The 36 dramatic situations / Mike Figgis.
Publisher: London : Faber & Faber, 2017Description: viii, 186 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 22 cmContent type: text | still image Media type: unmediated Carrier type: volume001: 43917ISBN: 9780571305049 (pbk.) :Other title: Cover and spine title: Thirty-six dramatic situationsSubject(s): Motion pictures -- Plots, themes, etc | Performing ArtsDDC classification: 791.4301 FIG LOC classification: PN1997.8Summary: The original '36 Dramatic Situations' was written in French by Georges Polti in the 1850s. Polti synthesised all drama as belonging to combinations of 36 situations. In the book he illustrates each 'situation' with examples from classical and French theatre. When Mike Figgis used the book as an aid in putting together a treatment for a film, he found that his landscape of creativity had altered quite radically and ideas came forth with relative ease. He realised that Polti's book was a system of reference which could be a powerful tool for writers. So he began updating all of the references, moving the focus away from theatre and focussing primarily on cinema. In the first half, each 'Dramatic Situation' is laid out under the 36 headings. The specific 'Situation' is then explained more fully, followed by an example from a specific film, accompanied by an explanation of how the device is used in the film.Item type | Current library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | |
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Book | MAIN LIBRARY Book | 791.4301 FIG (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 113602 | |||
Short Term Loan | MAIN LIBRARY Book | 791.4301 FIG (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 2 | Available | 113603 |
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791.4301 DEL Cinema 1 : the movement-image / | 791.4301 DEN Images of postmodern society: social theory and contemporary cinema | 791.4301 DIC Anatomy of film | 791.4301 FIG The 36 dramatic situations / | 791.4301 FIG The 36 dramatic situations / | 791.4301 GRA Inside VFX : An Insider's View Into The Visual Effects And Film Business | 791.4301 HAH The silent sound designer : rediscovering cinema through quietness / |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
This book is an essential tool to stimulate writers into thinking about plot in an entirely different manner.
The original '36 Dramatic Situations' was written in French by Georges Polti in the 1850s. Polti synthesised all drama as belonging to combinations of 36 situations. In the book he illustrates each 'situation' with examples from classical and French theatre. When Mike Figgis used the book as an aid in putting together a treatment for a film, he found that his landscape of creativity had altered quite radically and ideas came forth with relative ease. He realised that Polti's book was a system of reference which could be a powerful tool for writers. So he began updating all of the references, moving the focus away from theatre and focussing primarily on cinema. In the first half, each 'Dramatic Situation' is laid out under the 36 headings. The specific 'Situation' is then explained more fully, followed by an example from a specific film, accompanied by an explanation of how the device is used in the film.
Table of contents provided by Syndetics
- Introduction (p. 1)
- The 36 Dramatic Situations
- 1 Supplication (p. 19)
- 2 Deliverance (p. 24)
- 3 Revenge Following a Crime (p. 27)
- 4 Revenge Contained Within a Family (p. 33)
- 5 The Pursued - The Fugitive - The Outsider (p. 35)
- 6 Disaster (p. 40)
- 7 Cruelty and Misfortune (p. 43)
- 8 Revolt (p. 49)
- 9 Daring Enterprise - Brave Adventure (p. 55)
- 10 Abduction (p. 60)
- 11 The Enigma (p. 63)
- 12 Obtaining (p. 68)
- 13 Enmity of Kinsmen - Family at War (p. 71)
- 14 Rivalry of Kinsman (p. 74)
- 15 Murderous Adultery - Crimes of Passion (p. 76)
- 16 Altered States - Madness (p. 79)
- 17 Fatal Imprudence - The Gambler (p. 91)
- 18 Coincidence (p. 95)
- 19 Dream State (p. 99)
- 20 Self-Sacrifice for Idealism (p. 105)
- 21 Self-Sacrifice for Family (p. 110)
- 22 Everything Sacrificed for Passion (p. 113)
- 23 Necessity of Sacrificing Loved Ones (p. 119)
- 24 Rivalry Between Superior and Inferior (p. 122)
- 25 Adultery - Betrayal of Love (p. 126)
- 26 Incest (p. 131)
- 27 Discovery of the Dishonour of a Loved One (p. 137)
- 28 Obstacles to Love (p. 142)
- 29 An Enemy Loved (p. 147)
- 30 Ambition (p. 149)
- 31 Conflicts with Power (p. 153)
- 32 Mistaken Jealousy (p. 156)
- 33 Erroneous Judgement (p. 162)
- 34 Remorse (p. 168)
- 35 Recovery of a Lost One (p. 174)
- 36 Loss of a Loved One (p. 177)
- The Film Chart (p. 181)
- The Cards (p. 192)
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Best known in this country for the Oscar nominations for best screenplay and best director for 1995's Leaving Las Vegas, English director and musician Figgis serendipitously stumbled upon George Polti's seminal 1895 theatrical treatise, The 36 Dramatic Situations, which postulates that all dramatic situations can be delineated among 36 types. Intrigued by the application this system may have for film, Figgis adapted Polti's construct for cinema. The result is this complementary and slightly modified spin on Polti's text. Following an introduction and explanation of his methodology, Figgis sequentially presents the situations in, generally, brief three- to seven-page chapters. Each one opens with a description of a specific film or films (some 150 used) followed by possible narratives that might employ a particular scenario. Appendixes include a chart of the films used as supporting material, grids for personal use, and, finally, a visual representation of the scenes onto a template of cards that could be reproduced. VERDICT Will be of particular benefit to screenwriters and playwrights but also potentially revelatory for all fiction practitioners.-Barry X. Miller, Austin P.L., TX © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.There are no comments on this title.