INT. - ANA AND MARK APARTMENT - NIGHT
It’s dinner time. A pot is almost boiling. MARK is cutting some zucchini, ANA is sitting at the table typing on her laptop. Dim light coming from a lamp fixed to the ceiling, above the table where Ana is working.
MARK
Today, at the screenwriting
masterclass, we've been taught the
importance of having a solid
Intention and a realistic Obstacle.
ANA
(She is still very
focused on her
work)
Mmh, interesting. Intention and
Obstacle?
MARK
Yes, without them, you won't have a
story. Let me give you an example:
The main character is training hard
every day because she wants to
complete a marathon. You might say,
"Okay, why is this story so
special?" It's not. But if I say
"the main character wants to
complete a marathon to show himself
that she is stronger than the cancer
she was diagnosed with a few months ago",
then we have both, a clear intention
and a very strong obstacle. You
might also feel more closer to her,
you might sense empathy. And the
obstacle is a real monster, it's not
something that you can easily deal
with. Facing it requires strength,
steadiness, passion.
ANA
Interesting. But I wonder, is having
an intention really necessary? Let's
suppose we want to write the story
about ourselves. We are a normal
couple, with normal lives. But I
would still pay a ticket for a movie
telling about the ordinary things.
There is no need to make everything
so magnificent.
ANA stops looking at the screen and rounds the face towards MARK
ANA (cont'd)
A few weeks ago we watched Perfect
Days, you remember? The man who is
caring about his work and his
plants, and he loves his routine. He
is a normal person, and I don't see
clear intentions neither unbearable
obstacles in this movie. Despite
this, I really loved it and I felt
engaged with him and the story.
MARK
Let me think. Indeed, the intention
is probably that one: enjoying every
single moment of the life, without
desiring power or money. And the
main obstacle to this desire is the
society itself, which is somehow
navigating in the opposite
direction: we are all in a hurry,
and we don't care about each other.
This is a very huge obstacle. And
the final scene is very ambiguous,
I'm not sure he was able to fully
achieve his intentions.
ANA
That's a good way to see it.
There is a small pause. the only sound comes from the pot which is now boiling.
ANA (cont'd)
What are you preparing for dinner?