Elements of a Good Story

Elements of a Good StoryA good story is1. unified in plot2. credible3. interesting4. both simple and complex5. careful with emotional materialGood story is unified in plotSingle thread of continuous actionOne event leads to another naturally (event A leads to event B then event C etc.)Sometimes plot is episodic, composed of events that bear no direct relationship to each other (event B is shown then A then C)In this case the audience is expected to make the connectionsUsually there is a plot or thematic reason for doing thisExamples: Pulp Fiction, MementoGood story is credible3 ways to make a story credible1. externally observable truths, the way things really are2. internal truths of human nature, the way things are supposed to be (ie fairy tale endings, poetic justice)3. artistic semblance of truth, the way things never were and never will beImaginary but believable through the magic of filmwilling suspension of disbeliefGood story is interestingThe filmmaker is expected to do away with the irrelevant and distracting, instead they focus onSuspense- heightens our interest by withholding information and answersAction- movement and change, can be internal or externalGood story is both simple and complexFilm should be subtle enough to keep viewer guessing The good ending DOES derive naturally out of the filmNo sudden surprise out of nowhereGood story is careful with emotional materialOverusing emotional material can lead to some viewers claiming sentimentality (too mushy, too lovey-dovey)Understatement means downplaying emotional materialExample- To Kill a Mockingbird, Rudy