HAY GUYS

Timberwolf8889 · Local time: Mar 14, 2009, 11:13 AM

I don't mind having a lot of characters who are interconnected as long as the connection is either strong thematically or in the plot. Depends what kind of story you're trying to tell really...there's different advantages and effects that come into play when delving deep into one character or less into multiple characters.

Well, I think (obviously) writing a TV series and writing a movie are very different. You simply don't have the time to go into every small connection when you only have 120 minutes to work with. If you try, I find movies that try to do that feel very disjointed and incomplete. However, if that feeling of disjointedness or unknowing is an intended theme for your story then it works.
I guess, in a simple answer, you have to keep in mind the themes of your story first and then decide if every single character is contributing to that theme. Bit of a pretentious answer but that's my opinion on it =p

Try checking out some films with a lot of characters and see if they work for you as well since you cite a lot of TV series. I recommend:

Amores Perros
The Killing
Days of Being Wild
Ashes of Time

Just to name a few. That was probably not quite what you were looking for but uh...hope some of that sparks...something >_>

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Timberwolf8889 · Local time: Mar 16, 2009, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by BlindMonk

Another possibility is *not* wrapping things up in traditional narrative form.

I think that's a really good point actually. Keeping in mind that the fact that you may not be able to completely unearth a character isn't necessarily a FLAW in the film but could rather be something that allows the audience to come up with their own answers/interpretations. Well stated.

How ya doing, buddy?