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mbarker.livejournal.comWriting Excuses 8.21: What the Avengers Did Right
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/05/26/writing-excuses-8-21-what-the-avengers-did-right/
Key points: Handling an ensemble cast is difficult. Giving a wide range of people, with different power levels, equal opportunities to contribute. Dialogue is key. Media dialogue is not realistic dialogue, it is better! Let your characters have lives "offscreen" and point to them. Make every line and scene serve multiple purposes. Make sure character voices are distinct. Don't marginalize characters. Give every character their own arc, their own desires, blocks, and growth. Give each character a role in the team. Watch for pacing, and mix things up.
( As the curtain rises... and the silver screen flickers... )
[Brandon] All right. If we could just hand all of Michael Day's movies to Joss Whedon, life would be wonderful. We are out of time for this podcast. We hope this has been helpful to you. Does someone want to give us a writing prompt?
[Mary] Hulk. Smash?
[Brandon] Hulk smash?
[Howard] Okay. Here you go. Write... Take an ensemble cast and have them fighting each other as a prelude to fighting what needs to be fought.
[Brandon] Okay. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/05/26/writing-excuses-8-21-what-the-avengers-did-right/
Key points: Handling an ensemble cast is difficult. Giving a wide range of people, with different power levels, equal opportunities to contribute. Dialogue is key. Media dialogue is not realistic dialogue, it is better! Let your characters have lives "offscreen" and point to them. Make every line and scene serve multiple purposes. Make sure character voices are distinct. Don't marginalize characters. Give every character their own arc, their own desires, blocks, and growth. Give each character a role in the team. Watch for pacing, and mix things up.
( As the curtain rises... and the silver screen flickers... )
[Brandon] All right. If we could just hand all of Michael Day's movies to Joss Whedon, life would be wonderful. We are out of time for this podcast. We hope this has been helpful to you. Does someone want to give us a writing prompt?
[Mary] Hulk. Smash?
[Brandon] Hulk smash?
[Howard] Okay. Here you go. Write... Take an ensemble cast and have them fighting each other as a prelude to fighting what needs to be fought.
[Brandon] Okay. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
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