formatting a screen play

FORMATTING A SCREEN PLAY

ACTS You have three acts:

Act 1Act 2Act 3

This attempts to pinpoint exact structure measurement in the story.

PLOT POINTS Used in this sort of structured theory – A

plot point is a structural reference point that can take many forms. Can be a character’s realization, decision, a

twist or a turn in events or the climax.

MOST ESSENTIAL POINTS The point that begins Act 2 The point that begins Act. 3.

STRUCTURES WITHIN THE ACTSACT 1 Opening Balance: The world is in

balance. There is a certain equilibrium among the world and characters which must be disturbed.

Opening Event: A unique moment in the characters lives. It can be an unusual event, special occasion or crises.

ACT 1 The disturbance: “The inciting incident”.

This is a plot point that disrupts the balance and gets the action rolling.

Protagonist and antagonist are put into a situation rich with conflict.

End of Act 1: Disturbance causes basic situation to deteriorate. This continues until the protagonist takes action and begins to act.

ACT 1 The MAJOR dramatic question –

Disturbance causes the protagonist to ask a major question: “This is the hook,” that keeps people in the theater for hours to know the answer or outcome.

LENGTH OF ACT 1 It can last anywhere from no longer than

the opening credits or long enough to have the audience empathize with the character.

Hollywood average – between 10 percent and 25 percent of the film.

ACT 2 Middle is made of roadblocks and to

ensure that the protagonists course of action is not clearly sealed.Always another conflict, crisis or obstacle

that gets in the way of their goal.

ACT 2: RISING ACTION The world is unstable, governed by the

rising action – which makes each conflict, crisis, obstacle and complication more powerful and more important. The protagonist is on the course of most

resistance.Some moments of an opponents success

are here but always leads to greater undoing.

Failure of the protagonist to reach his/her goal.

ACT 2: THE DARK MOMENT End of an Act when the hero totally falls

and fails. Quest collapses.Protagonist’s flaws have tripped them up.Goal is now unattainable.

ACT 3: Enlightenment: Occurs when

protagonist understands how to defeat the antagonist. This can come in different forms. 1. The protagonist can join forces with

another. 2. A revelation sheds a new light on a

problem.3. Falling into an emotional abyss and

seeing the error in his/her ways.

CHARACTER REACHES ENLIGHTENMENT. A good enlightenment must involve

several elements:1. Must be something that the protagonist

and the audience would not have understood before the enduring trials and failures.

2. Enlightenment needs to be set up earlier in the screenplay.

OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE SCREENPLAY. Remember the elements of unity. If a play does not have unity – then the

playwright is depending on divine fatalism or what is known as:“Deuxes Machina” which literally means

God is from a machine.

OTHER ELEMENTS OF ACT 3 Climax: Once our protagonist reaches an

understanding he is ready to defeat the antagonist. After reaching enlightenment the outcome

suddenly becomes clear to the protagonist and the audience.

But there is still enough doubt to maintain some suspense to keep you in your seat.

WHAT NEXT… Now that the climax is out – you can’t

linger around.The end has to come to …, well, and end.

You’ve got the audience already understanding what’s going on and understanding your main character.

But the ending must be somehow related to the beginning.

ACT 3 Catharsis: The process of releasing or

purging the character’s repressed emotions and thereby bringing relief or understanding. Restores the world back to balance and

hinting what the future might bring.

JOSEPH CAMPBELL AND THE HERO’S JOURNEY. Details how plot structure of most heroic

quest and myth – no matter what country or what culture – are all virtually the same.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: 12 STEPS 1. The ordinary World: A myth begins

with the hero in his own element.

2. Call to Action: A problem or challenge is presented that will unsettle the ordinary world of the protagonist.

3. The Reluctant Hero: Hero balks at the edge of adventure. He faces his fears.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY: 4. The Wise Old Man: Hero acquires a

mentor who helps him make the right decisions.

5. Into the Special World: Hero makes decision to undertake the adventure and leaves his own familiar world behind to enter a special world of problems and challenges.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY 6. Test, allies and enemies: The hero

confronts allies of his and opponents as well as his own weaknesses. He takes action while dealing with the consequences of his actions.

7. The Inmost Cave: Hero enters place of great danger. World of the antagonist.

8. The Supreme Ordeal: A dark moment occurs. Hero must face a crucial failure, defeat – which he will achieve the wisdom to succeed in the end.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY. 9. Seizing the sword: The hero gains

power. With his new knowledge or greater capability he can now defeat the enemy.

10. The Road Back: The hero returns to the ordinary world. There are still dangers and problems as the antagonist or his allies pursue the hero.

THE HERO’S JOURNEY. 11. Resurrection: The hero is spiritually

or literally reborn and purified by his ordeal.

12. Return with the Elixir: The hero returns to the ordinary world with the treasure that will heal his world and restore balance.

EXAMPLES OF HERO’S JOURNEY Batman Returns Star War’s Luke Skywalker. The Hobbit Lord of the Rings Harry Potter

Also another common theme – most of these hero’s have been orphaned in some way or grew up raised by somebody else.

LENGTH OF A SCRIPT It varies and depends on what you are

writing for.Film about 90 minutesTV about 21 minutes to 42 minutes (this

accounts for commercials.)Average: For every minute = one page of a

script. Does not include title page.

CHARACTERS IN YOUR SCRIPT When creating a character they must be

analyzed. Their historyMotivesAncestors/background. The kind of dialogue they use.

DOES YOUR CHARACTER WORK? Put them in a hypothetical situation and

ask yourself, based on everything you created for them – how they are likely to react.

NEXT CREATE A PLOT LINE. You need to first create a conflict

between the protagonist and some other force.

CREATE A CLIMAX Point at which one of the forces of

conflict wins over the other.This is of course reached through a series of

complications, actions taken by the protagonist.

Homework Due Tuesday:

Create a biography for a protagonist (main character) and an antagonist (their nemesis).

For ideas on how to do it – check out the Sinbad treatment. (Due Tuesday)

• Also Create a Treatment for a television episode. Watch an episode from a television show and create its treatment. Remember you are essentially breaking it down and summing up the episode and its characters. Follow the Sinbad Treatment.

• Bring what you have to class on Tuesday.