Intensity of Conflict in Animation Story Writing

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Well come back guys , few minutes ago we learned ,

1. Intensity of Conflict depends on Character and it works on two levels Physical and Emotional
2. We learned the Basic Loop of Change, at every iteration intensity increases
3. Intensity of Conflict is directly proportional to the Urgency to solve the Conflict
4. Comfort Zone of Character
5. Three Golden Rules for Decision making (Focus-Meaning-Action)

Now we are going to learn the core important tool, when you will learn this, you will notice it in every best movie and you will also able to apply in your story too.

Imagine a pyramid , its Pyramid of Transformation

5. Environment/Atmosphere (Top of Pyramid)

4. Do

3. Capability

2. Belief-Values

1. Spiritual (Bottom of Pyramid)

During following process , at each level he is asking The Three Golden Questions consistently.

5. Environment

So when change Occurs character tries to create The familiar Environment, which he has in his Comfort Zone,

He says to himself, “okay, its change , but if I create my usual Environment , it will be alright”

He will try to behave as if its normal , but guess what it doesn’t work ..

4. Do

So he will say to himself, “ okay , I can’t create the Environment but I know what I can do”

So he will do what he usually do in such situation ,

Guess what , this  also wont work.

3. Capability

He will say to himself, “What I usually do its not working , but I know what I’m capable of , I can do this , I can turn this around!!”

He tries hard , to make it work.

But it doesn’t work ,life is not that easy ,

Now his morale is getting down , he still don’t want to give up

2. Belief-Values

He says to himself, “ now what I do, is not working, my capability is not working , but I believe that someone else have turn around this or I believe if I do this other way and don’t give up it will definitely work out”

He have some references in past , or from he seen somewhere , and he has belief system so he thinks he kept moving forward in this new way it will work out , but again it doesn’t.

1. Spiritual

Now its crisis,

He says to himself, “oh lord , everything is falling apart , my capability , beliefs aren’t working , what should I do!”

He is calm , he is now empty vessel.

At this Spiritual level , it doesn’t mean just God , it can be Nature , or even the character himself .

The spiritual is the part that has immense potential , those are beliefs too but they have no references , no supporting legs.

Like if I ask you , is there God and you have your own concept of GOD , its true for you , even you don’t have real references to back that idea up, but deep down we believe there is one energy behind every living thing.

Same applies to the beliefs about the character himself, which is his identity

And when the character is  in this Spiritual level , thinking about problem in totally different perspective, he taps into Great deep unimaginable potential inside. He discovers new energy within.

And now he step through all levels again , but he has transformed

His beliefs change , his values change

He realize his true capability

Now  what he does  is special

Now he have created new Environment for himself

And finally he Solves the Conflict ,

His Comfort zone gets expanded.  He becomes bigger than his problems.

See when I was going down the pyramid from Environment  to Spiritual,

The intensity of Conflict was increasing .

Finally at last level he transforms , steps up in each level and finally conquers that Conflict

That’s how my friends Intensity of Conflict increases and the Character Finally discovers his true potential and wins over the conflict.

So for the whole movie , sequence is like this

SET UP + CONFLICT = level 5-4-3-2-1

Conflict reaches at its peak

RESOLUTION= level 1-2-3-4-5 .

THE END

Now take movie examples and it will be even more clear .

In Kung fu panda

When Poo gets selected as Dragon Warrior

Environment

1. His environment changes , in training he tries to create  the familiar environment with others but everybody ignores him

Do

2.He tries to fight like he used to in his dreams , in funny way it doesn’t work

Capability

3. He thought he was capable of until he realizes he have to stop Tai Lung and he tries to run.

Beliefs-Values

4. Deep down he believes he can make it work , he works hard until he founds that there is nothing in that Dragon Warriors Scroll for him

Spiritual

5. He gives up , he realizes he is just normal , not special and not Dragon Warrior, and he is blank , and then he realizes that there is no Magic Ingredient , and You have to believe that there is and make it special.

Beliefs-Values

6. His beliefs change about himself,  he realizes he is Dragon Warrior

Capability

7. His capability changes, he knows that he can Stop Tai Lung

Do

8.His Actions change

Environment

9. His environment changes

The End

Now lets look at

Master Shifu

1.When Master Oogway chooses Poo as Dragon Warrior , Shifu gets a naive  student , who is cranky , fat, crazy , funny with no quality of Warrior,  he tries to be with him like he behave with others but it doesn’t work

2. He teaches Panda like he usually teaches other students , that even doesn’t work

3. First he thought that if Master Oogway thinks that I can teach him , then I may be capable of teaching Poo too , so accepts Poo as student

4. When Oogway dies and until now he was believing that somehow he and Oogway will make Panda as Dragon warrier , but when Poo tries to run , he even finally gives upon his beliefs too

5. Then he realize he cant do anything , without Oogway and he is blank , helpless and he remembers the Words of Oogway, “There are no accidents” .

Now he believes in the words ,which has no references for him , until he sees Poo eating the Monkeys Food ,

Master Shifu  Transforms

6. He realizes he can make it happen, he now believes “there are no accidents”

7. He realizes his capability , he realizes he can teach Fat Panda

8. Now what he does is Unconventional , new way to teach Panda

9. He creates the environment that will able let him coach Panda very effectively , finally he achieves it and makes Panda a Dragon Worrier

THE END

In Toy Story

1. Buzz thinks he’s on different planet , he tries to behave like he is in space
2. He acts with Gadgets like as if they are real
3. They don’t work , but he thinks he has the capability to destroy Zerg
4. Then he realizes after seeing advertisement (Not a flying Toy), he is toy and no special, no real space ranger, still he believes he can jump out the window , it doesn’t work , and his identity , beliefs get lost
5. He is blank vessel, acts like a looser , and tells Woody that , for the first time he is thinking , and Woody was right all the way .

And he is just meaningless toy.

But then Woody convinces him , that Being a toy is way more special than being a space ranger, because there is kid in that house who loves you more than anything in the world.

At this point its virtual reference for Buzz ,and when he sees the name of ANDY on his shoe , he is in spiritual level , he feels amazing connection between Him(Buzz) and Andy , a spiritual connection.

And he Transforms!

1. His beliefs change about him being a Toy
2. He realizes his true capability , and removes Woody from box.
3. He acts differently
4. He creates now different environment , not the previous of Space but the real Environment

THE END

If you watch any great movie  Up, Meet The Robinsons , Cars, Ratatouille, Incredibles,Coraline any awesome movie that touched you emotionally it goes through this Pyramid

5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5

From 5 to 1 the intensity of Conflict increases and 1-5 character transforms and wins over the Challenge.

In Up , when Russell leaves and Mr. Frederickson is alone seeing the Elley’s Diary , he have reached up to level 1 i.e. Spiritual and when he sees all the Diary ..

He realizes the amazing connection between him and Kavin – Russell-Dug.

You can see him transforming, at that moment , his back spine becomes straight , its like he have got new energy.

Guys If you see any movie, and that didn’t touch you emotionally it’s only because they didn’t go through pyramid overall for their characters.

We have discussed so much , I hope that will help you lot , and don’t read this stuff , apply to any movie you will watch , apply to your favorite movie , don’t just buy it because I’m saying . try it.

And this Pyramid Concept, I have learned from our Coach Tony Robbins.

Guys please give your feedback.. What you liked in article?  Or where should I improve? Or anything that you want to see in next articles…

So here guys  I’m signing off, see you next time , until then

Keep Animating .. Keep contributing .. Keep Growing

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Mahesh