THE ART OF CREATING EMOTIONS IN YOUR AUDIENCE: AN IDEAL HUSBAND
Oscar Wilde, writer of An Ideal Husband

THE ART OF CREATING EMOTIONS IN YOUR AUDIENCE: AN IDEAL HUSBAND

When you are writing your script or novel or producing your film or television show, what emotions are you wanting to inspire in your audience? Excitement, love, benevolence, anger, fear, horror, tragedy, for example.

All creatives should work out explicitly what they want their audience to think and feel. And then know how to induce these emotional reactions through their writing.

You don’t do this?

Then you are entering the creative arena part blind and will exit it not fully done.

Let’s consider one example of how this emotional “manipulation” was well done.

I recently enjoyed a very well written, produced and directed 1999 feature film adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s classic play, An Ideal Husband. The script was adapted and filmed by Oliver Parker, and starred Rupert Everett, Jeremy Northam, Cate Blanchett, Minnie Driver, and Julianne Moore.?

As just one example of its emotional resonance, during the film and especially in its climax, I felt a range of positive afterglow emotions:

I was feeling benevolent about my fellow humans, after experiencing the conflicts, antics and wit of the high-level human beings in the story. I felt a sense of amused adventure at being in their lively, beautiful, and untainted-by-pain world. I was smiling because the story has some of Oscar Wilde’s very best golden lines, witty aphorisms and ironic comments that were extremely clever and often instructive. I was captivated by the ironies in the well-integrated two main plot lines of a great man wrongly considered an ideal husband, and of his best friend whose great life purpose is to remain single and idle. And I (spoiler!) cheered at the ending when this ideal husband, in fact all the lead characters, pretty much turned out to be good people. I also felt admiration for all the talents associated with this production and its excellent artistic elements. This adaptation of An Ideal Husband is art and benevolence at a mountain peak level. Oh, so very nice to live in a world like that for a while, don’t you think? Such stories as these are those that we remember and revisit!

The Creative Takeaway

I’m not going to go into chapter and verse of how Wilde and the excellent talents involved in this film created those feelings; that is your homework! But here are some hints: Look at the intelligent positive theme, the charming and witty characters, the ingenuity and warmth of the character arcs, and the cleverness and ironies in the plotting.

My specific takeaway to you, dear creative, is two things: If you can, first watch this film as just a pure pleasure of humans and art finding their best selves. Then afterwards recollect the emotions you felt during the film and go back and watch it again and ask yourself during this replay:

What am I feeling, and how was I made to feel this?

After better understanding this writing issue of creating emotions, you may when writing your own stories apply a greater more deliberate skill to manipulate your audience to feel stronger emotions. Isn’t that a vital key to successful storytelling and story experiencing?

Here is the trailer to this enjoyable film adaptation of An Ideal Husband: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST4ne1nVK0w

Scott McConnell, the story guy

Scott McConnell is a story developer and fixer. Write to him at [email protected] so he can help you make your story better resonate with an audience.

About Scott McConnell The Story Guy & His Editing Services

Scott McConnell started in the business in Los Angeles performing script analysis for Samuel Goldwyn, Sundance, Hallmark, Nu Image, and Roger Corman, among others. He ended his producing work in Los Angeles as a showrunner. Scott is now a writer & story consultant.?He supports writers, producers, and directors, as well as production and publishing companies, to develop and improve all forms of stories, but especially scripts and novels. Besides developing and editing individual stories, Scott also offers a Mentorship Program, where he supports creatives to write a story from concept to first draft, while teaching them a writing process of all the key stages of crafting a story. To discuss your story needs write to Scott at?[email protected]

Learn more about what Scott offers as your story consultant.

Book a Consultation with Scott McConnell

To receive expert one-on-one support regarding your story idea, script, or novel or for a specific writing issue book an Internet or email consultation with Scott now via this email address: [email protected]?

To Subscribe

To receive the full text of?The Story Guy Newsletter via email,?click here.

Read My Social Media Posts

Linkedin

Twitter???

The Story Guy: Ideas to Improve Your Stories

#writingtips #writingcoach #screenwriting #author #novel #story

Quentil Pompey

Screen | Tv Writer | Content Creator

2 年

Thanks for this article. I watched the trailer and will definitely watch the movie. Just the clips have me salivating. Inflict emotion in the audience...it's an everlasting task!

I'm a fan of Oscar Wilde's wit so this film is on my watch-next list. But the main reason is to understand how the writer can lift the audience emotion. Last night I was wondering how to build audience emotion while watching 'Thirteen Lives' (The Thai boys & their coach being rescued, against all odds, from a flooding cave). A true story. I wondered why it made me cry. For me, I think it was the rescuers trying to save the boys against all odds. It'd never been done before. The cheering villagers also heightened the emotion.

Doug Mayfield

Writer at --Self employed

2 年

I have not seen the film but I'll check it out. From the way you describe the film, I'd say that Sense and Sensibility (script by Emma Thompson starring her, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rockman directed by Ang Lee) yields similar good emotions.

James McCabe

The Story Doctor - Speaker & Author

2 年

Exellent, Scott.

回复

要查看或添加评论,请登录

Scott McConnell的更多文章

  • Transform Your Screenwriting Journey: One-on-One Coaching

    Transform Your Screenwriting Journey: One-on-One Coaching

    Most aspiring screenwriters spend 5+ years learning through trial and error. In contrast work directly with an…

  • Creating a Story Hook to Grab Producers

    Creating a Story Hook to Grab Producers

    To receive one-on-one support to develop your story premise and hook reply with HOOK. Many experts will advise you that…

    14 条评论
  • Become a Practising Screenwriting Apprentice for 6 Months

    Become a Practising Screenwriting Apprentice for 6 Months

    Most writers struggle because they lack a strategic approach. They start writing without a clear plan, quickly become…

    15 条评论
  • How to Create Gripping Suspense in Your Story

    How to Create Gripping Suspense in Your Story

    Telling a good story is much more than just organizing a series of interesting chronological events. There is the “how”…

    6 条评论
  • Last Chance for 26 Advanced Writing Techniques

    Last Chance for 26 Advanced Writing Techniques

    You have stories to tell. Important ones.

    5 条评论
  • The Two Types of Story Openings

    The Two Types of Story Openings

    This is my last new article for the free Story Guy Newsletter. The free edition will continue but will be monthly…

    10 条评论
  • Create Reaction and Resonance

    Create Reaction and Resonance

    There's a critical gap between writing good stories and writing stories that sell. While talent and passion matter…

    3 条评论
  • SCREENWRITING KNOWLEDGE TEST FOR YOU

    SCREENWRITING KNOWLEDGE TEST FOR YOU

    Knowledge is empowerment. Click here to read about my new Premium Story Guy Newsletter.

    6 条评论
  • HOW TO CREATE A KILLER STORY PREMISE

    HOW TO CREATE A KILLER STORY PREMISE

    Ninety-nine percent of scripts never make it to production because their concepts are too shallow or clichéd. A killer…

    2 条评论
  • 13 pro writing techniques

    13 pro writing techniques

    The journey from talented writer to pro screenwriter requires mastering the craft. The Premium Story Guy Newsletter is…

    7 条评论

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了