I’m in Venice for the film festival and I’ve seen a few interesting movies (more on that in a later post) but there’s one film I can’t get out of my head… The Simpsons Movie. Specifically, I keep thinking about the scene when the U.S. government decides to cover the town of Springfield with a giant glass dome after Homer contaminates the town with his silo of “Pig Crap.”
As the dome is being lowered over the town, one of Springfield’s anonymous citizens can’t decide if he wants to live inside or outside of the dome, and he runs back and forth between the two, until he is finally squashed by the edge of the giant glass structure. With his dying breath he says, “I’ve never been to Venice.”
As someone who has also always wanted to visit Venice, and is currently enjoying this beautiful city for the first time, I think it’s important to always consider what your character really wants.
There are usually a number of different things going on in a movie and even if your character seems to be doing one thing, quite often they have something else in mind as their ultimate goal.
Does your bank robber character really just in it for the money, or does he want to retire to an exotic locale, or just love the thrill?
Does the police detective you’re writing about want to catch the bad guy to protect his city, or for the glory?
Would a boxer act differently if he was fighting for fame versus feeding his family?
Take a moment to decide what your own character’s “Venice” is. Does he accomplish his ultimate goal, or is he squashed? You might be surprised at the interesting layers you add to your story when you take the time to know.
