? (e.g., a wealthy dynasty, a small-town household, or an immigrant family experience?) draft specific scenes based on these factors.

Money is never just money in a family drama. It is a scorecard. It is a substitute for affection. In The Godfather , Michael Corleone doesn’t take over the family business solely for power; he does it out of a distorted sense of obligation and a desire to prove his worth to his father. Similarly, in Encanto , the miracle candle and the magical house are literal representations of familial value. When Mirabel doesn't get a gift, the drama immediately becomes an economic one: What is a child worth if they cannot contribute?

In good family drama, people don’t say what they mean. They say:

For a long moment, no one moved. Then Charlotte crossed the room and took Sophie’s hand. James stood and put his arm around Charlotte’s shoulder. The three of them stood there, in the study where so much had broken, and began to piece something new.

Character A and Character B can’t communicate directly, so they use Character C as a messenger or a weapon.