Narrative First: where story is always king

A deep-dive into the two narrative structures driving the classic action/adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark.

While many consider Raiders to be evidence of a "5-Act" or "6-Act" structure, the truth is the presence of two completely different 4-Act structures. Using the Dramatica theory of story, we take a look at these two individual arguments and explain how Kasdan masterfully wove them together to appea...

An in-depth look at the narrative thematics driving these two classic films.

For this, our special 64th episode, we explore the storyforms found in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Using the Dramatica theory of story as a basis for our analysis, we find two separate narratives in Empire: one that focuses on psychology as a basis for conflict, and another that takes the expected physics approach.

For Jedi, we...

In this episode, we take a look at the key story events that shift a narrative from one contextual Act to the next. In addition, we discuss what the Dramatica theory of story identifies in a story--namely, the subtext of narrative conflict. If you previously thought subtext was something that could never truly be defined--prepare to learn the truth. Using examples from both The Florida Project and Call Me By Your Name, we ...

If you want to make meaning out of the meaningless, if you want to ensure that you don't write a pointless story, a Dramatica® storyform ensures that what you have to say promises purpose and a reason for the audience to listen. With that in mind, we take a look at the differences between The Disaster Artist and Darkest Hour. Guess which one contains a solid narrative?

In addition, we explain why The Accountant seems so ja...

This episode explores the connection between a high score on Rotten Tomatoes, nominations and recognition for great writing, and a complete Dramatica storyform. More than correlation, a solid storyform guarantees favorable critical response.

In addition, I relate my experience of being to predict the specific structural items of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri while watching the film for the first time. Again, an...

A look at how you can dramatically improve the quality of your storytelling by thinking of the central relationship as a character. I follow-up with listener email regarding the difference between Wisdom & Enlightenment within the Dramatica theory of story. And I cover the usage of Time and Space in setting the context for a full and complete narrative.

You can read the entire transcription of this episode here.

Regist...

In this episode, I cover the importance of connecting the Main Character's problem with the Overall Story problem & a method for constructing the Narrative Argument of your story. The former explains the difference between an OK story and an amazing story; all the great narratives of the past take this approach of pitting subjective vs. objec tive. The latter is helpful in determining the narrative drive of a story and...

In this episode, we catch up on all things Narrative First from the past three months and kickstart our year of plenty. This includes everything from updates to the Narrative First Atomizer, new Dramatica analyses, the site redesign, building an animated television series, developing a complete story from scratch, and the biggest update to the podcast...

...transcriptions!

You can read the entire transcription of this epis...

In this, the final--and most epic--episode of Season 2, I finish off the initial development of my story and introduce the various features of the new Narrative First Atomizer.

But first I kick things off with an analysis of Thor:Ragnarök--NOTE: in the episode I inaccurately assess the Story Outcome as Success. Clearly the efforts to reach the Overall Story Goal--Saving Asgard from Ragnarök--fail. Switching this Story Dyna...

If it sounds like this episode was recorded before Thanksgiving, that’s because it was. Facilitating the initial release of the Narrative First Atomizer consumed most of my waking days and nights these past two months—but the show must go on.

If nothing else, I️ can’t let The Red Lake go unspoken. Follow along as I️ craft a fully realized narrative framework in less than 20 minutes. Seriously. What started out as a complet...

A great story employs its own unique approach to narrative structure. The Plot Sequence Report found in Dramatica grants writers an insight into their story's foundation.

Some contend that every story is the same--that the same set of story beats or mythical elements show up every time. The truth is the structure of every story is based on the Author's intent: what he or she is trying to communicate to their Audience. The ...

While some maintain that all stories carry the same structure (they don't), these two films actually do share the same exact storyform.

After answering questions about the difference between the Past and Memory and the right way to think of Signposts, this episode dives into a Dramatica analysis of DeNiro's A Bronx Tale. Unique in its structure, the storyform explains its appeal to female audiences. Both Aliens and Blade R...

A guy stuck in a well, The Sixth Sense, and Blade Runner:2049 top the list for this week's in-depth story structure podcast. Everything from inequities and perspectives to Throughlines and context, this episode explains the best way to find the most accurate storyform for any narrative.

Deliberate Storytelling is a practice whereby the Author creates with intent and purpose. Collaborate with a story expert today and start ...

In this episode, I wrap up the Dramatica Users Group analysis of Jon Favreau's Jungle Book and then relate some helpful tips when it comes to weaving subplots into your narrative. In addition, I dive into #storytelling and talk a bit about "narrative fidelity". Lastly, the David Fincher thriller se7en receives the Dramatica analysis treatment.

Deliberate Storytelling is a practice whereby the Author creates with ...

Roll back to the original terminology in order to gain more objectivity in your analysis and writing. That's the best way I know how to supercharge your understanding of Dramatica. In this episode, I cover my push for Dramatica 1.0 and answer emails about the Universe and The Prestige. If you're struggling to grok the theory, start here.

Deliberate Storytelling is a practice whereby the Author creates with intent and purpo...

Why do established story gurus find it necessary to prevent progress? The base instinct for survival sometimes overrides rational thought--in this case, it leads one guru to bully theorists through name-calling. In addition, I discuss the push towards professional storyform analysis and, of course, discuss the importance of teaching the next generation of storytellers.

Deliberate Storytelling is a practice whereby the Auth...

In this episode, we take a look at Quantum Theory and how it helps to explain how an Author projects a story into existence. You'll want to put on your thinking caps for this one as we transform the endless speculation and infinite possibilities of storytelling into a singular instance based on the Author's measured and deliberate observation. Finishing a story requires an Author to write with purpose.

Deliberate Storytell...

The return of Throughline Thursdays, an unexpected analysis of The Prestige, and an explanation of the difference between a problematic Situation and problematic Activities.

Dramatica's terminology stumps even the most talented writers. The understanding of the difference between a situation and a Situation is paramount in breaking through preconceptions of narrative structure. In this episode, I cover a common problem enc...

This week I discuss a method for Authors to connect the Characters in the story with the mechanics of Plot by crossing over through the family of Thematic Issues congruent with their story's meaning. In addition, I discuss at length my analysis of Get Out and how the film played with structure in an attempt to address Audience reception issues.

The Dramatica Mentorship Program - my premier service designed to give you the ...