  Drama
This week: Edited by: Elisa the Bunny Stik  
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| Let's face it. Drama in artistic form took a hit this year. With so much real life drama going on, the audience for serious works has fled to the arms of more lighthearted fare. But have audiences really fled from drama? This newsletter will explore the history of the correlation between drama and the economy. I'll also provide some tips for drama writers to weather the turbulence of the coming year. |
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You don't need me to tell you that people are scared right now. There's a lot of turbulence on the economic and political fronts, two things most people don't normally like to face. So they turn to entertainment to soothe their nerves. This presents a challenge to drama writers, whose works tend to be more profitable when there's a boon. When the economy is on the uptick, people's minds are more relaxed, which means they're more open minded to following serious works. They go to be entertained in one manner (which requires more focused attention and other similar thought processes). A sour economy changes priorities. In times when people debate how to make what money they do have stretch further, they're less likely to stretch their mental muscles with nuanced dramas or more serious tones in flims. Escapism thrives in times of economic recession.
So what exactly counts as escapism? While subjectively defined, there are some common threads. More archetypical themes and characters are featured as archetypes. Plot twists may have less importance than during more bountiful times. Aesthetics are a priority as well. During the Great Depression, films such as The Wizard of Oz delighted the audience. Though dramatic in some ways, the film brightened people's lives with vivid scenery, the archetypical characters (Tin Man, Lion and Scarecrow) that guide Dorothy, who had one clear objective: getting home. With an uncomplicated story set in a colorful land, audiences could sit back and relax, able to ignore the stress of everyday life in a struggling economy. A similar trend can be seen in some of the top grossing movies of this year. Some may argue that some such films were intended for children (Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar 2), but the storylines and construction of these pictures provide sufficient escapism for people of all ages.
On the other hand, the drama that proved profitable this year reflected on our psyches beyond the entertainment level. I read an intriguing article in the San Francisco Chronicle a few days ago which suggested that some of the most popular drama movies this year hinted at something amiss in society. So perhaps on some level we knew things were going to collapse? It's a possibility. Films such as The Dark Knight and Wall-E showed dystopic worlds in which we found ourselves appalled by how people conducted their daily lives and how they treated each other. Society had been negatively tempered by miscalculated human decisions, leading outsiders to defend themselves from others who were morally ambiguous at best (either knowingly or not). As corruption and doubt toward certain individuals' abilities to lead came to a head, people flocked to films that on some level explored the murkiness known as human nature. It might seem counterintuitive at first glance, but think of it this way. How many times have you driven by a car wreck or burned out building and gawked? As terrifying as it might be, such an event fascinates us. It's the same thing with human nature. We shudder to think of how cruel people are, but on a movie screen (which is a safe distance from us) we enjoy getting lost in these characters' words and actions.
With two schools of thought existing on how audiences perceive drama, it can make writers of the genre pause to wonder what they should do. The way I see it, there are plenty of options, and not writing drama isn't one of them. Here are some ways to pass the time and potential pitfalls to avoid.
 Use the time to write drafts. There's no way to know how long the recession will last, but you should have enough time to really learn about your characters. You also have an opportunity to go through multiple drafts and revisions. If it's for a novel, you'll need the time for the one piece. If you're more of a short story writer, you should be able to work on a few pieces and give them lots of attention. By the time the economy picks up, you'll be ready to submit your works.
Do some research. Take a class. Find a subject that interests you and learn more about it. This can center on writing or involve something altogether different (forensics, painting or studying the history of earthenware). You might ask what this has to do with writing. The answer is it has a lot to do with it. With in depth study, you can learn a lot about a subject you wish to incorporate into your stories. This is especially true with crime dramas. Investigation is a complicated process, and the more time you have to learn about what is involved, the richer our writing about the subject becomes. Readers will spend more time wondering if the crime will be solved rather than wondering if a bullet can drive into pavement after being fired from a gun held at a 70 degree angle in the air. (Note: While evidence suggests that could happen, it's a situation that's all too easy to write in an unconvincing manner.)
Keep an eye on the news. By watching what is considered important in society, you might be able to predict the concerns people will have in the future. Consult a variety of sources (newspapers, TV, internet and from a mix of areas) but be sure you can keep all the information straight. If you're new (hardy har har) to regularly observing the news broadcasts, start off with three sources and watch them weekly. Read some articles in depth and find photos whenever possible. When you feel up to it, add more sources to your list. After a while you might start to see patterns in what people consider priorities or what direction certain industries are taking. These patterns can provide characters or plot points for your works.
Try something outside your pet genre. That means hardcore drama writers might want to experiment with romance. Hesitant to leave the drama spectrum? There are lots of subtypes available. Historical dramatists might want to try out true crime. Such departures from your writing modus operandi make you aware of other writing markets, provide your mind a break from the daily grind and can recharge works in your (sub)genre of choice.
Burnt out on writing or research period? Then take a break! Devote a week to not even thinking about projects piling up on your desk. You may think that reading would be a great way to pass the time, but you might want to avoid that as well. It could cause you to feel guilty or depressed about not writing, and you can't quite break that vicious cycle. Instead, focus your energy on something else, such as planning (or taking) a vacation, learning some new recipies, finding ways to improve your day job (if you have one) or do as little as you can manage. Sometimes you just need some time away from writing in general, and with the economy in shambles, not having writing on your mind may help you keep your everyday life from collapsing on you.
There are many reasons a drama writing might not entice as many people to take a look. When they look, they can tell you if there's something in the writing that needs to be fixed. Without that feedback, though, it may be time to temporarily shift tactics. It's important to remember that such a dearth in audience doesn't last forever. What is important is making the most of the opportunities you do have. Those opportunities may not seem as bountiful, but they are certainly out there. Just keep an eye out for them and remember that the drama audiences will one day be back for more.
Until next time,
(sig by SilverV) |
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Yay, feedback! I love feedback! Let's take a look at your thoughts on talking to your characters (and more importantly, having them talk to you).
From Mark  : Writing is so very much about understanding. Every little bit of how you perceive, and use that to enhance your own writing is in itslef, a great bit of advice. Thank you for pointing out a resource we all have, and could also use to enhance our writing.
Thanks, Mark! I know it might be hard to laugh right now for some people, but surely we've had lots of reasons to laugh in the past. If we can access those memories, we can adapt that to our writings to make them more accessible to readers.
From Robert Waltz  : Good work on promoting comic relief in dramatic narratives, Stik. I'm of the opinion that it's a rare work indeed that shouldn't have at least a touch of comedy in it. A boring one, too. And sometimes, all you have to do is throw in a duck.
And these days we can use all the laughs we can get! What amuses me the most is when the line itself is not that funny, but the context and/or delivery have me laughing. Puns do well for this type of comic relief. Don't you think?
When I return in 2009, I'll be looking at the line between realistic drama, melodrama and soap operas. Have you ever crossed that line without planning to? Trying to not get them all mixed up? What is the difference, anyway? Feel free to share your experiences with these nuances of drama, and it's freeportfolio exposure for you in the next issue.
And if you happen to miss or misplace a newsletter, feel free to stop by "The Drama Box" [13+]. |
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Drama: December 24, 2008 Issue [#2785]
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