There’s this concept in screenwriting that we call “hanging a lantern on it”. It basically means that we point out something before it can trip up an audience. By acknowledging that we are aware of the problem/issue we reassure the audience that we know what we’re doing and they can sit back, relax and take the ride with us.
It came up in my spec Edge script. I had a beta reader point out that somewhere my Prometheus character has to point out that he will use any weapon in his war against magic, superstition and religion — including magic. (It ends up having a bad result, but that’s what makes it drama).
Anyway, I’ve been looking for a place in the script to drop in that one line, but I haven’t found it yet. The script is really pretty tight so wedging in this line it’s proving challenging.
And I found the place. Got rid of a couple of lines that I didn’t like all that well too so added bonus.
Looking forward to that script Melinda – loved the third book BTW!
Glad you enjoyed it, Bill. I had a lot of fun writing it. I’d wanted to set a climactic battle in that fortress from the moment I saw it and I finally got to write that scene.