Ahhhh! The "you are a parenthesis"! That's it! She tells him "you are an escape. You are a break from our normal lives". What she may not really understand and he subsequently comes to realize is, he loved his normal life... until he met her. Now he wants something more. It's a great example of the grass is always greener. He is her escape from her family, her real life, and she provides an escape from his life of solitude - only given a taste for it, he wants something more. Just another example of contrasts between the characters that I didn't think too much of beforehand whereas the dichotomy between Ryan and Natalie is readily apparent. Both of those relationships provide contrasts in different ways and make up for the heart of the movie itself, the emotional "throughlines".

Don't want to hog the board, but noticed something else from the "miles are the goal" scene: What's driving this scene and Ryan's goal is evident right up front. When the woman chastises him for not having to wait, he gloats in return. Why? Because he's being treated special. Because he's being rewarded for loyalty. Because he's being given special attention. Because he means something to "someone" else. Hold it. Right there. That last thought. Aren't these all qualities and attributes that are also common in relationships? It's like Ryan's using his status as a frequent flyer as a surrogate for a real, meaningful relationship - and the argument Natalie makes is relevant because it speaks indirectly to relationships: what's the point in bedding a number of women and have the act itself as a goal if it doesn't support some higher purpose? It's sort of empty and meaningless - but yet there are people out there who fall into that lifestyle because it results in no excess emotional baggage. In that light, Ryan is the poster child for someone who overcompensates in one realm to avoid another altogether, having substituted frequent flier status for a meaningful, monogamous relationship. This becomes more evident while watching the "systemized friendly touches" and the "what is the point" clip where Ryan admittedly says "everyone needs a co-pilot".

Yeah, I have to agree with Bark. I think the whole thing wraps around Ryan's search for meaning. And the screenplay even delves a little further into then the movie with entire sequence of Ryan trying to move in to his "world"- buying small tubes of toothpaste, actually buying a rental car- where he tries to take his new life and fill it with all the things that gave him meaning in his old life. Trying to fill his extremely empty backpack so to speak. I've got to talk this one out a bit. Page 1- Normal life for Ryan. Page 9- Ryan's invited to speak at Goalquest- I.I. of Backpack/ Meaning story. Page 10- The Call to Action- Gregory pulls Bingham back to the office. Page 14- Ryan's sister calls from out of nowhere and asks Ryan to take the pictures. So, this is a call to action for let's say the "family" story, which is a storyline that is in tangent with Ryan's "meaning story." Page 15- Ryan meets Alex. This feels like an inciting incident, but we've also already had Craig Gregory's call, the Goalquest call, and Kara's call. Page 25- Ryan is grounded. He fights to get back in the air, he wins... sort of, with an unexpected twist: Page 33- Craig Gregory sends Ryan out with Natalie. Page 40 - First firings. Page 49- Ryan gets cardboard cutout, and has text sex with Alex. Pg 53- "Smart Suit Woman" threatens suicide- Kink in Ryan's training plan, and Natalie's "Glocal" storyline. Pg. 56- "Empty Backpack" speech. Pg 59- Brian breaks up with Natalie. pg. 60- 72- All three are together in the same place. Crash the Nerd party, get a weird cameo from a middle aged Young MC. Pg 75- Natalie calls Ryan out that he's made it impossible for anyone to form a connection with him. Pg 77- Natalie's put on her own in front of the computer screen in Detroit.- Ryan is no longer a necessary part of the machine. Pg. 83- Ryan asks Alex to go to the wedding. 86- 88- Wedding scenes. Ryan figures out he really is kind of meaningless in his family- his pictures mean nothing, he can't walk sis down the aisle, etc. 90-97- School sequence. 102- "Everybody needs a copilot." 109- Alex cancels last minute plans to visit Ryan. 111- 112- That seriously heartbreaking scene. I mean come on, who saw it coming? The whole theater gasped. Anyway... Alex has a family. 113- "Parenthesis." 115- Ryan meets his points goal. Has meaning in his life and no one to share it with. Except Sam Elliot/ Sully= No copilot, no meaning. 117- Ryan gives the wedding gift. 118- Karen Barnes is dead. Followed through on threat. 119- Ryan's back in the air. "Just like that." 120- Ryan in front of the giant board. Did I miss anything? So, yes, something does happen every 5-10 pages, if not less. It feels to follow more of the sequence structure here. However, there are 3, if not 4 storylines that are threaded through, and each one seems to follow the 3 act structure. Inciting Incident, Act 1, MP, Act 2, Snyder's "Darkest Moment Ever", Climax,,, and then resolution for all of the storylines except Ryan's "meaning" story, which to Bark's point, I'd put as the A story. That was longwinded. Thoughts?

I feel like this also has a strong Dramatica structure, where there's four throughlines which echoes your sentiment though perhaps in a slightly different way. From a Dramatica perspective, the objective story which overarches everything and is the most dispassionate look from the 30,000 ft level (haha, in a plane no less) sees what's going on involving ALL of the characters. Here, everyone seems to be trying to survive and/or adapt to change - whether it's the employees being laid off, Natalie's relationship ending, or simply the way they do business. The main character throughline is Ryan's. We're experiencing the story, more or less, through his character which gives him a personal problem separate from, but related to, the objective story. Ryan says obtaining miles is his goal and his succeeding is something of a bittersweet ending because along the way, he realizes it's not what he really wants. Opposite of the main character is an impact character and that would be Natalie (though I believe it's handed off to Alex as well). They both fit the bill for the definition fairly well: are they friends or foes? Interestingly they both seem to start out and finish on opposite ends of the spectrum: Natalie represents a threat to what happiness Ryan believes he's trying to maintain - but her continually challenging his positions on things from the value of acquiring frequent flyer miles to relationships, marriage and family provide the counterpoint to his perspective, adding a whole other viewpoint for the audience to consider. Alex, however, starts out as someone of interest, seemingly having more in common with Ryan - that's why they hit it off. But everything is not what it seems and these two end up on opposite ends of the spectrum. Their interactions back and forth ultimately provide the foundation for the fourth throughline, the relationship or heartline where the emotional core of the story takes place. This is like the battleground of values where one or the other character ends up changing. I think each of these lines follow their own bit of structure having their own inciting incident and playing a variation of the overall theme of relationship. Whether we're looking at it from a Dramatica standpoint or something else that acknowledges several different throughlines/perspectives, the beauty of this kind of structuring is we don't just get ONE resolution - we get an ending to each throughline, each providing us with a new opportunity for meaning that unifies the story and its theme as a whole.

Here's a first thought: Thanks for breaking down the story! I hope to be able to study it tonight, but these type of scene breakdowns can be hugely helpful in revealing the spine of a story. Thanks!

I broke this down w/the sequence method which works pretty well, though I don't think they wrote it this way as it's a bit muddy in Act 2. I also agree w/Bark Bites Back that this script breaks down really well using the Dramatica method, as evidenced on storyfanatic's site. Sequence A: 20 2/8 pgs After introducing us to Ryan Bingham’s “What’s in Your Backpack?” philosophy, we see him live that philosophy – in his work (firing people), with his family (avoiding them), and in love (finding a like-minded casual lover in Alex). The inciting incident: After being called back by his boss, Craig, for a company "game changer," Ryan heads back to home base -- Omaha. I agree w/Patrick Kirkland about the other possible inciting incidents in Seq. A -- Kara's call and meeting Alex -- but to me, if Seq. A is all about introducing us to Ryan's world, these are just other elements to it. Kara represents Ryan trying to live that empty backpack life, even when it comes to family. Alex, on the other hand, represents exactly what it is about the empty backpack lifestyle that he likes so much -- flings with no strings attached. It's truly Craig's call that is the inciting incident and landing back in Omaha that ends Sequence A, in my mind. Sequence B: 13 6/8 pages Craig introduces everyone to Natalie, an employee who will revolutionize their business by doing the firing on-line rather than in person. Ryan tries to fight for his job (and hence lifestyle) but Craig tells him it’s over; if he wants to stay out a bit longer, he can go back out and take Natalie through the paces of their business. Craig is really the one heading up this sequence, moreso than Ryan. First Turning Point: Ryan not only is given an undefined deadline about when he has to get off the road and work from the company’s homebase, but he’s also only allowed to go back out temporarily if he brings Natalie along. The central question/main tension introduced at end of Act I: Will Ryan be able to convince Natalie that his method of firing people in person is better than hers of firing them over webcam so that he can keep his isolated lifestyle? Sequence C: 13 6/8 pages Ryan introduces Natalie to his ways of life, he finds that Alex is more like him than he’d realized initially, and he shows Natalie the difficulties of really firing people. Natalie begins to crack his philosophy when she comments on what she’d do with as many miles as he has – “show up at the airport, look up at one of those big destination boards, pick a place and go.” Sequence D: 10 pages Ryan gets more comfortable with Alex, Natalie sees the really hard side of what it is their job is when a woman tells her she’s going to kill herself, and Natalie reveals that her boyfriend left her just as Alex joins them. Midpoint: Ryan is forced to deal with human emotions when Natalie breaks down in tears after her boyfriend dumps her, all at the same moment when Alex joins them – the two women in Ryan’s life meet. Sequence E: 10 2/8 pages Ryan and Alex console Natalie. They crash a party. Natalie tries Ryan’s philosophy out and finds a fling for the night. Ryan and Alex start getting close – actually caring for each other. But when Ryan wakes up, Alex is slipping out. He may have been falling for Natalie’s philosophy, but it’s hard to tell with Alex if she wants the same thing. Sequence F: 10 pages Natalie tries to convince Ryan that there’s more to his relationship with Alex, if only he gave it a chance. Craig feels Natalie is ready and implements her on-line firing plan. Natalie has a hard time with actually firing someone. Craig’s so pleased, he pulls them off the road and tells them to head home. 2nd Turning Point: Pleased with their work, Craig tells Ryan and Natalie that he’s pulling them off the road and that they’re going home. Sequence G: 20 pages Realizing he doesn’t want to be alone, Ryan takes Alex to his sister’s wedding. They grow closer. Ryan has to sell love and partnership -- Natalie's beliefs -- to his sister’s fiancé who gets cold feet at the last minute. Through this, Ryan falls for Alex – he’s a changed man. Sequence H: 13 pages Ryan settles into the new job at CTC. He begins his backpack presentation at a big conference but finds he doesn’t buy his own philosophy anymore and runs out mid-lecture. He goes to Alex’s house only to find out she has a family. CTC goes back to sending him out on the road but he no longer knows where to go. Resolution: Alex has a family and never intended to have a life with Ryan – he’s a changed man and is worse off because of it. Epilogue: Because of the suicide of a woman Natalie fired, CTC backs off their in-house firing plan and sends Ryan and the other “road warriors” out on the road, even though Ryan’s now at a point where it doesn’t really mean anything to him anymore. Natalie, on the other hand, moves on from CTC and is able to follow her own dreams now. That's my 2 cents using sequences. Like I said, Act 2 is the trickiest to determine where the sequences split, particularly the transitions from Seq. C to D and from Seq. E to F. It's really a brilliantly constructed script and was a lot of fun to break down.

Great work, Andy. The sequence approach really seems to fit this movie's narrative well. And what's especially nice with your analysis is that it tracks both Ryan and Natalie's arcs, how they affect each other as well as how events affect them. This is one of the things we aim for in a script: A story that comes across as entirely organic and evolves within its own universe as a natural flow from the interactions and choices of the characters in combination with the events of the plot; yet when we step out of that universe and break down the story, we can see this lovely well-crafted structure to it, the merging of the story's physical and psychological journey. Your analysis demonstrates that. Thanks for posting!

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