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Does this need to be explained in order to make sense?

H

harmonica44

In my plot the cops pull a sting on a gang of criminals. However, a certain character who knows the cops are coming calls the gang and tips them off just before the cops pretty much enter the building so to speak, giving the gangsters enough time to arm themselves.

However, the tipper, already new about the sting about a couple of weeks in advance for the plot to work out the way it does, and I really do not have an explanation for the tipper to wait till the last moment to tip them off. Does the audience need an explanation or can they just no think about it and say it makes sense?

I mean not all thrillers explain everything like how in The Departed (2006) for example: SPOILERS

In the climax Leonardo Dicaprio tells Anthony Anderson that the Mark Walhberg character was suppose to meet him, but Anderson said that he couldn't make it. This was the most important day of the Wahlberg's character police career when it comes to busting the bad guys, so him not making it is never explained even though you think he would make the effort to come.

But the audience bought it and moved on. Or how in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) SPOILERS

Alec Guinness talked about how him and his unit were ordered to surrender to the enemy, but did not explain why, and just left it at that. So I am wondering does this sort of thing for mine, need an explanation?
 
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harmonica44 said:
In my plot the cops pull a sting on a gang of criminals. However, a certain character who knows the cops are coming calls the gang and tips them off just before the cops pretty much enter the building so to speak, giving the gangsters enough time to arm themselves.

However, the tipper, already new about the sting about a couple of weeks in advance for the plot to work out the way it does, and I really do not have an explanation for the tipper to wait till the last moment to tip them off. Does the audience need an explanation or can they just no think about it and say it makes sense?

I mean not all thrillers explain everything like how in The Departed (2006) for example: SPOILERS

In the climax Leonardo Dicaprio tells Anthony Anderson that the Mark Walhberg character was suppose to meet him, but Anderson said that he couldn't make it. This was the most important day of the Wahlberg's character police career when it comes to busting the bad guys, so him not making it is never explained even though you think he would make the effort to come.

But the audience bought it and moved on, so I am wondering does this sort of thing for mine, need an explanation?
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It would seriously annoy me! :)

Can you not have the tipper having already tipped the gangsters off about the raid (so his foreknowledge is still part of the plot), but then introduce a last minute change of plans by the cops (for some plausible story reason) and so he has to tip them off again, this time at the last minute, just as the cops are rolling up at the door? The change of plans could be both time and location of the raid.
 
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I'm with Maz.

I don't know much about your script, or the tipper character at all, but how much room is there for comedy?
Perhaps the tipper learns about the raid, and will get in touch with the gang. Then on the day of the raid, suddenly remembers (maybe he see's a note in his diary, he's set a phone alert, his friend brings it up, etc) and has an "oh fuck" moment before tipping the gang?
Obviously quite absurd, and I don't know if it works with your script. But something like that could be fun if you play it up a bit.
 
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He knows they will, he doesn't know when.

He's incarcerated when/right after he finds out so can't get word to them right away.



C'mon, Harmonica, I'm not a writer and I came up with these in about two minutes.
 
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Alcove Audio said:
He knows they will, he doesn't know when.

He's incarcerated when/right after he finds out so can't get word to them right away.



C'mon, Harmonica, I'm not a writer and I came up with these in about two minutes.
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I think the point that Alcove's eluding to is that if you do a truly clever justification, you can actually leverage this conflict into tension. Maybe the ripper CAN'T tell them? Why not? Maybe they're not sure if they SHOULD tell the? Why not?

The audience seeing all the pieces of a puzzle that the characters don't have is a phenomenal way to drive an audience forward. Don't squander this opportunity.
 
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Okay thanks. No there is little room for comedy as it's a serious crime drama. Basically the tipper has two find out two weeks in advance cause a series of events have to occur, that would take around that long, before the sting. I will try to rewrite it so he has a reason to wait till the last minute. Is it really that bad though? This kind of stuff happens in movies all the time, for element of surprise, where a character from before will show up out of nowhere and warn people, without explaining why he didn't do it before.
 
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Yes, it really is that bad. Drama is all about characters, and characters are all about motivations.

f the tipper has a justification for waiting till the last minute (even if it's just that he's really busy and forgot about it, although this is not really an excuse that would fly with hardened gangsters), then delaying might make sense. If the tipper is an irrational fool with no regard for his health, then I suppose it might make sense too.

But if he is the gangsters' trusted mole/informant, and he doesn't pass on the information just so that you can make your story work, then that's just bad storytelling, I'm afraid.
 
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Motivation, motivation, motivation.

How important is the role of the tipper?
What is his position?
Is he an opportunist?
Is he in conflict with the gang?

Does he have to find out so far in advance?
Does he realise in the last moment that the gang is at the place the cops are going?

Nobody likes unmotivated stupidity.

About Alec Guiness: orders aren't always motivated. They need to be executed. :P
 
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Okay thanks, but how do other movies get away with this, and it bothers no one? I mention The Departed as an example. Well if I can't come up with a reason then I will just write so the gang is constantly armed and prepared for a sting, but it seems like a start to the climax and I feel I could use a surprise turn or something. I will keep thinking...
 
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Alcove Audio said:
He knows they will, he doesn't know when.

He's incarcerated when/right after he finds out so can't get word to them right away.



C'mon, Harmonica, I'm not a writer and I came up with these in about two minutes.
Click to expand...

The thing is is that I cannot have him be incarcerated cause he plays a role in the plot and has to be free to go do whatever he likes in order for the plot to work.

However I have ideas as to why he waits, but then I have to write more scenes, and the script is already too long for my liking as it is, and would like to make it shorter. I will keep trying and see.
 
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Okay thanks. I am trying to avoid introducing more subplots though, as I already feel it's too long than I intended and need to cut it down. I haven't been able to come up with a reason without introducing too many more scenes to explain it, so far.

What if I just made it a moral dilemma for the character. He doesn't know if who's side to be on, the crooks or the cops. But when he sees the clock ticking and knows the raid is going to happen, he has to make a decision as to where's his loyalties lie, and then caves, makes the call to the gang before he regrets it.

Would this work, or is it still too convenient that he would wait till the last minute?
 
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I know this is a wee bit old, but perhaps you could make it so that the tipper is aware of the sting, but is not privy to the details. For whatever reason (unable to hear, the paper doesn't have exact date etc) is unsure of when it takes place, and through several hints dropped in the lead up to the sting finally pieces together the time/date and only does so at short notice? Just a thought :)
 
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