195 | Dustin Lance Black: Writing (And Adapting) Compelling Protagonists
Digest
This episode of The Screenwriting Life welcomes back Dustin Lance Black, an Oscar-winning screenwriter and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, to discuss the art of writing compelling protagonists. The episode begins with Lorraine McKenna sharing her experience as a mentor at the Sinistory TV retreat, where writers are challenged to create loglines for TV shows based on photographs. Lance then shares his own writing process, emphasizing the importance of taking walks and hikes to generate ideas and ensure originality. He also discusses the challenges of balancing social and personal themes in his work, highlighting the importance of choosing protagonists who are flawed and relatable. The conversation delves into the process of working with producers and directors, with Lance emphasizing the importance of being able to discard precious ideas and embrace constructive criticism. He also shares his experience with actors who question character motivations and the need to provide them with a clear understanding of their choices. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of creating characters who are active and have a clear activation point, even if they make mistakes and make questionable choices. The episode offers valuable insights for aspiring and experienced screenwriters alike, providing practical advice on crafting compelling protagonists and navigating the complexities of the writing process.
Outlines
Introduction and Guest Introduction
This Chapter introduces the hosts, Meg LaFos and Lorian McKenna, and welcomes back Dustin Lance Black, an Oscar-winning screenwriter and LGBTQ+ rights advocate, to the show. They discuss Lance's recent work on the film Rustin and the upcoming conversation about writing protagonists.
Adventures in Screenwriting: Lorraine's Week
This Chapter focuses on Lorraine's experience as a mentor at the Sinistory TV retreat, where writers are challenged to create loglines for TV shows based on photographs. She describes the inspiring and equalizing environment of the retreat and the unique ideas generated by the writers.
Adventures in Screenwriting: Lance's Week
This Chapter focuses on Lance's writing process, emphasizing the importance of taking walks and hikes to generate ideas and ensure originality. He discusses the challenges of balancing social and personal themes in his work and the importance of choosing protagonists who are flawed and relatable.
Writing Compelling Protagonists
This Chapter delves into the art of writing compelling protagonists, with Lance discussing the importance of finding their shadows, balancing social and personal themes, and navigating the challenges of working with producers and directors.
Protagonists as Engines for TV Shows
This Chapter explores the role of protagonists in driving the narrative of TV shows, particularly in the context of limited series and series. Lance discusses the importance of creating characters who are complex and have room to change and grow over multiple seasons.
Working with Producers and Directors
This Chapter focuses on the process of working with producers and directors, with Lance emphasizing the importance of being able to discard precious ideas and embrace constructive criticism. He also shares his experience with actors who question character motivations and the need to provide them with a clear understanding of their choices.
Need vs. Want and Character Blind Spots
This Chapter delves into the ongoing conversation about need versus want in character development, with Lance discussing the importance of creating characters who are active and have a clear activation point, even if they make mistakes and make questionable choices.
TSL Workshops Announcement
This Chapter announces the launch of The Screenwriting Life's new workshop site, TSL Workshops, which will offer pre-recorded workshops, story workshops, and Q&As. The hosts encourage listeners to visit the site for more information.
Keywords
Dustin Lance Black
Dustin Lance Black is an American screenwriter, playwright, and showrunner. He is known for writing the films Milk (2008), which won him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and J. Edgar (2011). He also created the award-winning crime miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven (2022). Black is a passionate LGBTQ+ rights advocate and has served as a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights. He is also a co-writer on Rustin (2023), a film that earned Coleman Domingo his first Oscar nomination.
Protagonist
A protagonist is the central character or leading figure in a story. They are often the hero or heroine of the narrative and drive the plot forward. Protagonists are typically complex characters with both strengths and weaknesses, and their actions and decisions shape the course of the story.
Character Development
Character development is the process of creating and shaping the personalities, motivations, and backstories of characters in a story. It involves exploring their inner thoughts, feelings, and relationships, as well as how they change and evolve over time.
Screenwriting
Screenwriting is the art and craft of writing scripts for films, television shows, and other visual media. It involves creating a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end, developing characters, and crafting dialogue that is both engaging and believable.
Storytelling
Storytelling is the art of communicating a narrative, whether it is fictional or non-fictional. It involves creating a compelling story with characters, plot, setting, and theme, and engaging the audience emotionally and intellectually.
True Story
A true story is a narrative based on real events and people. It can be a factual account of a historical event, a biography of a famous person, or a personal memoir. True stories often explore themes of human experience, social issues, and historical context.
Notes
In screenwriting, notes refer to feedback and suggestions given to a screenwriter by producers, directors, executives, or other stakeholders. Notes can be constructive or critical, and they are intended to help improve the script.
Limited Series
A limited series is a television show with a predetermined number of episodes, typically spanning one or two seasons. It tells a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end, unlike ongoing series that continue for multiple seasons.
Sinistory
Sinistory is a company that hosts TV retreats for writers, providing mentorship and opportunities for networking and collaboration. The retreats offer workshops, seminars, and feedback sessions led by industry professionals.
Rustin
Rustin is a 2023 biographical drama film about Bayard Rustin, an American civil rights activist and gay man. The film was written by Dustin Lance Black and earned Coleman Domingo his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Q&A
What are some key elements to consider when writing a compelling protagonist?
Dustin Lance Black emphasizes the importance of finding the shadows within a protagonist, balancing social and personal themes, and ensuring they are flawed and relatable. He suggests exploring their contradictions and allowing them to make mistakes and question themselves.
How does Dustin Lance Black approach working with producers and directors on notes?
Lance emphasizes the importance of being able to discard precious ideas and embrace constructive criticism. He suggests sleeping on notes before responding and gently leading executives to understand the script's intent if they haven't read it closely. He also advises writers to be prepared to create new scenes or moments that are better than both their original idea and the executive's suggestion.
What is the significance of the need versus want dynamic in character development?
Lance explains that the need versus want dynamic is crucial for creating compelling characters who make surprising choices. He suggests that the protagonist's need should be established early in the story, while their want should be a surprise that unfolds later, creating tension and driving the narrative.
How does Dustin Lance Black approach writing for television series?
Lance believes that television series require more complex characters with deeper contradictions. He suggests that the protagonist's journey should be long enough to explore their different sides and allow them to change and grow over multiple seasons. He also emphasizes the importance of creating a situation that feels unsolvable and characters who are going to make that situation a pain in the ass for a really long time.
What are some common pitfalls to avoid when writing protagonists?
Lance warns against creating protagonists who are inhumanly perfect, as they can be boring and unrelatable. He also suggests avoiding hagiography, which is the tendency to present a person in an idealized or overly positive light.
How does Dustin Lance Black balance social and personal themes in his writing?
Lance believes that compelling stories should address both social issues and the human experience. He suggests choosing protagonists who are not simply there to achieve a historical moment but who also have internal conflicts, make mistakes, and have to get back up. He also emphasizes the importance of finding a character he falls in love with, even if they are flawed and make questionable choices.
What is Dustin Lance Black's approach to adapting true stories into screenplays?
Lance believes that adapting true stories requires a delicate balance between authenticity and narrative. He emphasizes the importance of treating real people as characters, even if it means bending history or compressing timelines. He also suggests that writers should be prepared to defend their choices and explain why they have made certain decisions.
How does Dustin Lance Black approach writing for limited series?
Lance believes that limited series should have a finite ending and a clear narrative arc. He suggests that the protagonist's journey should be long enough to explore their different sides and allow them to change and grow over the course of the series. He also emphasizes the importance of creating a situation that feels unsolvable and characters who are going to make that situation a pain in the ass for a really long time.
What is Dustin Lance Black's advice for emerging writers?
Lance encourages emerging writers to focus on writing compelling stories that they are passionate about. He suggests that they should not be afraid to explore their own experiences and to create characters who are flawed and relatable. He also emphasizes the importance of being able to discard precious ideas and embrace constructive criticism.
Show Notes
TSL WORKSHOPS EMAIL LIST: www.thescreenwritinglife.co/workshops
Friend of the show Dustin Lance Black is back to talk about the central lynchpin of a great film: the protagonist. Lance is known for his complicated heroes (often real people) who draw us in and don't let go. Today, we discuss how to draw a protagonist that will hold an audience's attention, and perhaps more importantly, what to avoid so that same audience won't lose interest.
Table of contents
United States
