  Drama
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| I've been threatening it for months, and it has finally arrived. What am I talking about? My Iraq War-based drama newsletter. However, this newsletter will be taking a look at the Iraq War as portrayed in fictional works, which seems to be a road not traveled much. One day, it will provide the setting for more fiction, but for now, one question stands. How is it being portayed now? What is the motivation behind the fiction being written about this particular time in human history? I don't know all the answers, but I would like to share some possibilities with you. |
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bazilbob made a comment a few months ago about discussing the Iraq War in an issue of the newsletter. This actually gave me an idea: to discuss the common traits of fictional stories from and/or based on the Iraq War. Thing is, fiction regarding Iraq is currently quite scarce. So I've decided to figure out why that is and what writing lessons we can learn from this body of factors.
 FACTOR ONE: TIMING I think this one is kind ofobvious, but in some writers' minds, it's not. SInce we are bowel deep in the conflict, there comes a point at which people become overwhelmed with anything pertaining to the Iraq War. This is particularly true if several movies pertaining to the topic are released at the same time. Okay, Rendition isn't strictly about the Iraq War, but it was released in the same three week time period as In the Valley of Elah. Not coincidentally, they were released close to the time that other Oscar bait movies were released, but that's a whole different newsletter. Anyway, when a nation is at war, the nation's citizens crave entertainment in fiction, and fictional works made about the war during the war are not designed to be entertainment pieces. This even applies to Casablanca, which was tailored (in a subtle way) to encourage general support for the United States to get involved in World War II. The difference between Casablanca and the Iraq War movies is that the former actually made something of an effort to entertain people, while the veil of entertainment is shredded with the latter films.
 LESSON When you set your story during a time of conflict, you do so at your own risk. Be prepared for accusations of supporting a particular agenda even if you make every effort to be neutral in your story. For that matter, prepare to have a very small audience. When I was looking for Iraq War fiction on the site, I noticed many of them had been on the site for a year or more yet had no ratings. That said, you can certainly still write a story pertaining to the war. In fact, if it's still going on, you can take your time to revise and research various aspects of your piece.
FACTOR TWO: WHO WILL TALK? Admittedly, you might run into some difficulty with research if you decide to talk directly to people who were involved in combat or were present at the war zone. Some people will be able to talk about their experiences, but others might hesitate. This is especially true if they witnessed particularly brutal events or had to committ actions that were contrary to their beliefs/personalities. Some people might be ashamed to discuss their actions, while others may still be dealing with various traumas connected to their time abroad. In the case of the Iraq War, some soldiers may not even be allowed to discuss what they experienced while in Iraq. In any case, people who are willing to discuss their experiences might be hard to find during the conflict. People tend not to really open up until the conflict has been resolved.
LESSON With this kind of research, you can either wait or expand your research possibilities. Historical dramas, especially those pertaining to war, benefit from extensive research to ensure accuracy. Even if the plot seems a little out there, accuracy in setting and other details can help readers (or viewers) suspend disbelief. With that in mind, if someone isn't willing to talk about his or her experiences, ask if he or she knows anyone that might be willing to talk to you. Likewise, research other aspects of the story, especially setting. Learn about the geography of Iraq to give you an idea of how to develop the setting. Find out what other military bases are in the area. Look for written accounts by those in combat, doing contract work or even Iraqi civilians. Read up on the equipment used by various military forces invovled. While nothing beats a firsthand account where you can take notes and quotes, you can develop other aspects of the story through reading and a little investigation of your own. Just remember to look for sources that talk about the actual conditions (boots on the ground, if you will) without drawing oversimplified conclusions. Try this on for size.
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FACTOR THREE: ACCURACY WOES (Warning: Spoilers for In the Valley of Elah lie ahead!) Tying into the second factor, there are some things that might stick out to the reader/viewer if there appears to be anything amiss in a work. For example, Hank Deerfield snuck his son's cell phone out of the fort even though he was told he could not take any of his son's possessions. I might have let this go, except it was a pivotal point in the film. However, with it being an Army fort, I would expect at least slightly stricter security standards, meaning he'd be searched for contraband. Odds are good I'm off on this, as I've never been on an Amry base in my entire life. However, what threw me was the entire execution of the scene, in particular Hank's covering up of his stealing. Even if he could have taken that cell phone without anyone noticing, the scene could have been constructed so that Hank was more subtle about it. Though this action does serve a purpose in the film, I can see why this potential inaccuracy might send people away from the film. If something that detail-oriented has the chance to throw a reader/viewer, imagine what would happen if the setting was not properly depicted or a person from Louisiana has a thick Arkansas accent despite being a native of the former state. Trust me. I've seen this happen all too often.
LESSON This truly applies to all forms of fictional writing in which research is involved. Here, if you can duplicate the situation and experience it yourself, do it (as long as it doesn't result in bodily and/or property damage). However, if it's too legally ambiguous for you or otherwise impossible, run it by people who would know the answer. Wondering what kinds of long term effects would linger after a particular injury? Ask a surgeon. Unsure how someone could cross rocky terrain when not in peak shape? Consult someone who is involved in rock climbing. For getting a grasp on an accent, you could always posted a wanted ad on Craigslist for an audio file of someone from a particular area speaking (either your material or whatever they come up with). Likewise, if you really want to be accurate, get a second (or even third) opinion. You cover all bases and can get a more comprehensive idea of how a situation would pan out under certain circumstances.
FACTOR FOUR: EXECUTION IS KEY Outside of inaccuracies, sometimes a piece just isn't written in the clearest manner. While drama is a pretty versatile in regards to narrative structure, war drama is a definite exception to this rule. War dramas demand a more linear narrative structure without a lot of hidden details. Sure, you can throw in a motif or two that extends throughout the piece. However, the modern storytelling trend of throwing out some random scenes in the beginning and waiting until nearly the end of the work to connect them is not good for war dramas. (If anyone wants to send this to Paul Haggis, feel free.) War drama requires more focused attention than other dramas, and adding such narrative change-ups can really challenge the audience. I think I have a pretty good attention span and can enjoy a piece in which the narrative structure isn't quite linear. However, some works challenge even my attention span. I know I'm referencing this movie a lot
| but to be fair, I rewatched it last night, so it's fresh in my mind |
LESSON Don't get too fancy (unless you really think you can pull it off). Think of it this way. The time spent researching the piece will make up for the time spent on creating a complex plotline/narrative structure. If you want to do something more involved, run it by a few people you know with varying attention spans. That way, you can get an idea of how a larger audience would respond to the piece. More to the point, you'll see how much of an audience you would get with the piece written in a particular way. I'd also recommend writing two or three drafts before trying out something non-linear. That way, you get a should idea of what events will take place before showing the hows and whys. After a couple drafts, you may find that a simpler narrative structure may be more effective than turning your work into a puzzle.
With these factors in mind, try to remember a few things. It may not seem okay to write about the Iraq War while it's being fought, but that perception is not something you can control. People are burnt out on (mis)information about the war, what with the presidential election and wariness regarding media coverage (or lackthereof, depending on your point of view). However, it's not a crime, and there is a lot of poignant story material related to the event. If you decide to take on the Iraq War in your next fiction piece, just remember to do your research and focus on the story itself. You can always use the story to communicate a point, but try not to make that point the whole reason you're writing the story.
Until next time,
(sig by Feywriter  ) |
Wow. Compared to Writing.com, the movie world is rife with Iraq War-based (fiction) feature films! I was able to find some items pertaining to this particular conflict, though. I also included a couple geenral war drama pieces as well.
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Yay, feedback! I love hearing from you, the readers (although I'm shaking my head at the fact that my guest stint for the Romance/Love newsletter generated more feedback than my previous drama newsletter). Keep the comments coming! In the meantime, allow me to show you what I found this week.
From bazilbob: Great newsletter about reviewing scripts. It's also really important to consider whether or not the script format is suitable to the piece. I once came across a situation where, when the author was asked why they wrote a play instead of a story, they couldn't think of a good reason, other than that's what they wanted to do. I think it's really important to ask writers why they make certain choices when reviewing, as they might have an excellent reason, but they might not have given it much thought.
Thank you for an interesting and useful newsletter
Louise
And thank you, Louise, for bringing up an excellent point. Sometimes a script is not the best way to tell a story, especially if the writer doesn't quite have the story formulated in his or her head. Scripts demand much more precision in the story arc, and outlines are practically required for them. If it seems the story meanders without a concrete end of sorts, the writer might be able to work with the story more if it's in prose form. A fair number of original scripts are written first in prose before being transcribed for the stage/screen.
From Starr* Rathburn : Stiks, your article on reviewing scripts was excellent. I didn't realize so much was involved. You gave many excellent tips for screenwriters. *applause!*
Well, Starr, I could go into a lot more detail, but I've already done enough to put most of the readers to sleep.  Still, there's plenty to look for in scripts, but I think you can find the same amount of criteria in reviewing any other type of written work. The difference is since reviewing scripts isn't exactly an everyday activity, you probably have to think more consciously about the different elements of a script. Not only that, but scripts are not the best pieces for only offering general comments that a quantity review would offer. Wonder what I mean about a quantity review? This link ought to explain it. "Two Types of Reviews - by Arwee"
From StephBee - House Targaryen  : Good tips on how to review scripts. Thanks for sharing.
And thank you for the comments, Steph. I just hope that most readers weren't overwhelmed by the amount of information.
What's in store for next month? Actually, that remains to be seen. It could pertain to scripts, or I might take on the genre of drama. Maybe I'll share my ScriptFrenzy experiences with you. Perhaps your comments will give me better ideas.  One thing is for sure, though. Be on the lookout for a two part newsletter in June, when I'll be looking at Vietnam War films through two lenses: accuracy and agenda.
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]. |
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Drama: April 16, 2008 Issue [#2345]
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