When a frustrated war correspondent assumes the identity of a dead arms dealer, he must conceal his identity from the rebels or face deadly consequences. The Passenger

Yep, what’s his objective goal? ?”Conceal his identity” is a means to a goal, but not?a goal.

Isn’t the goal ?to avoid “deadly consequences”???First ?of all “deadly consequences” = “being killed” so just say so.??It is best to phrase a logline in a way that clearly states the stakes — in this case, losing his life.

Second, for the purpose of drama, avoidance by itself?is? a negative?goal motivated by a negative emotion; he’s only trying to prevent something? from happening–death– out of fear.?? A very human thing to want to do, but, it’s reactive instead of proactive.? He’s reacting to and letting the situation control him.

That can be a baseline status quo at the start of the story, but by the end of Act 1, he must begin to become proactive, the agent of his own fate instead of a victim of the situation.? Becoming the agent of his own fate entails acquiring and pursuing a positive objective goal, something the protagonist desperately?desires?– a positive motivation.

And I find the motivation for endangering his life by assuming a false identity unsatisfactory.? “Frustration” at what?? At not being able to tell the true story of what he’s witnessing???So ?out of sheer frustration, he takes his job and shoves it — by deliberately putting himself in greater danger of being killed?

Or is he frustrated at the hazard pay, how little he’s getting paid for an assignment that entails some risk, compared to what an arms dealer can make?

It seems to me that?a character should have a stronger?motivation than mere frustration for taking a dangerous?course of action — particularly one as risky as impersonating an arms dealer.

Which?circles ?me back to? his objective goal:? what does he really ?hope to gain by faking it as an arms dealer?