How to Master Screenplay Structure: The #1 Tip No One Talks About.
[The following post on script structure is an extract from our book: Master Screenplay Sequences – Revolutionize Your Understanding Of Screenplay Structure.]
traditional three act play structure It goes like this:
The protagonist encounters a problem in the first act (setting).
What’s wrong with this? Well, being a good basic formula But overall it’s too broad. Too vague.
In fact, there’s much more going on in the script’s structure than just three big acts. That’s all for this guide…
What is script structure? (Conventional view.)
Depending on the books you’ve read, you may be familiar with different terms for screenplay structure, but The basic five main plot points This is generally done as follows:
• Call to action (Act 1, approximately 12 minutes): That first plot point changes the protagonist’s world forever and moves the story forward. (exist mean girlsthe plastics company invited Cady to lunch for the rest of the week.
• Act 1 Turning Point (Act 1, approx. 25 minutes): The protagonist makes a decision that starts their journey into the second act. Eternal sunshine of the spotless soulJoel decides to erase all his memories of Clementine.
• Midpoint (Act 2, approximately 55 minutes): Structurally, this third major plot cuts the film in half. The protagonist is forced to react to the greatest blows inflicted by his opponents. (exist Die HardMcClane throws a dead man out of the window and shoots a police car.
• Act 2 Turning Point (Act 2, approx. 85 minutes): We see everything either go terribly wrong or bring a rose to the main character. (exist Fa GeJerry escapes Maggie’s questioning – the game is officially over.
• “Climax” or “Final Resolution” (Act 3, approximately 110 minutes): The most important beat in a screenplay’s structure is the ending in which the protagonist succeeds or fails in his first-act goal. (exist paranormal activityKatie is possessed by her family’s demon and kills Micah.
The problem with this traditional screenplay structural analysis is that it fails to mention that each plot point also means climax of sequence.
It ignores the seven or eight sequences within the three-act script structure. This means that there are actually seven main plots in the script. Not just five.
How is traditional screenplay structure and sequence different?
before we discuss how Sequence script structure That works, let’s first understand what a sequence actually is.
Sequencing means breaking down the structure of your script into “mini-movies.”
The easiest way to handle sequences is to treat them as independent “Mini movie.” This is because they each give the protagonist a mini-story, building up to a climax/major plot point through their own three-act structure.
Each of the seven or eight sequences lasts approximately ten to fifteen minutes long. Taken together from beginning to end, they make up the entire movie.
For example, at the beginning of the movie, we often see the protagonist’s “ordinary world”. The first sequence builds its own little story, culminating in a climax when the protagonist’s world changes with a call to action.
The intensity of the next sequence increases as the protagonist reacts to this event. The story reaches its climax when they make a fateful decision at the turning point of the first act. And so on, throughout the entire movie.
Think of a random scene in any movie. Is there any? OK This scene doesn’t just appear somewhere in three acts. It shows us the main character in the middle of the story specific to this sequence.
Screenplay example of sequence structure.
Take a scene near the beginning 40 year old virgin Andy is forced to play poker with his colleagues.
This scene is not “hanging in mid-air”. This is midpoint of first sequenceit soon reached a climax and Andy’s virginity was revealed.
As throughout the film, the fate of the protagonist changes from positive to negativeor vice versa, from one sequence to another in the script.
It is this back and forth movement of each sequence that alternately ends in a positive or negative way that gives the script its “roller coaster” feel. If a sequence starts at a high, it will most likely end at a low.
The protagonist must travel through all familiar plot points, including the call to action, the big decision, the midpoint, all the lost moments, and the climax. It’s like a traditional three-act screenplay structure.
Script structure PDF download.
Here are several downloadable PDFs of the movie with the script structure broken down into sequences:
• greenberg
• up in the air
How does the sequence support the traditional three-act screenplay structure?
A big problem with traditional script structure models is the lack of solid foundation. There is nothing to anchor the major plot points. With only five plot points instead of seven, the script ends up with a lot of “conflict” to fill.
In fact, five major plot points—the call to action, the big decision, the midpoint, all is lost/all is joy, and the climax—are all set in stone. This is because they are also orgasmic five of seven sequences.
These big plot points aren’t just moments that “have to be” around a certain page number. They are the culmination of a conflict that has been going on for the past ten or fifteen pages in a sequence.
How does the structure of the script break down into sequences?
We give each of these seven sequences a letter from A to G and break them down as follows:
• Act 1 Contains sequences A and B.
• act 2 Contains sequences C, D, E and F.
• Act 3 Contains sequence G.
Climax of script structure:
Let’s look at five sequence climaxes shared orgasm With the traditional five main plot points:
• The climax of Sequence A is also a call to action Plot points throughout the script. exist legally blonde, “Ellie” gets excited about a possible engagement to Warner in the first episode. The end of the sequence is the same plot point as the call to action in the overall structure. Instead of proposing to Ellie, Warner dumped her.
• The climax of Sequence B is also a major decision Plot points throughout the script. exist Truman ShowTruman reflects on Sylvia in the second segment and becomes increasingly suspicious of the world around him. The end of the sequence, when Truman tells Marlon he wants to leave, is the script’s big decision.
• The climax of sequence D is also the midpoint in the overall script. exist Lost Ark Guidea sequence in which Indy finds the Well of Souls and then the Ark itself. The sequence ends in line with the film’s overall midpoint, with Indy and Marion locked in the Well of Souls.
• The climax of sequence F is also when everything is lost/everything is joy Plot points throughout the script. exist CollateralMax goes on a rampage in this sequence after Vincent prods him about his pathetic life. The sequence ends at the end of the second act when Max crashes the cab. Anne’s life is now in danger.
• The climax of sequence G is also the overall climax in the script. exist The Shiningwhere Jack chases Danny through a maze in the final scene. The film reaches its climax when Jack is outsmarted by Danny.
Script Structure: Conclusion.
Breaking the script into multiple sequences can make conflict easier to create and sustain. This is because you can use each sequence to Work hard towards another climax Every ten to fifteen pages.
Think of script structure this way, each sequence becomes a “mini-movie” that moves the protagonist closer or further away from the overall goal established at the end of the first act.
Still confused about script structure?
We have an entire e-book dedicated to screenplay structure called “The Master Script Sequence.” Or if you came here looking for answers about script format, for example, What are the 8 elements of script format? or, What is the correct format of the script? You can check out the following blog post about screenplay format:
How to Format a Script for the Regulated Script Market
The Myth of Movie Script Format and Industry Rules
How to Format Dialogue in a Screenplay
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Did you struggle with script structure? Or can you use Snyder, Truby, Field, etc. methods? To learn how to use sequences to really master screenplay structure, check out the book below.
Like this article? Read more about screenplay structure…
How to write a unique script in 6 steps
12 Secret Script Beats You Should Include in Your Screenplay’s First Act
Obsessed with the three-act structure? this is what you should do
[© Photo credits: Unsplash]
