Framework your story: The Three Act Structure · 9:00pm Dec 31st, 2017

Before we start, let me ask you a question. What are the similarities between Art, Literature, Music, and Photography? The answer, composition, more specifically rules. This article is not about composition, that deserves another long blog post, however in knowing how to arrange the elements, you are not only able to increase the probability of success in your story, or your painting, or your song; but you can also be able to control the messages you send, you know is true to others.

Primarily this can be done in the realm of storytelling by focusing on structure, why? Because in essence all stories are the same , be it comedies, tragedies or romances, as contradicting as that sounds; there are principals to a good story, and these ingredients are coherent it goes beyond, race, time, religion or ancestry. This bold statement is not my invention, this is an observation done by Joseph Campbell, author of the Hero with a Thousand Faces. He was a theologian who loved Native American stories, and from this passion he started noticing a pattern that parallels to the parables of Christ's. Ultimately he devised the Hero's Journey to which he called the Monomyth. Dan Harmon famed creator of Rick and Morty simplified the entire book to this

He used this method to create one of the most popular cartoon to date. The sequence of descending and ascending of a character, diving into the unknown and resurfacing anew, is also nothing unique, there exist an even older diagram:

What is the Three Act Structure?

This is the foundation of every good story, part of the Dramatic Structure, preceded by Aristotle in his lesson of Poetics, an in depth analysis of tragedy --comedy is said to be lost. Arising out of the ancient times to the modern era it became a popular screenwriting technique that touches upon creating set-ups, conflicts and resolutions, for all its intent and purposes it can be boiled down to this: beginning, middle and end. Due to its flexible nature, storytellers of all kinds of genres be it comic books, novels, or theater plays use this as well.

For example: the reason why the Hunger Games was smoothly adapted to the movies, was because of its straightforward adherence to the three act structure. While the reason why the Twilight saga lags, was because of the author avatar's narcissistic descriptions dominated everything from every sentence to the point it drowns out the conflicts, mangling the structure.

Now I know what you are thinking , but I am an artiste my hands glide on paper with my pen on hand, or my hands dance by the keyboard step by step to the rhythm of my creativity. Enough with the purple prose, though this is true, it is fool hearty to believe that you are a rebel by breaking the rules without knowing the time tested methods first.

Have you ever read a story or watch a movie and said -- nothing's happening, this sucks.

Stories that drag and don't make sense suffers from a combination of bad story structure and emotional resonance. By saying you don't need the guidelines is absurd, try cramming your ideas in a four hundred page novel or a two hour screenplay. This shows us that good stories are not created by accident, those campfire tales you hear are well thought off, ushering the audience to the emotional peaks of pain and pleasure.

Why is it Important? Good stories make us vibrate, we know what we want to see or hear, an exceptional story can fine-tune us to our existence, to achieve this you have to tell a story that is familiar. Familiarity gives us a sense of beauty, be it frightening, tragic, comedic or romantic; on the other hand the distorted and disfigured gives off a sense of discomfort and dislike.

_{watch until the 30:29 - 30:48 mark}

A structure is like a road map, it's a solid guide on how we overlay our stories to boundaries that keep us from getting lost, these are the proven turning points that help decide what happens in the story.

Everyone can write a story, but a few can write a great story. It's tough to write a novel, it's tough to write a movie, and it's tough to write a play. Writers fear that in following a certain format it will become a formulaic and predictable story, albeit true it can happen if you take it literally and follow it to a tee, but the strength of putting structure reminds you of the important elements of a story and helps you find holes to fill. Following this will not make your story unoriginal or uninteresting, but this ensures your audience understands and will leave an impression on them.

The Three Act Structure Model:

Act #1 (Beginning)

Contains:

The Opening Scene

Set-up

Introduction of the Character

The Inciting Incident:

-- The Catalyst

-- Call to Adventure

-- Refusal of the Call

The first act is all about showing the audience, the protagonist's world, his inner life and the literal setting. Virtually this sets-up the world building (rules of the world), the critical traits of the character, and the ordinary world (the status quo).

The Ordinary World - is the introduction of the plot problem, something is making the character unhappy in his daily grind. It doesn't matter if the character is aware of it. What matters is the establishment of details the readers must know, and get to like the protagonist.

Inciting Incident -> The Extraordinary World - is a just a saying that the protagonist will do something new that will kick start the plot. There's an opportunity that presents itself to the protagonist, he can accept or avoid but he will be dragged into it regardless. However the Inciting Incident can lead to the refusal, which a stubborn or apathetic protagonist will avoid doing something about the problem. The outside forces can compel him to take the choice as he has no option.

Both scenarios can lead too...

The Act One Problem -> Plot Point 1/ Act 1 Climax - this transitions during act two, the protagonist has now something to do because he or she has a goal, and choices to make. This is where the first stakes are raised and the core conflict introduced. The protagonist can either prepare for it, or do nothing.

Act #2 (Middle) = Confrontation

Contains:

The Rising Action

Longest Act = broken to 2 parts

Act two: part one = fun and games

- heroes learn new skills or abilities

Midpoint: (rising to a victory)

- midpoint climax

- midpoint reversal

>>>>>>>>

Act 2 tent pole

-- success = midpoint victory

-- defeat = midpoint failure

-> not every story needs a midpoint climax

<<<<<<<<<

Middles make up fifty percent of a screenplay or novel, this is the transitional moment linking the beginning to the middle. This is when the protagonist leaves his comfort zone or the familiar world to get what he wants, he will have to undergo a series of challenges, stepping foot on the extraordinary world can be bewildering. Good middles show trials and growth, the protagonist will have to endure struggles and failures in order to learn the valuable lessons needed for Act Three to defeat the antagonist.

Usually the protagonist will give off an air of confidence to the audience, he tends to be self aware and so sure of his plans, but as soon as things go awry with disasters beyond his control, he will become more doubtful of himself and will consider giving up.

Middles weave together the plot and subplots, romances or punching conflicts with another character. This is where clues are found that foreshadow the outcome of events or the climax, their actions will bring them closer to the act two disaster that will hurl them to the climax and resolution.

The Act Two Choice - The moment when the protagonist finally makes a choice whether he likes it or not, is the sign he embraces the problem to the audience. He is giving himself the opportunity to mend or resolve it.How he decides to deal with that problem establishes how the plot is going to unfold until the next step on the plot path.

This is going to be a big problem, it's the core conflict that drives 25% of the middle to the midpoint. In most cases this will end in failure because the protagonist hasn't learned enough to defeat the antagonist.

Act two: part two = falling to a defeat

- Things get serious

- Raise the stakes

- Raise the tension and conflict

- The bad guys close in

The Midpoint Reversal - The protagonist's plans are no longer viable, his world view is shattered and things have to change. He has to make another choice that will kick start the half of act two. Even if the stakes weren't high to begin with, raise the stakes further, it's often a personal consequence or a hidden secret/problem that's revealed. Sometimes this is at the cost of an ally, or a belief system, or it can be both. This is where sacrifices must be made.

Act two: part two

Further contains:

All is Lost Moment: (physical injuries)

- False defeat

- Page 80 crash (it doesn't have to happen at page 80 in a screenplay)

The Dark Night of the Soul: (mental/emotional)

- Minute 75 to 85

- The protagonist at his lowest

- The protagonist will or might get a pep talk from someone to continue

-- Something jolts the protagonist or snaps him to his senses

The Act Two Disaster - We are now at the 75% mark, this is the moment where everything can go wrong, will go wrong, oftentimes this is the result of trying to fix the midpoint conflict. The big plan he has fails, and the story is now at the miserable state of things, the stakes are raised once again. Whatever lie the protagonist has deluded himself throughout the story has been stripped away, if this was a tragedy he won't acknowledge the fatal flaw, but this is the time the truth is revealed, however harsh it maybe.

If the villain or the antagonist has been hidden, this is where his identity and agendas are revealed, even if the antagonist was known the audience must take the new information in to make the hero's task seem impossible.

To make it short, this is the darkness before the storm scenario. This will burden the protagonist, but hope is still there and he finds the strength to carry on. He realizes the only way to succeed is to face the problem head on and do what he’s been scared to do all along.

End of Act 2 = Act 2 climax:

- second plot point

- turning point, new direction

- character come up with a plan

- solve the problem

- the aha! Moment

on the flip side: if the midpoint was a failure

- second plot point should be a false victory

- seemingly defeats the bad guy

Act #3 (End) = Resolution

The final showdown has begun, whatever has been making the protagonist miserable for the past hour and a half of the screen play, or the four hundred page novel, will be resolved at this moment, he has grown, he has learned and he has changed. He or the audience will have an epiphany that this is what's been missing in his life all along. He can either be victorious or fail spectacularly if that what you want. Whatever happens just make sure the core problems are solved.

Act 3 (climax)

- minute 80 or 90

- only takes 15 - 20 mins

- high stakes and conflict

- hero overcomes ridiculous odds to be successful

- sometimes there's a twist (the act 3 twist)

climax/ finale:

- the entire story is building up into this single scene

- conflict is at its highest

- the most exciting moment of the movie/book

The Climax - the final stakes raised. The protagonist has something personal at stake, making the final battle matter on a grander scale. The climax is also tied to the thematic aspect of the story it knots the feelings of the viewer to the ending. It's not uncommon to give it a twist.

finale:

- wrap it up

- any loose ends and answer plot questions

- give the audience that sigh of relief

- choose a happy or sad end

The Wrap Up - This is the end. It's the everybody laughs ending, doomsday has come ending, victory party, the hero dies, or whatever. You can choose to have an ambiguous ending, just make sure the story screams -- there was a point to the whole ordeal! Give the audience a sense of closure to the emotional rollercoaster you've put them through. Announce to them that the story was worth their time and doesn't belong in the trash.

Here's an educational autopsy I found, hope it helps.

Is the structure up there too complicated for you, can we simplify the three act structure further? -- yes we can. Ben Garant and Thomas Lennons who co-wrote the book “Writing Movies for ~~Fun and~~ Profit," simply stated:

Act 1: Put the character up a tree

Act 2: Throw rocks at him

Act 3: Get him down

This sounds like it's easier said than done, yes it is, as 95% of the time screenplays, novels or plays die in the middle, where things get really complicated. So forget what you learned about the three act structure for a while and divide the same structure into four blocks.

Three Acts Simplified: The Four Blocks

Block 1 - Start

Build the Ordinary World

- Basic rule introduce the protagonist as soon as you can, don't wait until the twenty minute run time or reading time.

Who is the story about? Make the audience like your protagonist, make the audience care even if he's the villain protagonist.

What do they want in life, and why? - Introduce desire

Call to Action

- Next thing you know, the hero doesn't know what to do, or doesn't do anything particular about it.

- Keep putting in the establishing scenes, put pressure on the reluctant character.

Block 2 - The Hero's Part

- The protagonist enters a new world, upon accepting the call. Phrases such as "it's now or never, I gotta do it," or "I have no choice I have to do it," must reverberate. It doesn't have to be literally said, as long as the audience metaphorically hears it you're on the right path.

- From here on out, everything is moving on one direction, towards a goal or at least what the protagonist perceives is his or her goal.

- This is the part where everything goes well, the story what the audience wants to see: training montage, gearing up, life on the bright side, sex... or whatever

Second Story

- Romances are found here, the theme is explored more, friendships are forged, enemies are made... yada, yada, yada

Midpoint False End

- This is where conflict enters and where most stories die, as desperate writers may invent weird out of place problems, to make up for a lack of better content.

Block 3 - The Bad Guys Part

- Everything goes well for the bad guy

- Hero might be so depressed he'll contemplate suicide - literally or metaphorically. The audience are on edge, wondering how he'll get up.

Make it seem impossible

- This is the part where the audience interest peaks, so make sure you have a trick up your sleeve.

Block 4 - Victory

- The realizes what he's supposed to do, instead of what he thought he should do.

Bring out your emotional arsenal

- You don't know how? Try introducing friendship or love, because "friendship is magic, and love conquers all."

- No seriously, the hero can realize that he can't do this on his own, but he is needed, he picks himself back up and fight with the essence of his friends or his friends fight along with him. Cause what's gonna work? Teamwork!

If the scenes aren't working it means, that the writer hasn't earned it, you have to give it a build-up.

End it

To quote William Goldman " Give the audience what they want, just not in the way they expect it"

What does the audience want? They want to be thrilled, they want entertainment, they want to have what they can't have.

If you notice the protagonist never fails, that's a major red flag that you might not have enough at stake or enough conflict driving the plot.

Pop up any movie and try to apply the blocks, usually 85% of the time it follows these suggestions.

Now that that's all over, you thinks it's still complicated to write a good story, then I want you to forget everything I wrote up there, and follow these instead. There are many tools to build your story, the three act structure is just one of them.

There's Blake Synder's: Save the Cat Worksheet

Freytag's pyramid

The Monomyth

^{- tip: you wanna write tragedies? Cut the hero's journey in half and make sure he or she doesn't adapt/change.}

Basically every storytelling guru that has written a book has their own terminologies, and make their own structure, but if you bunch them up together and merge it, it's not far from being an identical piece, with minor differences and variation. In fact even sequential or episodic stories follow a bigger version of the three act structure, while using another structure to format each episode, if you look at a book series from a bird's eye view perspective, the three acts is still present, as long as there's canon. The story structure is purposely malleable, subvert and deconstruct tropes as much as you want, but when you get lost you have a map to guide you.

For further reading there's also:

Syd Field: Screenplay

Robert McKee: Story

Joseph Campbell: Hero with a Thousand Faces

And many more....

We talked about what makes every story the same, but do you know what makes them different? -Style.To analyze stories and break them a part should not come across as repetitive and trite. As an artist you can use these story structures as a tool to tell subversive, complex, and ultimately a meaningful story. Eventually all good stories comeback to those structures, otherwise they aren't recognized as such. -- this did not come from me, it's from every tutorial.

Further tips:

- Suspense is the backbone of good stories, raise the stakes even if you're writing a slice of life narrative.

- Make the antagonist stronger than the hero. The antagonist doesn't have to be the villain, it can be someone who is more emotionally intelligent than the protagonist.

- Training will always beat talent. It's nice to have a combination of technique and talent, but it won't take you anywhere if you're comfortable of staying where you are now. Cultivate your skills to perfection, aim for it, but be aware you can never attain it.

- Don't spend hours coming up with new stuff, there's nothing new under the sun. That quote has been pounded in my head numerous times, when I was studying advertising design. As Pablo Picasso best puts it -- good artists copy, but great artists steal. It's not plagiarism if you remix the ideas and create something new with it.

In conclusion, I saved you a lot of time by reading a lot of blogs and watching videos about story structure, but in the end, I also realized I saved a lot of time by watching and reading summaries, than reading the books the bloggers have studied. It's good to be sharing, so have my knowledge, and together lets create great stories.

Happy New Year, everybody! If you're wondering why I'm gone for so long, I've been up in the mountains with little wifi, luckily I was able to save the pages and write this article. Let this be my Christmas gift to everyone in Fimfic, to all my friends and to random strangers. Also to the religious folks out there, pray for me, and to those who aren't religious, wish me luck cause I'm attempting to get a new job this year.

I won't be as active in Fimfic or DA as before, but hopefully when I come back, I'll be wiser and more skillful than my current state, I'd probably write the story that's long been overdue. Good bye for now guys.

Reference:

My Art Notes

Every Story is the Same: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuD2Aa0zFiA

The best breakdown of the 3-act structure you´ll ever read: http://screenplayer.org/?p=75

How To Plan Your Novel Using The Three-Act Structure: https://writersedit.com/fiction-writing/literary-devices/plan-novel-using-three-act-structure/

How to Plot With the Three-Act Structure: http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/10/how-to-plot-with-three-act-structure.html

3 Act Structure - Story Structure Tips - Screenwriting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6QD5Pbc50I

* As mean spirited as that "preference" image above. Partly I couldn't help it, not because it was directed at us, but because I found the perfect commentary of it.

Oh by the way, I hope you guys like the design I had a lot of time making it and putting effort on this blog. I wanted to style it similarly to e-mail newsletters.