Dramatica
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Dramatica™ is a theory of story developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley in the early 1990s. It is also a computer program based on the theory and published by Write Brothers, Inc. (formerly Screenplay Systems Incorporated).
The theory is based on the idea that every complete story is a holistic model of the mind's problem solving process (called the Story Mind). Every complete story must examine all significant approaches to resolving the story's central problem. The theory provides a systematic and very complicated framework for created or analyzing stories in film or print.
The theory involves identifying a story's main character (often, but not always, the protagonist), and an "impact character" who has a conflicting ideology with the main character. Then, the story is divided into and analyzed across four Throughlines, or perspectives:
- The overall story
- The main character's view
- The impact character's view
- The relationship between the main and impact character
The terminology used by the theory has gradually shifted over the years. For example, the impact character is still referred to as the "obstacle character" in some places.
External links
- the Dramatica web site (http://dramatica.com)
- a 300-page book describing the Dramatica theory (PDF) (http://www.dramatica.com/downloads/dramatica_book.pdf)