Welcome to another edition of Writing Insights where I will look over various stories from movies, shows, games, and anime to discuss the ways writers can improve their work. Today the topic will be based on the 2021 film Dune. Ok, so a few points to start with. I’ve never seen the original 1984 Dune film, nor have I finished reading the books. My focus will be entirely on the recent film. Now, that’s out of the way, let’s get cooking.
For every story, no matter the genre, characters and the conflicts that surround them should be the driving force of the story. That idea is one of the foundational parts of any good story. One can’t have a truly compelling story without character struggle and conflict to move the story forward (unless it’s a unique type of story). After recently watching Dune, I felt like I enjoyed the settings, the world-building, and the insane budget that went into making the film, but I felt that the conflict and character development was lacking. Sure, I understood the conflict of how one noble house was being set up to fail by a tyrannical, insecure emperor. Sure, I understood how another house wanted to destroy House Atreides because they were gifted access to a mineral-rich planet, and they wanted it back. Sure, I understood how Paul Atreides, the main character, was experiencing visions since he is the prophesied chosen one. Yet, despite understanding all of that, I never felt invested in him or the world around him. It was pretty to look at, but that was all. Like the desert world most of the story focused on, the rest felt empty, dry, and barren. Why? For me, I’d say it was because of the failed execution of character and conflict. Conflict drives a story. It ropes the audience in. Every story will have some sort of conflict in it, but the best ones use the characters’ responses to said conflict to flesh out the narrative and breathe life and depth into it. Dune failed to do that. So many details and information were thrown at the audience, but we never saw how those details affected Paul since so much was going on in the background behind the scenes. Those reactions were supposed to connect the audience to the conflict and make us care. That point is crucial. Hidden conflicts can’t affect the character until it is too late. How did Paul feel about the danger facing his family? How was he coping with the sudden move and the visions plaguing him? How do those events influence his decisions or mindset? As the audience, we see none of that. Paul, like us, just feels like he’s along for the ride until everything hits the fan, and his life is forever changed an hour and a half into the movie. I call that the Magic Carpet Ride Pitfall, where the character just rides along with the plot without any kind of meaningful reactions or development. Remember, characters and conflicts are partners in a marriage. One can’t expect the best from one without the other. How one acts or develops should affect the other. If the plot shifts, the character should shift or change. If the character grows, then the conflict should have been a factor. Events need to be seen, analyzed, and dissected through a character’s eyes to give them proper weight and gravitas. Think of the infamous Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. While the plotting leading up to it was done in the shadows, the audience saw that the actions and mistakes of Rob Stark led to it. He rebelled against the king. He called other lords to his side. He won battles to gain notoriety. He, a self-proclaimed king now, broke his word to another lord. As a result, the lord retaliated against him. Note the difference. All the actions that helped developed the plot and conflict gave Robb Stark agency. His actions and thoughts were married to the conflict and drove it forward. In contrast, Paul never did anything. He just sat back and waited till the plot caught up to him, and without having that central focus, the story as a whole suffered for it. As writers, we have to remember to focus the story on how the character reacts and deals with the world. It may sound simple, but that idea is often lost as an emphasis on world-building, agenda-setting, pandering, and other focal points take center stage in bigger productions. It’s through the struggles characters go through that win an audience over and give the story life. We must always remember that. Comments are closed.
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Book ListThe Order: Shadows of the Apostles Archives
July 2022
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