Story Structure

Here's some thoughts on story structure that hopefully will help some people think about how to categorize their stories into the 3act structure. Enjoy!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• story
• structure
• three
• act
• threeact
• screenplay

[justmeeagainn]

I know it's a very complicated movie, but would you say Syriana fits into the 3 act structure?

[eddiechinglives]

@justmeeagainn Would it fit into my ACTION MOVIE catagories? Not perfectly. But it does have a 3 act structure like Momento and Pulp Fiction. They set everything in the fist act and upset the balance of each individual story. Like getting fired, discovering a plot, or losing a child. The action in the first act leads to a re-action in the second.

[eddiechinglives]

@eddiechinglives Things get complicated. Stakes are raised. And leads to a 3rd act, where the pressure is let loose in a final showdown or situation or impending doom situation. Maybe the protagonist intervenes and wins. Maybe he loses. Or maybe it's a suicide mission, where they both win and lose.

[DonnaEliza77]

I love the film Robocop and funnily enough I only watched it last night! You made some good observations from this film and ideas on how to build up ones own story in terms of action and tension. Thanks for posting!

[eddiechinglives]

@DonnaEliza77 Thanks. A bonus point is there is one last CLEVER MOVE. A QUICK or SURPRISE move at the end, when the bad guy looks like he's going to win. With Big Trouble In Little China, Jack flings the knife back at Lo Pan. Terminator 2, Arnold surprises the T2 and blasts him when the T2 thought Arnold was dead and about to kill John. And in Robocop, Robo quickly uses his switch blade data port and gets Clarance in the neck when Clereance thought he was going to stab Robo to death.

[eddiechinglives]

I'm not sure what it is about this video that people have a problem with. It's just observations I've made about successful movies I enjoy. Patterns if you will. I didn't mean this video to come across as if I'm saying every movie has these things in it. Just some observations. That's all. Take it for what it is. If it helps you, cool. If not, I'm sure there's other videos out there that's better than this. I'm sure of it.

[saluk]

Prestige and memento from same writer :)

Memento is still 3 acts. Act 1: define the character and his "condition". Act 2: show how difficult it has been for him to track killer due to his condition. Low point is the discovery that the girl was using him, though he forgets it. Act 3: final fight between him and the "real" John G. He wins. (I have heard people say it would be cool to watch in normal order, but because it already fits the 3 act structure, that would actually ruin it as a story).

[MichaelChin1994]

Also, BTW, I find that a story that doesn't have a 100% happy ending are much more memorable! I wouldn't want one where there is 0% of a happy ending, because I feel then it was a failure and I wasted my time. However, one with an ending that's around 40-60% happy tends to be very memorable and realistic!

[jesuislepluscool]

@saluk Memento, such an amazing movie! That's very true, thanks for sharing lol

[DonnaEliza77]

Eddie, Thanks for the extra tips about the hero winning right at the last second before the end - some good visualisations that are not completely obvious to the eye :)