Backing Out of the Subplot Jungle

Question

I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen it before. However, half an hour later, she was sound asleep.
When I talked to her about it later, she said that she really liked the movie (Paul Newman is her man) but that she was a little tired and could tell that the plot was going to get convoluted and she just "gave up" for the evening and decided that she would wait until she had more energy to watch it again.
This got me thinking about one of the screenplays I'm working on and after looking at it, I think I've got a little too much going on and need to pare it down a little.
How do the pros approach such a problem? Looking at my story, I have four subplots that complement each other fairly well but are fairly complex. Three of the subplots drive the main plot a parallel it, and one hinders it until the climax where it is reconciled.

The main plot is an adventure/thriller with a pretty standard redemption theme. The subplots are the standard romance, the standard reconciliation, a treasure hunt and revenge.
What do you guys do when you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen it before. However, half an hour later, she was sound asleep. When I talked to her about it later, she said that she really liked the movie (Paul Newman is her man) but that she was a little tired and could tell that the plot was going to get convoluted and she just "gave up" for the evening and decided that she would wait until she had more energy to watch it again. This got me thinking about one of the screenplays I'm working on and after looking at it, I think I've got a little too much going on and need to pare it down a little. How do the pros approach such a problem? Looking at my story, I have four subplots that complement each other fairly well but are fairly complex. Three of the subplots drive the main plot a parallel it, and one hinders it until the climax where it is reconciled. The main plot is an adventure/thriller with a pretty standard redemption theme. The subplots are the standard romance, the standard reconciliation, a treasure hunt and revenge. What do you guys do when you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
I might be the minor leaguer jumping in with a first opinion, but someone around here said that one story told very well beats out several told poorly.
If you read Stallone's spec script for Rocky (don't use his format), you'll see that the functions of Adrian's mother were compressed by turning Paulie into the caretaker. So you may be able to eliminate one subplot entirely by dividing its contents among your other stories.

Outline your subplots. Define their beats and interactions. Perhaps a subplot can be reduced in scope to beginning, middle, and end. Get rid of the joke plots no Jar Jars, please.
Reduction is a very good principle. Make your stories fight to be told. Combine that with a simple prose, and your story may still be as complex, but it will be easier for someone to keep track of what's going on where.
Perhaps, the love subplot is a reconciliation subplot. That's The African Queen, and the boat as a Jar Jar was very funny.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen ... you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
Wow, I would describe that as major surgery more than a trim

Which subplots also support the theme/premise of your story. That is, does the romance relate to what your screenplay "is about"? in the Sting, for example, the romance would have to reflect the themes of appearance and deception (it's been a while, so I might be misrepresenting the theme).

however, con stories are supposed to be complicated, as are mystery stories. Perhaps that's why they traditionally do't do as well as other genres at the box office

I look for characters and story lines to combine, look for places where beats are repeated or the story fails to move forward/characters fail to find themsleves in a new and more difficult spot. If one subplot is involved in the dead spots, out it goes.

The holy trinity are plot/events/choices/actions/whatever-you-call-it, character, and theme/premise, IMHO.

Mysti

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen ... you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
I don't think there are any right or wrong answers to this. Interlocking subplots can work really, really well there are films in which it's all subplot, pretty much.
But you have a main story and that's what I'd focus on. Do the subplots add or detract? Do they serve the main story. How much space do they take up? Whose story is it?
How muhc of the subplot is nice scenes that don't really move things forward, unrelated to the main story?

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when
you fall into an open sewer and die.
Mel Brooks

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]If you read Stallone's spec script for Rocky (don't use his format), you'll see that the functions of Adrian's mother ... the caretaker. So you may be able to eliminate one subplot entirely by dividing its contents among your other stories.[/nq]
This is a helpful suggestion that might work well to let me ditch one of my subplots. Thanks.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]If you read Stallone's spec script for Rocky (don't use ... subplot entirely by dividing its contents among your other stories.[/nq]
[nq:1]This is a helpful suggestion[/nq]
Any weird e-mails lately, Paul?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen ... you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
Why don't you evaluate the script with a subplot removed one at a time. If the script is coherent with that subplot removed, then it is not needed. Or if only certain aspects are needed, consider whether you can merge those aspects into the other sub-plots. If the script doesn't make sense without all subplots, then you can keep them all in, but they all have to justifiably support the theme.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other ... realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
[nq:1]Why don't you evaluate the script with a subplot removed one at a time. If the script is coherent with ... sense without all subplots, then you can keep them all in, but they all have to justifiably support the theme.[/nq]
Paul is busy looking for "weird" emails to substantiate delusional newsgroup accusations.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other night. She seemed hooked with the setup, having never seen ... you pick up your script after a few weeks and realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
Many TV shows have this going on. I remember how Baywatch (a show I wrote about for structure example) would have four plot lines. Go ahead, slam it, but it was the #1 show in the world at one time. It wasn't all just jiggles.
I've sold scripts I sat aside and then came back to with fresh eyes. None of them got made (that's another long story) but I just went and sold other things and didn't worry about it. One thing you might ask yourself is whether that story in that script could also be a novel. If the actors strike you're dead on selling scripts until it's over, anyway.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other ... realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? Where to start?[/nq]
[nq:1]Many TV shows have this going on.[/nq]
Your palPaul is busy looking for "weird" emails.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]I was watching the "Sting" with my wife the other ... realize it needs some hedgeclipping like this? ï¿½Where to start?[/nq]
[nq:1]Many TV shows have this going on. I remember how Baywatch (a show I wrote about for structure example) would have four plot lines. Go ahead, slam it, but it was the #1 show in the world at one time. It wasn't all just jiggles.[/nq]
Thanks, Skip! Nice to know someone was paying attention.

Backing Out of the Subplot Jungle

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