Phil Parker's 10 basic story types

1. Emma Dempsey

2. Here are ten story types found in screen
narratives as described by Phil Parker in
‘The Art and Science of Screenwriting.’

3. 1. The Romance
A person is missing something or someone. There is lack and desire for that
thing or person. The character struggles in overcoming all or many of the
barriers between him/herself and the object of desire. The closure of unity is
eventually achieved.
Example: ‘When Harry Met Sally’

4. 2. The Unrecognised Virtue
A virtuous person enters another world and falls in love with a powerful
person in that world. The person seeks love but the power gets in the way.
The person tries to help the powerful person and their virtue is eventually
recognized.
Example: ‘Pretty Woman’

5. 3. The Fatal Flaw
A successful person uses opportunities for personal gain, often at the
expense of others. Then, seeing the damage, the person seeks to repair
it, but the quality that led to success eventually leads to failure.
Example: ‘Macbeth’

6. 4. The Debt that must be Repaid
A person wants something or someone, for which there is a high price. The
person accepts the price but seeks to put off paying the debt.
Eventually, though, they have to pay it.
Example: ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’

7. 5. The Spider and the Fly
A person wants another person to do something. Lacking the influence or
power to demand it, they seek to ensnare the other person, tricking them
into compliance. They are successful and a new future is faced.
Example: ‘Double Indemnity’

8. 6. The Gift taken away
A person has a gift which is lost. Seeking to regain the gift leads them into a
new situation, to which the person eventually becomes reconciled.
Example: ‘Rain Man’

9. 7. The Quest
A person is set a task to find someone or something. The challenge is
accepted and the quest is eventually won. There may or may not be a prize.
Example: ‘Star Wars’

10. 8. The Rites of Passage
A person knows they have reached a new stage in life and seeks to find what
must be done to complete the transition. They pretend that they already
know, then meet a challenge that shows they do not, yet also provides the
route by which they achieve the full transition.
Example: ‘Stand By Me’

11. 9. The Wanderer
A person arrives somewhere new and finds a problem there. In facing the
problem they show why they left the last place. They then seek to move
on, repeating the pattern.
Example: ‘Shane’

12. 10. The Character who cannot be put
down
A person demonstrates prowess, but then faces a bigger challenge that tests
that prowess. They succeed.
Example: ‘Die Hard’

13. My group and I have decided to focus on the story type ‘The Spider and the
Fly’. We like the idea of developing the antagonist and exploring his
background however, we want to adapt this story type by putting a spin on
it. We will do this by shifting the focus onto the protagonist or ‘the fly’ and
want to show her progression from an instrument used by the antagonist to
a strong character who regains control after this realisation.