What’s the purpose of all of it? Ever surprise that a couple of character in a script you’re studying? Why are they doing what they do, enduring checks and hardships and heartbreak with the chances stacked towards them? Often—if the story is nice and compelling—it’s to realize their character’s tremendous goal.
An excellent goal represents the first need for a personality all through the course of the story. All of their actions, phrases and choices throughout each scene ought to lead in the direction of this central, driving aim, which when achieved ensures that the character is the most effective, most advanced model of themselves.
As an actor, figuring out your character’s tremendous goal is every part. And not using a major need driving them by way of a story, they’ll drift alongside from scene to scene with out momentum. They’ll lack these very important, human qualities of need and longing. So learn on, and discover the spark to set your character on a compelling path in the direction of future…
How Do I Discover My Character’s Tremendous Goal?
Ask your self a easy query: what does your character need greater than something? You should search for the factor that motivates them, drives them, will get them up within the morning. Often it’s for his or her private betterment—or for the betterment of their world in the event that they’re the heroic kind.
Confusingly, the tremendous goal is usually obscured by a less complicated, plot-related aim or object of need. We typically confer with this idea as a MacGuffin: a plot system utilized by a author to encourage a personality in the direction of their bigger, cosmic need.
The One Ring in The Lord of the Rings is a superb instance, as is The Coronary heart of the Ocean in Titanic or something Indiana Jones chases after. A personality may battle a dragon to avoid wasting the dominion. Nevertheless, their tremendous goal isn’t killing the dragon: it’s the enduring security of their homeland.
So, again to that preliminary query: what does your character greater than something? If the reply is “treasure”, or “a crown” or “a glove stuffed with infinity stones”, there’s doubtless one thing extra—some deeper aim—that you may establish. Search for what makes them the most effective, most advanced model of themselves.
“Goal” versus “Tremendous Goal”
Many actors confuse the ideas of goal and tremendous goal after they do script evaluation or scene work. Often, it’s a case the place an actor identifies the tremendous goal, lacking the purpose of the scene in query fully.
Right here’s a hypothetical:
Aspiring comic Sandra is making an attempt to borrow her flatmate’s automotive keys so she will be able to get to the comedy membership and audition for the most effective expertise agent on the town. She’s been making ready and perfecting her stand-up set for almost half the film, and it’s now or by no means for her to hunt fame and fortune.
What’s her goal? A whole lot of actors would say “to be knowledgeable comic”. This isn’t true, because it a) doesn’t contain her scene associate and b) can’t be achieved throughout the confines of the scene. “To be knowledgeable comic” is a brilliant goal. Her goal is to borrow her flatmate’s automotive keys.
While you navigate your manner by way of a script, take note of the goals scene to scene. They need to (supplied your character is profitable of their pursuit) define a step-by-step course of to your character to realize their tremendous goal.
Miss a step? You danger a visit or a fall…
Is “Arc” The Identical Factor?
Nicely for starters they’re spelled completely different! However severely, of us: an arc represents the character’s journey by way of a story. The time period is typically used to refer in short-hand to the tremendous goal, however it is vitally a lot the journey, not the vacation spot. It is because the arc of a personality not solely tracks what they do and the place they go, however how they alter and develop.
And that’s to say nothing of a personality who may change their super-objective: capturing their arc off into wild and sudden instructions! However extra on that later…
In case you have been to plot your character’s arc, you’d have a neater time of understanding how they develop all through a story. It’s additionally a great tool in movie productions the place you could be capturing a narrative out of order. Figuring out the place your character sits of their present journey might help you to maintain your efficiency constant.
How Do I Pursue My Tremendous Goal?
One of the simplest ways to pursue your tremendous goal is one scene/one second/+one line at a time. Focus in your character’s rapid goal first—as a result of that can finally enable them to progress within the story. However hold your finger on the heartbeat of why that goal serves their bigger objectives.
It’s why ideas like the second earlier than and asking “What’s my motivation?” are so useful in making ready a scene. As a result of they contextualise a personality’s actions inside a scene; they make it match inside their bigger arc and present how they’ve labored earlier than this second (and can work lengthy after it) to realize their tremendous goal. Out of the blue, each second, regardless of how small, can increase the strain and stakes. As a result of all of it builds to one thing.
And don’t overlook that the tremendous goal of a personality might trump their rapid need for a specific motion or end result in a scene. In Hamlet, the titular prince refrains from murdering his treacherous uncle whereas the person is praying to God for forgiveness. And it has infuriated audiences for literal centuries: the unhealthy man’s proper there! What the hell is he ready for?! However Hamlet exhibits mercy in that second as a result of his tremendous goal is justice—not petty revenge. And so a fast stabbing in a vestibule, even of the principle villain, received’t resolve a factor.
Can My Character’s Tremendous Goal Change?
A personality’s tremendous goal can completely change! In reality, it makes for a few of the finest dramatic arcs in storytelling. Shift’s to an individual’s whole cause are often messy (in the very best manner), and for that cause are very arduous to overlook.
Take Shrek, for instance: his tremendous goal is to clear his swamp and return to a lifetime of solitude. Nevertheless, he finds himself altering all through the course of the story. His preliminary aim, as soon as he achieves it, feels hole in comparison with his new need of rescuing Princess Fiona from John Lithgow.
Like an goal in a person scene, you need to have a rattling good cause to shift a brilliant goal. Often, it’s both as a result of a personality has reached the aim and desires extra, or an exterior drive has rendered the unique tremendous goal not possible to finish. Juliet’s tremendous goal is to be with Romeo … proper up till she watches him die. Then her aim modifications quickly and morbidly.
Conclusion
So there you could have it! In case you’ve skilled any confusion on the idea of the tremendous goal, we hope this fast information gives you some readability.
Don’t overlook: whether or not your character desires to borrow $5 or overthrow a fascist empire, goals (tremendous or in any other case) ought to be elegant and direct. Don’t search for intelligent or fancy, search for the trustworthy fact of a human being striving to get the factor they need or want.
That’s the most effective drama, the purest drama. It’s why all of us hold coming again for extra.
Good luck!
