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story It was all just a Dream

Nate North

Nate North

So this is something we've all seen, that complex plot with a lot of loose ends, that gets quickly resolved at the last minute, by the writer revealing that "It was all just a Dream". I wanted to discuss the reputation dreams in film have gotten, and how the concept could be used in the right way, even though we've seen it used as a cheap escape so many times.

Basically, Dreaming in cinema has gotten a bad name, and it's easy to see why. Shows like Lost, seasons of hit TV shows, and more, have used this super crutch to hit the reset button on plotlines that weren't working out, or simply tie up plots they didn't have the time or inclination to finish.

I think though that it's just as valid as many other plot concepts, if used correctly, rather than as a cop out. I think the key factor in making a dream plotline work is for it to actually be written as a dream plotline. The Matrix is a prime example of this being done right. In this case the dream was the matrix itself, but the point is that the script was written ABOUT the dream, and was thus coherent and interesting. The dream sequence in "stir of echoes" was great, and significant to the plot. (hypnosis in this case). My argument is simple. Just because a lot of people misused this concept, doesn't mean the concept itself is bad, and I think there are a good number of case studies proving my point. This may or may not be a preemptive defense of my own writing, lol.
 
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indietalk said:
The Wizard of Oz
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Yeah cinema gets a free pass to use this ONCE in the 1930s
It's also very clearly not an afterthought, as it's all setup from the very beginning.

Most importantly, all loose ends are tied up before revealing it was a dream, nothing is -dismissed- by the fact that it's a dream
 
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sfoster said:
Yeah cinema gets a free pass to use this ONCE in the 1930s
It's also very clearly not an afterthought, as it's all setup from the very beginning.
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Well, that's what I really wanted to look at in this discussion. How it's actually a great plot idea, if you set it up from the beginning, plant a bunch of little foreshadowing bits, and then stage a grand reveal (fight club). It just doesn't work if you're a hack. lol.
 
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sfoster said:
Yeah cinema gets a free pass to use this ONCE in the 1930s
It's also very clearly not an afterthought, as it's all setup from the very beginning.

Most importantly, all loose ends are tied up before revealing it was a dream, nothing is -dismissed- by the fact that it's a dream
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sorry for double reply, missed that last sentence somehow. Yeah, this is the crux of it right here. As long as you don't use it do dismiss unfinished plotlines, I think it can work out well. And even then, I think you really need to foreshadow it, to make it clear that it's not just a band aid on weak idea.
 
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indietalk said:
"Ah shit you mean none of that really happened?"
"Yeah it's a movie none of it happened even if it wasn't a dream!" 🤣
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x-men marvel GIF
 
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Nate North said:
I thought this was going to be a long debate, but everyone seems to be on the same page already. My work here is done!
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Well, as I don't want to be the one to unsettle the consensus, I'll just post this instead:



Nate North said:
I think though that it's just as valid as many other plot concepts, if used correctly, rather than as a cop out. I think the key factor in making a dream plotline work is for it to actually be written as a dream plotline.
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Afterthought: there's an episode of Doctor Who that's built around dreams within dreams within dreams, where that was done quite well. Must see if I can find out which one it was.
 
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CelticRambler said:
Well, as I don't want to be the one to unsettle the consensus, I'll just post this instead:




Afterthought: there's an episode of Doctor Who that's built around dreams within dreams within dreams, where that was done quite well. Must see if I can find out which one it was.
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If it's the new Dr Who, I'll have the episode somewhere, if you can find it. I had to delete the archive of the old Dr Who, because it took up an insane amount of storage space.
 
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Here's one of the great dream sequences in television history. For those who never saw the series, Dexter is a serial killer that only kills other serial killers. He's the protagonist of the series. In this scene he ends season one undiscovered, with a dream sequence about the world as he thought it should be.

 
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CelticRambler said:
Well, as I don't want to be the one to unsettle the consensus, I'll just post this instead:




Afterthought: there's an episode of Doctor Who that's built around dreams within dreams within dreams, where that was done quite well. Must see if I can find out which one it was.
Click to expand...
In reply to the video. I helped some filmmakers in Germany do post on a festival film a few months ago. They were making a film that was all a dream. I helped one of the people here make a film. The DP was talking with me, and said he was about to make a movie that happened inside a dream. Save Point does not take place inside a dream, but one of the chapters in it does, obviously at some point after the main character chooses to go to sleep.

I think dream sequences are much like any other type of creativity. It's pretty much all in the execution. Handled one way, it's amazing, handled another, and it's garbage. Sometimes it's terrible, like "what dreams may come", and sometimes it's great, like "Vanilla Sky".

There have been so many terrible, creatively bankrupt songs based on power chords, that they have become uncountable, yet people shouldn't stop making songs with power chords, because that isn't really what's wrong with the aforementioned songs.
 
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Nate North said:
So this is something we've all seen, that complex plot with a lot of loose ends, that gets quickly resolved at the last minute, by the writer revealing that "It was all just a Dream". I wanted to discuss the reputation dreams in film have gotten, and how the concept could be used in the right way, even though we've seen it used as a cheap escape so many times.

Basically, Dreaming in cinema has gotten a bad name, and it's easy to see why. Shows like Lost, seasons of hit TV shows, and more, have used this super crutch to hit the reset button on plotlines that weren't working out, or simply tie up plots they didn't have the time or inclination to finish.

I think though that it's just as valid as many other plot concepts, if used correctly, rather than as a cop out. I think the key factor in making a dream plotline work is for it to actually be written as a dream plotline. The Matrix is a prime example of this being done right. In this case the dream was the matrix itself, but the point is that the script was written ABOUT the dream, and was thus coherent and interesting. The dream sequence in "stir of echoes" was great, and significant to the plot. (hypnosis in this case). My argument is simple. Just because a lot of people misused this concept, doesn't mean the concept itself is bad, and I think there are a good number of case studies proving my point. This may or may not be a preemptive defense of my own writing, lol.
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Wow, what an interesting thought.

I agree that the dream itself has proven its worth numerous times over the decades and doesn't necessarily serve as a parachute to a quick end.

I tend to prefer those endings that leave you wondering about the true nature of the status quo, like "Shutter Island".

Dreams or spiritual journeys are typically used to impose the character arc on the main character, as in "The Devil's Advocate", and thus fundamental concepts for good storytelling.

Even the Bible used it in the case of Joseph and many others.
 
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I had a dream last night that my hard drive crashed and I lost all my recent work, editing, writing, etc that hasn't been backed up.
and then this morning windows wouldn't load the task bar or access files :eek:

I updated windows and it seems okay now.. maybe I sign to do a little backup today lol.
Mostly if someone tells you a story about a dream they had its a terrible story
 
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I think the reason stories about dreams IRL are boring is because they lack relevance to anything. In a film, they can be used for a variety of purposes that have an impactful effect on the story, which is relevant.

It's interesting to note that a good number of my favorite films of all time used either a dream plotline or nearly identical tactic to tell their core story. The Matrix, Fight Club, Vanilla Sky, and others all used the concept of an internal mental world to good effect.

The worst use on record is famously one of the season finale episodes of the antique hit "Dallas". The situation was that the show had kind of gone off the rails, and the plot had headed in a direction that audiences didn't really like. So in the last episode of the season, it was revealed that it "had all been a dream", allowing producers to quickly reset the series to the previous plot that had been more popular with viewers.
 
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