apparent results) of the Problem so not necessarily, though you could imagine how the Main Character Responding inappropriately to the real Problem at hand could create conflict…
Same with Catalyst and Inhibitor. Those describe the change in direction (gas or brake pedal), whether or not they create conflict I believe would be up to the Author. Some would want to show how applying the brake pedal (Inhbitor) could temper conflict, while another might show how putting on the brakes might simply build even greater potential.
The Domain/Concern/Issue/Problem column acts like one giant microscope with each level representing a different level of magnification.
This is closer…but don’t write what “could” happen, write what is happening. People who have an intuitive understanding of themselves tend to let everyone know about it, they become caught up in themselves and tend to couch everything in terms of their point-of-view, creating interpersonal conflicts that otherwise wouldn’t be there…They also tend to go home at a moment’s notice because they intuit that they’re sick leaving their remaining co-workers to clean up the pieces…something more along the lines of this.
You might even try writing the conflict for different characters: Because of the head writer’s intuitive understanding of himself he tries to force his own life story into every cartoon…the elevator operator’s intuitive understanding of himself inspires him to pitch a new series idea every single morning regardless of who wants to hear it (and most don’t!). Just don’t use proper names and you’ll be good to go from an objective point-of-view
Another, more thoughtful Hmm this time… I hope you all aren’t in a super hurry… I’m looking for a “Nice one!” or an “Excellent!” from Jim, so I need to continue to think. But I’m seeing that throughout this process the idea is to be brief, generic, yet as concrete as possible. Is that right?
I would leave out generic…you can be imaginative, but yes, brief and concise is a good thing (though is usually difficult for writers!). And by all means, take your time…everybody learns from everyone else and we have the luxury of no deadline so why not indulge…
I published the article referred to earlier: Understanding Dramatica’s Complex Terminology Made Easier.
Check your date on the workshop button. It says September (instead of November). Wish I could go! Someday.
Great article. It gave me some stuff to chew on. I feel like I need to get pencil and paper and start drawing out my “problems” at the different levels to make sure I understand what I’m doing. I just might do that right now. Thanks!
I’m… stumped, maybe. But I don’t want to leave the appreciation. I want to understand it, fight for that understanding and not just drop it… I guess the part I have the hardest time dealing with is whether what I use to satisfy this appreciation is more on the line of possible scenarios that may or may not play out during the course of the story. Or am I trying too hard by asking that question, thinking too much about it rather than just jotting ideas down? I kind of grok the idea that all of the four levels all deal with problem (Biggest, Big, Medium, Small), but at this stage in planning, how much can you really know about the context to put those kinds of ideas in place? Or is it more like a brainstormed lists of possibilities of how conflict and problems could end up as a result of people having an intuitive understanding of themselves?
So, how far does this overall viewpoint extend? Are we narrowing it down to maybe the things that happen in the building where everyone works? Is that the “battlefield” from which this particular general is viewing the battle? Or the block where the building is? Or does it extend beyond that to the families of the people who are working at the syndicate? The janitorial staff? The taxi drivers that pick up and drop off? The people in the restaurant on the ground floor? The florist shop? Or does that really depend on other phases of the story process?
I apologize for all the questions. Or maybe I don’t. I am a professional irritant by trade
Hi Writegeist,
I’m gonna brainstorm with you, I hope that’s okay.
So if the OVERALL STORY CONCERN is Having an Intuitive Understanding of Oneself
And it effects everyone, the question I’d start asking myself is WHEN does understanding yourself become a problem?
Then start playing with the fodder we already have on the table
1930s Depression era
Artists/Cartoonists
Voice Actors
Producers
Writers
CEO types like Mr. Fleischer
Well, one thing that leaps to mind is confidence or lack there of.
If you think you’re really good at what you do but you know there’s 50 people/men down on the breadline who could do what you do, would you ever act like a prima donna?
What if you are responsible for a company and men are the bread winners, how can you justify hiring a woman? What kind of man are you?
What if you know you are a sweet gentle soul, but you have to be the opposite to get what you want or need? Could you do it?
What if you know you are an angry SOB, can you hide it?
What if you KNOW in your soul that you are meant to be an artist, but door keep slamming in your face?
Everyone knows their ass is on the line because of the times they are in. Everyone is scared. What if that fear makes everyone act like Little Mary Sunshine and they don’t like it cause they know it’s not who they really are?
These, of course, are only a few tidbitty ideas. What have you got?