DRAMATICA

Ar i

st

ot le

PL

AY

3 act

MOVIE

(Syd

F ie ld ) 4 ac t

Phillips

& Huntley: Dramat i ca

Viki King Inner Mov ie Me thod /

Linda Seiger Making a Good Scr i pt G rea t

Pg 1-3 MUSTS: Place, time, mood; MAY: Who. B

E

G

I

N

N

I

N

G

ACT I

Sign Post 1

(structural)

Pg 3 What you have to te l l us by pg 3

• What will the movie explore

thematically?

• What’s it about?

Pg 10 (by page 10) Everything we need to

know: WHO, WHAT, and WHERE, The Central

Question or Challenge

• What’s the story about?

• Who’s story is it?

• What does he want?

• What’s stopping him from getting it?

• Do I like him?

• Do I care if he gets what he wants?

• Am I wondering what happens next?

Pg 1-15 “Set Up”

-- Central Question by page 15

Act I ACT I

ACT II

Journey 1 (dynamic)

Pg. 10 – 30 New information based on the

challenge presented on page 10 • We have to see what our hero is

after and that it’s a challenge for him

to get it.

About 20 pages of development in ACT 1

ACT III

Sign Post 2

(structural)

Pg 30 “ACT I Turning Point” Ends Traditional

ACT ONE. An event is about to happen that will

send the hero on a new Pathway into ACT TWO.

• What is the event?

• What action is the hero forced to

react to?

Pg 25 – 35 “First Turning Point”

Followed by a long 45 – 60 page ACT II

M

I

D

D

L

E

ACT II

ACT IV Journey 2

(dynamic)

Pg 45 the ACT TWO metaphor/ The Start of

Main Character Growth

• Usually a small scene with symbolic

overtones.

• Gives a clue to the resolution

Pg 60 The Hero is in big trouble.

• The Hero commits further against all odds to his goal.

Af t er pg 60 A l i gh ter moment. A

breather or

break from the action that doesn’t

necessarily

forward the plot.

ACT V

Sign Post 3

(structural)

ACT VI

Journey 3

(dynamic)

ACT VI

Journey 3 (dynamic)

Signposts 1

• Objective Signpost 1 as it relates to The Past:

• Main Character Signpost 1 as it relates to Understanding:

• Obstacle Character Signpost 1 as it relates to Being:

• Subjective Signpost 1 as it relates to Memory:

Journeys 1

• Objective Journey 1 from The Past to The Future:

• Main Character Journey 1 from Understanding to Doing:

• Obstacle Character Journey 1 from Being to Becoming:

E

N

D

ACT

III

ACT IV ACT VII

Sign Post 4

(structural)

Pgs. 90-120 resolution

Pg 120 What just took place?

• Was the Central Question

Answered?

• How do you feel?

• Are you satisfied with the

resolution?

• What is the overriding emotion of the piece?

• What was learned?

Pg 85-95 a 25-35 page fast paced ACT III

follows the second turning point.

Pg 110 – 120 “Climax”

1-5 pgs from end “Resolution”

• Subjective Journey 1 from Memory to The Preconscious:

Signposts 2

• Objective Signpost 2 as it relates to The Future:

• Main Character Signpost 2 as it relates to Doing:

• Obstacle Character Signpost 2 as it relates to Becoming:

• Subjective Signpost 2 as it relates to The Preconscious:

Journeys 2

• Objective Journey 2 from The Future to Progress:

• Main Character Journey 2 from Doing to Obtaining:

• Obstacle Character Journey 2 from Becoming to Conceiving:

• Subjective Journey 2 from The Preconscious to The Subconscious:

Signposts 3

• Objective Signpost 3 as it relates to Progress:

• Main Character Signpost 3 as it relates to Obtaining:

• Obstacle Character Signpost 3 as it relates to Conceiving:

• Subjective Signpost 3 as it relates to The Subconscious:

Journeys 3

• Objective Journey 3 from Progress to The Present:

• Main Character Journey 3 from Obtaining to Learning:

• Obstacle Character Journey 3 from Conceiving to Conceptualizing:

• Subjective Journey 3 from The Subconscious to The Conscious:

Signposts 4

• Objective Signpost 4 as it relates to The Present:

• Main Character Signpost 4 as it relates to Learning:

• Obstacle Character Signpost 4 as it relates to Conceptualizing:

• Subjective Signpost 4 as it relates to The Conscious: