06 - Classical Narrative Structure

Many movies have a three act format to organize the story:

ACT I - The Setup
ACT II - The Development
ACT III - The Resolution

ACT I - THE SETUP

Introduces:
- the main character in the story and their goal;
- the main conflict; and
- the major antagonist.
It “hooks” and captures an audience’s attention.
ACT I is typically the first 25-30 minutes of the movie.
PLOT POINT > Act one typically ends with what’s called a plot point > a major twist or surprising event that propels the story forward into another act. It provokes the beginning of another act. Specifically, it is a significant event in a story that changes the direction or outcome of the narrative often impacting the characters and the overall story arc. It’s a major turning point that pushes the story forward and keeps viewers engaged. For example, in…
- Some Like It Hot (1950), the plot point in act one is when the main characters played Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, witness a mob hit and barely escape being killed themselves;
- The Planet of Apes (1968), the plot point that ends act one is when the astronauts discover that the planet they have landed on is run by apes; and
- Rocky (1976), the plot point that ends act one is when that Apollo Creed has decided to give Rocky a shot at the Heavyweight Championship title.

ACT II - THE DEVELOPMENT

Introduces:
- Plot complications and obstacles are added to the story;
- Cause-Effect moments propel things forward for the main character(s);
- The action points toward a necessary climax; and
- ACT II is typically 50-60 minutes in length.
PLOT POINT > A plot point also ends the second act… for example, in…
- Some Like It Hot (1950), act II ends is when the mobsters find the Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis characters;
- The Planet of the Apes (1968), act II ends when our main character escapes his captivity; and
- Rocky (1976), act II ends when Rocky comes home and tells Adrien, who is sleeping, that he can’t beat Apollo Creed. However, he tells Adrien he just wants one thing, and that’;s to go the distance with Creed to prove to himself that he’s not just some bum.

ACT III - THE RESOLUTION

Deals with:
- The Climax, where the story’s main conflict comes to a dramatic confrontation, and where key struggles are waged and an eventual victor is determined (especially in Hollywood films), which is usually the hero; and
- Closure is introduced into the story, which means that all the major conflicts, issues, or ideas in the story are resolved. The so-called “Hollywood ending” is the most popular kind of closure in a classical narrative.

ARTIFACT 02 > Papademetriou, Lisa. “Three Act Structure Graph.”

ARTIFACT 01 > Nelson, Kevin. “The Three Act Structure.”

MORE ON PLOT POINTS

MAJOR TURNING POINTS: Plot points are not just any event, but major events that shift the story’s momentum and influences what happens next.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: Plot points often serve as catalysts for character development, forcing characters to make choices and face challenges that change them.
FORWARD MOMENTUM: Plot points ensure the story moves forward, creating a sense of anticipation and keeping viewers / readers invested.
DIFFERENT TYPES: Plot points can be used to surprise viewers / readers, introduce new challenges, or offer a fresh perspective on the story.

A PLOT POINT is any incident, episode or event that ‘hooks’ into the action and spins it around into another direction. They are a major story progression and keep the storyline anchored in place… but they do not have to be big dynamic scenes or sequences. They can be quiet scenes in which decisions are made. It can even be a moment of silence. Ultimately, the purpose of a plot point is to move the story forward, toward the resolution.

07 - Suspense vs Surprise

SECTION 03 DISCUSSION QUESTION

A typical movie goer will make a decision about whether he/she will like the movie around the ten minute mark of the movie. To put it another way, the story has to capture attention and interest ASAP. Name and explain a movie that you’ve seen where this was certainly true for you.

I find I’ve approached movies with an intention to want each movie going experience to be the best one it can be. I try to go in with no expectations, regardless of what I know about the film beforehand. But there have certainly been films where I have felt I will like a movie from watching its opening frames. For example, I recently watched director Otto Preminger’s 1959 feature film Anatomy of a Murder, a crime thriller starring James Stewart. I particularly loved the opening credits animation by designer Saul Bass, which feature the graphically designed black cutout of body parts superimposed over a fixed grey background. The first appearance of this gives the audience a full look at this abstracted body, with the film’s title laid over the body in all caps, as seen in Artifact 01 below.