Storyform for "Donnie Darko"

CHARACTER DYNAMICS:

• MC RESOLVE: Change
• MC GROWTH: Stop
• MC APPROACH: Be-er
• MC PROBLEM-SOLVING STYLE: Intuitive
• IC RESOLVE: Steadfast

PLOT DYNAMICS:

• DRIVER: Action
• LIMIT: Timelock
• OUTCOME: Failure
• JUDGMENT: Good

MAIN VS. IMPACT STORY (Fellow victims of Time bubble)

• THROUGHLINE: Situation
• CONCERN: The Past
• ISSUE: Interdiction vs. Prediction
• PROBLEM: Chaos
• SOLUTION: Order
• SYMPTOM: Thought
• RESPONSE: Knowledge
• CATALYST: Fate
• INHIBITOR: Falsehood
• BENCHMARK: The Present
• SIGNPOST 1: The Past
• SIGNPOST 2: How Things are Changing
• SIGNPOST 3: The Future
• SIGNPOST 4: The Present

MAIN CHARACTER (Donnie Darko)

• THROUGHLINE: Manipulation
• CONCERN: Developing a Plan
• ISSUE: Situation vs. Circumstances
• PROBLEM: Chaos
• SOLUTION: Order
• SYMPTOM: Perception
• RESPONSE: Actuality
• UNIQUE ABILITY: State of Being
• CRITICAL FLAW: Conditioning
• BENCHMARK: Conceiving an Idea
• SIGNPOST 1: Conceiving an Idea
• SIGNPOST 2: Developing a Plan
• SIGNPOST 3: Playing a Role
• SIGNPOST 4: Changing One's Nature

IMPACT CHARACTER (Frank/Gretchen)

• THROUGHLINE: Activity
• CONCERN: Understanding
• ISSUE: Senses vs. Interpretation
• PROBLEM: Speculation
• SOLUTION: Projection
• SYMPTOM: Change
• RESPONSE: Inertia
• UNIQUE ABILITY: Instinct
• CRITICAL FLAW: Sense of Self
• BENCHMARK: Gathering Information
• SIGNPOST 1: Understanding
• SIGNPOST 2: Doing
• SIGNPOST 3: Obtaining
• SIGNPOST 4: Gathering Information

OVERALL STORY (It's a Mad World)

• THROUGHLINE: Fixed Attitude
• CONCERN: Memories
• ISSUE: Suspicion vs. Evidence
• PROBLEM: Chaos
• SOLUTION: Order
• SYMPTOM: Change
• RESPONSE: Inertia
• CATALYST: Truth
• INHIBITOR: Destiny
• BENCHMARK: Contemplation
• SIGNPOST 1: Contemplation
• SIGNPOST 2: Impulsive Responses
• SIGNPOST 3: Innermost Desires
• SIGNPOST 4: Memories

ADDITIONAL STORY POINTS

• GOAL: Memories
• CONSEQUENCE: The Past
• COST: Understanding
• DIVIDEND: Developing a Plan
• REQUIREMENT: Contemplation
• PREREQUISITE: The Present
• PRECONDITION: Gathering Information
• FOREWARNINGS: Conceiving an Idea

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VOCABULARY:

Action: in terms of the Overall plot, actions force decisions

Activity: an activity or endeavor

Actuality: objective reality; the way things are

Be-er: Donnie Darko prefers to work things out internally

Change: an alteration of a state or process

Change: Donnie Darko changes his essential nature while attempting to solve the problem

Changing One's Nature: transforming one's nature

Chaos: random change or a lack of order

Circumstances: an emotional assessment of one's environment

Conceiving an Idea: coming up with an idea

Conditioning: responses based on experience or training

Contemplation: present considerations

Destiny: the future path an individual must take

Developing a Plan: visualizing how an existing idea might be implemented

Doing: engaging in a physical activity

Evidence: information supporting a belief

Failure: the original goal is not achieved

Falsehood: that which has been shown to be erroneous

Fate: a future situation that will befall an individual

Fixed Attitude: a fixed attitude or outlook

Gathering Information: gathering information or experience

Good: Donnie Darko ultimately succeeds in resolving his personal problems

How Things are Changing: the way things are going

Impulsive Responses: innate responses

Inertia: a continuation of a state or process

Innermost Desires: basic drives and desires

Instinct: intrinsic unconditioned responses

Interdiction: an effort to change a predetermined course

Interpretation: determination of possible meaning

Intuitive: Donnie Darko uses intuitive problem solving techniques

Knowledge: that which one holds to be true

Manipulation: a manner of thinking or demeanor

Memories: recollections

Obtaining: achieving or possessing something

Order: a patterned arrangement

Perception: the way things seem to be

Playing a Role: temporarily adopting a lifestyle

Prediction: a predetermination of a future state of affairs

Projection: an extension of probability into the future

Sense of Self: one's perception of oneself

Senses: sensory observations

Situation: a situation or environment

Situation: a logistic assessment of one's environment

Speculation: an extension of possibilities into the future

State of Being: one's true nature

Steadfast: Donnie Darko ultimately retains his essential nature

Stop: regarding Donnie Darko, the audience is waiting for something to end

Suspicion: questioning or forming a belief based on new evidence

The Future: what will happen or what will be

The Past: what has already happened

The Present: the current situation and circumstances

Thought: the process of consideration

Timelock: the story climax is brought about by a time limit

Truth: that which is actually correct

Understanding: appreciating the meaning of something