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Don’t Let Your Story Be Spineless

I recently got to see a work-in-progress screening of a film that will be out some time in the future. It had it’s moments and I could see the potential for a great film in what I saw, but it will not be great until they fix one major component. The film was weak thematically, and that caused it to have no spine.

Now you might ask, “What do you mean it had no spine?”

The spine of a story is comprised of the thematic elements involvedĀ  and it’s what the story is trying to say. It’s not necessarily what it’s about, but it has more to do with how the story makes you feel, and it can quite often be reduced to a sentence or two.

For High Noon it’s, “you don’t know who your friends are”.

HighNoon

For Sixteen Candles it’s, “why doesn’t anyone notice me?”

SixteenCandles

For A Clockwork Orange it’s, “is being good a choice?”

Alex

The spine has to do with the theme of your story. It isn’t necessarily the theme of your story because your story could have many thematic elements playing with and against each other. What the thematic elements need to do, however, is come together to make easily identifiable what you’re trying to say. Sometimes it’s the moral or lesson of the story, but it doesn’t have to be that. It’s basically what you’re telling the audience. It’s why you’re telling this story.

Now you might ask, “Why is that important?”

A strong spine is important to your story because that’s how the audience becomes engaged.

I can’t tell you the number of scripts I’ve read where the writer seems to care less about the audience than anything else. Yes, I know you’re writing your script as a means of self expression, but you’d better be engaging the audience if you want anyone to read it, and you certainly had better be engaging the audience if you ever want to see it get made.

Does your story lack a spine? Are the thematic elements unclear? Monument Script Services can help your story grow a spine and find its voice. Click on the link to find out how we can help.

http://monumentscripts.com/service/

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