Throwing Rocks

Andrew introduces the metaphor of "getting a character up a tree, then throwing rocks at them." The rocks represent challenges to a character's belief system. Each obstacle asks "do you still believe that?" This is the core function of a story's second act. He uses a bottle metaphor: push a character through the narrow neck and they emerge changed on the other side.

Some characters (like Clint Eastwood's western archetypes) don't change themselves but change the world around them. He discusses the Joker as an example of rooting for an evil character through relatable theme, noting the first film succeeded where the sequel failed by losing that thematic core. He references Gravity as a story about survival and transformation, and CODA as a story built on contrasting wants: a girl who wants to sing but is trapped caring for her deaf family. Great storytelling keeps the audience constantly asking "what happens next?"