REVIEW FOR MIDTERM FOR SPRING 2019 FVS 336

1. FVS 336 WEEK 11
REVIEW FOR MIDTERM – CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

2. LET’S PLAY: MIDTERM REVIEW GAME SHOW
 HERE ARE THE RULES:
 5 GROUPS OF 4
 I WILL READ THE QUESTION ALOUD, THEN CLAP
 AS SOON AS I CLAP, ONE DESIGNATED GROUP MEMBER MUST TEXT ME AT 323-868-1956 with:
 GROUP #
 ANSWER
WINNING GROUP (OR GROUPS IF A TIE) WIN ONE EXTRA CREDIT POINT ON MIDTERM

3. CATERGORY 1: THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE
 The THREE ACT STRUCTURE was first broken down and documented in Ancient Greece in the
book POETICS by this famous writer and philosopher?

4. CATERGORY 1: THE THREE ACT STRUCTURE
 The THREE ACT STRUCTURE was first broken down and documented in Ancient Greece in the
book POETICS by this famous writer and philosopher?
ARISTOTLE

5. If Aristotle’s First Act could be summed up in one or two
words, what would they be?

6. If Aristotle’s First Act could be summed up in one or two
words, what would they be?
SET UP/EXPOSTION

7. And one word that defines what the second
act is about?

8. And one word that defines what the second
act is about?
 CONFRONTATION/CONFLICT

9. Aristotle’s third act, in one or two words?

10. Aristotle’s third act, in one or two words?
 RESOLUTION

11. TIME OUT: LET’S REVIEW….
ARISTOTLE’S THREE ACT STRUCTURE
 ACT ONE: EXPOSITION – INCITING INCIDENT – DOUBT – LAUNCH TO 2
 ACT TWO: CONFRONT EXTERNAL OBSTACLES AND REBIRTH
 OBSTACLE ONE (I CAN DO THIS!)
 OBSTACLE TWO (OH… UH… THIS’LL BE TOUGHER THAN I THOUGHT)
 MIDPOINT TWIST – THE BEST HAPPENS WITH UNFORSEEN CONSEQUENCES/OR THE WORST
HAPPENS
 OBSTACLE THREE (ADJUSTMENT = FALSE VICTORY LEADS TO…)
 DISASTER (ABSOLUTE FAILURE IS EMMINENT)
 CRISIS (WHAT IS THOUGHT TO BE THE FINAL BATTLE)
 LAUNCH INTO 3 (FAILURE & NO WAY OUT)

12. ARISTOTLE’S THREE ACT STRUCTURE
 ACT ONE: EXPOSITION – INCITING INCIDENT – DOUBT – CLIMAX TO 2
 ACT TWO: CONFRONT EXTERNAL OBSTACLES FORCING REBIRTH SELF
 ACT THREE: RESOULUTION
 A WRAP UP FOR THE GOOD OR FOR THE WORSE
 IN LONGER FORM, AN EXTERNAL MISSION CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED WITH NEW
UNDERSTANDING OF SELF. “WHAT I THOUGHT I WANTED… IS NOT WHAT I NEED.”

13. REVIEW
 BEGIN WITH EXPOSITION 5Ws
 INCITING INCIDENT
 SECOND THOUGHTS
 CLIMAX = LAUNCH INTO 2
 OBSTACLE 1 (I CAN DO THIS)
 OBSTACLE 2 (MAYBE NOT)
 MID (TWIST/THINGS WORSE)
 OBSTACLE 3 (FALSE VICTORY)
 DISASTER (FAILURE EMMINENT)
 CRISIS (THOUGHT TO BE FINAL)
 CLIMAX 2 (FAILURE)
 EXT MISSION NEEDS INTERNAL CHANGES
 FINAL CONFRONTATION
 WRAP UP/FALLING ACITON/END
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III

14. OKAY BACK TO THE GAME….

15. CATEGORY: THE STORY PITCH

16. An elevator pitch, An office pitch, a
written out treatment pitch….
Which of these pitches is basically your logline,
informally discussed usually in under a minute?

17. An elevator pitch, An office pitch, a
written out treatment pitch….
Which of these pitches is basically your logline,
informally discussed usually in under a minute?
ELEVATOR PITCH!

18. HERE ARE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE LOGLINE…
BUT ONE IS FALSE. WHICH ONE? WHAT SHOULD
BE IN ITS PLACE?

19. HERE ARE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE LOGLINE…
BUT ONE IS FALSE. WHICH ONE? WHAT SHOULD
BE IN ITS PLACE?
1. A SPECIFIC PROTAGONIST
2. A BAD GUY
3. AN INCITING INCIDENT
4. A MEANINGFUL PROACTIVE GOAL

20. HERE ARE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE LOGLINE…
BUT ONE IS FALSE. WHICH ONE? WHAT SHOULD
BE IN ITS PLACE?
1. A SPECIFIC PROTAGONIST
2. A SPECIFIC ANTAGONISTIC FORCE
3. AN INCITING INCIDENT
4. A MEANINGFUL PROACTIVE GOAL

21. SCREENPLAY FORMAT

22. SCREENPLAY FORMAT
The Screenplay is formatted to communicate more than just story.
The screenplay is also communicating to different department heads.
Besides directions of what to say and what to do for the ACTOR, give me
an example of another DEPARTMENT in production that will be reading your script
for very specific information.

23. SCREENPLAY FORMAT
The Screenplay is formatted to communicate more than just story.
The screenplay is also communicating to different department heads.
Besides directions of what to say and what to do for the ACTOR, give me
an example of another DEPT. in production that will be reading your script
for very specific information.
COSTUME DEPT. – LOCATION SCOUT – CASTING – PROPS – PRODUCTION DESIGN

25. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.

26. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST?

27. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST? A NY COP

28. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST? A NY COP
2. WHAT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT?

29. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST? A NY COP
2. WHAT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT? VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE
3. WHO IS THE ANTAGONISTIC FORCE?

30. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST? A NY COP
2. WHAT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT? VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE
3. WHO IS THE ANTAGONISTIC FORCE? TERRORISTS
4. THE PROTAG’S EXTERNAL ACTIVE GOAL IS…

31. LOGLINE:
WHEN A NY COP VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE AT HER OFFICE’S CHRISTMAS EVE PARTY –
TERRORISTS TAKE HER AND HER COWORKERS HOSTAGE FORCING HIM TO SAVE THE DAY.
1. WHO IS THE PROTAGONIST? A NY COP
2. WHAT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT? VISITS HIS ESTRANGED WIFE
3. WHO IS THE ANTAGONISTIC FORCE? TERRORISTS
4. THE PROTAG’S EXTERNAL ACTIVE GOAL IS… SAVE THE DAY!

32. NEXT CATEGORY: SAVE THE CAT GENRES
ONE OF THESE ARE NOT A SAVE THE CAT GENRE, CAN YOU NAME
WHICH ONE? WHAT SHOULD GO IN ITS PLACE?

33. STC’S 10 GENRE NAMES
 1. MONSTER IN THE HOUSE
 2. GOLDEN FLEECE
 3. OUT OF THE BOTTLE
 4. DUDE WITH A PROBLEM
 5. RITES OF PASSAGE
 6. BUDDY LOVE
 7. WHYDUNIT
 8. IDIOT WINS THE DAY
 9. INSTITUTIONALIZED
 10 SUPERHERO

34. STC’S 10 GENRE NAMES
 1. MONSTER IN THE HOUSE
 2. GOLDEN FLEECE
 3. OUT OF THE BOTTLE
 4. DUDE WITH A PROBLEM
 5. RITES OF PASSAGE
 6. BUDDY LOVE
 7. WHYDUNIT
 8. IDIOT WINS THE DAY – FOOL TRIUMPHANT
 9. INSTITUTIONALIZED
 10 SUPERHERO

35. LET’S REVIEW MAIN ASPECTS OF STC
GENRES…

36. 1. MONSTER IN THE HOUSE
 THREE MAIN COMPONENTS:
 A MONSTER (duh)
 This could be literal (Alien, Jaws) or metaphorical (The Stepfather, Contagion)
 A HOUSE (uh-huh…)
 Also could be literal (Poltergeist, Demon Seed) or an extension of home (town, spaceship, school)
 And SIN (whaaaaa?)

37.  THREE ELEMENTS:
 A ROAD spanning oceans, time or just across the street
 A TEAM which may be one Samurai or it might be one Starman, but usually the ‘TEAM’ represents
the things the hero doesn’t have: skill, experience or perhaps just attitude.
 A PRIZE that’s being sought after.
 EXAMPLES:
LORD OF THE RINGS, OCEAN’S 11, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, THE BAD NEWS BEARS

38. 3. Out of the bottle
 THREE ELEMENTS:
 A WISH
 RULES OF THE ‘SPELL
 LESSON: BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR
 EXAMPLES: BIG, WHAT A GIRL WANTS, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND

39.  THREE ELEMENTS:
 AN INNOCENT HERO is dragged into a mess without asking
for it or even aware of how she got involved.
 A SUDDEN EVENT OUT OF NOWHERE that puts innocent(s)
into a world of hurt
 A LIFE OR DEATH BATTLE is at stake here. This could be the
continued existence of an individual(s) or a family, group or
society.
 EXAMPLES: DIE HARD, ARMAGEDDON, OPEN WATER

40. 5. RITES OF PASSAGE
 THREE ELEMENTS:
 A LIFE PROBLEM that is universal
 WRONG WAY! Here, the protagonist attacks the mysterious
problem via a diversionary tactic from confronting the emotional
pain of growing up, leading them down an even tougher path
 THE SOLUTION IS ACCEPTANCE. A hard truth the protagonist has
been fighting all along is that he must change… not the world
around him which he has been fighting to change.
 EXAMPLES: NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE, 10, EIGHTH GRADE,
ORDINARY PEOPLE

41. 6. BUDDY LOVE
 THREE ELEMENTS:
 AN INCOMPLETE PROTAGONIST is missing something physical,
ethical or spiritual; she or he needs another person to become
whole.
 A ‘COUNTERPART’ who makes this completion come about
 COMPLICATION that has these two together, having to deal with
one another.
 EXAMPLES: THE BLACK STALLION, LETHAL WEAPON, WHEN
HARRY MET SALLY, TITANIC

42. 7. WHYDUNIT?
 THREE ELEMENTS OF THE ‘WHYDUNIT’:
 THE ‘DETECTIVE’ OR SEARCHER DOES NOT CHANGE… We, the
audience, have our perspective changed.
 THE SECRET of the case is so strong it overwhelms the lures of money,
sex, power or fame. We must know what this extraordinary secret must
be!
 THE DARK TURN in these stories comes in pursuit of the secret as the
‘Detective’ breaks all the rules, even her own – often rules they’ve come
to live by – to get at The Secret, that’s what kind of gravitational pull the
Secret has.
 EXAMPLES: BLADE RUNNER 2046, THE SIXTH SENSE, ANGEL HEART,
FARGO, BRICK

43. 8. FOOL
TRIUMPHANT
 THREE ELEMENTS
 A FOOL whose innocence is his strength and
whose gentle manner makes him likely to be
ignored – by all but a jealous “Insider” who knows
too well.
 MISMATCHED WITH AN ESTABLISHMENT – The
people or group a fool comes up against, either
already dealing with as story begins, or after
being sent to a new place where they don’t fit – at
first.
 A TRANSMUTATION in which the fool becomes
someone or something new, often including a
“name change” that’s taken on either by accident
or as a disguise.
 EXAMPLES:
 BEING THERE, TOOTSIE…. Can you think of
some others….

44. 9. “I”NSTITUTIONALIZED
 THREE ELEMENTS:
 A UNIQUE “FAMILY” or group, organization or business drive these stories.
 INDIVIDUAL VS. THE SYSTEM could be another name for this genre, wherein
a “Brando”-type rebellious character squares off against “The Company,” “The
Family,” “The Government,” “The Social Structure”, etc.
 A SACRIFICE must be made, leading to one of three endings: Join, Burn It
Down, “Suicide”
 WHAT EXAMPLES HAVE YOU GOT FOR ME?
 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST, OFFICE SPACE, M*A*S*H, DO
THE RIGHT THING

45. 10. SUPERHERO
 THREE ELEMENTS:
 PROTAG WITH A SPECIAL POWER, but not necessarily supernatural. In fact, it
may be a mission to BE great or do some special good.
 A NEMESIS of equal or greater power, who is the “self-made” version of the
hero, not born with their gifts, but won out of sheer will, wits and devious
methods.
 CURSE FOR THE PROTAGONIST: The hero has that ONE THING they either
rise beyond or succumb to. This one thing (ie: Kryptonite) is tied into who
they are or where they’ve come from.
 EXAMPLES:
 RAGING BULL, ERIN BROCKOVICH, THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, THE LION
KING, THE IMITATION GAME, GLADIATOR

46. OKAY LET’S WRAP UP OUR GAME TODAY…
WITH TRUE/FALSE SPEED ROUND…
READY….

47. CATEGORY: STC BEAT SHEETS

48. OPENING IMAGE is a
snapshot of the entire
film in metaphoric form.

49. OPENING IMAGE is a
snapshot of the entire
film in metaphoric form.
TRUE

50. THEME STATED must
be literally spoken by
another character.

51. THEME STATED must
be literally spoken by
another character.
FALSE: It can be said, or seen thru
action or some visual metaphor.

52. SET UP contains the
first two beats and
should contain the
5W’s.
TRUE

53. CATALYST is the same
as Aristotle’s inciting
incident.

54. CATALYST is the same
as Aristotle’s inciting
incident.
FALSE: The Catalyst happens after The Inciting Incident (find a ‘dead girl’ washed up
on beach. Inciting Incident.
SEE A BOY mauled and torn apart before your eyes by a shark at a beach
you kept open? CATALYST for action… but what action… a debate is on its way…

55. A DEBATE in your
story is usually political
in subject matter.

56. A DEBATE in your
story is usually political
in subject matter.
FALSE: It is a debate about whether
to take action, and if so… what.

57. BREAK INTO ACT 2 is when
something happens that
propels the Protag into taking
up “the mission” no matter
what.

58. BREAK INTO ACT 2 is when
something happens that
propels the Protag into taking
up “the mission” no matter
what.
TRUE. Like the mother of Alex Kitner
In JAWS slapping Chief Brody.

59. B-STORY may not
exist, or may be a
mere moment or two
in a short film.

60. B-STORY may not
exist, or may be a
mere moment or two
in a short film.
TRUE: AS IN THE EXAMPLE OF THE FILM “LUCIA, BEFORE AND AFTER” ONE COULD
SAY THE B-STORY HERE WAS HER WATCHING THE TAP DANCERS AND THEIR FRIENDSHIP,
OR IN “THE CURVE” THE MOMENT SHE NOTICES SOMEONE ELSE HAD TRIED WHAT SHE HAD.

61. FUN AND GAMES is when the main
character explores the new world
and the audience is entertained by
the premise they have been
promised.

62. FUN AND GAMES is when the main
character explores the new world
and the audience is entertained by
the premise they have been
promised.
TRUE

63. The meaning of THE
MIDPOINT BEAT can best be
summed up as: Not
everything we want turns out
to actually be what we
emotionally need.

64. The meaning of THE
MIDPOINT BEAT can best be
summed up as: Not
everything we want turns out
to actually be what we
emotionally need.
TRUE: For it is when what we always wanted to happen…
does… but the consequences are not what you thought would
result. OR The worst possible thing happens… causing you to
completely re-evaluate everything you’re doing.

65. BAD GUYS CLOSE IN is
when the Antagonistic
Force regroups to truly
deliver what seems to be
a knockout blow.

66. BAD GUYS CLOSE IN is
when the Antagonistic
Force regroups to truly
deliver what seems to be
a knockout blow.
TRUE

67. ALL IS LOST is when the
Antagonistic Force has
defeated the Protagonist,
ending the movie on a
sour note.

68. ALL IS LOST is when the
Antagonistic Force has
defeated the Protagonist,
ending the movie on a
sour note.
FALSE: It does not necessarily end the
story.

69. DARK NIGHT OF THE
SOUL is the proverbial
“why hath thou forsaken
me Lord” moment of your
film.

70. DARK NIGHT OF THE
SOUL is the proverbial
“why hath thou forsaken
me Lord” moment of your
film.
TRUE

71. BREAK INTO ACT 3 is a beat
about fresh perspective,
sometimes involving advice
you received long ago, but
weren’t ready to understand.

72. BREAK INTO ACT 3 is a beat
about fresh perspective,
sometimes involving advice
you received long ago, but
weren’t ready to understand.
TRUE

73. The FINALE beat finds the
protag incorporating their
“old” self and the “new” self,
they BECOME THEME to
defeat their foe. Finales are
about synthesis and growth.

74. The FINALE beat finds the
protag incorporating their
“old” self and the “new” self,
they BECOME THEME to
defeat their foe. Finales are
about synthesis and growth.
TRUE

75. THE FINAL IMAGE has to be
the exact same image as the
opening but with something
different about it.
FALSE:. It is more about capturing the essence of the opening snapshot
but with a variation that says something about the character’s growth, or path to come.

76. LAST QUESTION: DEFINE THEME

77. LAST QUESTION: DEFINE THEME
Put simply: it is your story’s underlying message or “big idea.”
THEME to the writer is a “chicken and egg” type of thing. It can emerge
first and lead you to want to write a story about “saving the environment”
or bit of a story may emerge mysteriously, and only upon ‘further review’
does a theme about “mankind’s hubris” emerge.
Yet either way, THEME becomes your silent partner, and in a way, your personal
CREATIVE DIRECTOR of your story. If your idea is great but doesn’t serve the
Theme, see if you can tweak it to do so… or THEME will get rid of it for you.
If you find you are “manufacturing” your story too much to “fit” Theme… then it
May be time to let go of theme, just write, and see what new Theme emerges.