MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal 101

This is a crash-course in dramatic structure.

I didn’t like how the textbook did it, so I am deviating from it. There are some definitions you need from the book, but otherwise, everything you need is on these slides.

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

The Artistic Goal is what the author actually wants to accomplish in writing a piece.

Bad writers do this overtly and poorly.

With bad writers, you know the artistic goal, because that’s all that the characters say.

“War is evil.” “Cancer is bad.” “Love is everlasting”.

BOOOO

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

If “War is Evil” is what you want to say with your play:

First Off: Pick another one, because that’s pretty lame.

Secondly: Your characters should NEVER say it. The audience should come to that conclusion for themselves. They should walk out of the theatre knowing, ‘man, I kinda liked war, but it’s EVIL’.

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

And all an Artistic Goal is, is an actionable version of the THEME.

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

THEME is something that English teachers have been messing up FOREVER.

The theme of something is NEVER a couple of words.

It is ALWAYS a complete sentence.

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Play / Movie Bad ThemeRomeo and Juliet True LoveRoots SlaveryTo Kill a Mockingbird Racism

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Play / Movie Bad Theme Better Theme

Romeo and Juliet

True Love True Love conquers death.

Roots Slavery A man’s spirit can never be crushed.

Star Wars Space Being a hero is sacrifice.

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

Do you get the idea a little better?

Theme needs to have two parts: the intangible, and a perspective on it.

AND, there can be more than one theme to a work! So we can all have different themes!

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

Remember that all themes need perspective. That is what makes a work unique.

“Roots” has a ‘bad theme’ of racism. Do you know what else has a ‘bad theme’ of racism? “Mein Kampf”

But both have VERY different perspectives.

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

Perspective is what makes you, you. And a perspective is what you have to put into the work.

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

The artistic goal is what the audience walks away with at the end of the piece.

Ideally, they are engaged in something which is amazing and enthralling, and they are gut-punched at the end and they say ‘oh shit, I should have known this all along’.

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

EXAMPLES:

“Requiem for a Dream”I know that hardcore addictions are bad, but that’s not how it starts. It starts awesome so I’m sucked into their world. And by the end I am left empty and hollow as I realize the fundamental truth, “all drugs are devastating”.

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

EXAMPLES:

“Hero”I am sucked in with awesome fights and action sequences, and the goal to assassinate this Chinese leader because War is bad. Right?WRONG, I get to the end, and I learn the Artistic Goal is that “Being a good leader is knowing when to stop fighting.”

MODULEFIVE

MODULEFOUR

MODULETHREE

MODULETWO

MODULEONE

Artistic Goal

• Artistic Goal– Introduction– Theme– Perspective– Conclusion

Character Onstage Manifestation

Dramatic Question

Artistic Goal

Perception Shift

The perception shift transitions the audience from the Plot they are watching, to the artistic goal they should have been watching all along.