Kabali: Exploring the Dramatic Structure
Disclaimer: This work is based on my understanding and my viewpoints. It does not stand in no way as an official document or proof. The definitions are translated according to my understanding. All mistakes are mine.
Index
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Visual Story Telling
Section 2.1 - Frames & Shots
Section 2.2 - Characters
Section 2.3 - Language of Colours
Section 2.4 - Costumes
Section 2.5 - Background Score (Silence)
Section 2.6 - Sounds
Section 2.7 - Objects
Section 2.8 - Lighting
Section 2.9 - Camera
Section 2.10 - Location, Day & Night
Section 3 - Dialogues
Section 3.1 - Main
Section 3.2 – Female
Section 3.3 - Villain
Section 3.4 - Supporting
Section 3.5 - Others
Section 4 - Dramatic Structure
Section 4.1 - Story Arc
Section 4.2 - Character Psychology
Section 4.3 - Structure
Section 4.4 - Acts
Section 5 - Action
Section 5.1 - Guns
Sections 5.2 - Sequences
Section 6 - Summary
Section 6.1 - Adaptation
Section 6.1 - Glossary
Section 7 - Story
Section 7.1 - Credits
(A preview - few selected pages)
Section 1 - Introduction
Any film will carry five structures within them - Exposition (the introductions), Rising Action (the events used to build up the proceedings), Climax (a point that changes the course of the characters), Falling Action (outcome of the climax), Dénouement (revelations).
There are six key points while constructing the dramatic structure which are basically the sequence of events - Setup (setting of the story), New Situation (establishing the character's journey), Progress (the situations resulting during the new journey), Complications (effects the characters undergo), Final Push (last decision of the character - do or die situation), Climax (character meets the obstacle), Aftermath (objective of the character experienced by the audience - emotional or exciting or romantic).
Previously stage plays and literature had five ACTS. Mostly there are only three acts in a movie called the 'Three-Act-Structure'. An act is a division of a full length film acting as an intermission between each other. The duration of an act could be around twenty (one-act plays or short films) to sixty minutes (full length motion picture). The basic components from which the Acts are derived are characters, desire and conflict. Act One, called as 'Opportunity', introduces the characters, roles and responsibilities - a basic layout. Act 2 known as 'The Point of No Return' is practically the midway of the film that explores and exploits the desires of the character. The initial personage is not the same anymore, and he/she cannot return back to how they were during the Act1 (works for all genres). Act 3, Climax, is where the character ends its conflict with everything he/she has accuired.
Intersecting the Acts, the 'Turning Point' creates the intermission, a sort of break between them. From this point onwards, movie swifts to roam inside unexplored areas each time. 'Change of Plans' separates Act 1 from Act 2. In Tamil films, this is usually the interval block where the film has reached a point which is not the same as the initial. A drastic swift happens driving the character towards its goal. 'Major Setback' lies between Act 2 and Act 3, simply pushing the character by limiting the choices.
Section 2 - Visual Story Telling
Keywords: shot length, camera movements (focus & angles), frequency of appearance, variety, presence & absence of characters, dialogues (including reactional shots).
Section 2.1 - Frames & Shots
Kabali Opening Shot
Duration approx. 5 seconds
Wide angle lens zoom in towards the concrete jungle. Caption "Malaysia" appears and stays on the left corner. The visual captures the night sky over a well-lit building of Kuala Lumpur. The lighting on several buildings are dim to highlight the two major structures: Menara Kuala - glittering green; and Tours Petronas standing bright white.
The objective is to give the viewer a visual tour of Malaysia where the story is set.
Kabali Closing Shot
Duration approx. 15 seconds
Wide angle lens zoom out sharply over the concrete jungle. The visual captures the night sky over a well-lit building of Kuala Lumpur. In contrast to the Opening Shot, the final shot is brighter surrounded by luminous structures. The two major monuments from the opening shot: Menara Kuala - glittering red; and Tours Petronas standing pale white, take prominence. The pale towers indicates the distance travelled by the main character Kabali as in "too far but still standing!"
Comparison: The opening shot enters towards the prime building structures (Menara Kuala & Tours Petronas), while the closing shot exits from behind the same buildings. The decorative colours indicate that the two sequences are days apart, depicting that the duration of the story had spanned over several days and both are not the same night. The luminosity refers the dull (initial) and bright (climax) moment of character Kabali. Wide angle lens zoom in and zoom out punctuating the start and the end of the travel of the main character through the city. Similarities is that the same group of buildings are present under a night sky. The visual theory is covered by the same musical bit, both sharing the exact same part from the Theme Music. The closing shot has an extended ten seconds run, to capture the life the character Kabali had led in the Visual Story Telling. Both are taken from aerial viewpoint delivering bird’s-eye view, where the closing shot is a top-down perspective to produce an overhead view as seen from the sky (The God’s Eye). Note : The character Kabali is seen watching towards the sky, and then the shot changes into a Point of View from the audience perspective, establishing an virtual communication (eye contact) between the audience and the main character Kabali.
Section 3 - Dialogues
Keywords: transcript, phrases, quotes, silence
Section 3.1 - Main
Kabali Speech (from the production transcript)
First uttered dialogue by the main character Kabali - : Magizhchi (மகிழ்ச்சி)
Last uttered dialogue by the main character Kabali - : Magizhchi (மகிழ்ச்சி)
Comparison: Even though the spoken words are the same, the way they are uttered is different. The first utterance registeres a kind of annoyance behind the smiling face, depicting the agony of 25 years of imprisonment. More over the word does not carry an appreciative tone indicating the time taken to be released was too long. Nevertheless it does register a sort of happiness in the atmosphere. The final utterance is more subtle. A kind of fulfilment that engulfs the atmosphere. It echoes the liberation of fear and the satisfaction of achievement.
The first Mazhichi is spoken while standing tickled by a sort of a rush. The final utterance is made while seated calmly and while thankfully looking at the sky. Both are uttered by the main character Kabali, where we see him unshaven, like a savage in a hurry at the beginning, and the same Kabali civilised with a clean shaven face during the climax. The same word is used to portray the journey and transformation of the character with visuals and tone. Silence projects the severity in both situation where the speaker Kabali addresses the one who had taken him out, and to the one whom he had taken out (respectively).
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