{"id":36,"date":"2012-09-22T19:59:00","date_gmt":"2012-09-23T00:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/k-tock.com\/?p=36"},"modified":"2012-09-22T19:59:00","modified_gmt":"2012-09-23T00:59:00","slug":"learning-from-l-a-confidential-to-arc-or-not-to-arc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/k-tock.com\/?p=36","title":{"rendered":"Learning From L.A. Confidential: To Arc or Not to Arc"},"content":{"rendered":"

SPOILER ALERT: This series of posts is spoiler-heavy. But, seriously, the movie is from 1997!!! If you haven’t watched it by now…<\/b> <\/p>\n

I was doing some work on my script the other night, compiling a list of characters, major and minor, and outlining their arcs. It was interesting to note that not all of them arc.<\/p>\n

Does every character in your script need to arc?<\/p>\n

I don’t believe so.<\/p>\n

Minor characters will probably not get enough screen time to develop an arc. Some characters have a specific function, and if they arc, it could interfere with that function. Not to mention that if every character changes and develops, it would lead to a confusing, diluted story.<\/p>\n

I do, however, think that some characters should be presented with the opportunity to arc, and fail to grasp the opportunity. This is one way of highlighting the growth of the hero. If a supporting or antagonistic character has a similar flaw to the hero, their lack of growth can be a signpost to the growth occurring in the hero.<\/p>\n

There is an interesting example of this in L.A. Confidential<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Sid Hudgens, a slippery, sleazy character initially shares some qualities with Jack Vincennes, one of the protagonists.<\/p>\n

Hudgens slips Vincennes money in exchange for the opportunity to photograph him busting celebrities. It’s a scheme that works well for the two of them. Hudgens has material for his sleazy gossip-mag, and Vincennes gets some extra cash and notoriety.<\/p>\n

When a young actor Vincennes busted as a result of a Hudgen’s tip-off winds up dead, however, Vincennes is deeply affected. He realises that there are consequence for his actions. It serves as a wake-up call to Vincennes, pricking his conscience. We see his attitude change and he experiences growth as a police officer and a person.<\/p>\n

When Hudgens receives news about the death of the young actor, however, he is flippant and only concerned with the possibility of making a story of the young actor’s death.<\/p>\n

The contrast between Hudgens and his lack of growth serves to highlight the character development in Vincennes.<\/p>\n

So, not every character needs to arc. In fact, the change in a protagonist can be highlighted by having a supporting character fail to arc when faced with a similar dilemma.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SPOILER ALERT: This series of posts is spoiler-heavy. But, seriously, the movie is from 1997!!! If you haven’t watched it by now… I was doing some work on my script the other night, compiling a list of characters, major<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51,12,50,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-arcs","category-character","category-l-a-confidential","category-learning"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t