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Hayao Miyazaki’s Story Design in SPIRITED AWAY

Writer: Young ScreenwritersYoung Screenwriters

Today we're looking at the glue that holds the story together—objective and stakes—through Hayao Miyazaki's SPIRITED AWAY.

The objective is the tangible and specific goal the protagonist must reach before the end of the story, and the stakes are the consequences if the protagonist does not succeed. When the stakes continually escalate throughout the story, making the objective more and more difficult, this focuses the narrative and creates a story the audience can't help but be invested in.

Join Young Screenwriter's Adam Schaller as he explores how Hayao Miyazaki designs a compelling story in SPIRITED AWAY, and how that results in masterful storytelling.


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