5 Screenwriting Lessons – Pride

Who Wrote It?

Pride was written by Steven Beresford.

How Long is It?

Pride is 120 minutes long, including credits.

What’s It About?

Pride is based on the true story of the LGSM (Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners) group that operated during the British miners’ strike of 1984-5. It is founded when a group of gay activists, including the young rebel Mark Ashton (Played by Ben Schnetzer) , the flamboyant Johnathan Blake (Played by Dominic West) and the inexperienced Joe (Played by George MacKay), come together during a Gay Pride demonstration and decide to raise money to help the fight the British government’s attempts to close the country’s mines. After numerous failed attempts to find support from the British Union of Mineworkers, the LGSM are allowed to come to the small Welsh mining town of Onllwyn to promote their cause. Once there, they make an impression on the initially reluctant townsfolk, and gain a number of friends, such as Dai (Played by Paddy Constantine) and housewife Sian (Played by Jessica Gunning). However the homophobic attitudes prevalent throughout Britain at the time, coupled with the difficulties that the miners face as their strike progresses, ensure that the LGSM’s cause appears doomed.

5 Screenwriting Lessons – Pride

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Every Character Should Stand Out – Pride contains a large cast of characters, all of whom are depicted in a vivid and memorable manner. The initial focus is on the individual members of the LGSM. Joe, who refers to himself as “Bromley” until the climax of the film, is unsure of his sexuality. Mark is a provocative radical, whilst Johnathan’s partner Gethin is more grounded and less flamboyant than other members of the group. All the members are given a number of strengths and weaknesses; for example, Mark is shown to become a bit too self-centred as the LGSM gain prominence.  As a result of this nuanced portrayal, the characters always seem real, enhancing the legitimacy of the story and increasing the viewer’s interest in it.

The diversity of the cast is also showcased in the village of Onllwyn. The inhabitants all have different outlooks and different reactions to their unlikely supporters. Dai is the first person to meet the LGSM, and takes to their approach quickly, giving an introductory speech for them at a gay club in London. Sian is the one who undergoes the strongest character arc, as she transforms from an ordinary housewife into one of the LGSM’s strongest and most helpful supporters. Maureen is the nearest thing to a human antagonist in the story (the main opponents are the background forces of Margret Thatcher’s Conservative government and the institutions that supported it) as she refuses to let go of her homophobia and clings onto her belief that the LGSM are only out for themselves. This wide range of responses from this cast of supporting characters allows the film to reflect the wider views of society at large, acknowledging the fact that those aiming to bring about change, such as the LGSM, will always have to face up to intolerance from individuals, but their ability to open up the minds of the wider community is all that matters.

Portray the Past Effectively – The film begins with stock footage depicting the protests that occurred during the miners’ strike. Miners are depicted engaging in peaceful rebellions and being attacked by the police, and we soon switch from this succinct introduction to scenes depicting the strike on the news as Mark watches. This sets up the main subject of the story, in which the rebellious masses will take on the might of the government. Whilst the strike is merely in the background, as the film zeroes in on a small group of people involved, it serves to mobilise the plot and the protagonists driving it, and is therefore a vital part of the story.

The effects of the miners’ strike also increase our understanding of the characters. The destitution experienced by the strikers and their families is conveyed in a manner that can be remembered by those who experienced it, and understood by the viewers who did not. At the Onllwyn village hall, the main prize in the bingo games is a tin of corned beef. This is usually regarded as a cheap item that few would eat out of choice, but the fact that it is such a valuable prize highlights how desperate the inhabitants are, and how they are trying to make the best of their situation.  The best way of depicting an important event such as the miners’ strike is to depict realistic characters coping with the effects of it in a truthful manner, and Pride succeeds in doing this.

Subplots Are an Integral Part of Any Film – Within the overarching story of the LGSM’s attempts to bring attention to the causes of both the miners and the LGBT community, there are a number of smaller subplots. The most prominent of these concerns Joe, whose conservative parents want him to study in a catering college. However, he actually wants to be a photographer, and struggles to see eye-to-eye with them. Over the course of the film, Joe learns to be more assertive and accept his sexuality, and his parent’s failure to understand this increases his desire to be independent. This struggle with adversity gives the story a human focus, and reflects the main theme of being open about your orientation even in the face of considerable opposition.

The message about being proud of yourself is also apparent in two secondary subplots. The first of these concerns Gethin, who tries to rekindle his relationship with his Christian mother. The other one follows Cliff, a respected member of the Onllwyn community, who eventually reveals that he is gay. In both cases, the characters decisions are accepted by those close to them. In spite of the ultimate failure of the miners’ strike, the overall tone of Pride is a triumphant one, and Gethin and Cliff’s ability to come out reflects this.

Changes in Mood Should Feel Natural – Pride has to balance both comedic and dramatic elements, and does this by contrasting them; an upbeat sequence will be followed by a serious setback that hinders the protagonists. Therefore, the emotional high of acceptance from the community is followed by the reveal that Maureen has told the tabloids about the LGSM’s presence, and the heartwarming scene in which Gethin’s mother comes to visit him in hospital, completing the subplot depicting their reconciliation, is followed by Johnathan’s admission that he is HIV positive. This alternation between increasingly positive and increasingly negative events creates a growing progression, and ensures that, instead of seeming like a constant stream of events, the film flows naturally, with a story that can follow the beats of a conventional screenplay structure perfectly.

The brutal nature of homophobia in the 80’s is summed up by an attack on Gethin that leaves him hospitalised as he goes out on his own to ask for donations. Whilst it is not actually shown, it is foreshadowed skilfully, with the warning that the LGSM members should stay together when trying to collect funds, and the attacks on Gethin’s bookshop earlier in the film. This ensures that when the lighting dims and the score turns ominous, the viewer can figure out what is going to happen without having to see it. As a result, the film is successfully able to depict the reality of homophobic violence without the jarring deviation from its overall tone that would have resulted from actually showing it.

Be Energetic - Pride’s approach and tone is reflected in its soundtrack, which is a mixture of protest songs and up-tempo 80’s pop. However, the music is more than just a way of setting the mood. It becomes particularly important during “Pits and Perverts”, a benefit concert set up by the LGSM in response to vicious articles from the pro-government tabloids. Enlisting the services of the electronic pop act Bronski Beat, they manage to gain large amounts of attention for their cause and money for the people of Onllwyn. This marks a significant milestone in the story, as a group of amateur activists founded only a few months before are able to recruit the services of band who, at the time, were one of the most popular acts in Britain. The ambition of the LGSM highlights their commitment to their twin causes, and shows that they are gaining increasing popularity and prestige as a result of this. Music is an important part of modern life, and the LGSM’s ability to connect with it allows them a simple and appealing way of proving that minority groups can make a difference.

Conclusion

Pride provides a unique perspective on one of the most important events in modern British history. It provides a wide range of characters who are defined clearly enough to stand out, but depicted in a manner that allows them to seem like real people instead of stereotypes. It makes good use of the period in which it is set, embedding the culture of the time into the story seamlessly. Most importantly, it provides large amounts of comedy and drama without letting either dominate the film completely. Generally, Pride is a good example of how two complex genres, the historical drama and the ensemble comedy, can be combined in a manner that is both enjoyable and appealing for a wide audience.