Meet the Hero in Stasis

Tony Stark is glib, arrogant, and a war profiteer. And the perfect Protagonist.

I don't believe stories should be written strictly according to formulas - but writing according to structures that have been established can be helpful to a script when needed.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let's talk about introducing a Protagonist!

In the beginning of a traditional story arc, for a standalone story or a series, we meet our Protagonist in a state of stasis. What this means is, the hero or heroine is a bit stuck in life. They might be a regular, average person. They might be an extraordinary person. But they are struggling in some way. They're spinning their wheels, whether they know it or not.

In Groundhog Day, Phil Connors is successful, but quite arrogant and disconnected, and full of himself.

In the 40 Year-Old Virgin, Andy is a child in an adult's body.

In Midnight Run, Jack Walsh is cynical and bitter and, though gifted as a bounty hunter, is definitely stuck in a rut.

So we meet the Protagonist, and the might be successful, or not. They might consider themselves happy, or they might not - but they're incomplete.

One way to establish the "before" picture of the Protagonist (that is, before the story will enable them to change into their better self) is to see them at home, at work, and at play. A scene of where and how they operate at work, how they relax, and what their homelife looks like is a shortcut to showing the readers/viewers what this person is all about when the story begins.

Who's your favorite Protagonist?

Some of mine are the ones I've listed. Tony Stark is fantastic…though i might give the edge to Jack Walsh from Midnight Run, because that movie is not as well remembered as it should be, and it's one of my all time faves.

See you next time!

Banes