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/