I grew up playing the Deus ex Machina video game, and I will tell you that I had no idea what that title meant. In fact, it wasn't until I picked up a super useful contemporary literature degree at Penn State that I ever heard the term again. But it turns out, understanding what a deus ex machina is, as well as how to pronounce it, can help you with your film and TV career. You spend the time getting your characters into trouble in your stories, now it's time to see one of the ways you can get them out of trouble. So today, we'll spend some time talking about the term, looking at examples across entertainment, and figuring out the pros and cons of using it in your own writing. Ready? Let's dig in. 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' Credit: New Line Cinema What Is the Deus Ex Machina Meaning in Movies and TV? The term "deus ex machina" might have arisen from literary origins, but today I wanted to extrapolate it as we see it in movie examples and television. So let's define deus ex machina in those terms. Deus Ex Machina Definition A deus ex machina describes a hopeless situation that is solved abruptly by an unexpected occurrence that was usually not hinted at beforehand. Some would say this plot device is an easy way to get characters out of difficult situations. It’s a situational resolution that usually takes the...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Friday, 5 April, 2024