Difference Between A Story Engine And A Story Goal - Naomi Beaty

[@alexanderwynne-jones7277]

God I love this channel. One of the biggest issues I struggle with is goal as (like Naomi said) it’s so much fun to develop character and world. This advice couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Thank you FC!

[@filmcourage]

Love to hear it! Our best to you and your work Alexander!

[@JrtheKing91]

Good interview. BTW Hustle starring Adam Sandler, is a good movie and a must-watch.

[@filmcourage]

We enjoyed that one!

[@drjitters]

Also enjoyed HUSTLE.

[@tygerbyrn]

Love this channel too. Good information for filmmakers of all stripes. Keep up the great work. Thank you.

[@Ruylopez778]

I think for most stories it's pretty simple; we want to see the protagonist achieve (or try and fail with) a goal, and we want them to make sacrifices or take risks along the way to earn it. To be meaningful, the pursuit of that goal has to change them in a compelling way - which is why we need conflict and obstacles that force them to see things differently (or cost them something instead) to make that change believable and inevitable. In a flat arc, we see their values tested and proved virtuous/flawed, and/or the setting/secondary characters are changed by that goal.

[@ally__jr]

Are you a writer or sth, God. Even filmcourage loved this comment!!

[@osw330904]

Naomi is just so full of knowledge

[@TheFirstJedi]

Love this channel!

[@uglystupidloser]

huh, story goal that takes the length of the movie or story, and the story engine is what gets the character/ audience there... hmm. its elegant. i like it.

[@filmcourage]

What is the story goal of “Everything Everywhere All At Once?”

[@anileated]

I guess externally “defeat the villain”, internally “overcome FOMO”. I didn’t enjoy the film, to be honest (though I wanted to).

[@tmac8892]

@@anileated i thought it sucked.

[@anileated]

​@@tmac8892 It’s overtly didactic. For me with works like these the fun is lost the moment you realize it’s trying to teach some obvious moral points. The film leaves you with the opposite of food for thought. (For some people it’s apparently not an issue.) The directors came from music video production business. I think they *wanted* to be inspired by Wong Kar-wai, but made something that couldn’t be more different except for superfluous visual allusions. Hopefully they’ll realize what happened and their next work will be more flowing.

[@grilledcheesefiend1336]

story goal of “everything everywhere all at once”: mom accept that her daughter is dating a woman

[@kayag8]

All movies are Predictable and its all because of the midpoint. The all hope is lost moment. I know whatever the hero wants will appear to be lost in the middle of the film. In pixar its always 2 character fight then seperate then 5 minutes later they come back together. They should get rid of the midpoint.

[@soft8460]

Finally someone has explained the 'engine' thank you Film Courage.

[@filmcourage]

At least one perspective

[@Ruylopez778]

If it helps at all, here's another way to think of it (from Robert McKee). The character's inner motivation pushes them forward, and their outer desire pulls them towards that superobjective climax (main outer goal) as they pursue it. And the obstacles and conflict related to that superobjective forces them to change in some way (whether they succeed or fail) and learn (or not learn) something. And that change is related to that inner need or flaw(s) they are dealing with. Or else forces the world/other characters to change in a story with no central character change (e.g. Back to Future/Raiders of the Lost Arc).

[@soft8460]

@@Ruylopez778 thanks for that.

[@Ruylopez778]

@@soft8460 No worries. It was something he said in 'Story Drives', but I guess he has repeated the sentiment before. I don't think I ever heard this kind of push/pull concept before but it makes a lot of sense to me. Of course, there are many different ways to approach it. I suppose it's no different than drawing a link between character flaw and outer goal. Maybe the real key to a great story and plot is having this really clear dynamic between the inner and outer - almost like a dilemma? I think it just ratchets up the tension and emotion.

[@anileated]

‘I’m thinking of ending things’ is an interesting subversion of the idea that internal story is difficult to dramatise externally.

[@Nick-ft4dk]

yeah but the difference is that Charlie Kaufman did it, learn the rules before you break them

[@anileated]

​@@Nick-ft4dk Absolutely. Waste years learning your helplessness, never dare to do anything new (only the Kaufmans of the industry are allowed!), lock yourself into fixed ways of dramatising internal life. Spend a few years more trying to forget what you were taught. Produce yet another unremarkable movie.

[@leonoradompor8706]

I am a saintly person,my personal experience when i am planting in my garden the rain follows,so during harvest of rice and corn, i stop planting in my garden so that sunny days will appear*** I am unstructured molecular physicist and a chemist ****I am the Goddess of Vegetation

[@markforster6457]

IMHO: It's best to develop characters first. Well-developed characters will write your story for you because you know how they will act/react to being in a dramatic situation. A teenager caught in a bank robbery will react differentally than a USMC veteran. The idea is for the characters to drive the story, not vice-versa. If you do it another way, cool on you.

[@avtpro]

This is so amazing. These people know exactly what they are talking about. Love Beaty!

[@Rubrick23.]

Mmm. I don't agree with silence of lamb. To many plots in movie. FBI uses one of their own. While doctor lecture is the only truthful one locked behind a cage. Clarice isn't even a FBI agent in Silence of the Lamb she's still going through training so she's not trying to catch the serial killer she's documenting a serial killer. So the goal post in the movie moves. One could say Silence of the Lambs is about three individuals discovering the deepest darkest secrets. Two happen to be killers, while the other becoming a FBI agent instead of choosing a path of her fellow class who surcome to the cries of the lamb

[@brianhiles8164]

Insofar “the thing your protagonist is trying to achieve,“ _I_ would characterize this as not so much a _Story Goal,_ as just the _plot._ By definition -- right? In this matter, the _Plot_ is to be differentiated from the _Story,_ for the matter of the overt versus the abstract arc of the narrative. I will divulge here, now, my only contribution to a fundamental understanding of cinematic exegesis, is the criterion of a successful film being that it has _three_ arcs: the narrative arc (what happens), the thematic arc (what the theme of the movie is), and the director´s “vision“ (an abstract aesthetic integrity). Three! _Star Wars_ has it; _Harold and Maude_ has it; _My Dinner with Andre_ has it; _Conan the Barbarian_ has it. The attribute is manifest in works of some auteur directors.

[@CribNotes]

What the fk....why won't this video play?

[@joannkelly7994]

Thank you. Stay blessed,

[@KenFlanagan]

Are they kidding?!? How simplistic can an explanation be and something be broken down as to seem so totally banal and pedestrian. ?!???