Modern dating is often described as a minefield, but filmmaker David St. Clair decided to turn that metaphor into a literal cinematic experience. In a candid conversation with Stephen ‘Spling’ Aspeling, St. Clair explored the mechanics of his film, The Lonely Crowd – a textured thriller that masquerades as a romance, or perhaps a romance that survives a thriller. For screenwriters looking to blend genres without losing their audience, St. Clair’s insights offer a masterclass in character-driven narrative and the art of the “anti-meet-cute.”
Story as Character and Character as Story
One of the most common pitfalls in genre-blending is letting the plot dictate the characters’ actions. St. Clair argues for the opposite. By grounding the story in the internal lives of his leads, Peter and Ashley, the thriller elements feel like an organic extension of their world rather than a forced addition. He believes the core of the script must start with the leads being fully fleshed out before the genre elements are layered on top.
“The core of it started with the romance originally… I knew that the two leads had to be really fleshed out. For me, story is character and character story; they go hand in hand. Not necessarily plot, but story is character. I knew if I had that, then I could build the thriller aspect afterwards.”
Subverting the Meet-Cute
We’ve all seen the romantic comedy trope where the leads bump into each other and sparks fly. The Lonely Crowd takes a more grounded approach by starting at ground zero. By beginning with a bad date, St. Clair creates immediate relatability and a realistic foundation for growth. He explains that he didn’t want the audience to feel the “certainty” of the couple ending up together. Instead, the chemistry and the romance had to be built through shared trauma and the necessity of the situation. This slow escalation prevents the romance from feeling like a “light switch” moment and instead creates a push-and-pull dynamic that feels authentic to the audience.
The Internal Mechanics of Want and Need
A pivotal tool in St. Clair’s screenwriting kit is the distinction between a character’s Want and their Need. For the protagonist Peter, an injured athlete, his external want is to reclaim his former glory in Major League Baseball. However, the story forces him to confront his internal need – a deeper sense of connection and purpose that isn’t tied to a scoreboard. St Clair notes that while a character’s want and need are often in opposition, exploring that friction is what makes a character interesting and relatable rather than just “likable.”
Killing Your Darlings and Managing Evolution
Screenwriting is often a battle between the dream version of a script and the reality of production. St. Clair highlights the importance of staying on track with the central theme, even if it means cutting expensive or distracting sequences. During the development of The Lonely Crowd, several elements were trimmed to maintain the film’s focus. A car chase involving police was removed because it detracted from the core story, and a comedic character was cut because the humour felt out of place within the escalating suspense.
“The screenplay keeps evolving. There’s several drafts. Once you get in, even while you’re shooting, it’s evolving. You have to make sure you always stay on track. Sometimes you have to write down what the theme is… and say, ‘This is my theme and I’m not going to stray from this.'”
Rules as Guidelines, Not Laws
While St. Clair utilises the Three-Act Structure, he views screenwriting rules as fluid. He suggests that while guidelines are helpful for maintaining structure and ensuring stakes rise appropriately, they should never stifle the creative impulse. He notes that while screenwriting books often create new terminology, the fundamental principles of human nature and storytelling have remained relatively consistent since the time of Aristotle. For St. Clair, the ultimate goal is to ensure the “law of diminishing returns” never kicks in, keeping the revelations fresh and the audience engaged through to the final act.
The Power of the Provocative Title
Even the title of the film serves the theme of contradiction. While some producers suggested a more “on the nose” title to help sell the film, St. Clair insisted on The Lonely Crowd. The name reflects the modern irony of feeling isolated within a massive, technologically connected city. This choice highlights his preference for ambiguity and risk over safe, predictable branding. By choosing a title that requires thought, he signals to the audience that the film itself will offer more than just surface-level entertainment.
The Lonely Crowd is now available to watch on Amazon Prime.