STORY OF

THEME AND
PLOT
JOHN RAINEY MFA
RAINEY SCRIPT CONSULTING
 INTRODUCTION
Relationship between plot and
theme
Holistic process of screenwriting
– Character vs story idea
– Inspirational bits and pieces
Audience participation exercise
Dispelling a misperception
Point-of-view character in a film
 STORY POINTS OF VIEW – 1
MAIN CHARACTER THAT TRANSFORMS
 EXAMPLES
– CASABLANCA - Rick
– ADAPTATION - Charlie
– A FEW GOOD MEN - Danny
– THUNDERHEART - Ray
– JERRY McGUIRE - Jerry
– PULP FICTION – Jules
– STAR WARS – Luke
– GOOD WILL HUNTING - Will
– IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – George
– MILLION DOLLAR BABY - Frankie
– …AND A ZILLION MORE
 STORY POINTS OF VIEW – 2
MAIN CHARACTER THAT MAINTAINS
STEADFAST VALUES
 EXAMPLES
– LEONE’S SPAGHETTI WESTERNS
– BRAVEHEART - William
– GLADIATOR - Maximus
– SPARTACUS - Spartacus
– BILLY JACK - Billy
– HIGH NOON – Marshal Will Kane
– SHANE - Shane
– PULP FICTION - Butch
– BEVERLY HILLS COP - Axel
 STORY POINTS OF VIEW – 3
MAIN CHARACTER THAT TAKES A
DESTRUCTIVE PATH
 EXAMPLES
– CITIZEN KANE – Charles Foster Kane
– ANGEL HEART - Harry
– SCARFACE - Tony
– LOOKING FOR MISTER GOODBAR - Theresa
– MACBETH - Macbeth
– PULP FICTION - Vincent
– MEMENTO - Leonard
– TAXI DRIVER - Travis
– THE WILD BUNCH - Pike
 STORY POINTS OF VIEW – 4
2 main characters
(ROMANTIC COMEDIES & BUDDY FILMS)
EXAMPLES
-WHEN HARRY MET SALLY – Harry & Sally
-MOONSTRUCK – Loretta & Ronny
-YOU’VE GOT MAIL – Joe & Kathleen
- SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE – Sam & Annie
-TWO WEEKS NOTICE – Lucy & George
-HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS – Ben & Andie
-PRETTY WOMAN – Edward & Vivian
-MIDNIGHT RUN – Jack & Jonathan
-48 HOURS – Jack & Reggie
-PLANES, TRAINS, & AUTOMOBILES – Neal & Del
-ODD COUPLE – Felix & Oscar
-THELMA AND LOUISE – Thelma & Louise
 STORY POINTS OF VIEW – 5
MULTIPLE CHARACTER PERSPECTIVE
 EXAMPLES
– TRAFFIC
– PULP FICTION
– THE BIG CHILL
– GRAND CANYON
– LOVE ACTUALLY
– SHORT CUTS
– NASHVILLE
– WELCOME TO L.A.
– AMERICAN BEAUTY
– SYRIANA
 INTRODUCTION TO
MAIN CHARACTER THAT
TRANSFORMS
HERO(INE)’S JOURNEY STORY
WHAT HOLLYWOOD LOOKS FOR IN SPECS
THE TEMPLATE FOR MOST FILMS
BEST FOR WRITING SAMPLE
COHESIVE PLOT
EMOTIONAL THEMATIC CENTER
SOURCE OF STORY SPINE (STRUCTURE)
DEFINITION OF
MAIN CHARACTER THAT
TRANSFORMS
 TAKES THE QUESTING JOURNEY
 MAKES EMOTIONALLY RISKY
DECISIONS
 EXPERIENCES EXPANSION OF
CONSCIOUSNESS
 BRINGS VALUES BACK INTO
BALANCE
 REACHES A SATISFACTORY GOAL
Main Character – 1
AS PROTAGONIST

 CALLED HERO(INE)
 Examples
 A FEW GOOD MEN
 AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN
 THUNDERHEART
 CASABLANCA
 ON THE WATERFRONT
 THE WIZARD OF OZ
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY
 STAR WARS
 GOOD WILL HUNTING
 DIE HARD
Main Character – 2
DIFFERENT FROM PROTAGONIST

Examples
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION - Red
 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Scout
 PRIMARY COLORS – Henry Burton
 ROSEMARY’S BABY - Rosemary
 MILLION-DOLLAR BABY – Frankie
 TERMINATOR – Sarah Conners
 V FOR VENDETTA - Evey
MAIN CHARACTER’S JOURNEYS
CREATE PLOT AND THEME
 OUTER JOURNEY CREATES THE PLOT
 Decisions & Actions
 Creates Antagonist
 Creates Story Structure
 INNER JOURNEY CREATES THE THEME
 Story’s Emotional Engine
 Moral Dilemma
 Main Character’s arc

PLOT & THEME COMBINE TO CREATE STORY

SPINE
THEME?
 UNIVERSAL SUBJECT?
 TRAFFIC: drugs
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: boxing
 STAR WARS: oppression
 PERSONAL VALUE?
 TRAFFIC: family connection
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: emotional
vulnerability
 STAR WARS: personal power
DEFINITION OF THEME
 Theme is implied as a result of the inner
emotional transformational journey that the
point-of-view character takes, which is
initiated by a Life-Challenging Decision
toward an outer quest.
 The THEME is a resolution of the main
character’s needs and yearnings as the
result of some past experience, or ghost,
that throws a value out of balance in
his/her psyche -- the Theme goal.
PLOT SPINE
 LIFE-CHALLENGING DECISIONS
 SERIES OF ACTIONS AND
OBSTACLES
 APOTHEOSIS
 ATONEMENT
 SELF-REALIZATION
DEFINITION OF PLOT
 A coordinated series of actions taken
by the main character in the direction
toward accomplishing an outer quest.
 The PLOT shows us what the main
character will do to fulfill his needs --
the Plot goal.
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS

“Pet the puppy”

REDEEMING QUALITY
DEFINITION OF
REDEEMING QUALITY
 A soul quality manifested in a character’s
action that has life-supporting, life-
enhancing value. Hollywood has coined the
phrase “pet the puppy scene” where a
character does something positive early in
the story that bonds the audience to him.
This action of pure, positive energy shows
the audience for whom to root, and gives it
the impression that this character deserves
to succeed in a quest.
EXAMPLES OF
REDEEMING QUALITY
 ALADDIN: Steals his breakfast only to give it away to two
street urchins.
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Dan shows intelligent humor when he
plea bargains a case during batting practice.
 ROCKY: Rocky doesn’t break the guy’s thumbs; he walks the
girl home who’s hanging out with hoods.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie pays for Willie’s wife’s car.
 STAR WARS: Luke takes pity on R2D2 & urges his uncle to
purchase him along with C3PO.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will solves the theorem and tells no
one.
 WIZARD OF OZ: Dorothy smothers Toto with love.
 DIE HARD: John carries a huge teddy bear through the
airport.
 CASABLANCA: Rick’s kind to his employees.
MC BACK-STORY LAYERS

REDEEMING QUALITY

EMOTIONAL
WOUND
 DEFINITION OF
EMOTIONAL WOUND
 Blow to one’s ego in formative years,
like rejection, emotional
abandonment, result of physical
injury or abuse, psychic abuse, birth
trauma, etc.
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS

REDEEMING QUALITY
EMOTIONAL
WOUND
SHADOW/GHOS
T
DEFINITION OF
SHADOW/GHOST
 From the Emotional Wound arises a
shadowy specter of the psyche, which
blocks the light of consciousness. It
is an inner phantom that haunts and
distorts one’s perception.
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS

EMOTIONAL
SHADOW/
WOUND
REDEEMING QUALITY
GHOST EMOTIONAL
ARMOR
DEFINITION OF
EMOTIONAL ARMOR
 Feeling the fear from the haunting specter of
an Emotional Wound, one creates a persona
that attempts to protect the being and ward
off any further attacks on one’s
vulnerability. Some build muscles; some
grow fat; some develop skills (social,
physical, intellectual, artistic); some
accumulate knowledge. A belief system is
constructed that manifests as mannerisms
and attitudes presenting a mask that hides
the ghost of the wound even from the being
wearing the mask of emotional armor.
EXAMPLES OF
EMOTIONAL ARMOR
 HAMLET: Hamlet’s scathing wit and probing analysis
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Danny plea bargains
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will slams people with brilliance
and fists.
 THUNDERHEART: Ray’s FBI suit and tie and ultra-short
hair
 CASABLANCA: Rick sticks his neck out for nobody.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie doesn’t train girls.
Tough ain’t enough. Always protect yourself.
 ROCKY: Rocky maintains low expectations.
 STAR WARS: Luke goes along with the program.
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: Red goes along with the
program.
 DIE HARD: John needs to be in control.
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS
EMOTIONAL
SHADOW/
WOUND
REDEEMING QUALITY
GHOSTEMOTIONAL
ARMOR
CHARACTER
FLAW/VALUE
OUT OF
BALANCE
DEFINITION OF
CHARACTER FLAW
 A DEFECT OR SHORTCOMING OF
SOME INTANGIBLE HUMAN VALUE
THAT MANIFESTS AS A NEGATIVE
TRAIT, OR THE SHADOW SIDE OF A
POSITIVE VALUE.
DEFINITION OF HUMAN VALUE
 A principle, standard, or quality
considered worthwhile or desirable,
such as faith, hope, charity, justice,
prudence, fortitude, temperance,
appreciation, humility, compassion,
gratitude, honor, etc.
 Boy Scout code.
DEFINITION OF
VALUE OUT OF BALANCE
 Some principle, standard, or human
quality that has been compromised or
neglected in the main character as a
result of assuming the protective
nature of emotional armor through
beliefs, attitudes, and behavior that
rule character choices.
MOVIE EXAMPLES OF
VALUE OUT OF BALANCE
 A FEW GOOD MEN: compromised integrity (Integrity)
 THUNDERHEART: denial of ancestry (acceptance)
 ADAPTATION: self-loathing (self-confidence/self-love)
 STAR WARS: lack of personal power (personal power)
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: rage (self-forgiveness)
 OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: distrust (trustworthy)
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: hopelessness (hope)
 THE AFRICAN QUEEN: self-serving (selfless service)
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: fear of intimacy (vulnerability)
 WONDERFUL LIFE: feeling insignificant (feeling of value)
 DIE HARD: fear of loss of control (allowing)
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS
EMOTIONAL
SHADOW/
WOUND
REDEEMING QUALITY
GHOSTEMOTIONAL
ARMOR
CHARACTER
FLAW/VALUE
EMOTIONAL
OUT OF
NEED
BALANCE
DEFINITION OF
EMOTIONAL NEED
 An unconscious longing, or emotional
condition that requires relief. Some
emotional imbalance that creates
vague discomfort. The psychological
state that creates rockets of desire in
a character.
EXAMPLES OF
EMOTIONAL NEED
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Dan needs to reconcile with father
 CASABLANCA: Rick needs completion
 OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: Zack needs to belong
 STAR WARS: Luke needs sense of identity
 ROCKY: Rocky needs self-esteem
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: Red needs to feel hope
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie needs to nurture
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George needs to feel valued
 DIE HARD: John needs to bond with his wife & kids
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will needs to feel self-love
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS
EMOTIONAL
SHADOW/
WOUND
REDEEMING QUALITY
GHOSTEMOTIONAL
ARMOR
CHARACTER
FLAW/VALUE
EMOTIONAL
OUT OF
NEED
CONSCIOUS
BALANCE
DESIRE
DEFINITION OF
CONSCIOUS DESIRE
 Stimulated by an unconscious inner
need, desire rises up as a conscious
wish, request, longing, or petition for
something to be, do, or have. - To
covet or crave something or some
state of being in the hope that it will
fulfill this vague inner need. Desire
arouses reason for the Decision To
Act and gives purpose and direction
to behavior.
EXAMPLES OF
CONSCIOUS DESIRE
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Dan desires to be best at what he does.
 OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: Zack desires to impress
others.
 STAR WARS: Luke desires to fight the Imperial Forces.
 ROCKY: Rocky desires to prove he’s no bum.
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: Red desires to find something
to believe in.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie desires to manage a
fighter to a championship.
 WIZARD OF OZ: Dorothy desires to find a trouble-free place.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George desires to do something
great.
 DIE HARD: John desires to spend Christmas with his family.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will desires to prove to himself he’s
superior to others.
 MC BACK-STORY LAYERS
EMOTIONAL
SHADOW/
WOUND
REDEEMING QUALITY
GHOSTEMOTIONAL
ARMOR
CHARACTER
FLAW/VALUE
EMOTIONAL
OUT OF
NEED
CONSCIOUS
BALANCE
DESIRE
LIFE-
CHALLENGING
DECISION
LIFE-CHALLENGING DECISION

 A Life-Challenging Decision is one

where the main character steps
beyond the safety of his/her
Emotional Armor for some lofty goal.
S/he acts according to his/her current
beliefs, which dictate reactive
behavior, but a Life-Challenging
Decision assumes risk as a result of
the established Emotional Armor.
 STAGES IN ACT ONE
 ORDINARY WORLD
 Redeeming Quality
 Emotional Armor
 Character Flaw/Value out of balance
 CALL TO ADVENTURE/INCITING INCIDENT
 REFUSAL OF THE CALL
 NEW INFORMATION
 FIRST DECISION TO ACT/CROSSING THE
THRESHOLD
 Stepping outside of Emotional Armor
 Start of Questing Journey
 CALL TO ADVENTURE
(INCITING INCIDENT)
 The Call To Adventure offers the opportunity
to the main character to pursue his
conscious desire.
 EXAMPLES OF
CALL TO ADVENTURE
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Kaffee receives the case assignment
of defending Dawson and Downey.
 STAR WARS: Obi-Wan solicits Luke to battle the Empire.
 ROCKY: Apollo’s manager offers Rocky a shot at the title.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Maggie begs Frankie to train her.
 WIZARD OF OZ: Auntie Em tells Dorothy to find some
place where she won’t get into trouble.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: Pa Bailey urges George to
follow in his footsteps at the Bailey bank.
 DIE HARD: Holly offers John her spare bedroom.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Lambeau rescues Will, tells him to
see a therapist.
 REFUSAL OF THE CALL
 Refusal of the call shows the reactive
behavior of the main character as a result
of living out of his Emotional Armor, and
sets up the intensity of the emotional risk
when the character finally makes the
Decision To Act that sends him on his
quest.
 EXAMPLES OF
REFUSAL OF THE CALL
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Kaffee offers a plea bargain of 12 years
with no investigation.
 STAR WARS: Luke feels obligated to stay on the farm.
 ROCKY: Rocky plays along with Apollo’s publicity, but doesn’t
take the challenge seriously.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie says “I don’t train girls.
Girlie, tough ain’t enough.”
 WIZARD OF OZ: Lets Professor Marvel talk her into returning
home.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George sets off for college.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will blows off five therapists.
 DIE HARD: John creates an argument because Holly changed
her name.
 NEW INFORMATION
(MENTOR BEAT)
 The New Information beat appeals to the
Main Character’s redeeming quality and
offers a new perspective on the Call To
Adventure.
 EXAMPLES OF
NEW INFORMATION
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Danny discovers that the military is willing to
bargain too easily.
 STAR WARS: Luke’s Aunt & Uncle are killed by the Imperial Forces.
 ROCKY: Mickey wants to manage Rocky because he has potential.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie’s main fighter leaves him and
wins the championship belt; letter returned.
 WIZARD OF OZ: Tornado takes the house away and lands it in Oz.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: Pa Bailey has a fatal stroke and Potter’s
primed to close down the Building & Loan.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Sean has a heart to heart with Will and
pierces his intellect with some truth.
 DIE HARD: (potential) Talk with Chauffeur makes John realize that
he’s denying his kids on Christmas.
 FIRST DECISION TO ACT
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Dan pleads clients not guilty.
 STAR WARS: Luke decides to go with Obiwan.
 ROCKY: Rocky accepts Mickey as Manager.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Frankie decides to train Maggie.
 WIZARD OF OZ: Dorothy steps through the door into Munchkin
land.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George assumes leadership of Building
& Loan.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will shows up after Sean challenges him,
and finally starts talking.
 DIE HARD: (missed beat) John decides he’ll risk apologizing to
Holly so he can see his kids on Christmas; goes toward the door;
hears gunfire.
 STEPS TO
LIFE-CHALLENGING DECISIONS
 Major obstacle to the quest
 Self-doubt and falling back on reactive
behavior
 Intercession by the Conscience Character
 New Information
 Beat of silence contemplating the risk
 Taking the action of risk
 ACT TWO ELEMENTS
 SPECIALWORLD – BELLY OF THE BEAST –
TRANSFORMATIONAL ARENA
 ENEMIES AND ALLIES
 CONSCIENCE & TEMPTER
 BUILDING SKILLS NEEDED FOR QUEST
 TOTAL COMMITMENT TO QUEST
 APOTHEOSIS
 ATONEMENT
 NEW INFORMATION
EXAMPLES OF SPECIAL WORLD
• A FEW GOOD MEN: Courtroom
• SHALL WE DANCE: Dance Studio
• ROCKY: Training
• MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Relationship
• WONDERFUL LIFE: Building & Loan
• CASABLANCA: Reconnecting w/ past
• GOOD WILL HUNTING: Sean’s office
• Wizard of Oz: Land of Oz
 ACT TWO L-C DECISIONS
 HAPPEN ABOUT EVERY 15 PAGES
– 45 - CREATING CHARACTER GROWTH
(adjusting to the Special World) Adaptation
– 60 – TOTAL COMMITMENT TO QUEST
(approach to the inmost cave) MillionDollarBaby
– 75 – LEADS TO CENTRAL CRISIS (ordeal;
apotheosis; death of quest) MDB
– 90 – THRESHOLD INTO FINAL BATTLE
(reward; atonement) A Few Good Men
DECISIONS CREATE THE STORY SPINE
 DEFINITION OF APOTHEOSIS
 The Apotheosis beat is the seeming death
of the quest. The Main Character sees no
way to proceed. He has made every risky
decision, taken every risky action and finds
himself without options. The situation looks
hopeless.
 DEFINITION OF ATONEMENT
 Atonement is a rite of passage that happens
when the Main Character comes face to
face with the beliefs that have run his life
until now. Now is the time to see them as
limitations that stop him from his present
goal. He must embrace and transcend his
shadow side and expand into a new belief
paradigm before he can move forward.
 EXAMPLES OF ATONEMENT
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Danny confronts his fear of being
compared to his father.
 ADAPTATION: Charlie realizes that he can’t control what
other people think of him.
 DIE HARD: John admits that he’s been a jerk with Holly.
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Will realizes that it’s not his fault.
 CASABLANCA: Rick realizes that his personal feelings
have little to do with the big picture.
 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George sees the effect he’s
had on the whole town of Bedford Falls.
 ACT THREE ELEMENTS
 FINAL BATTLE
 SELF-REALIZATION
Awareness of Redeeming Quality
Value in balance
Theme revealed/implied

NEW MORAL/LIFE ORDER

New Ordinary World
New rockets of desire
 EXAMPLES OF
THEMATIC STATEMENT
 A FEW GOOD MEN: Integrity brings honor.
 SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION: Hope leads to
freedom.
 THUNDERHEART: Acceptance allows
integration.
 ADAPTATION: Self-confidence leads to
success.
 STAR WARS: Personal power leads to
trusting the force/intuition.
 MORE EXAMPLES
 GOOD WILL HUNTING: Self-forgiveness
leads to love.
 OFFICER & A GENT: Trustworthiness leads to
sense of belonging.
 MILLION DOLLAR BABY: Vulnerability leads
to letting go.
 WONDERFUL LIFE: Feeling of value leads to
accepting one’s fate.
 DIE HARD: Allowing leads to self-awareness.
►QUESTIONS?