WHERE'S THE BEEF?
Too much importance is attached to the Three Act Structure. For some strange reason
there is an entire cult of writers who believe that the Three Act Structure is responsible
for the destruction of creativity, the shackling of artistic expression and the downfall of
American cinema. Folks - it's just a TOOL! It's like a hammer - you use it to build a
story... but you still have to build the story. Three Act Structure ISN'T the story - just that
tool, just the foundation you build your story on. A building can have a great foundation
but be ugly or impractical. You can take that great foundation and create a building with
no doors, or use sloppy craftsmanship. The foundation is not the building...
But a building with a weak foundation is probably going to collapse no matter how well built it is, no matter how beautiful it is. That Three Act Structure thing has been around for over 2,400 years - it's just a tool to make sure your story makes sense and has a conflict... rather than just ending up a collection of scenes that don't add up to anything. There are plenty of bad screenplays that are just a collection of scenes, you don’t want to write one of those. You want to write a story - with a beginning and middle and ending. Which is as normal as common as a hamburger. Over 2,400 years ago that Aristotle dude said that is what a story requires - beginning and middle and ending.
The *beginning of the story*, where the conflict is introduced.
The *middle of the story*, where the conflict really becomes troublesome and now it must be solved.
The *end of the story*, where the conflict is resolved.
Story is conflict. A person with a problem. All Three Act Structure does is make sure
you have the person and the problem. Simple tool, basic tool, no need to worship it
the way they worshiped the hammer in George Stewart's EARTH ABIDES. Nothing to feat, nothing to worship, just a basic tool. Something that you probably already use without even thinking about it... because it’s been used for 2,400 years and we don’t even think about it anymore, the way we don’t think about hamburgers - they just are. Hamburgers are so common, os much a part of our normal lives, that we eat them without really thinking about them... and that’s pretty much how the Three Act Structure works. It’s just there. You don’t notice it.
Think of it like this:
Act 1: Introduces the conflict.
Act 2: Is the conflict & escalation of the conflict.
Act 3: Resolves the conflict.
Easy as that. You have a person... they are faced with a problem. Your character
struggles with the problem, and it keeps getting worse. Eventually your character
figures out how to resolve the problem, the end. That's just a basic story. The Three Act
Structure is a tool that makes sure you HAVE a basic story. It doesn't do anything else. That's so basic, it's difficult for me to think of any story (that works) that doesn't have a problem that gets solved (or not solved in order to illustrate a point). A "story" where there is no conflict, where nothing happens to change the status quo, is not a story at all - it's not an *event* - nothing *happens*. If nothing happens, there is nothing to tell.
Even if you are doing a movie that isn't for Hollywood, it will be about something happening. That something may be a first broken heart - but that is something happening. There is a conflict and a change in that person's life (they meet someone, they fall in love, they are rejected - three acts).
Ages ago I saw a short film at the Raindance Film Festival about a phone booth covered with graffiti and porn literature in a run down neighborhood. A woman cleans up the phone booth. The people in the neighborhood see the beautiful phone booth and are inspired, and begin to fix up their neighborhood to match. Then the police come and arrest the woman for tampering with phone booths. Oddly - the cleaning up of the neighborhood is the escalation of the conflict - because the status quo says this is a slum and must remain a slum. That clean phone booth changes the slum and that’s what creates the conflict with the outside world - and that conflict is resolved when the woman is arrested. A comedy short - but Three acts and no change in the protagonist (woman) - all of the change is in the neighborhood.
BUT... CREATIVITY?
Three Act Structure doesn’t stifle creativity at all. 500 DAYS OF SUMMER is a great little indie film that may seem like it’s breaking all of the rules, but actually does a great job of *using* the three act structure tool. The story is *not* told in chronological order, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t three acts - there’s a person with a problem. The conflict is established, it escalates, and then it is resolved. I've done MEMENTO and RUN LOLA RUN and PETULA and other films with fractured chronologies in other Script Tips and in live classes and in the STRUCTURING Blue Book. Time has nothing to do with the beginning, middle, and end of a STORY. It's about conflict and change that comes from that conflict. You can be as creative as you want to be! Just have a person with a problem, have the problem get worse, and then have the person solve the problem. The problem can be romance, it can be a mystery, it can be anything. Mostly what structure does is make sure that you have a problem at the center of your story. It is a tool to focus your story and make sure what you have is a story and not just an incident or collection of scenes with the same character.
You can cook a hamburger any way you want to, you can add whatever you want to add to it - fast food chains like Carls Jr / Hardee's and Jack In The Box are all about finding new way to be creative with their burgers. What can we put on it? Guacamole? Sour cream? Horseradish? Every month they figure out something new to do with their hamburgers... but they are still a patty of beef between a top bun and a bottom bun. Unless, of course, it’s a plant based substitute for that patty of beef that has been carefully made to taste exactly like beef. But it’s a patty between a top bun and a bottom bun. The top of the bun is rounded, the bottom of the bun is flat. Sometimes there are sesame seeds on the top of the bun, or onions. Sometimes the bun is whole wheat, or some other type of bread. They can be creative as hell, but it’s a patty between two pieces of bread. We don’t even think about it anymore... just like we usually don’t think about something as simple as basic structure.
The Three Act Structure does not cure male pattern baldness, it will not make you
attractive to the opposite sex, it will not make you rich and famous... you need a
GREAT STORY and some GREAT WRITING to make you rich and famous or called the voice of a generation or honored as a genuine artist or whatever outside stimulus you are secretly craving. If you think about all of the places that sell hamburgers - you probably have a favorite or two. Those places do something that makes their burgers better... and we want to make our screenplays better than the places with just average burgers.
Films that win Best Screenplay Oscars have good structure.
Your favorite burger place has a patty between two pieces of bread.
GOT CONFLICT?
Many of you are wondering if maybe I am hungry right now, with all of this talk of hamburgers. But in the STRUCTURING YOUR STORY Blue Book I look at basic Three Act Structure like a hamburger. The top bun is Act One, the bottom bun is Act Three, and in between we have the All Beef Patty of Act Two. The juicy part. The tasty part. There was that TV commercial years ago with the little old lady eating a hamburger and asking “Where’s The Beef?” - and though we all have our bun preferences, let’s face it - it’s all about what comes between the buns, right?
Since story is a character with a conflict, a person with a problem - the most important part of the Three Act Structure tool is the conflict. The problem. Does your script have one of those? If your script doesn't have a conflict - ONE main conflict - you may not have a story. If your script spends most of its pages setting up the conflict and very few pages on the conflict itself, you're leaving the meat out of your hamburger. In a weird way, Act One and Act Three are the bun and Act Two is the burger & cheese & bacon & everything else. You don't order a BUN you order a HAMBURGER. The bun is the part that makes it easy to eat the burger without getting mustard and melted cheese on your fingers. It's all about the burger, baby! It's all about the conflict... which means it's all about Act Two.
You want a big, juicy meaty Act Two.
Since the conflict & escalation of conflict are the "meat" of your story, Act Two is going to
be longer than Act One and Act Three. Imagine ordering a burger that's mostly bun -
you'd feel cheated. “Where's the beef?” Usually Act Two is about the same length as Act One and Act Three combined - that makes for a good, meaty story. Something you can really sink your teeth into.
Act Two can't begin until the conflict fully involves your protagonist. Usually in an action
script, the hero gets in the way of the villain's plan. Act Two begins when the villain tries
to remove the hero from his path - that's conflict. The hero and villain tangle through Act
Two, the villain trying to get around the hero - but the hero just keeps getting in the way.
In DIE HARD Act Two kicks in when McClane kills his first terrorist... and ends up with
the detonators. Hans NEEDS the detonators. His plan will fail if he can't get those
detonators back. So McClane has gone from being a stray party guest to a MAJOR
PROBLEM for Hans. McClane is right in the path of Han's plan - there's no way to
escape - it's like a freight train headed at him at 90 mph. Now Hans sends the guys out
to find McClane and get the detonators back. Act Two is a dangerous game of hide and
seek, with machine gun battles when McClane and the badguys cross paths. Conflict,
conflict, conflict!
But even in a comedy Act Two can't begin until the conflict fully involves the
protagonist. In MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING Julia Roberts decides to break up
Dermot Mulroney's wedding so that she can marry him... but ends up a bridesmaid in
the very wedding she's trying to destroy! Conflict, conflict, conflict!
You want to make sure there's something in between those two pieces of bread -
something big and juicy and meaty. You want to make sure your burger is most of the
hamburger - that's why McDonalds has a Quarter Pounder and Burger King has a
Triple - the burger part is what we care about! If your script is all bun - if you spend 50
pages getting to the conflict - we're going to be asking ourselves "Where's the beef?"
The Three Act Structure is just a tool to make sure your script has a story... and that the story it tells isn't all bun. Use the tool, but don't worship it or vilify it. It's just a damned tool. Who is your person, what is their problem? Basic story.
More on this is the STRUCTURING YOUR STORY Blue Book.
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AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?
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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book!
DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.
IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
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FIND A GREAT IDEA!
*** YOUR IDEA MACHINE *** - For Kindle!
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OUTLINES & THE THEMATIC Blue Book.
ARE YOUR SCENES IN THE RIGHT ORDER?
AND ARE THEY THE RIGHT SCENES?
Your story is like a road trip... but where are you going? What's the best route to get there? What are the best sights to see along the way? Just as you plan a vacation instead of just jump in the car and start driving, it's a good idea to plan your story. An artist does sketches before breaking out the oils, so why shouldn't a writer do the same? This Blue Book looks at various outlining methods used by professional screenwriters like Wesley Strick, Paul Schrader, John August, and others... as well as a guest chapter on novel outlines. Plus a whole section on the Thematic Method of generating scenes and characters and other elements that will be part of your outline. The three stages of writing are: Pre-writing, Writing, and Rewriting... this book looks at that first stage and how to use it to improve your screenplays and novels.
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*** STRUCTURING YOUR STORY *** - For Kindle!
William Goldman says the most important single element of any screenplay is structure. It’s the skeleton under the flesh and blood of your story. Without it, you have a spineless, formless, mess... a slug! How do you make sure your structure is strong enough to support your story? How do you prevent your story from becoming a slug? This Blue Book explores different types of popular structures from the basic three act structure to more obscure methods like leap-frogging. We also look at structure as a verb as well as a noun, and techniques for structuring your story for maximum emotional impact. Most of the other books just look at *structure* and ignore the art of *structuring* your story. Techniques to make your story a page turner... instead of a slug!
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*** CREATING STRONG PROTAGONISTS *** - For Nook!
Expanded version with more ways to create interesting protagonists! A step-by-step guide to creating "take charge" protagonists. Screenplays are about characters in conflict... characters in emotional turmoil... Strong three dimensional protagonists who can find solutions to their problems in 110 pages. But how do you create characters like this? How do you turn words into flesh and blood? Character issues, Knowing Who Is The Boss, Tapping into YOUR fears, The Naked Character, Pulp Friction, Man With A Plan, Character Arcs, Avoiding Cliche People, Deep Characterization, Problem Protagonists, 12 Ways To Create Likable Protagonists (even if they are criminals), Active vs. Reactive, The Third Dimension In Character, Relationships, Ensemble Scripts, and much, much more. Print version is 48 pages, Kindle version is once again around 205 pages!
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DESCRIPTION & VOICE Blue Book.
IS HALF OF YOUR STORY IN TROUBLE?
Most screenplays are about a 50/50 split between dialogue and description - which means your description is just as important as your dialogue. It just gets less press because the audience never sees it, the same reason why screenwriters get less press than movie stars. But your story will never get to the audience until readers and development executives read your script... so it is a very important factor. Until the movie is made the screenplay is the movie and must be just as exciting as the movie. So how do you make your screenplay exciting to read? Description is important in a novel as well, and the “audience” does read it... how do we write riveting description?
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***
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WHAT IS A SCENE?
*** SCENE SECRETS *** - For Kindle!
***
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SUBPLOTS?
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Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is around 170 pages!
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GRAND FINALES Blue Book!
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The First Ten Pages Of Your Screenplay Are Critical,
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THE BUISINESS SIDE
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Print version was 48 pages, Kindle version is over 400 pages!
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Making Your Own Movie?
WRITE IT: FILM IT BOOK!
Making Your Own Movie?
Writing An Indie Film?
Writing A Low Budget Genre Script To Sell?
Writing A Made For TV Holiday Movie?
You will be writing for BUDGET. On a standard spec screenplay, you don’t have to think about budget, but these types of screenplays writing with budget in mind is critical!
If you are making your own movie, budget, is even more important - and you need to think about budget *before* you write your screenplay... or you will end up with a script that you can’t afford to make (or is a struggle to make). Everyone is making their own films these days, and even if you have done it before there are lots of great techniques in this book to get more money on screen - for less money! You can make a film that looks like it cost millions for pocket change.
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THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL!
*** THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING *** - For Kindle!
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NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!
AUDIO CLASS!
NOIR & MYSTERY80 minute MP3 packed with information on writing Film Noir and Mystery scripts. Using examples from CHINATOWN to OUT OF THE PAST to DOUBLE INDEMNITY you'll learn how to create stories in this dark, twisted genre. How to plant clues, red herrings, suspects, victims, spider women, fallen heroes, the funhouse mirror world of noir supporting characters... and the origins of Film Noir in literature Noir dialogue and how noir endings are different than any other genre. All of the critical elements necessary to write in this critically popular genre.
The Noir & Mystery Class is only $15 .
RECESSION SALE! $5 OFF!
IDEAS AND CREATIVITY - 80 minute MP3 packed with information. Tools to find ideas that are both personal *and* commercial. Hollywood wants scripts with High Concept stories... but not stupid scripts. Developing *intelligent* high concept ideas. How to turn your personal story into a blockbuster - or find your personal story in a high concept idea. Brainstorming and being creative. Ideas and Creativity is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING INDIES - Writing an Indie film? This class covers everything you need to know - from Central Locations to Confined Cameos. Using examples from SWINGERS, THE COOLER, STATION AGENT and others, this 80 minute MP3 is packed with information. How Indoe films challenge the audience (while mainstream films reassure the audience). Structures, using BOYS DON'T CRY, RUN LOLA RUN, HILARY & JACKIE, and others as example. Writing for a budget, writing for non-actors, getting the most production value out of your budget. Writing Indies is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H)
WRITING HORROR - The essentials of a horror screenplay - what do ROSEMARY'S BABY, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, THE EXORCIST, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN, THE OTHERS and OPEN WATER have in common? This class will tell you! All of the critical elements necessary to write a script that scares the pants off the audience. Writing Horror is $10.00 (plus $5 S&H).
Click here for more information on CLASS MP3s!
STORY IN ACTION SERIES!
THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES
NEW: Updates On Films 7 & 8 Casting!
All Six Movies analyzed! All of the mission tapes, all of the “that’s impossible!” set pieces and stunts, the cons and capers - and how these scenes work, the twists and double crosses, the tension and suspense (and how to generate it), the concept of each film as a stand alone with a different director calling the shots (broken in the sixth film), the gadgets, the masks, the stories, the co-stars and team members (one team member has been in every film), the stunts Tom Cruise actually did (and the ones he didn’t), and so much more! Over 120,000 words of fun info!
THE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MOVIES - 347 Pages - Only $3.99 !
BRAND NEW!
*** THE BOURNE MOVIES
NEW: Updates on TREADSTONE TV show!
All five "Bourne" movies (including "Legacy" and it's potential sequels) - what are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? Reinventing the thriller genre...
or following the "formula"? Five films - each with an interesting experiment! A detailed analysis of each
of the films, the way these thrillers work... as well as a complete list of box office and critical
statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just fans of the series.
Only $3.99 - and no postage!
Over 240 pages!
*** THE TERMINATOR MOVIES *** - For Kindle!
He's back! The release of "Terminator: Dark Fate" is set to begin a new trilogy in
the Terminator story... 35 years after the first film was released. What draws us to these films about
a cybernetic organism from the future sent back in time? Why is there a new proposed trilogy every few
years? This book looks at all five Terminator movies from a story standpoint - what makes them work
(or not)? What are the techniques used to keep the characters and scenes exciting and involving? How
about those secret story details you may not have noticed? Containing a detailed analysis of each of
the five films so far, this book delves into the way these stories work... as well as a complete list of
box office and critical statistics for each film. This book is great for writers, directors, and just
fans of the series.
ONLY $3.99 - and no postage!
NO KINDLE REQUIRED! Get the *free* app (any device, except your Mr. Coffee) on the order page on Amazon!
HITCHCOCK FOR WRITERS!
Strange Structures!
*** HITCHCOCK: EXPERIMENTS IN TERROR! *** - For Kindle!
***
Contained Thrillers like "Buried"? Serial Protagonists like "Place Beyond The Pines"? Multiple Connecting Stories like "Pulp Fiction"? Same Story Multiple Times like "Run, Lola, Run"?
HITCHCOCK DID IT FIRST!
This book focuses on 18 of Hitchcock's 52 films with wild cinema and story experiments which paved the way for modern films. Almost one hundred different experiments that you may think are recent cinema or story inventions... but some date back to Hitchcock's *silent* films! We'll examine these experiments and how they work. Great for film makers, screenwriters, film fans, producers and directors.
Only $5.99 - and no postage!
LEARN SUSPENSE FROM THE MASTER!
*** HITCHCOCK: MASTERING SUSPENSE *** - For Kindle!
Alfred Hitchcock, who directed 52 movies, was known as the *Master Of Suspense*; but what exactly is suspense and how can *we* master it? How does suspense work? How can *we* create “Hitchcockian” suspense scenes in our screenplays, novels, stories and films?
This book uses seventeen of Hitchcock’s films to show the difference between suspense and surprise, how to use “focus objects” to create suspense, the 20 iconic suspense scenes and situations, how plot twists work, using secrets for suspense, how to use Dread (the cousin of suspense) in horror stories, and dozens of other amazing storytelling lessons. From classics like “Strangers On A Train” and “The Birds” and “Vertigo” and “To Catch A Thief” to older films from the British period like “The 39 Steps” and “The Man Who Knew Too Much” to his hits from the silent era like “The Lodger” (about Jack The Ripper), we’ll look at all of the techniques to create suspense!
Only $5.99
ADVICE FROM 1920!
*** VINTAGE #1: HOW TO WRITE PHOTOPLAYS *** - For Kindle!
***
Screenwriting books have been around as long as films have. This series reprints vintage screenwriting books with a new introduction and history, plus new articles which look at how these lessons from almost 100 years ago apply to today’s screenplays. Anita Loos book is filled with information which still applies.
In addition to the full text of the original book, you get the full screenplay to Miss Loos' hit THE LOVE EXPERT, plus several new articles on the time period and women in Hollywood.
ONLY $2.99 - and no postage!
Movie Magic Screenwriter is the best selling screenplay formatting software and the choice of Hollywood professionals. Screenwriter automatically formats while you write so you can focus on what you're writing, not where it goes on the page. It also formats for television, stage, novels and comic book scripts so you've got an all in one package for any story you want to write. Academy Award Tech Winner!
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