The Yogurt Trap
Once you manage to unravel the inherent mysteries of plot and scenes, you can find a certain, formulaic rhythm to scenario design. This can be a good thing as you can construct something of worth and merit and have a sense for how long it takes and rather than concern yourself with getting a handle on how to present the information, you instead get on with pouring your story into a mold. As it sounds, this can be done with a certain degree of speed once you know what you’re doing. In this regard, scenario design is not unlike making yogurt. The first time you whip up the batch of yogurt you’re more deliberate and it takes a lot longer and, though you pour it in a mold, it can end up being runny (like kafir). Not bad, just not necessarily what you were trying to make. You then get your recipe right and you can make all kinds of yogurt. In the end, however, you’re still making yogurt.
Refining the process to the point you’re on automatic is never a good thing. This is what happens, as we’ve all seen, with television shows after they grow a little long in the tooth. The people have ceased being creative and have become cogs in the machine grinding out cup after cup of delicious, wholesome yogurt. You know what you’re getting and you won’t chip a tooth and you’ll have a feeling of satisfaction for a few. If you haven’t had yogurt in awhile, it may be awesome. In the end, you always go back to that other, far frosty treat. What’s that? Oh, you know, ice cream.
Ice cream is magical. Anything can be thrown in ice cream. Almonds? Fudge swirls? Pecans? Caramel? Strawberries? Pistachios? There is a home for it all in there. There is a lot to be said for ice cream. You can throw almost anything in there and it’ll be pretty terrific. It has a basic recipe and countless permutations. You can master ice cream making, but it still requires work, even if some of the fancy machines have removed a lot of work. When you approach your own designs, you need to strive to make ice cream. Experiment. Throw something a little different in the mix every time you prepare a batch. Only by pushing yourself and looking at things from different perspectives, with new ingredients, can you escape the yogurt trap and whip up some delicious ice cream.
Until next time, I bid you, dear reader, adieu!
