My New Book: REFLECTIONS OF THE SHADOW

"Reflections of the Shadow: Creating Memorable Heroes and Villains For Film and TV" -- is my new book (published by Michael Wiese Productions) -- designed to help writers, Hollywood executives, and film enthusiasts create and develop unforgettable stories.

- In Reflections of the Shadow, I explore motivations behind cinematic heroism and villainy (Why do heroes and villains do what they do?) and the commonalities amongst heroes and villains who have stood the test of time – using examples from several contemporary films.

- Heroes from classic American films such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Casablanca, and Schindler’s List are analyzed – theorizing that most heroes are, at their core, “incomplete” and looking to fill a void.

- The book also discusses motivations behind cinematic villainy, analyzing films such as Star Wars, Misery, and The Dark Knight. I argue that most villains are “outsiders” with deep-seeded needs for legitimacy – desperately wanting to be part of societies that will forever shun them.

- And, in many cases, we learn that heroes and villains are not as different as we may think, hence their Reflections of the Shadow.

- Finally, the book contains interviews with the screenwriters responsible for Die Hard, Gladiator, Spider-Man, and Fatal Attraction as well as Jeff’s "Eleven Laws of Great Storytelling” – an invaluable tool for writers of all levels and genres interested in fresh ways to create their own unforgettable characters.

Sample chapters and details on how to pre-order to come.

Available Fall 2009.

Anatomy of a Hero

So, by now you have probably concluded that I have more than a passing interest in heroes and villains. In fact, my new book -- "Reflections of the Shadow: Creating Memorable Heroes and Villains for Film and TV" -- will be coming out in 2009 (published by Michael Wiese Productions).

But, I digress.

One of the tactics you may want to employ when delving into your script is to take a close look at some memorable heroes who have passed the test of time.

For example, Table 1 features a sample of heroes who appeared in the top ten on AFI’s list of “100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains” (double-click the table to get a better view):





Interestingly, of the heroes listed above, six risked their own lives to achieve their goals. Perhaps that is an indication of the types of heroes who are most appealing to audiences – those who “risk it all.” Stakes as dramatic as the loss of one’s life tend to be universal in nature, and therefore increase the ability of a film’s hero to connect with an audience.

Happy writing.

Heroes are Completely Incomplete

There is a common personality trait we see over and over in film: the hero feels “completely incomplete” and must fill a void. Whether or not this feeling of incompleteness is unconscious or conscious is not as relevant as the end result – that many heroes begin with something of significance missing in their lives and end with a feeling of completeness.

For instance, consider Jodi Foster’s portrayal of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). She lives in the shadow of her deceased father, a police officer, who never got the chance to share her accomplishments. And, it is apparent that she was traumatized by his death. Throughout the film, Clarice is depicted as a little girl – literally, in flashbacks of her childhood and figuratively, as the unfortunate recipient of Hannibal Lecter’s interrogations. It is clear that in all of these depictions that her void is the absence of her father – a void Hannibal eerily fulfills as her paternal proxy.

In Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), Indiana Jones takes a sabbatical from his professorial duties to seek the lost Ark of the Covenant. What is his motivation to leave the relative safety of academia in Chicago for a precarious trek around the world? As a professor, Indiana lectures college students about great adventures of long ago, but longs for the same excitement in his life. Without the adventure, he will forever be incomplete. It is this journey that fills the void in his life and allows him to be a part of the history he teaches, instead of another archeology professor researching the accomplishments of others.

Sigourney Weaver’s performance in Aliens (1986) as the tough-as-nails Ellen Ripley is yet another example of a hero yearning to be complete. In this case, her incompleteness takes a bifurcated form: part desire to finally bring her experience with The Alien to closure (her experience depicted in the first film continues to monopolize her dreams), and part desire to act on her maternal instincts. The fact that The Alien is female and laying eggs – effectively creating an entire population of like creatures – brings out Ellen’s maternal instincts in protecting Rebecca 'Newt' Jorden, a young girl stranded on the precarious planet. It is this life and death encounter that elucidates these instincts and thus helps complete a persona that was theretofore without purpose.

So, when you are creating your heroes, consider asking the question, "Why do they do what they do?" You just may find that they're looking to fill a void...

Defining the Hero

Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca?
Rick: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters.
Renault: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.
Rick: I was misinformed.

Rick Blaine was far from the only hero depicted in film. In 2003, the American Film Institute issued its list, “100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains” (Gregory Peck’s unforgettable portrayal of Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) received the most votes in the “Hero” category). The AFI used the following definition for a “hero”:

For voting purposes, a "hero" was defined as a character(s) who prevails in extreme circumstances and dramatizes a sense of morality, courage and purpose. Though they may be ambiguous or flawed, they often sacrifice themselves to show humanity at its best.

While this description embraces many of a hero’s traits, it does not adequately encompass the importance of the hero’s goal, nor does it place enough emphasis on the obstacles a hero must overcome in order to achieve said goal. So, for the purposes of this discussion, we will use the following definition I have utilized throughout my seventeen years of screenwriting:

A hero is someone who accomplishes a clear goal for a greater good by overcoming obstacles with the help of a mentor at significant risk to the hero’s livelihood.

Ever since Achilles’ exploits in The Iliad, heroes have been a staple in Western literature and subsequently, in modern American cinema. They capture our imagination, send our pulse through the roof, and bring us to the edge of our seat – helping us see ourselves in them… and helping us see the potential in all of us.

Creating an effective hero in modern day storytelling is, in fact, the most critical goal a screenwriter or director should have in order to connect with the audience – more important than the film’s structure, genre, supporting characters, or core concept.

I spend considerable time working with writers via my ThreeAct Script Consulting Service so they can strive to create heroes as memorable as Rick Blaine.

To paraphrase Shakespeare, The hero’s the thing.

Creating Memorable Villains

Why do villains in American films do what they do? What motivates them to shun the mores of society in order to achieve goals that typically are contrary to what most would consider good and just? Ever since the origins of storytelling, audiences have been enthralled with villains. Yet, those same audiences consistently have rooted for heroic counterparts to defeat them.

It is the thoughtful critic and prudent writer who looks to the past to examine characters who have stood the test of time, and in doing so, is able to create memorable villains who often share similar traits, yet have an undeniable sense of uniqueness and individuality.

Here are some questions you want to ask about your villain:

THE VILLAIN'S PERSONA

1. Name:
2. Age:
3. Physical Description/dress:
4. Marital Status:
5. Childhood/Nuclear Family:
6. Current occupation:
7. Job history:
8. Education:
9. How much does he/she earn a year? How much in savings? Debt?
10. Hobbies:
11. Biggest regret in life:
12. How many sexual partners?
13. Favorite Book/Movie/Album:
14. Magazine subscriptions:
15. What is a typical Saturday night for the character?
16. Does the character have a credo? Words to live by?
17. Who or what does the character fear?
18. Who or what does the character hate?
19. Who or what does the character love?
20. What is the character’s goal?
21. What is the character’s internal motivation?
22. What is the character’s external motivation?
23. Is the character active in achieving his / her goal?
24. Who or what prevents the character from achieving his / her goal?
25. What is the character’s fatal flaw?
26. What is the transformation arc of the character?
27. Who or what helps the character change?
28. What is the character’s purpose in the overall story?
29. How does the character speak?
30. What is the first image of the character? What does it tell us about him / her?
31. Does the character have any conflicting personality traits?
32. What happened in the character’s childhood that has affected him / her?
33. What happens if the character does not achieve his / her goal?
34. What is the character’s secret?
35. What is the character missing in his / her life?
36. Who is the character’s mentor?