DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme

Listen if you're writing an ensemble storiy and want to understand how different characters serve different narrative and thematic functions!

In Part 3 (the final part? Ha!) of our exploration into ensemble stories, Stu, Chas & Mel examine films whose genres do not conventionally require a ton of characters or that use those ensembles in unconventional ways. In particular, adding whole storylines that are separate from the main character’s story. To that end, we dive into three films that were horrifically snubbed by the Oscars: THE WOMAN KING, RIDERS OF JUSTICE and NOPE.

We breakdown the effects of choosing to use an ensemble on the narrative function of characters, their skills, the webs they exist within, and, ultimately, the story’s theme. Plus we re-apply and re-contextualise the tools uncovered in previous episodes in how to service all these characters.

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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CHAPTERS

00:00:00 – Cold Open

00:01:35 – Intro: Character Function

00:08:43 – The Woman King

00:50:00 – Riders of Justice

01:20:36 – Nope

01:47:00 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up

01:59:06 – Many thanks to our Patreons

FILMS

THE WOMAN KING (2022) — (w) Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens (d) Gina Prince Bythewood

RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020) — (w) Anders Thomas Jensen

NOPE (2022) — (w) Jordan Peele

SCRIPTS

Study the script: THE WOMAN KING (2022) — Maria Bello, Dana Stevens, Dana Stevens

Study the script: NOPE (2022) — Jordan Peele

LINKS

Read: Mel on The Möbius Strip Storytelling of NOPE

Read: Mel on Riders of Justice: Tidings of Trauma and Joy

EPISODES IN THE ENSEMBLES SERIES

DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?

DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters

DZ-98: Ensembles 3 - Character Function & Theme

RELATED EPISODES

DZ-96: Ensembles 1 - What do we mean by an ensemble?

DZ-97: Ensembles 2 - Servicing Characters

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Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2023/dz-98/