MONDAY'S SCRIPT TIP:

THREE ACT CONFLICT


Buy ghost DVDs

I am a strong believer in "tools, not rules". There are no rules in screenwriting, the only thing that matters is that your screenplay works. The 3 Act Structure is a tool that has been around for at least 2,400 years in storytelling - and it has lasted so long because it works. But the purpose of the 3 Act Structure is not to make sure that you have a major plot point halfway down page 27, it's to make sure your story IS a story... not just a collection of events that concern a protagonist. One of the Three Greek Unities is Unity Of Action/Event - your story has to be about ONE event rather than a series of events. Some think of the Three Acts as "beginning, middle, and end" as a way to target a single event... to make sure the story IS a story.

But "beginning, middle, and end" can become confusing when you're dealing with films like MEMENTO that begins at the end. But even though it runs backwards, MEMENTO's act 1 (first quarter of the film) introduces the conflict and it's act 3 (last quarter of the film) resolves the conflict... so I prefer to think of the 3 Act Structure as:

Act 1: Introduction of Conflict
Act 2: Conflict and Escalation of Conflict
Act 3: Resolution of conflict.

The 3 Act Structure is a great tool for making sure your story actually has conflict, enough conflict, and a focused central conflict. Story IS conflict - without it, you just have boring incidents. You may give your character a goal, and have them spend Act 2 pursuing that goal... but still end up with a boring script. Knowing what your character wants doesn't matter unless you also know why they can't have it (conflict). Your story may have a beginning, middle and end, but what really matters is the conflict... here's why:

Act 1: What Protag wants - a piece of pecan pie.
Act 2: How does he go after it? - Orders from waitress.
Act 3: How does he get it - she returns in about 5 minutes with the pie.

No conflict, dull story.

Buy kick ass DVDs

But what if he doesn't have any money and wants to STEAL the piece of pecan pie... and the pie case is behind the counter where all of the waitresses are.

Act 1: Wants a piece of pecan pie, has no money. (establishes conflict).

Act 2: Waits until no one is looking and sneaks behind counter to get pie... but a waitress comes back and he has to hide in a cupboard under the counter. Another waitress goes behind the counter and the two waitresses have a conversation. Our hero in the cupboard feels his leg beginning to cramp... has to figure out how to work out the cramp without the waitresses hearing his movements. Our hero feels something crawling on his leg... a big ugly cockroach! (conflict and escalation of conflict).

Act 3: He opens cupboard door enough to toss cockroach onto a waitress' foot. She screams, both waitresses run away. Hero rolls out from cupboard, grabs a slice of pie and crawls to the other end of the counter and escapes. (resolution of conflict due to protagonist's actions).

Conflict makes it a story. It's not so much what the protagonist wants, but why he can't have it... the conflict. Conflict doesn't mean it's going to be car chases and fist fights, the conflict can be wanting to get laid before you graduate high school (and having not a single taker) or wanting to hook up with a guy who lives in Seattle when you live on the other side of the country. Those are conflicts.

To some people it seems like Hollywood is three act crazy - and that the three act structure is constricting their creativity. In reality, it is nothing more than a tool to *help* your creativity. Hollywood had nothing to do with the three act structure, it's just another one of those Greek things from 2,400 years ago - along with terms like "protagonist" and "antagonist" - things that are basics of dramatic structure. Writers have been using these tools for longer than Christianity has been in existence - because they work.

EPISODIC & NO ACT 2

Buy losers DVDs

One of the major problems with scripts that do not work is that they are *episodic* - instead of having one conflict and one story, they have a bunch of different small conflicts and small stories that do not add up. By the end of the script we feel like there is no story - just a bunch of incidents featuring the same character. You've even seen this in films before - a lot of little scenes that don't come together at the end. The three act structure helps prevent this problem.

Another common script problem is *no act two* - these scripts usually have a long act one - and if those scripts get put on screen, you (as the audience) often wonder when the story is going to start. It seems like the story isn't kicking into gear. Even if conflict is present, the protagonist really isn't involved in the problem - they're standing on the sidelines watching as things happen to other characters. Then, after an hour of being on the sidelines, the protagonist steps up and resolves the problem... and the film ends. Theses are slow stories that bore you to death, and then *wham* are over. The problem is basic structure. There is no Act 2 - no struggle with the conflict - and we're left with conflict introduced and conflict resolved... with no time for the actual conflict.

One of the common ways for *disguising* the lack of Act 2 conflict is to create an *Act 2 Stall* where some subplot pops up to waste time. Again, the problem is that the stall is not the story - so it's often boring (no matter how many exciting things it may have). It always seems like the important problem for the protagonist is being shoved aside for something of less importance... like a subplot takes over. This is usually unsatisfying for the audience, and often is *obviously* the writer stalling for time so that they can avoid the story's main conflict. I've read many of these scripts when I got roped into reading contest scripts - and they didn't just bore me... they usually made me angry. The writer was avoiding the story's conflict for some reason - chickening out. And making me (the reader) pay for their cowardice. If they had only used the basic story creation tools available!

Buy momento DVDs

Practicing *conflict avoidance* in a screenplay usually results in a bland script - and that's no what we want! We want a big, juicy, conflict-filled story! A story is a *person* with a *problem*. It's all about the conflict and the character. Conflict is what brings the character to the surface! Having your character sit in a Lazy Boy recliner eating Cheetos and watching wrestling on TV is not a good way to explore their character. We need to put them in a situation where they must make tough decisions... even if that situation is just stealing a piece of pie.

The 3 Act Structure is a great tool for making sure your script has conflict, that it has enough conflict, and that the conflict is focused. So what does your protagonist want... and why can't he have it? The struggle to overcome the conflict and achieve the goal is what Act 2 is all about... what your STORY is all about. Use your tools to create the best screenplay possible.

Story is conflict.

Act 1: Introduction of Conflict
Act 2: Conflict and Escalation of Conflict
Act 3: Resolution of conflict.


MY BLOG!

SCRIPT SECRETS STORE - Do you have a monkey mug yet?

Enter your Email to join my newsletter:



The new CDs are available now!

NEW CLASS!

NOIR & MYSTERY80 minute CD 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 (plus $5 S&H). First 20 on Limited Black Disk!

RECESSION SALE! $5 OFF!

IDEAS AND CREATIVITY - 80 minute CD 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 CD 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 CDs!





hcd

CANON GL2 MINI DV CAMERA

Skip the producers and do it yourself - film your script and make your own movie. This "ProSumer" camera uses a 3 CCD system and has a 20x optical zoom professional L series Flourite lens. It records on either MiniDV tape or MMC/SD card. Output by firewire or USB for stills. Battery runs over 1 hour without recharging. Image stablizer. Over 500 lines of horizontal resolution. The consumer version of Canon's pro XL1S camera.

* * * Buy It!

copyright 2010 by William C. Martell

BOOKLETS & PRODUCTS

bluebook FIRST STRIKE BLUE BOOKS
Each Blue Book is 48 pages and focuses on a different aspect of screenwriting. Dialogue. Visual Storytelling. Your First Ten Pages. Act 2 Booster. Protagonists. Great Endings.
Seventeen Blue Books now available!

THE SECRETS OF ACTION SCREENWRITING OUT OF PRINT!

SCRIPT SECRET SEMINARS

Like the website? Take the class!
SCRIPT SECRETS SEMINAR
New class: CHARACTER FIRST!

Bill's Big 2 day London class comes to:
* Los Angeles - postponed!
Hundreds of techniques to improve your writing, focusing on theme, character, creativity, ideas, pacing... more!

MY OTHER SITES

B MOVIE WORLD
Cult Films, Exploitation, Bikers & Women In Prison, Monster Movies.

FIRST STRIKE PRODUCTIONS
Producing my own scripts, investment possibilities, pipe dreams.

NAKED SCREENWRITING CDs

Naked Class NEW! The NAKED SCREENWRITING CLASS ON CD! The 2001 London Class on 8 CDs! Recorded *live* the morning after the Raindance Film Festival wrapped. The two day class on 8CDs, plus a workbook, plus a bonus CD with 340 screenplay PDFs.
The 2 Day Class on CD!

SCRIPT LIBRARY

Thriller and Action Script Headquarters!
THE SCRIPT LIBRARY
Ever wonder what the scene looks like on the page? Read the script and find out!

TRAILER PARK
The latest coming attractions from films new and old!

SCREENWRITING LINKS

One stop shopping for screenwriting resources!
SCREENWRITING LINKS
From the WGA to Copyright to other great sites like WordPlay - If it's on the web, we'll take you there! Plus research links! Need a Space Shuttle schematic?

BOOKSTORE

Every screenwriting book in the world!
SCREENWRITER'S BOOKSTORE
In Association With Amazon.com
From the latest screenwriting book to guides for finding agents and producers... all with at the Amazon.com discount!

SCRIPT SECRETS STORE

Script Secret Store SCRIPT SECRETS STORE From Typing Monkey coffee cups to messenger bags to T shirts - everything a screenwriter needs to look sharp while working on that Oscar nomination! Get your Script Secrets Coffee Cup today!

BILL'S CORNER

My nineteen produced films, interviews with me in magazines, several sample scripts, my available scripts list... And MORE!
...............................BILL'S CORNER


Available Scripts

CLASSES ON CD

Class CDs CLASSES ON CD! Take a class on CD! GUERRILLA MARKETING - NO AGENT? NO PROBLEM! and WRITING THRILLERS (2 CDs). Full length classes on CD. Now Available: IDEAS & CREATIVITY, WRITING HORROR, WRITING INDIE FILMS, more!
Take classes on CD!

LECTURE SCHEDULE

Where can I catch Bill Martell in person?
LECTURES & EVENTS
For some reason film festivals keep inviting me to lecture on screenwriting. Dates and locations of where I'll be, plus a calendar of film festivals and writers conferences.
SCRIPT SECRETS SEMINARS - Like the website? Take the two day class!