Creating stories has been my foundation ever since I bought my first VHS camera in the fifth grade. At ten years old, I was filming G.I. Joe action figures engulfed in gasoline-fueled fires in my backyard sandbox. If you dug deep enough to that spot today, you’d probably find the mangled remains of battle-tested toys pitted against each other like gladiators among fortified sand castles and garden hose moats.
Those epic battles may have been void of complex character psychology and juxtaposed storylines, but they still captured the most fundamental cornerstone of a good story.
Skeletor wants to defeat Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime wants to defeat Skeletor. Both have a want. Both face an obstacle. The goal propels the story forward while the obstacle creates conflict and tension. That’s it. That’s everything.
Now I’m older — married, three kids, a mortgage, a career as a writer, director, producer, and professor. Yet despite everything I’ve learned, the equation hasn’t changed:
S = (C + W) x O
A good story (S) is about an interesting character (C) who wants (W) something badly and faces obstacles (O) while struggling to achieve that goal.
Memorable stories — regardless of genre or medium — must engage the audience with an unforgettable character. But if that character has no want, there is no motivation. And if there are no obstacles, there is no conflict, and therefore no tension.
The equation is your foundation. Details can change, but without a healthy base, the life of your story will die. Keep it close.