Learn more about Screenplay Systems, Inc. Dramatica Home Page

storysupportrave reviewsproductssitemap
 
What is Dramatica?
Dramatica Theory Book
Dramatica Dictionary
Tip of the Month
12 Essential Questions
Theory FAQs 
Additional Materials 
Contact Us
 

Dramatica Tip of the Month
April 2006

Multiple Impact Characters

Q: Can there be more than one impact character through the arc of the main character's throughline?

A: Absolutely "Yes," you may have more than one Impact Character as your story progresses along.  There are two ways to do this.  The first is to hand-off the duties between players.  This usually happens at act changes but need not.  An example of this type of multiple ICs can be found in "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens.  The "Ghosts" collectively are Scrooge's Impact Character.  You'll notice that the different ghosts never appear together.  This is important to keep from confusing the audience about their function in the story.

 
The other way to have more than one Impact Character is to have the Impact Character represented by a group.  The tricky thing about doing this is that each of the players representing the Impact Character MUST share the same world view or condition and thus have the same impact on the Main Character.  For example, in "The Incredibles," Helen Parr (Elastigirl) is Impact Character to her husband's Main Character.  Their relationship is mirrored by their children, Violet and Dash.  In essence, both the MC and Impact Character throughlines are explored through two players each.  Though this example show two MCs and two ICs, you can easily have one Main Character with multiple Impact Characters.

 

 

Copyright © 1994-2006 Write Brothers, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Based on theories and materials developed by Melanie Anne Phillips and Chris Huntley
Dramatica is a registered trademark of Screenplay Systems Incorporated. Patent #5,734,916; #6,105,046