"Vantage Point", Point of View, writerly...

[amicus]

Perhaps this is old hat for some, but to me, a film such as the one mentioned in the title, Vantage Point, and a host of others I noticed on the menu of the movie channels, who choose to have multiple characters with different pov's reacting to a circumstance or event or several, brings a question to mind.

I attempted to edit a story some months back for an author who kept changing pov's within a chapter, sometimes from paragraph to paragraph.

I found it very difficult to edit but perhaps a challenge to write in that manner.

Perhaps just old fashioned, stuck in a rut mentality, but the traditional and conventional methods of storytelling seem to be falling by the wayside and such things as first or third person, narrative omniscient and such, no longer provide a basis, a groundwork, or a foundation when one visualizes telling a story.

?

Amicus...

 

[cloudy]

I just recently finished a series of novels by George Martin (sort of fantasy-ish), that had each chapter following a different character. There were so many characters that the first novel was sort of confusing, but by the fourth, I had the author's rhythm down, and it worked fine.

As far as what I write, I have one going in first person simply because it felt "right" that way, but most of my work is in third person. Just seems to flow better for me.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

AMICUS

Youre correct. Writing isnt rocket science, but the fundamentals arent being taught.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

CLOUDY

What confuses me is the confusion some of the writers create. I dont get why it happens if they know their craft.

 

[cloudy]

CLOUDY

What confuses me is the confusion some of the writers create. I dont get why it happens if they know their craft.

I don't get it, either. Maybe they think they're being "new" and "refreshing." Who knows.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

CLOUDY

I get the creative part, but if they were making...say...a car, it would have wheels and all the usual stuff, to make it functional. Creativity is for shit you hang from the rearview mirror.

 

[amicus]

I personally do not read much new or recent literature of the classical or traditional venue, not quite sure why, but thas the way it works out.

I do notice also on the television channels I do watch, that there seems to be a constant movement and multi-screen producing and directing, which I find mildly annoying. I relate that to the constant changing of POV, perhaps it is to garner a shorter attention span of the viewer or reader who must be constantly entertained?

Or perhaps just a faster paced world that this ole brain finds difficult to navigate, gee, another benefit of aging.



ami

 

[amicus]

Perhaps someone who writes in that manner, multiple plot lines simultaneously in play and constantly changing points of view or, 'voice', in the story, might chime in and explain?

amicus....

 

[Huckleman2000]

[...]Perhaps just old fashioned, stuck in a rut mentality, but the traditional and conventional methods of storytelling seem to be falling by the wayside and such things as first or third person, narrative omniscient and such, no longer provide a basis, a groundwork, or a foundation when one visualizes telling a story.

?

Amicus...

If you want to assign blame, I'd begin with the cinema, where you found your analog for the written version of shifting POV. Some narrative styles lend themselves more to different forms of media, and as audiences become more receptive of them in one, storytellers will try to replicate them in others.

I think, personally, that these sort of "tricks" (for lack of a better word?) have their place. They are disorienting and confusing, much like life is at times, and I can imagine stories where that's a desired effect.

As for pitfalls, Cloudy brings up a good one. Readers may simply give up on the story. I don't know that I'd have the patience for a whole novel of jump-cuts.

 

[amicus]

I have been editing a story for a young lady in Melbourne, Australia and she directed me to her MySpace page...when I opened it, loud extraneous noises burst forth, "Metal" she said, "I love it!"

Hurt my ears.

I occasionally surf through MTV or watch something on G4, and I rather think it is me that just 'doesn't get it', concerning this latest generation of not just writers and screen writers, but musicians also...but then...I thought Metal, ahm, died years ago.....mebbe the Ozzie's are behind the times?



ami

 

[cloudy]

As for pitfalls, Cloudy brings up a good one. Readers may simply give up on the story. I don't know that I'd have the patience for a whole novel of jump-cuts.

What saved the series I just finished was that the story was very compelling to me. I just had to find out what happened next. And, really...after the first novel (I read them back to back), it really didn't bother me anymore, other than a blink of disorientation at the switch.

 

[Huckleman2000]

What saved the series I just finished was that the story was very compelling to me. I just had to find out what happened next. And, really...after the first novel (I read them back to back), it really didn't bother me anymore, other than a blink of disorientation at the switch.

As I think of this more, it reminds me of a technique that I really like in 3rd person omniscient, where each chapter follows a different character(s). There's always sort of a few sentences of scene-setting at the beginning of each chapter, until a character speaks and you understand where you are. I can see the same thing working for 1st person. (eta. actually, I guess that's sort of the definition of 3rd person omnicient, LOL. duh, me. I'm kinda high.)

But within chapters? There would still need to be some cue to the reader that the POV has shifted. Perhaps a line between paragraphs when it shifts, as a visual cue? In videos, there's usually a setting shot so you know where each character is, and then as the film shifts POV, you can tell who you're following by recognizing the surroundings. So, some type of formatting cue, at least, is needed.

 

[amicus]

I think I begin to understand this new, 'trick', device, of multiple points of view.

In an earlier thread, I made note of two films dealing with 'time', 'Deja Vu', and 'Next.' The film I mentioned earlier, a 2008 production, 'Vantage Point', is playing at the same time the other two are and I find I am drawn to watch each of them a second and perhaps a third time to fully enjoy or appreciate the constantly changing plot line and POV.

Kinda like that chewing gum they were advertising a while back, the flavor lasts for days...perhaps this is a good innovation that requires the viewer/reader, to revisit the work several times...?

Gives me a headache thinking about the writing of such a story...I think it would have to be accomplished more than just average, as Cloudy mentioned, to hold interest...

Hmmm...

amicus...