World within a World

‘I suggest that the screenwriter, in each screenplay, constructs a specific universe for specific characters suited to bringing out distinctive storyline elements and thematic threads and discards other ‘real world’ elements that could distract the audience from narrative and thematic comprehension’

I found reflecting on this proposal an important, even critical exercise with the overall setting of my story being the Vietnam war. While some themes could be explored on the battlefield I also required more intimate, quiet spaces where the viewpoints and emotions of characters could be explored. Quiet places provided space for viewers to contemplate and consider these unfamiliar and often sensitive issues within a wider conceptual framework. With the main hooks of each episode being the iconic photographs of the time, these quiet spaces allowed time for the photojournalists to explore their experiences and stories behind these famous pictures. These ‘worlds within a world’ allowed spaces to explore various highly political, and radical viewpoints, within the contextual framework of the photojournalists experience.  These intimate spaces were needed to explore more subtle themes, where the action of a battlefield, the noise and cadence of combat would not detract from the impact of dramatic narratives.

I thought about what kinds of ‘quiet spaces’ could be created to explore various themes:

• Bars where the journalists meet to discuss and share their experience with colleagues: the camaraderie, their team spirit, the excitement of the chase, their near escapes, the acts of heroism, the gut-wrenching atrocities,  the devastating loss of their best friends and helpers and the heroism of soldiers who protected them in the field.
• Homes of local Vietnamese ‘fixers’ who helped journalists travel through dangerous terrain to seek stories in the field, away from military control. These relationships offered journalists an important insight into the local peoples viewpoints.
• The news offices where dispatches were at times regulated and at times subverted, preventing journalists from telling the stories they desired to tell. Where the deaths of colleagues was hard felt and the search for those photojournalist missing in action was initiated. Where iconic photo’s and reportage was displayed and discussed.
• The military briefing sessions which could explore the variance between the ‘official position’ and the journalists viewpoints.
• The journalists living quarters where intimate discussions with colleagues could take place.
• Street demonstrations and discussions with monks in temples creates the opportunity to explore the realities of the political repression of the South Vietnamese government.
• Official meetings with CIA officers attempting to rein in the commentary of journalists.
• Quiet moments in the field with radical Army Officers who opposed official US government policy and management of the war.
• Quiet moments with soldiers who protected the journalists in the field.
• Quiet places where soldiers shielded women and children from harm.

As my list of ‘quiet spaces’ grew and grew, it also reminded me of the many varied themes that were be explored and the varied ways these stories could be explored. The ‘quiet spaces’ provided opportunities for humour and friendship and love to unfold and lighten the tone of an episode which could easily become overwhelmingly sad. In considering the quote I felt that a good deal more story could be told in these quiet spaces, these smaller more intimate ‘worlds’. Perhaps even the greater bulk of an episode could be told in this way with the world of battle rarely visited. This is something I would like to think about a great deal more.