DZ-67: Writing “Passive” Protagonists & Melodrama

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Apr 30, 2020

Stephen Cleary joins Stu and Chas to discuss Melodrama, focusing on characters without agency, plot-driven narratives, and the importance of emotional impact. They analyze popular shows and movies like THE HANDMAID'S TALE and STRANGER THINGS, highlighting the contrast with the Hero's Journey. The discussion dives into gendered storytelling, character dynamics, and techniques for effective melodramas.

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INSIGHT

Melodrama's Core Focus

Melodrama centers on the effect of events on characters rather than plot-driven action.
It emerged historically focusing on women's roles and societal pressures, often featuring female protagonists.

INSIGHT

Powerlessness Defines Melodrama

Melodramas frequently depict characters losing control and struggling to regain it.
The story is about the price paid for power and the psychological impact of powerlessness.

ANECDOTE

Pete's Dragon: Passive Protagonist Example

Pete's Dragon features a passive child protagonist who experiences events rather than drives them.
The film emotionally engages audiences despite minimal character agency.

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How do I tell a powerful story where the protagonist cannot drive the plot?

Stu and Chas are joined by Stephen Cleary following his exploration into Melodrama, and together they try to reclaim the word from its pejorative meaning.

By examining powerful Melodramas - like THE HANDMAID’S TALE, LADIES IN BLACK and STRANGER THINGS… with many a tangent on MARRIAGE STORY, PETE’S DRAGON, MILDRED PIERCE, GAME OF THRONES, LOST, THE JOKER, THE KILLING, THE WITCHER, war movies and survival films - the three hosts try to unpick what makes Melodrama an alternate story paradigm to the Hero’s Journey.

They delve into how Melodramas centre on characters that don’t have agency; where the plot happens to characters (as opposed to being driven by them); how Melodramas don’t end so much as close; and how all of the above delves into character questions more deeply than the Hero’s Journey. And to wrap it all up, the kind of techniques you use on the page to write effective melodramas.

CW: There is a lot of discussion in this episode about melodrama being associated with “women’s stories” vs the “hero’s journey” - which is biased towards a ‘masculine’ mode of storytelling - and we fully acknowledge in the show and here that we are three cismen talking about these things.

This episode was edited by Christopher Walker. Audio excerpts used for educational purposes only.

RUNNING ORDER:

00:01:14 - Intro: Melodrama & Passive Protagonists

00:01:31 - What is Melodrama?

00:37:46 - The Handmaid's Tale

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/69478-the-handmaid-s-tale

00:56:08 - Horror and Melodrama

01:00:23 - Marriage Story

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/492188-marriage-story

01:14:58 - The Handmaid's Tale & Narrative Techniques

01:30:06 - Game of Thrones and Endings

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1399-game-of-thrones

01:33:07 - Melodrama & Endings

01:38:37 - Ladies in Black

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/483411-ladies-in-black

02:13:12 - Stranger Things

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/182026-stranger-things

02:31:34 - The Killing

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/32368-forbrydelsen

02:38:07 - The Witcher

Watch: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/71912-the-witcher

2:43:53 - Wrap Up: Passive & Still Characters

Read: The Handmaid’s Tale - 101 Offred

DZ RELATED EPISODES

DZ-52: Antagonists! (Part 4) – vs Systems - http://draft-zero.com/2018/dz-52/
DZ-63: Tools for Better Dialogue (Part 2) – Hook and Eye - http://draft-zero.com/2019/dz-63/
DZ-60: Unfilmables and Unscriptables (Part 1) – Engaging imagination: http://draft-zero.com/2019/dz-60/
DZ-61: Unfilmables and Unscriptables (Part 2) – Moments of Awe: http://draft-zero.com/2019/dz-61/

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