Script Tip: What is a subplot?

To increase the % of screenwriting posts I'm going to put up a few of my script tips - hope you guys don't mind. If you want to use these as discussion topics, that's cool.

- Bill

WHAT'S A SUBPLOT?

To keep your script focused, you need to chose ONE external conflict. Your subplots will part of that conflict... like splinter beams from a prism. Each beam illustrates a different aspect of the main conflict or shows a different step in the solution of the main conflict. Dealing with each subplot moves your protagonist closer to the solution of the main plot. Or each character's relationship to your protagonist may be a little story that helps to illustrate the theme of the big story. Each of these stories will have a beginning, middle, and end.

In the crime drama LANTANA each of the supporting characters shows a different aspect of the protagonist's conflict (the main plot), creating contrast with the protagonist which helps to define BOTH characters.

Anthony LaPaglia plays a detective with marital problems investigating the disappearance of a wealthy man (Geoffry Rush)'s famous wife (Barbara Hershey). The investigation focuses on the relationship between Rush and Hershey, because LaPaglia believes Rush killed her. Rush is acting suspicious and Hershey (a shrink) left this weird phone message on their machine which seems to accuse Rush of having an affair with one of her male patients.

The main plot is the disappearance (and events that lead up to it). The theme is hidden in that plot - but it's part of the mystery. LANTANA explores communications breakdowns in marriage, and that ends up being part of the big secret that Rush is hiding in the film. The reason why LaPaglia suspects he killed his wife. A major subplot is LaPagia's relationship with his wife (Kerry Armstrong) - the thrill is gone from their marriage, but neither talk about it. LaPaglia ends up having an affair. To better show the theme is communications, LaPaglia tells his partner everything, tells his wife nothing. He just doesn't communicate with his own wife. The wife doesn't communicate with him, either - she talks to her shrink (Barbara Hershey - twist!). There's another subplot with LaPaglia's partner - she has a crush on a guy but is afraid to say anything to him. She'll communicate with LaPaglia - tell him how much she likes this guy, but she never talks to the guy. There's a subplot with the woman LaPaglia is cheating with - she's separated from her husband and won't tell him where the relationship went wrong. Another subplot has to do with the woman's next door neighbors - a young couple who talk over everything (Rush tells LaPaglia that he always holds something back when talking with his wife - she doesn't really know him... this contrasts with the young couple). They show how a marriage with communication works, and that helps us see how these others don't work.

Every single one of the subplots is theme related - they all help support the story in the main plot (sometimes contrasting with the Rush/Hershey relationship which is under investigation, sometimes paralleling it... always CONNECTED to the main plot in some way). Every character in the film has communications issues to deal with... they are exploring the main plot through their stories - like splinter beams that combine to form white light.

Each subplot is CONNECTED to the main plot. They aren't a succession of small obstacles that confront the protagonist, they are reflections of the central conflict. Subplots grow from the main plot - they support and enhance the main plot. They add shading to your story. Those subplot are part of the main story - and you can't tell the story without them! Removing them sends the whole story crashing to the ground. EVERY scene in your script should be required to tell the story... or it serves no purpose. Every scene in your script should contain the DNA necessary to clone the script - the conflict, the theme, the emotional dilemma.

Once you know the big emotional conflict which your protagonist will be forced to resolve, or the theme of your screenplay, you can create subplots which illustrate different aspects and potential outcomes. That way you will be digging DEEPER into the story rather than grafting on unrelated subplots from the outside.

Subplots are all part of the main plot. - Bill

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