Writing Drama Movies

Drama Movies are a big writing challenge, because there’s a great deal of confusion about what Drama actually means. The great philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC) used this term for both tragedy and comedy, for example – a definition most people wouldn’t tolerate today. While almost everything is called Drama nowadays, not all narrative forms should be included in this category. Of course, all of the other forms can be dramatized, but they don’t have to be Drama out of the box in order to work. On another note, only the closed form of Drama should actually be considered a genre.

Closed Drama Movies

In the closed Drama, the characters are caught in a system, either mentally and/or phsyically. Their character want is to emancipate themselves from this specific system. If you want to dramatize your story, all you need to do is to apply the unities of time, space and action. In comparison, the open drama tries to break free of this form in any way possible. Any story can potentially be told in an open or closed way.

For a great dramatic script you have to find characters that best represent the system you want to express with your story. You need at least four characters to represent a complete society, anything less might generate a lack in your story. With a main character and three important opponents, you can already create a great deal of complexity.

The Social Drama

In a Social Drama, the system is the social milieu in which the story takes place. The characters in this form are mostly victims of their circumstances. Make sure they are actively working towards their specific want, overcoming their passive or reactive nature:

• DIE FREMDE
• AMERICAN HISTORY X
• GRAN TORINO
• PRECIOUS

The Coming-of-Age Drama

A young protagonist must overcome their childhood value system and grow up. These stories explore what it means to be an adult. This is also called Teenage Drama:

• CRAZY
• REBELS WITHOUT A CAUSE
• AMERICAN GRAFFITI
• THE BREAKFAST CLUB

The Satire

Combining Drama and Comedy, the Satire alternates between serious and comical. False belief systems of all kinds take center stage. In order to achieve what they want, their beliefs lead the characters to do obviously stupid things:

• STROMBERG: DER FILM
• FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
• ANNIE HALL
• SERIAL BAD WEDDINGS

The Black Comedy

Black comedy is another combination of Drama and Comedy. The focus here is on physically destructive systems, such as the Mafia. This genre is often the comical version of the Gangster movie, but any kind of system can be explored:

• BANG BOOM BANG
• GOODFELLAS
• AFTER HOURS
• NETWORK

Sven Eric

A few words about me: As a Writer-Director, I write my own stories. I wrote the eBook The Ultimate Reading Guide for students as a learning aid. I also give Writing Seminars and Film Workshops.