Every good screenplay needs conflict, but how does one define conflict? At its most basic, conflict is two opposing forces. However, in drama, it is a little more clearly defined: Conflict occurs when a character wants something badly and is having trouble getting it. The "something" desired by the character is usually an abstract concept or emotion, known as the Dramatic Need and the "trouble" is known as the Obstacle(s), which can be either external or internal. That is, Obstacles (usually known as the antagonist) can be either another character; the setting itself, think Alive or Panic Room; or a defect in the protagonist's character, like Chief Martin Brody in Jaws (he's afraid of the water) or Bill Murray's character in What about Bob? (he's afraid of everything). Whatever the case, Obstacles are relatively easy to identify because they're barriers, which, by nature, are often tangible.
Dramatic Needs, on the other hand, are a little trickier to express. For instance, You may have a character who badly wants “acceptance," but what does that look like? Abstract concepts like this are difficult to convey to the audience. There are two ways around it, though. And if used in tandem, they can give your character an attainable goal and the audience a definite sense of resolution once that goal is achieved.
1) Give your character a tangible object to chase after. This object should symbolize the character's Dramatic Need.
2) Have your character state his or her Dramatic Need. It sounds on the nose, but it isn't, especially in a goal oriented society like ours; stating our wants and desires is quite natural.
Zombieland, a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, is an excellent example of giving characters an object to obtain that symbolizes their Dramatic Need (click the image if you're having trouble reading it).
Albuquerque's goal has now been stated. He wants a Twinkie. But what's more important is that this Twinkie symbolizes his Dramatic Need: He wants things to be they way they were. For him, a Twinkie is a connection to the normalcy of the past, and he will kill as many zombies (obstacles) as it takes to get himself a Twinkie.
Another great example occurs in Jeffrey Boams's screenplay, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Prior to this scene, Indy has been whisked away to meet with one of the museum's wealthiest benefactors, Walter Donovan.
In this example, it's important to note that while Indy's attainable object has been stated, it was another character who stated it. Donovan tells Indiana that if he finds this lost "project leader" that he'll find the Grail, yet Jones is disinterested in the idea of chasing after a relic that has no real value to him. That is, until he learns that the missing project leader is his father.
Indy, who wanted no part in Donovan's quest, will now have to overcome obstacles like boobie-trapped catacombs and Nazi henchmen to find his missing father. Surprisingly, Dr. Henry Jones, Sr. is Indiana Jones's (Dr. Henry Jones, Jr.) symbolic object, not the Grail. Rescuing his father will, once and for all, force Dr. Jones, Sr. to see his little boy (he constantly refers to Indy as "Junior" throughout the screenplay) as the accomplished archaeologist he is.
The final example deals with a specific type of tangible object known as a MacGuffin, an object that drives the plot but has no real meaning to the story. The Big Lebowski by Ethan and Joel Coen expertly makes use of an object that "really tied the room together."
Here the MacGuffin is a rug. It has no real symbolic value to the Dude, other than its ability to complete an interior decorating motif. Or you could side with Walter, in believing that the whole rug pissing incident is symbolic of unchecked aggression and parallels not only the Vietnam conflict but Operation Desert Storm. The Dude, though, would shoot you down, saying there "isn't any connection to Vietnam, Walter."
Whether you decide to make your tangible object symbolic of or a irrelevant to your characters' Dramatic Needs is up to you. But they have to want and pursue some thing. Not only should you have an object that serves as an objective for your characters, but you should have them state what that objective is. Also, Be sure to set up plenty of obstacles to overcome on the way to the resolution of their conflict.
"What do you mean by Resolution?" you ask. Well that will be the subject of part II of my post. Until then, work on making your characters' lives as difficult as possible.
~Danniel Dean
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