1. Posted: June 4, 2013In:

    After the arrest of a missionary who lives with him, an ostracized amateur-Christian seeks justice in a fetish cultural island where there is no rule of law.

    dpg Singularity

    pastortim: I never heard of such a creature as an amateur-Christian. And you seem to be applying non-familiar definitions to familiar terms. Consequently, I am unable to make heads or tails of the logline. One reader's take.

    pastortim:

    I never heard of such a creature as an amateur-Christian. And you seem to be applying non-familiar definitions to familiar terms. Consequently, I am unable to make heads or tails of the logline.

    One reader’s take.

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  2. Posted: June 5, 2013In:

    Acting in concert, birds start attacking people for no apparent reason.

    dpg Singularity

    Another interesting aspect of the plot is that Melanie's character doesn't follow the conventional transformational arc prescribed in screenwriting books: character flaw ---> dramatic problem+antagonist ---> crisis ---> nadir ---> epiphany ---> resolution of character flaw ---> triRead more

    Another interesting aspect of the plot is that Melanie’s character doesn’t follow the conventional transformational arc prescribed in screenwriting books: character flaw —> dramatic problem+antagonist —> crisis —> nadir —> epiphany —> resolution of character flaw —> triumph over problem+antagonist.

    Whatever her flaw is, I don’t recall her ever coming to any epiphany about it. (You’re recall of the movie is better than mine — does she?) It certainly doesn’t personally empower her to take up arms against a sea of seagulls or any other birds and defeat them.

    In Jaws, as far as I can tell, the only “flaw” Chief Brody has is not one of character in any moral or ethical sense. He’s an honest dude, a straight up guy. He just has a phobia about venturing into the deep waters of the ocean. And, of course, what does he have to do to kill the shark? Go into deep water.

    It strikes me as kind of gimmicky– something they figured they had to give him so he would have an internal conflict to overcome.

    Which raises the question: must every protagonist have a character flaw? And must that flaw be a negative defect? Can a virtue , in the context of a particular plot, become a character flaw?

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  3. Posted: June 4, 2013In:

    A paranoid lawyer must confront his own personal demons when his elderly client strikes comparisons with Adolf Hitler, raising a dangerous hate mob.

    dpg Singularity

    Doh! Correction: ...the question of Hitler?s ID is a gimmick, a tool, to explore some larger theme or issue. What exactly is the theme you wish to explore? What is the itch you're trying to scratch in the story?

    Doh! Correction:

    …the question of Hitler?s ID is a gimmick, a tool, to explore some larger theme or issue. What exactly is the theme you wish to explore? What is the itch you’re trying to scratch in the story?

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