A presentation on screenwriting narrative structure; beginnings & endings, 3 act structure etc....

1. Writer’s Block
Or
How I learnt to stop worrying &
Love the plan

2. Ever felt like you‟ve hit a

3. Spent a lot of time looking at…

4. STOP!

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Acts
Your story is divided into 3 act‟s
ACT 1
ACT 2
ACT 3

8. 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?

9. 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.

10. 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…..

11. 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]

12. 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….

13. 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….

14. ACT 3
Resolution
At the end of the third act we come to one of
the most important elements of a screenplay
The Ending

15. 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

16. Oldboy

17. The Ending
Many budding screen writers end their
stories with everyone killing each other.

18. Really?

19. 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.

20. The Ending
Don‟t pull any punches
but at the same time
Don’t go all King Lear on everyone

21. 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

22. Never Compromise
Not even in the face of Armageddon

23. GREAT ENDINGS
FYI:
30 days of night
Oldboy
District 9
The Grey
The Usual Suspects
Casablanca
Hero
Memento

24. Lets look at the structure again…
beginning
ACT 1
Setup
Plot Point 1
ACT 2
Conflict
Plot Point 2
ACT 3
Resolution
ending

25. Lets look at the structure again…
beginning
1 / 3 run time ACT 1
Setup
Plot Point 1
1 / 3 run time ACT 2
Conflict
Plot Point 2
1 / 3 run time ACT 3
Resolution
ending

26. Is there a way
we can map our story out
before writing word 1?

27. Narrative Structure Plan

28. 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.

29. Narrative Structure Plan
The 3 act structure works!
Plot points work!
Good endings work!
& now you can get to work!