Contour At The Movies

A producer and friend of mine, Ilyssa Goodman, is conducting a pitching workshop in LA this coming Saturday, May 16th.  I’ve known Ilyssa for years, and she’s the real deal.  The seminar is short (3 hours) and won’t cost you an arm and a leg.  CLICK HERE to check out the workshop’s promo page.

When you go, tell her I said “Hi!”  Also tell her no hard feelings about “HOUSE ARREST.”  She’ll know what I mean…

– Jeffrey Alan Schechter

GOOD GUY VS. BAD GUY OVER STAKES (pages 95-105)

The climax of every well-told story is the protagonist in pitched battle against the antagonist over the stakes of the story. I’ve seen films where the final battle is handed to some subordinate or minor characters (THE HUDSUCKER PROXY comes to mind), and you can feel your brain rebel while watching.

In your story, make sure it is your main character who has to get his or her hands dirty, not someone else. You main character might get some desperately needed help, but choices and action belong to your main character.

In romantic comedies, this is the final moment when the lovers seem both destined to be together and fated to be apart.  

And when this is over toss in a short denouement that caps off the story and shows the main character in his or her new reality, and everyone goes home from the theatre happy!

• Brody is on the sinking Orca and squares off against the shark to save Amity. ( JAWS)
• Jack fights Barbossa to save Will and Elizabeth. (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL)
• Sam finds Jonah at the top of the Empire State building, almost misses Annie, but finds her when they come back to retrieve Jonah’s backpack. (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE)
• Luke destroys the Deathstar and saves Leia. (STAR WARS) 

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

WHAT’S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN? (pages 85-95)

The title says it all! Your protagonist’s whole life (your whole story) has been built towards both avoiding this moment as well as confronting it. Avoiding, because it is his or her worst fear. Confronting because this is what the protagonist needs to do in order to become the person he or she needs to be. 

• Luke is out-gunned, out-numbered, and the Death Star is closing in on destroying the Rebel Base and killing Leia. (STAR WARS)
• Jonah runs away and Sam frantically has to go to New York to find him.  Sam’s worst fear is losing Jonah the way he lost his wife. (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE)
• The ship is breaking up and Jack and Rose are being pursued by the murderous Cal. (TITANIC)
• And lest we forget…the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man! (GHOSTBUSTERS)

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

DEATH & REBIRTH (pages 75-85)

Another classic moment. Have your main character seemingly die and then be reborn. In many ways this is the ultimate moment in the arc of your protagonist; the moment when the skin of his or her old life is shed and your main character emerges newly formed, self-actualized, and ready to prove himself or herself to the world.

The death and rebirth can massaged in a variety of ways, and you can sometimes hand it to the character most closely associated with your protagonist’s highest aspirations. In romantic comedies, write this section so that it charts the death of the hoped for relationship followed by the realization of what’s needed to give it new hope.

• Elliot is fading, and E.T. “disconnects” himself from Elliot. Elliot’s vital signs improve and E.T. “dies.” Once Elliot heartbreakingly admits how little he now feels, E.T. is resurrected with the return of the spaceship to take him home. (E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL)
• Annie believes that Sam is involved in a serious relationship and is giving him up, only to be called to action by Jonah’s letter asking her to meet at the Empire State Building. (SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE)
• Bob jumps into the water and is presumed blown to bits. (THE INCREDIBLES) 

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide?  CLICK HERE

INSIDE THE WHALE  (pages 65-75)

In classic mythological storytelling, this is the “belly of the beast” or the “inside the darkest cave” moment for the main character. Often the scene takes place in a confined space, representing that the forces at play against the protagonist are closing in…tightening…and the protagonist must dig “deep” and face his or her darkest fear.

• Indiana Jones is abandoned inside the Well of Souls, surrounded by snakes. (RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK)
• Luke goes into the cave and faces what he thinks is Darth Vader, but is actually a representation of the dark side of the force that is within him. (THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK)
• Sam and gang are deep within Hoover Dam as Megatron is unfrozen. (TRANSFORMERS)
• Kevin is forced to go into the basement and confront the very scary boiler. (HOME ALONE) 

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide?  CLICK HERE

…MAKE LEMONADE (page 55-65)

Have your protagonist get into direct confrontation in a big way.

• Tony Stark uses his suit to defend a village. (IRON MAN)
• Luke starts gets Leia out of the the detention block and brings down the wrath of the Stormtroopers. (STAR WARS)
• Brody’s own son is almost attacked by the shark and he compells the Mayor to hire Quint. (JAWS) 

• Lester argues with Carolyn about their sex life. (AMERICAN BEAUTY)
• Luke and company are pulled into the Deathstar and discover that the Leia is being held onboard. (STAR WARS)

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS…  (pages 45-55)

Just when your protagonist thought he or she was making progress, you pull the rug out from under! Force your protagonist to stop wandering and start fighting.

• Batman realizes that trying to fight the Joker by the Joker’s rules isn’t going to work. (THE DARK KNIGHT)
• Lester argues with Carolyn about their sex life. (AMERICAN BEAUTY)
• Luke and company are pulled into the Deathstar and discover that the Leia is being held onboard. (STAR WARS)

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

WHICH WAY IS UP? (pages 35-45)

Give the protagonist a series of successes and failures as he or she “wanders” and starts to master the skills needed to ultimately answer the Central Question.

• Dr. Cole makes progress in getting Cole to tell him what his problem is. (THE SIXTH SENSE)
• Kevin gets groceries, orders pizza, and starts defending his house. (HOME ALONE)
• Jack starts conquering the class divide and begins his relationship with Rose. (TITANIC) 

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

KICK THE DOG  (page 28-35)

Show that the bad guys are not just bad, but really, Really, REALLY bad. Give the protagonist (and the reader) the idea that answering the Central Question is going to be harder than initially thought. If you don’t have a standard antagonist (as in a love story) show that the obstacles to the protagonist are overwhelmingly strong.

• The Deathstar destroys a whole planet. (STAR WARS)
• Butch and Sundance begin to be pursued by the “super posse.” (BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID)
• Dr. Neville tries a new serum on a mutant and fails spectacularly. (I AM LEGEND)

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (pages 17-28 )

Force the protagonist out of the normal world and answer the “call to adventure.” Sometimes the protagonist does this by choice, sometimes by circumstance.

• Neo chooses to take the red pill. Or was it the blue pill? (THE MATRIX)
• Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed and now there’s no reason for him to stay on Tatooine. (STAR WARS)
• Will Turner joins with Jack Sparrow to pursue Elizabeth on the Black Pearl. (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL)

Want to read all 12 steps to the Contour Guide? CLICK HERE