Emotional Structure (Part 2)

“A.J. Appleyard, in a study of the various stages of reading through which we go as readers, insists that the major source  of literary experience is emotional. Without an affective dimension, without investing feelings, reading fictional texts would hold no interest. Reading is always ‘emotional.’ To deny this fact of life is to supress a central aspect of the reading experience.”
Winfried Fluck
Emotional Structure in American Fiction 

How does that apply to a script reader reading your screenplay?

“I personally think in many cases the difference between a script I love and a script I’ll pass on is the emotional density of the project. When reading, do I feel deeply for the characters—does their journey make me feel? Do I laugh and cry with then or for them? Do I want to fight for them and want them to win? Do I hate the nemesis and want him to not succeed? 
Monica Partridge 
Screenwriter to Screenwriter blog post  The Seed of Your Story 

I didn’t plan on writing about emotions for three weeks—but these things happen sometimes when you kick over the right rock. Here’s the first part of the quote by the director of Se7en, The Fight Club and The Social Network that kickstarted this thread:

“Directors don’t make pictures, directors make things that you are supposed to get an emotional hit off of. You’re supposed to feel something.” 
Director David Fincher
From the post Filmmaking Quote #25 (David Fincher)

P.S. Please send any informative links on the topic of writing and emotions as I think this well runs deep and I’d like to explore it even more. It’d be great to find some quotes from writers and directors the caliber of those I’ve found from James Cameron, Capra, and Hitchcock.

Scott W. Smith