Abstract
A screenplay represents a moment in time. It captures the essence of the human condition and the everyday lived experience, connecting character and audience on a subliminal yet highly powerful level. As Grodal asserts, the screenplay paves the way for an eventual psychosomatic experience: in a film, body and mind are connected as one as ‘our eyes and ears pick up and analyze image and sound, our minds apprehend the story, which resonates on our memory; furthermore, our stomach, heart, and skin are activated in empathy with the story situations and the protagonists’ ability to cope’ (1997: 1). A screenplay also represents a transformation, capturing the shift in a protagonist from problem to resolution; from wounding to healing; from dramatic need to dramatic fulfilment. Characters are propelled into territories unknown, overcoming progressive obstacles and life challenging battles in order to attain physical and emotional achievement. The transformation of the protagonist represents the essence of a screenplay. It captures the story lurking beneath the action, and only when transformation is complete can the theme be understood by an audience, bestowing resonance. Character transformation thus lies at the emotional core of a form that is, by its visual nature, framed by action.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Australian Centre for the Moving Image (2013) Hollywood Costume [Exhibition held at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, 24 April–18 August 2013].
Batty, C. (2011) Movies That Move Us: Screenwriting and the Power of the Protagonist’s Journey, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Batty, C. and Waideback, Z. (2008) Writing for the Screen: Creative and Critical Approaches, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Britton, P.D.G. (1999) ‘Dress and the Fabric of the Television Series: The Costume Designer as Author in Dr. Who’ in Journal of Design History, 14(2), 345–356.
Brokeback Mountain (2005) Wrs. Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana, Dir. Ang Lee, USA/Canada, 134 mins.
Bruzzi, S. (1997) Undressing Cinema: Clothing and Identity in the Movies, London: Routledge.
Campbell, J. (1949, 1993) The Hero with a Thousand Paces, London: Fontana.
Connie and Carla (2004) Wr. Nia Vardalos, Dir. Michael Lembeck, USA, 98 mins.
Dr Who (1963-) Cr. Sydney Newman, Wrs. Various, Dirs. Various, UK.
Ganz, A. (2011) ‘Let the Audience Add Up Two Plus Two. They’ll Love You Forever: The Screenplay as a Self-Teaching System’ in Jill Nelmes (ed.) Analysing the Screenplay, London: Routledge, 127–141.
Grodal, T. (1997) Moving Pictures: A New Theory of Film Genres, Peelings, and Cognition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hamlett, C. (2011) ‘Dressing the Part: Defining Your Characters Through Costuming’ in Writers’ Journal, 32(5), 7–9.
Indick, W. (2004) Psychology for Screenwriters: Building Conflict in Your Script, California: Michael Weise.
Leap Year (2010) Wrs. Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, Dir. Anand Tucker, USA/Ireland, 100 mins.
Legally Blonde (2001) Wrs. Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith, Dir. Robert Luketic, USA, 96 mins.
McKee, R. (1999) Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Storytelling, London: Methuen.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005) Wr/Dir. Miranda July, USA/UK, 91 mins.
Mrs Doubtfire (1993) Wrs. Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, Dir. Chris Columbus, USA, 125 mins.
Muriel’s Wedding (1994) Wr./Dir. P. J Hogan, Australia/France, 125 mins.
Sex and the City (1998–2004) Cr. Darren Star, Wrs. Various, Dirs. Various, USA.
Sister Act (1992) Wr. Joseph Howard, Dir. Emile Ardolino, USA, 100 mins.
Stutesman, D. (2005) ‘Storytelling: Marlene Dietrich’s Face and John Frederics’ Hats’ in Rachel Moseley (ed.) Fashioning Film Stars: Dress, Culture, Identity, London: BFI.
The Big Lebowski (1998) Wrs. Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, Dirs. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, USA/UK, 117 mins.
The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Wrs. Tony Gilory, Scott Z. Burns and George Nolfi, Dir. Paul Greengrass, USA/Germany, 115 mins.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006) Wr. Aline Brosh McKenna, Dir. David Frankel, USA, 109 mins.
Titanic (1997) Wr./Dir. James Cameron, USA, 194 mins.
Tootsie (1982) Wrs. Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal, Dir. Sydney Pollack, USA, 116 mins.
Ugly Betty (2006–2010) Cr. Silvio Horta, Wrs. Various, Dirs. Various, USA.
Vertigo (1958) Wrs. Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, USA, 128 mins.
Vogler, C. (1999) The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Storytellers and Screenwriters, Basingstoke: Pan Macmillan.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2014 Craig Batty
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Batty, C. (2014). Costume as Character Arc: How Emotional Transformation is Written into the Dressed Body. In: Batty, C. (eds) Screenwriters and Screenwriting. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137338938_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137338938_6
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-46424-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-33893-8
eBook Packages: Palgrave Media & Culture CollectionLiterature, Cultural and Media Studies (R0)