Screen writing narrative structure
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Or How I learnt to stop worrying & Love the plan Writer’s Block
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A presentation on screenwriting narrative structure; beginnings & endings, 3 act structure etc....
Transcript of Screen writing narrative structure
Or
How I learnt to stop worrying & Love the plan
Writer’s Block
Ever felt like you’ve hit a
Spent a lot of time looking at…
STOP!
Before you write a SINGLE WORD of your script you need to understand 2 things:
1) The basic structure of a story (script)
2) The importance of planning
Structure
Stories have a structure.
Beginning, Middle, End….. Yes, but more than that….
Scripts are made up of acts & plot points.
An act is a .
A plot point is a specific event in a film.
Acts
Your story is divided into 3 act’s
ACT 1
ACT 2
ACT 3
ACT 1
SETUP
In the first third of your film you will introduce your characters and ‘setup’ your story.
Whose it about? Where are they? What’s happening? What’s the central premise?
Plot Point 1
At the end of the first act SOMETHING HAPPENS that spins the story around and sends it hurtling off in a new direction
A revelation, a shock, a killing, a discovery, an ultimatum
We call this a Plot Point.
ACT 2
CONFLICT
At the heart of every good story is a struggle, a fight, a conflict.
Not necessarily a physical conflict – it could be a battle of the wills, battle of morals or ethics, a battle of the sexes, a battle for equality…..
ACT 2
CONFLICT
In the second third of your film your characters will be in conflict with others, trying to achieve whatever it is they need to, moving the story forward in their quest to achieve……
[you fill in the blank]
Plot Point 2
At the end of the second act SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS.
A revelation, a shock, a killing, a discovery, an ultimatum, the killer unmasked, the double agent revealed, the masked hero realizes he’s gone to save the wrong person, vito keels over in the vineyard, the hitcher dismembers the girl
We call this Plot Point 2 and it leads into Act 3….
ACT 3
Resolution
The last third of your film is the resolution – the story begins wrapping itself up. We find the answers, the revelations, as we get closer to the end.
Luke begins his attack on the Death Star, Michael returns to America to take over the family business, Max tries to escape from Vincent to save Annie….
ACT 3
Resolution
At the end of the third act we come to one of the most important elements of a screenplay
The Ending
The Ending
You have to know the ending before you can even dream about writing the story.
What is the story really about? What are you trying to talk about?
Loss? Love? Redemption? Power? Corruption?
Your ending should make sense to the story.
It should PAYOFF everything that’s come before
Oldboy
The Ending
Many budding screen writers end their stories with everyone killing each other.
Really?
The Ending
It might be dramatic but more often than not it’s because they hadn’t figured out their story,
let alone how to end it.
For some films it is the natural conclusion, but these are the exception & not the rule.
Most of the time its lazy writing. Can’t figure it out? Kill ‘em. The End. Roll Credits.
The Ending
Don’t pull any punches
but at the same time
Don’t go all King Lear on everyone
Good Endings
Are the natural conclusion to the story
Come from the characters
Are believable
Don’t have an unbelievable “happy ending” (see Hangover Part 2 for more details)
Don’t have an unbelievable “everyone-dies ending”
& still can pack a gut punch
Never Compromise
Not even in the face of Armageddon
GREAT ENDINGS
FYI:
30 days of night
Oldboy
District 9
The Grey
The Usual Suspects
Casablanca
Hero
Memento
Lets look at the structure again…
ACT 1
ACT 2
ACT 3
Plot Point 1
Plot Point 2
beginning
ending
Setup
Conflict
Resolution
Lets look at the structure again…
ACT 1
ACT 2
ACT 3
Plot Point 1
Plot Point 2
beginning
ending
Setup
Conflict
Resolution
1 / 3 run time
1 / 3 run time
1 / 3 run time
Is there a way we can map our story out
before writing word 1?
Narrative Structure Plan
Narrative Structure Plan
I’ve put the narrative structure plan on the rooms hard drive.
Use it to bullet point your story. It will make your life much easier.
Once you’ve sketched out the rough outline you can then begin fleshing out the details.
Narrative Structure Plan
The 3 act structure works!
Plot points work!
Good endings work!
& now you can get to work!
