A COLLECTION OF RULES OF DRAMATURGY

          1.“A gun in the first act always goes off in the third” is an oldie but a goodie. Anytime a gun is exposed in the first act of a film or play, you can be sure that it will go off in the third act. See “La Ceremonie.”

Donald Trump's primary campaign and subsequent win also proves this rule, albeit, in the realm of politics.

As we witness with Donald Trump’s victory, everything he promised early in his campaign has come to fruition.

This trope is attributable to Anton Chekhov whose “Checkov’s gun” is a dramatic principle (proven many times over in the movies) that “one must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn’t going to go off. It’s wrong to make promises you don’t mean to keep.”

        2. People (characters) are defined by the way they respond to challenges.

Indeed, this fundamental rule is a cornerstone of all dramaturgy, whether of theatrical, filmic, or political structure.

3. There must always be a chase sequence regardless of genre.

Even you are watching a documentary, or a romantic comedy, there must always be a chase sequence, even if it is purely dialogue driven.

4. 99% of all movie storytelling begins with an inciting incident.

The "inciting incident" kicks into the direction of the story when an "inciting incident" turns he/she 180 degrees into the direction of the story.

5. The protagonist must make a crisis decision to resolve the story.

See "The Marriage of Maria Braun" (streaming on FilmStruck). Movies (such as Westerns) that used the threadbare trope of a cavalry rescue committed a dramatic crime commonly referred to as "deus ex machina" (or "the ghost in the machine).

A small request: Help keep Cole Smithey writing reviews, creating video essays, and making podcasts. Click on the button to pledge your support through Patreon, and receive special rewards!