ETERNALS DISCUSSION THREAD (Patreon)

So! I usually cover all the Marvel stuff for all those fun watercooler reasons. But given that I’ve gone onto one of the Eternals old podcasts and literally known for like a decade now (jeezy petes time flies), I’m not comfortable writing about a whole big thing about. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have space to talk about it!

There’s obviously an inclusive spirit and generosity to what it’s trying to do with so much, but there’s also a lot of those familiar storytelling approach conversations to be had. To which, I think there’s three subjects worth centering on.

Flashback Structuring - You know me and my usual fondness for telling a story directly and dramatically. But ideally, when using flashback structure you want it to be something that illuminates on something just introduced and then lends drama and better understanding of their motivations in the current moment (Shang-Chi is actually pretty good at this, think of the sister kicking him moment). Where you get into trouble is when they feel like retroactive explanations to the moments of drama that have already passed, or needless mystery boxing of sometimes basic information (sometimes being something that effects your understanding of what “the rules” and struggles at hand really are).

Abstract Motivations / Conflicts - There’s this phrase I’m trying to remember about conflict (and it’s surprisingly ungoogle-able thanks to the phrasing) where you’re facing the difficulty of having characters on screen go through a complex problem that the people in the audience will never, ever have to deal with. I mean, a lot of times this is true in comic-book-y stuff when it comes to literal world saving or villain battling, but good ones attempt to center the core conflicts around a human struggle or relationship at the core of it, which in turn makes it “about” something far more relatable within those larger constructs. But the more abstract and philosophical those core things stay? The less impactful.

Characterization Demonstration vs. Dramatization - I wrote a lot about this with Man of Steel (and flashback structure too come to think of it) but it’s about the difference of dramatizing a character through the evolving story itself (which makes it feel more like a vital part of choices affecting the narrative) versus the “demonstration” of traits along the way, where it feels like singular attempts to show who a character is through explanation that isn’t part of the integral effect of the story. There’s a whole push / pull of how this can work in terms of going through afforded moments of dalliance, but it’s a place where economy is often crucial for giving your narrative a sense of propulsion.

Anywho, hope these are good frameworks?

Happy Convos and Keep it Kind To Each Other!

<3HULK