The analyses concerning the movies listed are based on methods described in my book Story Alchemy: The Search for the Philosopher’s Stone of Storytelling. To understand what I’m doing here, you should read at least the first three chapters of Story Alchemy, which are presented in their entirety on this website. Click on “Sample Chapters” above.
The question often arises: Why do just movies? The answer is that movies have become the common currency for discussions concerning story theory. Movies are cheap to view, readily available and many people have viewed them, particularly those interested in story structure. The principles involved in generating a story for any discipline, be it for a movie, novel, or play, even narrative non-fiction, are the same. Stories originate in the art of conflict resolution.
Below is a list of the movies analyzed so far. I’ll add to the list as time and inclination allow. Be patient. I’m a slow worker.
Firefly: Episodes 1 and 2 (The pilot, called “Serenity”)