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NaNoWriMo Prep with Scrivener and Story Grid

Posted on October 28, 2020 by Randy

National Novel Writing Month is upon us! What to do, what to do?

Why, open up your Scrivener program and get to work! What work you ask? Stick with me, I’ll show you the ropes for getting your Scrivener platform comfortable, personal, and ready to go.

I’m going to walk you through personalizing the colors and fonts for your Editor, Inspector, Binder, and Corkboard. Make it your own. Import photos. Choose fonts and colors that calm you, motivate you, and inspire you.

Use the Labels and Status to help plan your strategy to finish your 50,000 words.

Use Keywords to help you track your POVs, Settings, and Sub-plots on the Corkboard and get a bird’s eye view of your whole manuscript.

Use the metadata to outline your scenes before November first.

I made my first YouTube video walking you through Scrivener and showing you how to set up and prepare. Enjoy! I hope I’ve helped you.

Showrunners 034: A Game of Thrones Season 2

Posted on September 26, 2020 by Randy

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What’s the lowdown?

One sentence review from the editors?

Randall: The intertwining storylines are so intriguing. Great setup.

Mel: The Game of Thrones has officially started in this season with everyone wanting to be the next king, no matter who has a right to it and who does not.

Parul: The hunger for power in Season 1 (society genre) continues and kicks off a war.

Downloads

What’s the Global Genre?

In a multi-plotted saga like Game of Thrones, how do you work out the genre and why should you? So why we dissect it is to help us understand why we love it, and why it’s compelling. By analyzing this masterwork, we come to understand how stories are constructed and we might be inspired for our own stories.

How do we determine the genre? One method is to look at the core event of the season. What is the big showdown that happens towards the end of the series? We have the big battle scene, which is the core event for a war story. But we also have an attempted revolution – Stannis tries and fails to overcome the Lannisters. This is the Society genre. Power battles still rein within the Lannister households and amongst every house

We have a range of values that run through the season from victory to defeat.

Of course, there are other storylines going on alongside these:

Horror: (core series storyline): White walkers emerge ready for battle (life/death)
Action: The Stark children are on the run to save their lives. Jon is beyond the wall (against nature – cold, against time – missing uncle, against state – wildlings)
Love: A twisted power/ love game between Melisandre and Stannis Baratheon. Robb Stark falls for Talisa Maegyr, culminating in their secret marriage.

What are the objects of desire?

Lannisters: To win the war and beat down the revolution and to keep Joffrey in power

Renly, Stannis, Daenerys: To gain the throne

Starks: Peace and revenge for the death of Ned Stark

What is the Beginning Hook, Middle Build, Ending Payoff?

Beginning Hook: Tyrion becomes Hand of the King, tries to prepare for war, and rein in Joffrey’s worst instincts. Meanwhile, others lay claim to the throne Renly Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon, Robb Stark sends Caitlyn Stark to broker an alliance with Renly Baratheon. Daenerys is weakened

Middle Build: Robb wins a decisive victory against the Lannisters at the Battle of Oxcross and angers Joffrey. Littlefinger convinces Catelyn to exchange Jamie Lannister for her daughters. Tyrion uses subterfuge to find Wildfire to use in the upcoming battle against Stannis. Daenerys takes refuge in the city of Qarth. Theon betrays the Starks and takes on Winterfell but the children manage to escape.

End Payoff: As Stannis bears down on King’s Landing, Tywin must decide whether to ride for King’s Landing or move against Robb. Tyrion leads the first attack against Stanis but it’s his father Tywin who saves the day and destroys Stannis. The Lannisters form an alliance with the Tyrells through marriage. Daenerys fights and plunders Xaro’s treasure ready to buy ships to sail to Westeros.

What are the Obligatory scenes of the Global Genre (War/ Society)

Editors choose one to discuss. For the full list see the download available.

Randall: Inciting Attack – Rob Stark has numerous victories against Lanisters off-screen
Mel: Protagonists’ initial strategy to outmaneuver antagonists fails: Attempts to trade Jamie for the Stark girls fail because of his escape attempt causing friction between Catelyn and Karstarks. Tywin continues to lose battles to Robb Stark. Half of Stannis’ fleet gets destroyed. Tyrion tries to put pieces in place against Cersei to gain more power over her but gets almost killed in the battle by one of her hired gold cloaks.
Parul: The Big Battle Scene: protagonists’ gifts are expressed or destroyed – Stannis attacks King’s Landing, Tyrion uses wildfire to defend the seas, but Stannis presses his attack on land and Joffrey hides while Tyrion leads a counterattack. Tywin saves the day against Stannis in a last-minute surprise attack

What are the Conventions of the Global Genre

There is one central character with offshoot characters that embody a multitude of that main character’s personality traits – Characters like Davos and Jon Snow are the moral end of the character spectrum, versus Joffrey and Cersei who are power hungry and crazy. We have a full spectrum of characters here.
Big Canvas. Either a wide scope external setting or the internal landscape – The intrigue of the 7 kingdoms and the mystical element of the white walkers who are beyond the wall.
A clear revolutionary Point of No Return. The moment when power shifts must be clearly defined and dramatized – Stannis’ forces are destroyed, he has no navy or army or money.
The vanquished are doomed to exile – Stannis returns to Dragon Rock
The power divide between those in power and those disenfranchised is large – Stannis clearly outnumbered the Lanisters
Ironic win-but-lose/ lose-but-win ending – despite overwhelming forces, Stannis loses and Tyrion’s gallant attempts to save King’s landing are shown up by his father saving the day. The Lannisters win is a blow for the Starks.

What’s the point of view?

The point of view has not changed. Similar to the book of G.R.R. Martin, we use multiple point of view characters. So instead of repeating ourselves, let’s answer a FOCUS Question:

What’s the controlling idea/theme?

War lacks meaning and revolution fails when leaders are obsessed with the game of thrones and fail to address the real enemy (and using dishonourable methods)

Focus on: How to write a series? How to hook a reader/ viewer in the first episode/ chapters?

Mel: As mentioned in the last episode, I think GOT captured the viewer so well because right in the first scene, the show revealed the truth about the existence of those mysterious creatures, later called the White Walkers. We as viewers know the rumors are true and we know the ultimate danger lies beyond the Wall, but we have to witness how all the forces play their game of thrones instead without paying attention to what’s happening. So using Dramatic Irony, when the viewer knows more than the characters, was an amazing choice to hook the viewers into this series. As well as not dealing primarily with the fact to what the viewer has become witness to – just revealing it piece by piece over time.

Randall: It’s a good idea to plan the series out through the number of books – and by that I mean, plan what the big reveals are in each book, the important events and the main points of conflict, and do the setups for the big reveals.

What was your favorite part?

Leave your answer in the comments.

Randall: Tyrion stepping up and taking charge of the defense of the castle.

Mel: When we finally see a part of the army of the dead. Because we have spent one entire season seeing all those lords playing their game of thrones while the real threat becomes more and more imminent. And seeing the dead army was just such a great cliffhanger for the next season.

Parul: Tyrion playing political games with Baelish

Thanks for joining us and we’ll see you next time.

Showrunners 033: Game of Thrones Season 1

Posted on September 1, 2020 by Randy

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What’s the lowdown?

This is a series with a mini-plot, multiple characters that each pursue their own storyline but come together for a larger story arc. In this first season of Game of Thrones, you’ll see multiple storylines weaving together. But the value at stake is power – the clue is in the name: the Game of Thrones. This is closely linked to the action genre with its values of life and death. And you’ll see other genres laced throughout which we will share in our show notes.

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One sentence review from the editors?

Randall: This is really one of my favorite series, and the screenwriters did such a great job with the first season. It’s a great example of how to write a screenplay from a really excellently written book series. And the author (George R. R. Martin) did such a great job connecting the plotlines throughout the books/ seasons. This had to take so much planning, Harry Potter level planning.

Mel: Awesome fantasy story masterpiece with very deep, three dimensional characters, an amazing story and throughout plotline, as well as the best title music and video.

Parul: It is Society Genre combined Action at its best, everybody wants power and everybody will die.

What are the Editor’s Six Core Questions?

It’s a great way to analyze any story and figure out if it works. Here are the questions. We’ll touch on them in this podcast, but the full notes can be downloaded afterward.

What’s the genre?
What are the conventions and obligatory scenes for that genre?
What’s the Point of View?
What are the objects of desire?
What’s the controlling idea/theme?
What is the Beginning Hook, the Middle Build, and Ending Payoff?

What’s the Global Genre?

Mel: GOT consists of such a huge landscape of plotlines and characters that it is really hard to boil down to one external genre.

If you ask yourself this question, you need to know first: Who is your main character? If you just watch Season 1, you might have thought it was Ned Stark until he was beheaded. You now realise that every character in GOT may die.

If you have already watched the entire series, you know that the story revolves around Jon Snow. Internally I think it’s a Status Admiration Story for him because he is able to adapt his worldview with the new information that presents itself.

Status Admiration: When a sympathetic protagonist with nobility of character and motive, along with a sophisticated worldview, encounters misfortune they will rise in spite of it.

For the global external genre, I’d say it’s horror. But that seems most valid if you take Jon Snow as your main character and look at GOT across all seasons.

For season 1, I’d say it’s more a society story turning around power and impotence mixed with life and death stakes.

Parul: It’s not uncommon for a series to have an overarching storyline and for each season to have another. In Season 1, we see the House of Lannister against the House of Stark. This is about power and impotence, and each character’s position of power or lack of power is closely linked to the threat to life they face.

They are playing a game of thrones, but with drastically different positions of morality. Ned Stark’s principled position leads him to make the wrong move, and he is killed. He was attempting a revolution, but he failed. This is the Society genre with the values of Action and morality close by.

Ned Stark is the main character for us, BUT we do see the children in the beginning of an Action story (inciting attack, hero at the mercy of the villain) and we see the Northerns including Rob Stark and Daenerys Targaryen preparing for war.

What are the objects of desire?

Starks: To have justice restored and power shifted to the rightful heir

Lannisters: To have power and get the throne

Daenerys: To have power and get the throne

What is the Beginning Hook, Middle Build, Ending Payoff?

BEGINNING HOOK

Parul: It’s tricky to know what to cover. There are so many things happening. We start the series with the men mysteriously killed and this is the Inciting Incident for the Series and the horror genre, but in this specific season we’re tracking Ned Stark as a Society Story.

Inciting Incident:

Society (core season storyline): King Robert Baratheon, Ned’s old friend, travels to Winterfell after the death of Jon Arran. Ned and Catelyn prepare for his arrival and suspect he wants to recruit him for the Hand. (Episode 1) (power/impotence)

Other storylines are also kicked off in the beginning:

Horror (core series storyline): Men mysteriously killed North of the Wall (Episode 1) (life/death)

Action: To hide their incest, Jaime pushes Bran from the high window.

War/Love: Daenerys is forced to marry the Dothraki warlord, Drogo, in exchange for an army to conquer Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne

Progressive Complications: Jamie pushes Bran from the tower when Brandon sees Jamie with Cersi, Brandon doesn’t die and an assassin is sent to kill him, Lady Stark travels to tell Ned of her suspicions, the Night’s Watch recruits are not what Jon Snow thought it would be, Sansa betrays Arya

Turning Point Progressive Complication: Ned Stark discovers that Jon Arran was murdered. (Episode 1) (life/death)

Crisis: Does Ned Stark still assume the role of the Hand of the King knowing that his life might be in danger or stay safe but leave the King without a trusted Hand? (Episode 1)

Stakes: Ned senses that something is happening, Winter is Coming – if he leaves, he won’t be able to protect his family and the Northern Kingdom. If he doesn’t go, he will be turning down his friend and his king, and he knows he is probably the best person to talk sense into his friend and advise him for the sake of the 7 Kingdoms (not drive the 7 kingdoms into war again) (life/ death)

Climax: He agrees to become the Hand of the King. (Episode 1)

Resolution: He begins to see how much power the Lannisters have over the king and the 7 kingdoms (debt, Cersei’s influence over the king when she insists that Arya’s wolf be killed) (Episode 2 and 3) and becomes entangled in the political games of the court

MIDDLE BUILD

Inciting Incident: Ned Stark discovers that John Arryn might have been killed (E4)

Progressive Complications: Ned discovers the bastards, clues to the mythical White Walkers returning in the North, Brandon almost killed by brigands, Brandon has visions, Daenerys becomes empowered and her brother is killed and she becomes pregnant, Robert orders Daenerys’ death, Mormont betrays and saves Daenerys, Bronn saves Tyrion and starts working for him, Catelyn kidnaps Tyrion, Ned confronts Cersei about her children

Turning Point Progressive Complication: King is dying from a hunting wound (E7)

Crisis: Does Ned Stark confront Cersei and Joffrey or swear fealty to Joffrey and leave King’s Landing? (E7)

Stakes: If he does not try to assume his role as “Protector of the Realm”, the kingdom will be left in the Lannister hands who he sees as the wrong heirs since Joffrey is a bastard son of his mother and her brother. If he stays, he puts himself and his daughters in danger.

Climax: Ned refuses to show fealty, shows them the document signed by King Robert and declares Joffrey is not the rightful heir (E7)

Resolution: Ned Stark is taken prisoner and all his men are killed (E7)

ENDING PAYOFF

Inciting Incident: Rob Stark finds out about his father’s death and assembles his armies to fight the Lannisters (E8)

Progressive Complications: Jamie is captured, Drogo gets sick and dies, Daenerys loses her baby, Lannisters lose fight with Rob Stark

Turning Point Progressive Complication: Sansa gets Joffrey to agree to show Ned mercy if he admits publicly that Joffrey is the rightful king (E8)

Crisis: At his public execution, does Ned Stark admit that Joffrey is the rightful heir and abandon his principles? Or risk death and stay principled? (E9)

Stakes: Sansa and Ned’s death if he does not agree; if he agrees, then the truth will be hidden and he might die anyway or at least be assigned to the Night’s Watch

Climax: Ned confesses his crimes and publicly swears fealty to Joffrey (E9)

Resolution: Ned is killed anyway, Sansa is captive, Arya escapes, Tyrion is made Hand of the King, Daenerys emerges from the fire with Dragons (E9 and 10)

What are the Obligatory scenes of the Global Genre (Society)

Editors choose one to discuss. For the full list see the download available.

Mel: There is an inciting threat or challenge to the reigning power: Ned Stark discovers that the death of Jon Arran was murder, that the Lannisters are seeking power
Randall: During an All-Is-Lost Moment, the protagonists realize they must change their approach in order to shift power from the antagonist to themselves: In person, Ned Stark realises that he and his family will die unless he pledges loyalty to Joffrey
Parul: The protagonists’ gifts are expressed in the Revolution Scene. (Core Event) This is the Core Event and Climax of the Society story where the power either changes hands from the subjugators to the subjugated (protagonists succeed) or the subjugators remain in power (protagonists fail). The winner and the loser are made clear: Ned Stark confesses to his crime in front of the audience, and Joffrey still orders his execution.

What are the Conventions of the Global Genre

Editors choose one to discuss. For the full list see the download available.

Parul: There is one central character with offshoot characters that embody a multitude of that main character’s personality traits ( the mini-plot). In Game of Thrones we have the full cast of characters in each family. E.g. Starks: Ned Stark is one of the main characters (steady, warrior), Catelyn Stark (emotional, impulsive), Arya Stark (rebel, fighter), Sansa Stark (obedient, power seeker), Rob Stark (King in Waiting), Jon Snow (black sheep of family, honourable, noble)
Randall: There is a “big canvas:”: Winter is coming, Whitewalkers are returning, political game of thrones
Mel: The power divide between those in power and those disenfranchised is large and evident to the audience: The hunger for power is evident, we see how badly treated prostitutes and lesser men are treated. The ease at which life is discarded shows the power divide.

What’s the point of view?

Mel: Multiple point of view characters are needed to tell a story that is so complex and stretches over many regions, houses, schemes, and overall history.

Still, I’d like to point out something GOT makes a lot of use of Dramatic Irony.

Here’s an example:

The first episode starts with the encounter of men from the Night’s Watch with a White Walker. One guy survives and deserts the Night’s Watch and flees south. He is ultimately killed for deserting the Night’s Watch because his news of the undead walkers sounds like an old tale. No one believes him. Something the people from the North have stopped believing in, and his news won’t influence their judgment.

Even though that moment is not the inciting incident of the story itself, it is an inciting incident for the viewer because we are indeed witnesses to the existence of the White Walkers. We have seen them, too! We know what the deserter talked about is true. So the GOT story uses Dramatic Irony a lot. Dramatic irony is when the viewer knows more than the characters because we are witness to the schemes and actions of many characters!

The inciting incident for the story that is wrapped up between the seasons could be the death of the Hand of the King because with that the whole drama starts unfolding.

Randall: Other examples are the fact we know who pushed Bran out the window, but the characters spend the whole first season trying to figure it out and they never actually do, which is part of the narrative drive of the next season.

The screenwriters do a great job intertwining the pieces of the puzzle – The writers could have given us that first scene with the White Walkers and not directly connected it to the deserter being killed, that would have been a weaker version of dramatic irony.

What’s the controlling idea/theme?

We gain or maintain power and save our families’ lives when we prove our ruthlessness, status, and authority through bloodshed and political bargaining.

What was your favorite part?

Randall: I like the dragon reveal at the end. I was so surprised when Ned got killed.

Mel: Too many to count, but seeing how huge that Wall is was truly amazing because it reveals an undeniable threat to what might lay beyond.

Parul: After all the bloodshed and loss, it’s wonderful to see Daenerys rise from subjugated to power.

Next series:

Game of Thrones 2

Showrunners 032: Ozark Season 3

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Randy

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This week, the Story Grid Showrunners watch the THIRD season of the Netflix TV Series OZARK – a thrilling story about Marty and Wendy Bryde who are forced to run to the Ozarks to launder money to save their and their family’s life. In this season, the Navarro cartel is at war with the Laguanas Cartel and the fight spills over on US soil. Wendy has decided to expand the business for Navarro, her brother Ben starts to cause trouble and Navarro’s right-hand woman, Helen starts to doubt their ability to run the operation. It’s a brilliant combination of a thriller with a cautionary tale, with morality interlaced.https://player.simplecast.com/fa59446a-7a6f-4748-ad3f-9fd6f8f6948b?dark=false

Access the full range of our Showrunners’ Bonus foolscaps and Editor’s 6 Core questions for the following series: Killing Eve, Witcher, You, Umbrella Academy and Ozark.

What’s the lowdown?

Randall: I totally understand the hype on this series, I can’ believe it took this long for me to watch it. It just keeps getting better.

Parul: This show is getting darker and more complex. It’s riveting.

What are the Editor’s Six Core Questions?

It’s a great way to analyse any story and figure out if it works. Here are the questions. We’ll touch on them in this podcast, but the full notes can be downloaded afterwards.

What’s the genre?
What are the conventions and obligatory scenes for that genre?
What’s the Point of View?
What are the objects of desire?
What’s the controlling idea/theme?
What is the Beginning Hook, the Middle Build, and Ending Payoff?
What is the Beginning Hook, Middle Build and Ending Payoff?

What’s the beginning hook, middle build and end payoff?

BEGINNING HOOK

Inciting Incident: The Lagunas cartel attack the Navarro cartel’s operation (Episode 1)
Turning Point Progressive Complication: Wendy tells Narravo she would like to expand his business using the Big Muddy, frustrating Marty (Episode 1)
Crisis: Does Marty support Wendy’s attempt to convince Carl and Anita Knarlson to sell the Big Muddy knowing it will get them more entangled with the cartel or does he support it, humiliation them and also potentially endangering their standing in the Cartel’s eyes. (Episode 2)
Stakes: if Marty supports Wendy, they get more deeply tied to the cartel when he is trying to get away; if he doesn’t support her then they are no longer a team and more vulnerable
Climax: Marty does not support Wendy, tries to undermine her purchase of the new casino by secretly talking Carl into declining.
Resolution: Marty uses Frank Sr to start a fire at the Knarlson’s competitor. Carl hits his wife and kills her (egged on by Wendy’s comment to use any force necessary) (Episode 3)

Editor’s Note: How is all this connected to life and death? Navarro is a cartel drug leader, as we’ve seen when he waterboarded his most trusted lawyer, Helen – he is not all there. If the Navarro empire collapses, Marty sees that as a good thing and maybe they can get away from the cartel, but Wendy is inventing ideas to be closer to the cartel, which is dangerous.

MIDDLE BUILD

Inciting Incident: Cartel kidnaps Marty and tortures him to see if they can launder without him (end of E3 / E4)
Progressive Complications: FBI audit, Ruth attacks Frank Jr, Frank Jr attacks Ruth, Darlene starts building her business again and acquiring allies, Ruth quits, Ben is off his meds and confronts Helen and Erin, Wendy buys the stud farm on Navarro’s instructions
Turning Point Progressive Complication: Navarro gelds the stud horse, ruining Bryde’s reputation (E5)
Crisis: Does Wendy confront Navarro for interfering with their attempt to create legitimate business which threatens their reputation? Or stay safe and keep quiet? (E5)
Stakes: Wendy takes her job seriously and she has a plan for helping Navarro to legitimise his business. His actions have dented her reputation thus putting them at risk of being found out, or shunned locally
Climax: Wendy takes Helen’s phone and confronts him (Ep 5)
Resolution: Navarro puts Wendy in her place, and reminds her of his power and position (Ep 5)

ENDING PAYOFF

Inciting Incident: Helen has Sue killed (E7)
Progressive complications: Ben confronts Helen, Helen goes to FBI with signed confession from Marty (fake)
Turning Point Progressive Complication: Maya calls Marty as he is getting on the plane for Mexico and tells him about the signed confession (E10)
Crisis: Does Marty get on the plane or not?(E10)
Stakes: if he doesn’t get on the plane they will probably kill him and Wendy right there, if he gets on the plane he might be able to talk himself out of getting killed
Climax: Marty is confident in himself to talk his way out of trouble, he gets on the plane with Wendy and Helen to fly to Mexico (Ep10)
Resolution: Cartel kills Helen (Ep 10)

What’s the Genre?

Randall: Thriller, no doubt

Parul: Thriller above all, with a streak of morality

Morality is intertwined in this story in so far that we have a couple who are trying to do the best they can for their family, but in order to keep their family safe, they must sacrifice their morality. In this season, Wendy allows her brother to be killed to save her family.

What are the Obligatory scenes & Conventions of the Global Genre?

Thriller (Global)

Inciting Crime indicative of a master villain – Navarro cartel waterboarding Helen: shows how bad the cartel is
Speech in praise of the villain – consistently showing the far reach of the cartel and what they are willing to do, they even know that Marty is bugging Wendy’s phone
Hero becomes the victim – When Maya calls and tells Marty about the signed confession Helen has
Hero at the Mercy of the villain – Marty and Wendy are at Navarro’s mercy in Mexico
False ending – Helen is killed

What are the Conventions of the Thriller?

MacGuffin – Cartel wants safe, clean money for his family in case he dies
Red Herrings – Helen with signed confession, FBI is the biggest danger/ biggest friend (Maya); Ben as a shapeshifter;
Making it personal – Endangering the Cartel’s money, the Cartel feel threatens
Clock – no time to downgrade the signed confession as they get closer to Mexico; limited time to ingratiate themselves with Navarro after Ben tells Erin what Helen does

Morality (Internal Genre)

The protagonist faces an All Is Lost Moment and either discovers their inner moral code or chooses the immoral path. Whether or not the protagonist ultimately accepts the call depends upon the subgenre, the kind of story you want to tell.

In the last Season Marty faces constant all-is-lost moments – does he kill Mason? In this season Wendy faces an all-is-lost moment, does she allow Ben to be killed by Helen

To illustrate the presence of morality in this story, look at the showdown. What’s the showdown for Morality?

The Showdown – protagonist actively sacrifices self in service of an individual, a group, or humanity (positive) or consciously chooses to remain selfish (negative): Wendy sacrifices her brother for the family.
The protagonist faces literal or metaphorical death and either loses the battle but gains self-respect, meaning, and peace; or wins the battle but loses those things a great sacrifice. In all internal genres, there is a paradoxical ending: Wendy wins the battle to stay in Navarro’s favour but has lost her chance to find peace.

T he complete Editor’s Six Core Questions is available here.

A special focus on: Red herrings & Sub-plots

Red Herrings Definition – distracts the audience with false or misleading clues that bring the spectator to the wrong conclusion. As the reader we are in constant suspense about how Marty is going to die. Who is going to betray him? Will it be Ruth? Will it be Wendy (remember that she dreams of killing him?). Will the FBI take the Byrds down? Will they die in the cross-fire of the Lagunas- Navarro fight?

Red Herrings:

Marty is followed by the Lagunas cartel
Wendy dreams of Killing Marty
Helen asks Ruth if she could run the operation without Marty and Wendy
Helen forges a signed confession for Marty to submit to the FBI
Darlene talks about taking down the Byrds and turns Wyatt against the Byrds

Subplots:

Sue istaking advantage of Wendy and Marty and getting bribes from both.
Ben falls for Ruth, and finally puts a smile on her face but he’s determined to see justice and expose all the lies
Frank Jr continues to threaten the Byrd family

Editor’s Note: I think this is really what makes a good thriller, the ability to have compelling subplots/ red herrings that also have equally life/ death repercussions, but at the same time reminding the viewer/ reader who the real villain is. The cartel is involved throughout the season, as Helen is present in just about every episode, but we never forget that they are the most dangerous player at the table in Marty and Wendy’s lives – they kidnap Marty, they seem to know everything that is going on, they manipulate Wendy (with the horse farm purchase). At the same time, Frank Jr. and the mob are mad at Marty, the other cartel is a danger to Marty (he could get caught in the crossfire), Darlene is becoming more dangerous with every episode, the FBI is hot on Marty’s tail – all of these have life and death endings and they are just as engaging as the main battle between Marty and the cartel. The story would have been so watered-down if these sub-plots weren’t there and not so deadly if it had just been Marty vs. the Navarro cartel.

Compare this to Killing Eve – we keep losing sight of the threat of the 12 and there aren’t many other threats to keep the characters occupied.

Question: Why do we love this series?

Randall: constantly surprising us, can’t predict what’s going to happen next, so many things going on

Parul: The stakes and proximity to life and death are so high, you can’t rest. I’ve heard some people say that it was too gory, gruesome that they couldn’t watch it so it certainly isn’t for everyone but if you like your thrillers hot, it’s brilliant.

What’s the next Series?
Game of Thrones Season 1

Downloads

Editor’s Six Core Questions for Ozark, Season 3

Foolscap for Ozark, Season 3

Showrunners 031: Ozark S2 Analysis and Foolscap

Posted on August 1, 2020 by Randy

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This week, the Story Grid Showrunners watch the second season of the Netflix TV Series OZARK – a thrilling story about an unassuming finance man who is forced to run to the Ozarks to launder money to save his and his family’s life. To make matters worse, the FBI is on his trail, and his family is falling apart. It’s a brilliant combination of a thriller with an underlying story of morality and a portrayal of a marriage under extreme pressure.

Access the SG Showrunners’ Bonus foolscaps and Editor’s 6 Core questions for Killing Eve, Witcher, You, Umbrella Academy and Ozark here.