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The Blue Brick: "I Don't Believe It!"
...The latter part of the title of this article might have been Victor Meldrew's catchphrase in nineties' Brit sitcom One Foot In The Grave, but it really would seem that truth is stranger than fiction.
One of my very first script meetings ever was a very hot day. I wore a pink skirt with no slip. I went into the building and a development executive was sitting at a round table (I kid ye not) with a black coffee and one of those little squeeze balls in his hand. If that wasn't stereotypical enough, he was wearing a pin stripe suit (despite the heat) and had one gold tooth. I was perturbed, since I'd expected at least four guys, but came in and offered him my hand to shake despite the fact he was looking at me as if I was from the moon or something.
"Hi," I said, "I'm Lucy, the writer?"
He grins, stands up, shakes my hand. "Hi," He says, "I'm Simon. And I can see your pants through your skirt."
I stand there, shocked, not knowing what to say. However, he goes on:
"But it's alright, love: I'm a bender." Simon claims. He then actually gives me the "thumbs up".
If I wrote this in a screenplay, I think most people would not believe it. Ignoring the fact Simon was a walking, talking cliche of an exec, it's such a bizarre thing for anyone to say to someone they've just met! It would seem at best, false and at worst, utterly contrived...
...Welcome to "real life"!
New writers often have this to say when I question characters' actions, dialogue or certain scenarios in their coverage:
"But this has happened to me!"
It may very well have happened in real life; that's not what I question. Whilst taking part in a writers' circle activity at university, I recall talking to one chap who was quite insistent it was realistic his characters indulged in gigantic monologues for up to six pages (whilst throwing in asides as to what they planned to do next) on the basis that his own Uncle Dan would do the exact same thing.
Even these writers would agree to this idea though: movies and novels are not real life, they are a representation of real life. If that is the case then, why try and shoe horn chunks of "real life" in?
This is not to say that one should not "write what you know"; doing so can be very relevant and of course autobiography is big business. However, even the most faithful book or film dedicated to a real person's life represents that notion of reality, it does not show reality. This is just as well, else we'd be treated to twenty or thirty hour films where people sleep for eight hours a night, go to the loo multiple times and sit around on fag breaks; books in turn would have entire chapters where "nothing very much happened". Both would have moments where, although funny/tragic/thought-provoking/scary etc, there would be no pay-offs and no real satisfaction to the narrative.
This is where audience suspension of disbelief comes in. It is no good shoving bits and pieces into your screenplay or novel (even if they are real), if an audience or reader does not believe in them. A character's journey must be logical. We believe that Ripley in ALIEN will do all she can to survive because she is set up as such from the start: it's she who will not let the face-hugger through the air lock, only for Ash to undermine her (again, something he is prone to throughout, giving away his ulterior motive). Equally, The Pevensies in THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE need a fantastic escape to a land where they can win a war, unlike the real one that's sent them away from their parents.
So, chunks of funny dialogue or funny situations you've seen or been inyourself, can add brilliantly to a screenplay - as long as they fit into that representation of reality you've created.
Think of fiction as a construction, much like a house. You have to lay one brick on top of another (plot points) on a set of foundations (structure), else your house will fall down. Similarly, if you start with red bricks, continue with them - don't shove a blue one just for the sake of it 'cos it's "funny" or whatever halfway through: it'll stick out a mile. Builders don't build houses as a labour of love, ultimately they want to sell them. In this same way then, your blue brick (or plot point that does not make sense or sticks out) could lose you your sale (to a reader or audience).
Of course, the blue brick still gets through sometimes... One of the worst examples I saw in recent years was Peter Parker's mate Harry in SPIDERMAN. All the way through he exhibits respect for the superhero, yet when Spiderman brings Osbourne's body back to son Harry, the first thing Harry does is blame him, yelling "What have you done?", rather than ask Spiderman what has happened, which in my view would be more logical.
What's the oddest thing you've ever read or seen on screen as an example of the blue brick?
bang2write at 12:48:00 o'clock BST Blog about this entry |
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thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog
regards
Shaun -
Hey Shell - maybe the director had a thing for sheep ranches?? Can't imagine why, though the mind boggles...
Of course OSM! How could I forget Attack of The Clones?? These new Star Wars are just one blue brick after another as far as I'm concerned... what with trade embargoes in Phantom Menace (??) and the "Oh yes, I forgot we purchased a load of clones...." in number 2. Didn't even watch 3 myself!
Here's another for you, cos it was UK TV last night: ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES - we get introduced to Maid Marian as a kick ass, sword-wielding chick, only for her to get denigrated as a character throughout until at the end she's a wailing damsel in bloody distress in a white nightie!!! I mean, WTF? -
I know what you mean. I've heard writers swear that "this is exactly how it was said it real life!" They forgotten the principle that we just want the illusion of reality, not reality itself.
"Hold me Annakin! Like you did that time on Naboo...by the lake...when things seemed so peaceful..." Star Wars 2
Sorry, I must now go VOMIT! -
Mission Impossible 2 - we call them "sheep ranch moments" because of that...I guess they just wanted to use some footage of red, dusty sheep ranch???
Shell
26/04/06 09:13