1
Brandon Sanderson / 10 flaws
« on: March 28, 2007, 04:52:17 AM »
1 way to foreshadow is give a common ground and figure where people will be. In some shows it's kinda forced like a hospital show where they are never in surgery when they need a line -- Sometimes REally forced Lois lane manages to get herself kidnapped again. But because we know that they'll be in the hospital (or in Lois's case at the interview of the most whatever possible) it's not totally unbelievable.
This can also be used positively -- such as in Daredevil when Matt Murdock always walks in on Karen and Foggy at the right time. It's a cliche' but we love Daredevil for it.
Meetings need not be with pre-established characters. I hate [prepare your stones] J.R.R tolkien because everybody that they meet either is enamored or hates the characters. There aren't any towns in which they stop and have a beer and discuss plans and leave -- no, they find the super-hero-elf-who-you-must-love or the villianous whatnot. Sometimes a path has to be a path. It is also a problem with RPG's.
On the other hand, if the time frame is assumed to be somewhat longer than what you'd think, the characters in generally the same area, the reader can assume that he (gender neutral) will miss sections. In one movie there is a scene which neglects communication lag -- I claim that there is a communication lag and those scenes of finger thrumming and scowling at each other are merely on the cutting-room floor. [Maybe we'll see them in the DVD cut scenes part!]. Similarly we cut out the 15 reports the character in the hospital signed the 23rd sprained ankle and go straight to the slap in the face, which the viewer cared about.
This can also be used positively -- such as in Daredevil when Matt Murdock always walks in on Karen and Foggy at the right time. It's a cliche' but we love Daredevil for it.
Meetings need not be with pre-established characters. I hate [prepare your stones] J.R.R tolkien because everybody that they meet either is enamored or hates the characters. There aren't any towns in which they stop and have a beer and discuss plans and leave -- no, they find the super-hero-elf-who-you-must-love or the villianous whatnot. Sometimes a path has to be a path. It is also a problem with RPG's.
On the other hand, if the time frame is assumed to be somewhat longer than what you'd think, the characters in generally the same area, the reader can assume that he (gender neutral) will miss sections. In one movie there is a scene which neglects communication lag -- I claim that there is a communication lag and those scenes of finger thrumming and scowling at each other are merely on the cutting-room floor. [Maybe we'll see them in the DVD cut scenes part!]. Similarly we cut out the 15 reports the character in the hospital signed the 23rd sprained ankle and go straight to the slap in the face, which the viewer cared about.