Major Project: Pre-Writing - Three Act Structure

Within pre-writing and going back to basics to learn about character archetypes and basic plot lines, I also had to research into what should happen within a film script, to help with development of the storyline. This is called 'the three act structure'. This is where a fictional narrative is divided into three acts, Act I - the setup, Act II the confrontation and Act III the resolution.

I found a lot of information in many film books as well as websites on the three act structure, each book and website had a different way of giving example on where a particular obstacle should be or when the character should be at their most weakest point.

I came across this website, that gave a few different example on what could happen, however I liked the fact that it mentioned what should happen within the first 10 pages and when to know page wise where Act 1, 2 or 3 should start/finish.

http://www.filmscriptwriting.com/the-three-act-structure/

For my particular script, as I am writing a feature length drama I looked at other scripts and found that I would need between 100-120 pages. Script writers, advisers and general industry recommend that if you were writing a script that under 100 pages would be seen too short, but a script with over 120 pages to be too long. However the limit for the script can vary depending on the genre of the film.

Act I consists of 25-30 pages. Within this Act you need to set up the location, your main character and what their goal is. Giving the reader a sense of who we are going to follow within the film. Also when writing this Act, you have to remember to include a sense of mood and tone, for example is the character unhappy with where they are or are they enjoying their life. A sense of the genre should come across too. The first step within Act I is to give a hook, this is call the inciting incident where, the main characters world has turned upside down. In other words a major problem occurs, from this the main character should know what their goal is whether its to fix this problem or run away.

Plot Point I - Near the end of Act I another huge even happens, driving the story along on a journey.

Act II is the longest part of the script, it is roughly 50 pages. Within this act the main character has to come face to face with a variety of obstacles. Each obstacle getting bigger and bigger. This will show what risks the main character will have to take to achieve their goal. This act is all about conflict and confrontation, nothing should be easy for the main character.

Halfway through Act II is the midpoint, there needs to be another turning point by this point, however this time it helps the main character step up a notch and sharpens their focus on what they truly want.

Plot point II - near the end of Act II and beginning of Act III we come to a crisis point. The main character should be sick and tired of everything they have had to go through. This point should force the main character to take action, also they should be aware that time is running out. This should also show the characters ultimate goal.

Act III is short, similar to Act I with 25-30 pages long. The main characters time has run out and this is the biggest obstacle for the main character to face. By the end of this Act all problems should be solved and tie up all lose ends.

The climax is the biggest scene in the movie - the final battle, this could make or break your characters goals.

Overall by doing thorough research for the three act structure, I have a better sense on how to plan out my story, such as when to include obstacles, when the biggest point/ challenge is for the main character and how roughly long each Act should be. As a script writer having this advice helps with the writing process a lot.