Having more than one protagonist can be problematic, but it can also offer rich opportunities to develop several interesting characters, with separate but connected arcs…

In Hidden Figures, we follow three characters – Katherine, Dorothy and Mary – who are each employed behind the scenes at NASA, where they work on the complex calculations and technical specs required to send men into space, serving the US space race with Russia. As the story unfolds, we learn about the separate struggles these three friends had as African American women working in a male-dominated organisation within the segregated southern US of the 1960s.

Writing a multi-protagonist narrative

When planning a multi-protagonist narrative, here are some questions to ask, and our answers, as they relate to Hidden Figures.

Is one character dominant?

A multi-protagonist narrative can still have one central character. As Robert McKee notes, this character’s story can become more important than the others’, even relegating them to subplot status (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F5MGHct4V0). In this case, Katherine emerges as the lead protagonist, and her story bookends the narrative. We meet her as a child in the opening sequence and she is the only one of the three women we see in the final scene. Additionally, it is her story that is the most integral to the plot. She is assigned to work as a human computer in the Space Task Force, which is tasked with figuring out how to put US astronauts in space before the Russians. Katherine must face prejudice and hostility, using her superior maths ability and finally achieving respect and acceptance.

Does each character arc?

While the focus is on Katherine, the other two protagonists also have clear story arcs. Dorothy struggles to receive the recognition and promotion she deserves. Realising that her role and department are becoming obsolete, she proactively learns computer programming to ensure her future within NASA, leading to her appointment as a supervisor and the respect of her white boss. Meanwhile, Mary battles to become an engineer at a time when that option was closed to black women. She takes her fight to court and succeeds in getting permission to take the required classes at a white-only school. Arguably, Katherine’s is the thinnest arc of the three women, but she takes centre stage and plays a pivotal role in the narrative. She also has a romantic arc, as a relationship develops with Col. Johnson.

Are there clear connections / relationships between the characters?

A screen narrative must be a coherent whole. Incorporating multiple protagonists can either serve this or detract from it by making the story seem episodic. The main strength of Hidden Figures is that it is grounded in and framed by the space race. Therefore, the women’s fates are directly tied to and anchored in developments at NASA, such as the advent of mainframe computing. The space race also provides the backdrop to the narrative structure. For example, Russia’s Gagarin becoming the first man in space and Glenn’s troublesome re-entry from orbit. In addition, the women are friends in and out of work, and we see several scenes of them together, bonding and sharing their victories and defeats. As African American women, they have shared experiences, even if their professional lives diverge along the way.

Do each of the protagonists serve the wider story / themes?

One of the advantages of having multiple protagonists is that you have the opportunity to explore your issues and present your themes in a variety of interconnected ways, offering the audience a holistic view. In Hidden Figures, we see the women’s struggles at work and in their daily lives, as they navigate the segregated south. From the practical difficulties of separate restrooms to the attitudes of their white colleagues, and the barriers put in their way. We see their fears when they encounter a white cop and the outrage that results when Dorothy wants a book from the white section of the library. In addition, Mary’s husband Levi is more active in the Civil Rights movement and understands that sometimes violence is necessary, adding another dimension to the story.

Script source: Script Slug

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Other examples of multi-protagonist narratives that present one or more social issues include Amores Perros (2000), Traffic (2000) and Contagion (2011).