DZ-104: Characters Alone - Dramatizing the Internal

Listen to understand how solitude reveals character interiority and deepens audience connection

In this episode, we explore the audience's connection with characters through the lens of characters being alone.

Chas and Stu breakdown scenes (and their scripts) from AFTERSUN, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY and THE EQUALIZER to discuss the significance of solitude in giving the audience insight into a character’s interiority. We talk how big print can reflect character; how finding moments for vulnerability allows characters to drop their masks; and how staging can help these moments occur organically.

Thanks to Chris Walker for editing this episode.

As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes.

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→ Read the transcript for this episode.

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"I've been for a long time trying to improve my ability to what I call dramatize the internal and I think this is a really good opportunity to do this." — Chas Fisher @ 00:01:43

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CHAPTERS

• 00:00:02 – Cold Open
• 00:00:24 – Intro: Character's Alone
• 00:13:04 – AFTERSUN
• 00:16:28 – › Reading the rave interstitial scene aloud on the page
• 00:22:06 – › Balcony dancing scene: solitude framed through glass and white space
• 00:31:55 – Sponsor: Arc Studio Pro
• 00:34:16 – SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
• 00:40:13 – › Writing character interiority without unfilmables
• 00:48:51 – › Solitude as structural device: the teacup scene
• 00:53:02 – › Externalising emotion through environment and action
• 00:59:59 – THE EQUALIZER
• 01:03:30 – › Solitude as a window into character interiority
• 01:09:57 – › Close reading: how the opening alone scenes paint McCall's character
• 01:15:05 – › Decision-making moments and the cost of returning to violence
• 01:20:53 – › Button scenes and the aftermath of action on character
• 01:25:02 – Wrap Up & Key Learnings
• 01:28:34 – Many thanks to our Patreons!

FILMS

• AFTERSUN (2022) — (w) Charlotte Wells
• SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) — (w) Emma Thompson, Jane Austen (d) Ang Lee
• THE EQUALIZER (2014) — (w) Richard Wenk (d) Antoine Fuqua

SCRIPTS

• Study the script: AFTERSUN (2022) — Charlotte Wells

LINKS

• Read: Shot Zero
• Read: Restoration

RELATED EPISODES

• DZ-60: Unfilmables 1 - Engaging imagination
• DZ-93: Talismans (Part 1)
• DZ-94: Talismans (Part 2)
• DZ-99: Scene Questions

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Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-104/