Class Notes Friday 4/7: 3-Act Story Arc

3 Act STory Arc

• TV/Movie scripts come in Acts - this is similar to plays (although sometimes they have more or less than 3 acts).
• In the case of TV, this may be when commercial breaks happen
• Within those three acts are the 6 points of plot we have been discussing with our short stories.
• In your notes, draw the diagram on the next slide, which points out the parts of plot that happen within each act.​

Act I - The Set Up

• All the major characters are introduced
• The world they live in is introduced: Setting - time/place
• The conflict is introduced
• Starts with a hook scene that grabs the audience’s attention
• Ends with a “plot point” - this is where things take a turn, the lives of the character(s) have suddenly changed dramatically and the trajectory of the story changes
• Three main scenes: 1 - Opening Scene; 2 - Inciting Event; 3 - Act One Problem

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Three main scenes in Act I:

• Scene 1 - Opening Scene
  • Introduction of characters and setting
• Scene 2 - Inciting Event
  • Chance to change/problem comes up; seed of the eventual major conflict
• Scene 3 - Act One Problem
  • Main conflict is presented in which the protagonist must face

Act II - Confrontation

• Longest act
• Subplots are introduced to add conflict
• An event that foreshadows the end might happen
• The stakes escalate - if the protagonist is “on the fence” about an issue, this is where they make up their mind and their goal becomes clear
• There may be a moment of “crisis” when all hope will seem lost, which will propel the audience into the last act
• Three Main Scenes: 4 - Act Two Choice; 5 - Midpoint Reversal; 6 - Act Two Disaster

Three Main Scenes in Act II:

• Scene 4 - Act Two Choice
  • Transitional scene - protagonist accepts the problem they have to face
• Scene 5 - Midpoint Reversal
  • Also known as a “fake ending” because the protagonist thinks the problem is solved, but something unexpected happens that makes the protagonist view everything differently
• Scene 6 - Act Two Disaster
  • Darkness before the dawn - right when the protagonist thinks everything is fine, their world falls apart, everything seems hopeless

Act III - Resolution

• Usually the shortest act, when everything comes to a close: villains are faced, problems are solved, new life is accepted.
• Starts with the climatic “fight” between the problem and the protagonist.
• Loose ends are tied up, resolutions to subplots also happen.

Three Main Scenes in Act III:

• Scene 7 - The Plan
  • Protagonist and support characters find a way to overcome the last challenge in order to defeat the main problem
• Scene 8 - The Climax
  • Final showdown between the protagonist and the main problem
• Scene 9 - Wrap Up
  • Problem is solved or comes to a compromise, or protagonist comes to accept new life