Mariner Software Contour for Mac - Manual (Page 40)

Plot Point 3
Antagonist or someone or something symbolic of the Antagonist.
We finally meet our bad guy, or at least his representative. Sometimes itʼs a moment in the film that is repre-
sentative of what the bad guy is trying to accomplish.
• In STAR WARS, Leia is captured by the Stormtroopers who are representatives of the Emperor.
• In AMERICAN BEAUTY, Lester dumps the contents of his briefcase while his wife and daughter stare
at him as if heʼs the biggest loser on the planet.
• In THE SIXTH SENSE, Dr. Crowe is shot by his deranged former patient.
Plot Point 4
The deflector slows the hero down. Pulls him off the path.
The deflector is a character who deflects the Hero from the goal. Heʼs the character who might want the hero
to do things his way, rather than let the hero do it his way. He might be an otherwise good guy, only mis-
guided. He might be a bad guy. There might be many “assistant” deflectors in a film. Anyone who gets in your
heroʼs face and tries to stop him is a deflector.
• In STAR WARS, Darth Vader is the main deflector. The Jawas, the Sand People, the Stormtroopers, the
goons in the bar. . . these are “assistant” deflectors.
• In JAWS, Quint is the main deflector while the Amity city officials are the assistant deflectors.
• In DIE HARD, Hans Gruber is the antagonist and the long-haired, high-kicking Karl is the main deflector.
Almost everyone else are assistant deflectors including the other terrorists, the cops who want McClane
to stop interfering, the FBI agents, and the smarmy Ellis.
Plot point 4 can be given to either the main deflector or any assistant deflector of your choosing.
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