If the writer decides to use the structure discussed earlier in this chapter, then they may want to consider allotting the following number of pages to each section:
Prelude = 10 pages; Act 1 = 30 pages; Act 2 = 45 pages; Act 3 = 30 pages; and Resolution = 5 pages.
In the Prelude, the first ten pages of the screenplay, the writer must “hook” the audience by creating empathy for the protagonist and love interest, hatred for the antagonist, and show the primary objective of the story. This is the most important section of the screenplay. In Act One, the conflict between the protagonist and antagonist is further developed up to the first plot twist. In Act Two, the conflict is further “complicated” up through the second major plot twist. By this time, about 85 minutes of screen time will have passed. In Act Three, the climatic battle between the protagonist and antagonist will occur. The action will be extremely intense and very fast, ending with the victory of the hero over the villain. The Resolution scene of the story will be the shortest, showing that the protagonist has achieved his primary objective and showing his victory being celebrated by the community.
An outline of the plot consists of one sentence for each of the forty (40) scenes. Each describes the major obstacle of that scene and the character’s actions in overcoming that obstacle.
A synopsis is a narration of the story developed from the plot outline. It focuses on presenting the objectives, subgoals, obstacles, events, actions, and plot in a simple easy to read format.
A treatment is a dramatization of the plot outline and synopsis. While including all the elements of the plot outline and the synopsis, it focuses on the emotional reactions of the characters in the story. It is designed to sell the story to a producer or studio executive. Therefore, understanding the psychology of the audience (in this case, the readers of the treatment) is necessary because, after reading it, they should have an emotionally satisfying experience. They should be so happy and excited after reading the treatment that they want to buy the story and have the writer develop it into a 120-page feature film screenplay.
On the next two pages is a Plot Outline Worksheet that a writer can use as a template for creating a script. Following that is a graph that represents the audience’s emotional responses to plot points in a story. This is one way that a writer can design a story so that the emotional plotting will result in an emotionally satisfying experience for the audience and make the story a popular Hollywood megahit movie.
PLOT OUTLINE WORKSHEET Unique Object :
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Love Interest:
Protagonist-Supporter: Antagonist-Supporter:
Prelude: (10 pages)
Introduces the antagonist: enmity scene (3 pages)
Introduce the protagonist: empathy scene (3 pages)
The protagonist’s dream: motivation and the primary objective (2 pages)
The Inciting Event: changes the everyday world of the protagonist and causes him to begin his quest for the unique object (2 pages) Act One: (30 pages) with at least 10 Obstacles
The protagonist pursues the first subgoal with some resistence, but for each two steps forward, he only takes one step back.
Obstacle 1 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 2 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 3 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Etc....
Obstacle 10 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem
The protagonist confronts the antagonist and prevents the antagonist from possessing both the primary objective and the love interest. The completion of the first subgoal results in the first plot twist and sends the protagonist off to accomplish subgoal 2.
Act Two: (45 pages) with at least 15 Obstacles
The protagonist pursues the second subgoal. The antagonist dominates this act. For each step forward, the hero takes two steps back.
Obstacle 1 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 2 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 3 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Etc....
Obstacle 15 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem
Protagonist’s Desperation Scene
At the end of the second act, the antagonist defeats the protagonist and prevents the protagonist from possessing both the primary objective and the love interest. The protagonist’s situation is hopeless and all appears lost. The completion of second subgoal results in the second plot twist.
Act Three: (30 pages) with at least 10 Obstacles There is a major empathy scene for protagonist. Because of this scene the audience wants the protagonist to win the battle and defeat the antagonist. The protagonist pursues of the third major subgoal.
Obstacle 1 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 2 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Obstacle 3 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem Etc....
Obstacle 10 - Character overcomes this obstacle-problem
Chase Scene with Ticking Clock
This creates maximum suspense and excitement for the audience. Climax Scene
The protagonist’s attempt to achieve the third major subgoal results in several plot twists. The antagonist will have possession of both the unique object and the love interest before the climax scene. In the climax scene, the protagonist will fight with the antagonist for both. During the battle, the protagonist triumphs and the antagonist is destroyed. The protagonist does not directly kill the antagonist, but the antagonist dies as a result of some action he initiated in his attempt to kill the protagonist.
Resolution (5 pages)
The protagonist either obtains the unique object, or it is destroyed in the climax scene. The protagonist saves the love interest. The community celebrates their victory.
THE EMOTION SCALE An Emotional Scale ranging from +10 to -10 is used in the examples of Emotional Plotting and the graph developed in the following sections. A rating of +10 represents joy, while a -10 represents terror. A rating of +5 represents happiness, while a -5 represents fear or anxiety. A rating of 0 represents emotional indifference.
(Examples are from a variety of megahit movies)
Page Plot Point Description of Action Emotion Scale
1 A Introduce likeable characters. Audience is pleased. +9 (Jaws: Young couple on beach. Naked girl swims in ocean.)
3 B Introduce the antagonist. Terrorize the audience. -10 (Jaws: Shark eats girl. She screams in terror.)
4 C Introduce the likeable protagonist. Audience is pleased. +3 (LOR: Frodo reads a book under a tree.)
6-8 D Protagonist Empathy Situation. Audience has anxiety. -3 (Woz: Dorothy seeks help from aunt, uncle and farmhands) 9 E Protagonist expresses her motivation. +7 (dreams, hopes, and needs)
Audience empathizes and feels good about the protagonist (WIZ: Dorothy sings “Over the Rainbow” song)
10 F Inciting Event. Audience is anxious for the protagonist. -7 (WIZ: Tornado takes Dorothy away from Kansas) 11 G Subgoal 1: Protagonist plans and starts towards her goal -5 Audience feels better, but still concerned about protagonist (WIZ: Dorothy plans to go to Oz to see the Wizard)
12-29 Protagonist overcomes obstacles to her subgoal. -5 to +5 Emotions of the audience varies in each scene depending on the jeopardy involved and the triumph of the protagonist overcoming her problems. Two steps forward, one step back. (WIZ: Dorothy journeys to the Emerald City)
30 H Protagonist protects the unique object & love interest. +5 from antagonist The audience feels good. They believe that the protagonist will prevail.
(WIZ: Dorothy arrives at the Emerald City to meet Wizard)
31 I Plot twist. Need to create a new subgoal and plan. -1 (WIZ: Wizard tells Dorothy to get the Witch’s Broomstick)
32-83 Complications: Antagonist attacks and wears down +4 to -8 the protagonist. One step forward, two steps back.
(Examples are from a variety of megahit movies) 84-89 J Protagonist Desperation: Antagonist has Love Interest -9 and Unique Object. The audience feels that things are hopeless: the protagonist
will not win.
(WIZ: Dorothy is trapped in the Witch’s Castle with Toto and Ruby Slippers.)
90-92 K Protagonist second major empathy scene. -9 Audience feels bad for the protagonist, hates the antagonist and wants the protagonist to destroy the antagonist. (WIZ: Witch appears in the crystal ball. She mocks Dorothy’s cries for help.)
93-99 L, M Chase &Ticking-Clock: Protagonist life-death fight -4 to +4 The audience is driven to a frenzy; between hope and despair. (Woz: Sand slides down the hour clock to the time of Dorothy’s death. Dorothy and her friends are chased around the castle by the Witch and Monkeys.)
100-105 N, O Climax: Protagonist battles antagonist and appears +6 to +10 to be winning.
106-111 P, Q, R Climax: Antagonist turns the tables. Protagonist -6 to +4 fights back. It appears that the antagonist will win. 112 S Climax: Protagonist hits back hard and appears to +8 defeat antagonist.
(Spider-Man: Peter knocks the Green Goblin into a brick wall.) Audience is elated by the anticipated victory of the hero.
113-114 T Climax: Antagonist strikes the death blow. -10 The Protagonist will not survive.
(Spider-Man: Green-Goblin launches his spike vehicle to impale Spider-Man) The audience is terrorized.
115-119 U Climax: Unexpected last minute surprise. The antagonist +9 is destroyed. The audience is relieved and happy. (Spider-Man: Spider jumps out of the way. Goblin is impaled.) (Jurassic Park: T-Rex appears and kills the Raptors)
120 V Resolution: Protagonist and Love Interest prevail. +10 Happy Ending. The audience is filled with joy.
(WIZ: Dorothy and Toto are back home with family.) (Shrek: Wedding celebration scene in the swamp.)
STORY WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?
Human Values
Virtues & Vices
Community Ideals
Basic Story Design
A-Story & B-Story
Story Climax & Plot Climax HUMAN VALUES Throughout the history of civilization, human beings have desired and held almost everything conceivable to be valuable. Although values are often relative to a culture and historical period, most people living would agree that the following personal values are worthy of pursuit: life, security, love, freedom, health, wealth, education, and personal growth.
Aristotle, in Nicomachean Ethics, analyzed the relationship between the good, happiness, and the virtues. Virtue in a character is whatever makes him a good person and causes him to perform his functions well. Moral virtue is a mean between two vices, one that is an excess and the other a deficiency. Some of the virtues that Aristotle identified are intelligence, courage, self-control, generosity, ambition, gentleness, friendliness and truthfulness.
A distinction can be made between instrumental values (virtues and vices) and community ideals. Instrumental values can be conceived of as ‘patterns of interpersonal behavior’ that guides one’s efforts to obtain an individual objective. The community ideals are those values that a culture or community promotes to maintain its well-being.
The values discussed below that can be considered to be virtues, vices and community ideals are explained in great detail in The Nature of Human Values by Milton Rokeach.
VIRTUES & VICES Instrumental values can be conceived of as ‘patterns of interpersonal behavior’ that guides a character’s efforts to obtain an objective. The positive values (virtues) are usually promoted by the protagonist and his supporters. The negative values (vices) are often found in the attitudes and behavior of the antagonist and his supporters.
PROTAGONIST VALUES (VIRTUES)
Ambitious (hard-working, aspiring)
Broadminded (open-minded)
Capable (competent, effective)
Cheerful (lighthearted, joyful)
Clean (neat, tidy)
Courageous (standing up for one’s beliefs)
Forgiving (willing to pardon others)
Helpful (working for the welfare of others)
Honest (sincere, truthful)
Imaginative (daring, creative)
Independent (self-reliant, self-sufficient)
Intellectual (intelligent, reflective)
Logical (consistent, rational)
Loving (affectionate, tender)
Obedience (dutiful, respectful)
Responsible (dependable, reliable)
Self-controlled (restrained, self-disciplined)
ANTAGONIST VALUES (VICES)
Unambitious (lazy, sloth)
Intolerant (prejudiced, dogmatic)
Incompetent (unskilled, inept)
Gloomy (depressed, miserable)
Dirty (untidy, messy, disorderly)
Cowardly (timid, fearful)
Blaming (condemning, censure)
Worthless (destructive, harmful)
Dishonest (untruthful, deceptive)
Subservient (servile, controlled)
Illiterate (unlearned, lowbrow)
Illogical (irrational, unreasonable)
Hateful (hostile, frigid, mean, cruel)
Rebellious (stubborn, obstinate)
Rude (discourteous, impudent)
Irresponsible (untrustworthy)
Undisciplined (unstable, hotheaded) In many movies, the protagonist is developed as an anti-hero, in that his character is a mixture of virtues and vices. Also, when a writer gives an antagonist some virtues, along with vices, he becomes more sympathetic for the audience. This makes the story more emotionally engrossing for the audience because they are not emotionally certain which is the most evil character. Raiders of the Lost Ark is structured this way with Indiana Jones and Belloc being “mirror images” of each other.
COMMUNITY IDEALS Many of the megahit movies advocate freedom, true friendship, and family security as fundamental values, with the most common being the pursuit of the safety of a home (getting back home), or the preservation of the home from destruction (saving the world or the community). Other possible fundamental values expressed as community ideals are:
A comfortable life (a prosperous life)
An exciting life (a stimulating, active life)
A sense of accomplishment (lasting contribution)
A world at peace (free of war and conflict)
A world of beauty (beauty of nature or creativity in the arts)
Equality (brotherhood, equal opportunity for all)
Family security (taking care of loved ones)
Freedom (independence, free choice)
Happiness (contentment)
Inner harmony (freedom from inner conflict)
Mature love (sexual and spiritual harmony)
National security (protection from attack)
Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life)
Salvation (saved, eternal life)
Self-respect (self-esteem)
Social recognition (respect, admiration)
True friendship (close companionship)
Wisdom (a mature understanding of life)
BASIC STORY DESIGN A story can be designed by choosing a unique concrete object that both the protagonist and antagonist desire. The protagonist desires it because it represents a positive value (such as national security or world preservation). The antagonist should want the same concrete object because it represents for him the opposite value (in this case, the destruction of the world so that he can create a new order with himself in power). The antagonist and the protagonist values express opposing community ideals.
Assign a set of positive instrumental values to the protagonist (loyalty, compassion) and the opposite negative instrumental values to the antagonist (disloyalty, hatred). Next, create imaginative conflict scenes in which the protagonist and antagonist, along with their supporters, fight for the unique concrete object. In popular movies, the protagonist will eventually be the victor and obtain the objective, but in a way unexpected by the audience. Variations of this dramatic structure can be found in many of the megahit movies.
The theme of the story is revealed through the interplay of the instrumental virtues and vices. Which values
help or hinder the protagonist in the pursuit of his objective becomes the explicit theme of the story. The theme of the movie can also be considered to be the premise of the story.
The Wizard of Oz most clearly exhibits the connections between the concrete objects that the characters desire and the values that these objects represent:
Elmira Gulch wants Toto to be killed in order to obtain revenge. Dorothy desires a home as a safe haven from her problems. The Scarecrow desires a brain in order to obtain intelligence. The Tin Man desires a heart in order to have feelings and compassion. The Lion desires courage in order to have freedom from fear. The Wicked Witch of the West wants the ruby slippers to obtain absolute power in Oz.
Some of the themes exhibited in the megahit movies are listed below: Titanic
True love means being willing to sacrifice your life for the person you love, as Jack does for Rose. (True Love)
StarWars , Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi
Freedom from tyranny necessitates fighting for control of the absolute power of the universe. (World Security and Freedom)
Phantom Menace
Freedom from tyranny necessitates fighting for control of your home. (World Security and Freedom)
E.T.
Friendship sometimes means helping the person you love to achieve his desires, even if it means separation. (Loyalty and Freedom)
Batman
Preservation of the community from crime necessitates fighting and destroying the sources of evil. (World Security)
Home Alone
A person must use all his intelligence and resources in order to protect his home from destruction. (World Security and Self-Esteem)
Jurassic Park
To obtain family security, one must preserve the lives of the young and protect them from destruction. (Family Security)
Jaws
Preservation of the community from terror necessitates fighting and destroying the source of evil, the Great White Shark. (World Security)
Forrest Gump
To obtain happiness in life, one must “go with the flow,” be flexible, but also be completely absorbed in the moment. (Happiness)
Independence Day
Preservation of the community from terror necessitates fighting and destroying the source of evil. (World Security)
The Megahit Movies Page 16