Internal Technique

6. CHARACTER ARCS

A film’s protagonist has both an outer goal and an inner one. The inner goal is often a wound they pay lip service to, but never take an active role in fixing.
That inaction prior to the start of the story makes it impossible for them to achieve their outer goal. Take Rick from Casablanca. When the movie starts, he has no interest in being a hero. He’s content as a successful businessman. No relationships, no firm political beliefs. What could go wrong? But via a series of flashbacks, we learn he used to have both love and political passions, until he lost the very girl who would resurface in Morocco, reawakening his purpose—and heart.
(How a strong character arc can make readers love your protagonist.)
By the end, Rick realizes he must let Ilsa go, again, for the good of the cause. He achieves a bigger goal than his own business interest by sacrificing the woman he thought he could never live without.
Don’t be afraid to put your characters on the therapy couch. Determine what your character is most afraid of and demand they face it. Once they stand at the edge of the proverbial cliff, they’ll be forced to make a decision. No one wants to watch a character who’s too chicken to change.

7. DYNAMIC SCENES

The No. 1 rule of screenwriting is to write only what can be seen on the screen. (The classic “show, don’t tell” applies here more than ever.) The second rule is to get into a scene late and get out early. Never have a character walk into a room and start a conversation with, “Hello.” Challenge yourself to begin every scene deeper into the action, and cut it off earlier in a way that leaves your audience hungry to know what happens. Above all, each scene needs to advance the story and add conflict, compelling readers to turn the page.

8. INTENTIONAL ACTION

Screenwriters don’t have the luxury of diving into our character’s heads by using internal dialogue. We convey thoughts through actions. A nervous character telegraphs that emotion with action, such as a twitch or jittery legs. Watch people in real life to see how they physically manifest their internal emotions.