plot How do you write plot turns without coincidences?

[harmonica44]

I have thriller script written, feature length. I have finished the first half and the last quarter. All that's left is the bridge between the second act and the third act, pretty much. Basically I need to get all the key characters, in the same place at the same time for the climax. At least three key characters and additional ones, depending on how I write it.

However, I have suffering from writers block for months on this one, cause how do you get multiple characters in the same place without it feeling too coincidental or forced? I asked my friends and they said I should just embrace coincidence, as real life is full of them and it might make it more down to earth. But I disagree, and I think a lot of viewers will not like that in a movie, and find it unlikely in fiction, compared possibly to real life.

I have thought of several ways to get them all in the same place but none that feel like it is written to the best it can be. They all just feel arbitrary and coincidental, just to move things along.

Are there any sights or books that can help with me with writing, so I can finish it? Thanks.

 

[harmonica44]

Well I was thinking I could write it so that character A and C team up to go after B, and get the evidence together.

But that will make the plot less complex, and viewers usually like complex plots where the characters are working against each other from all sides. So this could be risky, as it simplifies the plot a little more and takes away a layer.

I could do it, and it would be an easy fix though to the long problem though, if it's okay. I mean it is risky in the sense that there is less obstacles though.

 

[maz]

Which TV show was that? I would be interested in seeing that episode.

Sorry for the delay. It's

Spoiler

Breaking Bad, series 5, episode 13. Conveniently enough for this discussion, it also has the cop and the guy whose life was ruined joining forces to get their hands on the evidence and bring down the kingpin...

A classic piece of TV.

 

[harmonica44]

Okay thanks. Well what if Character C just followed B around for days in his free time, until he got lucky and B leads him to the macguffin. I know I using the term macguffin wrong, but I mean the object that everyone wants.

If this is just too generic and not exciting or complicated enough, what if I just do it the way I said before and he calls character B, saying he knows where the evidence is on him, causing him to go into a panic, and take Character C right to it?

 

[DeadChannel]

Take the planet terror route!

Seriously though, it seems like it would be hard to write like that. Go where the story takes you!

 

[harmonica44]

Okay thanks. I have rewritten a lot of it and I have come up with three ways they can all meet in the same place. I wrote it so that none of them know about the macguffin but find out about it after they all meet in the same place.

I rewrote it so that Character C does not know about the macguffin, but wants B to lead him to evidence that will incriminate him, so he then has something on B, or wants B to meet with people, that will help solve the case if C can find out who those people are.


Character C follows B for a few days, but it leads nowhere, as B keeps on living a normal life without engaging in any suspicious activity for C to follow up on. C then notices that A is also following B around and keeping tabs on him. He recognizes A from before in the story and knows who he is. He thinks it's suspicious how A also seems interested in keeping tabs on B, and wonders what his reasons are.


After C notices A following B as well, C decides to make a phone call to B telling him a that he has something of his that he is going to want back, then hangs up. This spurs B into panic. C hopes that this will cause B to take him to do something that will give C a lead. B then hurries to a specific location and A follows him. C then follows both of them, to see what his phone call will cause, hoping it will cause something that will give him a lead. B checks up on his macguffin to see that it's okay and locked away safe. He sees that it's okay and nothing has happened to it. Both A and C, see that he has something locked away that might be of value, evidence wise.

Here are the three scenarios that can happen for them to all meet in the same place. Can you tell me which of these three is the best?

The first one:

After B finds that his macguffin is safe, later on that night A returns to check out the macguffin. But C has followed him to find out what he is up to, and what he is going to do, cause he is curious as to what A has to do with any of this so he has decided to follow him around now to see. A then attempts to take the macguffin where as B has to stop him and C also then has to intervene, causing the three of them to meet in the same place.

The second scenario:

Later that night, C has to decided to keep watch on B, instead of A, since he is still interested in B more than A, since B is the bad guy he wants revenge on in the first place. A then decides to come back and take the macguffin, in which case they both feel compelled to intervene. So it's the same scenario pretty much accept C decides to keep watch on B, instead of switching to keeping tabs on A for the night. So it's all about motivation. Does he care about B or A more? He wants to take B down out of revenge, but is also curious as to what A is doing following B around as well.

The third scenario:

Both A and C decide to both come back and take the macguffin for themselves, but find that they have both come back almost at the same time to take and, in which case B has to intervene, as well as A and C. Doing it this way, means that no one will be able to keep watch on B for the night, until the other has arrived. Both A and C, will be required to come back within five or ten minutes of the same time, in which case this could come off to the audience as a coincidence, as oppose to A arriving say five hours too late. By having either A or C keep tabs on B for the whole night, and then have other arrive later, eliminates the coincidence of C and A both coming back at the same time. Unless a coincidence is good and both of them coming back to take the macguffin, only to discover each other is better?

What do you think? Which one of these scenarios sounds best?