My script is an action/drama/thriller, and a lot of those have scenes going back and forth between the characters. Mine though, even though I'm not finished yet, only have three scenes without the protagonist in. I don't wan it to be too much of him, and not enough of other sides of the story going on, but the story is just made up in a way, in which a lot of it occurs from his point of view. Plus he's the one doing most of the running around, and has the most to do. Could it be a problem if he's in that much? I know it's been done before, but a lot of thrillers do the back and forth thing now.
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Is my protagonist in too many scenes?
- Thread starter harmonica44
- Start date
We need to know about your antagonist. Is three scenes enough to get them over in the way that you want?
Try maybe having scenes of the antagonist planning his big scheme. Since I don't know what the story's about i can't give more in depth advice but you should definitely consider having more scenes with other characters. Not necessarily less with the protagonist but maybe more with the antagonist
The question you need to ask yourself is this: Will I (the audience) be entertained? If you can keep me from pushing the "eject" button or clicking "x", then you've a winner no matter how you've structured your film.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Well there is a scene in the middle that will probably be 15 pages once I'm done. It gets into the villain's troubled past as well as the other antogonists he is working with. And it deals with his plan. He is in a couple of more scenes following, plus the climax. For the rest his men are doing work for him.
True. Plus Seven followed the protagonists in almost every scene. I am just worried the readers might think there isn't enough going on. I mean my plot is told in a linear approach. The protagonist figures out he has to go here, he goes there. He is ordered to do this, then he does it in the next scene. But my script is set in a more realistic world and in the real world there is a lot of red tape and you can't just have so much going on, like in some less realistic movies. Not that there is anything wrong with that though.
If the movie is about your protagonist then it makes sense. Theo was in every scene in Children of Men. Plainview was in all but one scene in There Will Be Blood
Are you trying to pitch this movie to sell or something? If so, you are getting wayyyy ahead of yourself.
Are you trying to pitch this movie to sell or something? If so, you are getting wayyyy ahead of yourself.
But “Seven” was a ‘who-dunnit?’ type-of thriller. We couldn’t see the antagonist as we’d then know who-dunnit!
Plus, we had scenes with Mills and Somerset together, Mills at home with his wife, Somerset at home, Somerset with Mills’ wife… plenty of interaction between other characters. Everybody doesn’t need to be on screen at once.
Are you using the term ‘scene’ correctly? Fifteen minutes is a long time for one scene.
Plus, we had scenes with Mills and Somerset together, Mills at home with his wife, Somerset at home, Somerset with Mills’ wife… plenty of interaction between other characters. Everybody doesn’t need to be on screen at once.
Are you using the term ‘scene’ correctly? Fifteen minutes is a long time for one scene.
Well it depends entirely on how you wanna do it. Granted as it's a thriller kinda thing you might want to shine some more light on your antagonist.
But having your protagonist in most scenes can work. I mean, I know protagonist isn't the best word to describe her character but Natalie Portman was in every scene of Black Swan. And Jodie Foster was in most of the scenes in The Silence of the Lambs
It can work, but I wouldn't recommend changing the way you're writing now, keep up with what you're doing until you've finished, then see if it works from start to finish in that way
But having your protagonist in most scenes can work. I mean, I know protagonist isn't the best word to describe her character but Natalie Portman was in every scene of Black Swan. And Jodie Foster was in most of the scenes in The Silence of the Lambs
It can work, but I wouldn't recommend changing the way you're writing now, keep up with what you're doing until you've finished, then see if it works from start to finish in that way
Just a thought, what genre is this movie? You've described it as an "action/drama/thriller". Those are three very different genres. If you had to pick only one, what would it be?
Pretty Sure Crank was all Jason Statham. Die Hard's a lot of Bruce Willis. I think your protagonist can have as much screen time as needed as long as its relevant to your story. I would listen to the other posters though and see if you can establish plot and such by cutting to other main characters.
Yes it will be a long scene with the villain, but one of the key scenes to develop him, plus there is a lot plot in that scene as well. It could only be 10 when I'm done I'm just estimating.
To answer the previous question the script is about the protagonist yes, but it is also about the two villains, and the relationship between the protagonist and his love interest. But the protagonist will be on screen for most of it still, since most of the plot is thrown at him.
If I had to pick one, I'd say thriller I guess.
Okay thanks. Since we're talking about it I have another question. Would viewers mind if the villains wore masks in almost every scene? They are usually with hostages for most of their scenes, or committing a crime, and need to disguise themselves. So the best comparison question would be, would viewers mind if in Die Hard the villains wore masks the entire time, so no hostage got a glimpse? It's also good for micro-budget filming, that way if one actor drops out or something I can have another replace him and he would look virtually the same in a mask. It won't work for the main villains that talk, but for the pawns that stand guard, no one will notice.
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I could be mistaken, but the main protagonist is in nearly every scene, if not every scene, in all of Roman Polanski's films. He's made quite a few thrillers.
That's true. My villains though have a very original agenda. One mentioned Silence of the Lambs though, and in that one the Buffalo Bill villain was only in a few scenes on his own, but that still worked.