Class 6 : Plots
BATMAN scene-by-scene analysis
Plot and Story, Events and Actions, Inciting Event, Subplots, Plot Arena, Plot Twists, Plot-Story Climax, and Plot Organization.
Assignment: Design a Prelude, Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 and Resolution structure for your story using the essential features described in the PLOT ORGANIZATION chapter. Write a one page structural description of your story.
Class 7 : Story
BATMAN scene-by-scene analysis
Human Values, Instrumental Values, Fundamental Values, Story Design
Assignment: Write a plot outline of your story that contains forty (40) major obstacles, one for each scene. Arrange the plot outline scenes within the Prelude, Act 1, Act 2, Act 3, and Resolution Structure. Write a one sentence statement of the “High Concept” for your story.
Class 8 : Scenes
E.T. scene-by-scene analysis
Scenes, Scene Actions, Point of Attack, Crisis, Confrontation, Climax, Resolution, A Standard Scene Example, Exposition Scenes, Transition Scenes, Opening Scenes, Protagonist Introduction, Antagonist Introduction, Climax Scenes, Resolution Scenes, and Summary of Essential Scene Elements
Assignment: Create an index card for each scene (40 in total). Include the major Obstacle, Crisis, Confrontation, Climax, and Resolution for each scene.
(Twelve Session Workshop) Class 9 : Emotions
E.T. scene-by-scene analysis
Story and Emotion, Theories of Emotion, Cognitive Theory, FActors Effecing the Intensity of Emotions, Reactions to Events, Reactions to Actions, and Reactions to Objects
Assignment: Write a character having an emotional reaction to an event, an emotional reaction to an action, and an emotional reaction to an object. Class 10 : Humor
GHOSTBUSTERS scene-by-scene analysis
Theories of Humor, Humor and Emotion, Categories of Humor, Humorous Constructs, Humorous Situations, and Humorous Characters
Assignment: Create one humorous construct, one humorous situation and one humorous bit of character behavior for your story. Class 11 : Sequences
GHOSTBUSTERS scene-by-scene analysis
Entertaining the Audience, Cinematic-Visual Material, Mythic Structures, High Concept, Excitement, Surprise, Setup and Payoff, Suspense, The Chase, Timelocks, Props, Exposition, and Dialogue
Assignment: Create a chase and timelock sequence for the climax scene in Act 3 of your story. Write the synopsis of your story and prepare a 5 minute pitch for the class.
Class 12 : The Screenwriting Business
Megahit Movie Themes, Pitching Stories, Writing A Query Letter, Writing a Synopsis, Screenplay Format, and Selling Screenplays
Assignment: Begin the first draft screenplay of your story based on the plot outline.
INDEX
A abandonment 225
abstract value 125, 130
actions 20, 172, 173, 180, 183, 252, 255, 325
acts 187
antagonist
18, 95, 104, 110, 117, 134, 148, 166, 180, 198, 201, 206, 213, 233,
236, 241, 304, 317, 322, 332, 335
antagonist introduction 20
antagonist supporter 18, 117
Aristotle 31, 104, 109, 151, 171, 183, 197, 237, 245, 282, 283, 284, 315
B
betrayal 233
C
characters
104, 109, 113, 132, 139, 141, 151, 154, 163, 166, 173,178, 180, 183, 213, 216, 222, 225, 229,
241, 247, 253, 255, 258, 280, 305, 314, 316, 325, 332, 490 chase 316, 317
choices 95, 206, 213
cinematic experience 171, 187
clichés 277, 293
climax scene 5, 7, 175, 184, 236, 237
climax scenes 20
codes of behavior 6, 18, 104, 172, 178, 206
cognitive theory 7, 245
community 96, 157, 166, 237
community ideals 7, 197, 200, 201
concrete objects 125, 128, 130, 201, 322
conflict
19, 105, 130, 139, 141, 148, 154, 160, 163, 178, 180, 222, 236, 237, 241, 270, 310, 332 confrontation 20
cowardliness 299
crisis 20
crowds 118
D decisions 18, 95, 130, 174
dialects 294
dialogue 20, 213, 258
double entendre 289
dual scripts 295
E emotional reactions 20
emotionally satisfying experience for the audience 20
emotions 237, 245, 251, 252, 253, 255, 257, 263, 269, 316, 325, 490 empathy 5, 18, 114, 157, 184, 216, 225, 229, 246, 270, 309, 332 enemies 19, 148, 335
enmity 5, 18, 225, 233, 246, 332
entertain the audience 20
entertainment 309
establishing scenes 219
events 20, 130, 171, 173, 175, 180, 183, 187, 206, 252, 325 exaggeration 291, 299, 300
excitement 19, 141, 160, 184, 314, 325
exposition 134, 325
exposition scenes 20
F fear 109, 245
final scene 237
friends 19, 154, 335
G
genres 17
H
hero 104, 139, 187, 331
high concepts 17
home 175, 200, 333, 338
humor 118, 144, 258, 263, 265, 274, 277, 309, 325, 490 humorous categories 287
humorous characters 21, 275, 285, 297
humorous constructs 275
humorous dialogue 21
humorous situations 21, 275, 296
I inappropriateness 144, 265, 271, 287, 298, 299, 300
inciting event 175
incompetence 276, 301
incongruity 265, 270, 271, 272, 275, 287
irony 287
J
jeopardy 19, 31, 141, 160, 241, 309, 316, 317
L
laughter 263, 265, 276, 280, 303, 325
logic violations 289, 290
loglines 17
love interest 18
lovers 19, 157
M malapropisms 293
misdirection 288
misinterpretation 289, 304
mispronunciations 293
misspellings 293
modal jokes 295
montages 222
motivation 18
mystery 316
myth 331
N natural world 19
needs 91, 130
Nicomachean Ethics 197
nonsense 293
O objects 252, 257
obligatory scene 236
obstacles
19, 31, 113, 134, 139, 141, 145, 160, 163, 187, 206, 241, 315, 316, 317, 320 opening scenes 20
outlines 189
P personal objectives 18
personalities 113
physical objects 19, 160
physical traits 113
pity 109, 245
plans 134, 183, 315, 325
plot 19, 178, 180, 187
plot arena 180
plot climax 206, 236
plot outline 19
plot twists 19, 132, 183, 214
Poetics 31, 104, 109, 151, 171, 183, 245, 315
point-of-attack 20
popular 32, 33, 166, 265, 310, 331, 332
practical jokes 303
prelude 19, 187
premise 201
pretense 280, 297
primary objective
19, 87, 91, 96, 109, 125, 128, 130, 132, 172, 175, 178, 183, 187, 206, 213, 236, 333 props 322
protagonist
18, 31, 95, 104, 109, 117, 134, 140, 145, 148, 151, 157, 160, 175, 180, 198, 201, 206, 213,
225, 229, 236, 237, 241, 317, 320, 322, 332, 335
protagonist introduction, 20
protagonist supporter 18, 117
psychology of humor 271
psychology of the audience 18, 32
R relationships 109, 139, 151, 154, 172, 310, 325
relatives 19
relief theory 269, 272, 296
resolution scen
es 20
reversal 109, 183
ruby slippers 367
rule of three 288
S scene climax 213, 217, 218, 241
scene confrontation 213, 217, 218, 241
scene crisis 213, 217, 218, 241
scene point-of-attack 217, 218
scene resolution 188, 213, 217, 218, 241
self-conflicts 19, 95, 139, 145
setting of the story 180
setup and payoff 184
showing 247
story 19, 175, 180, 201, 213, 222, 225, 258, 310, 316, 325, 331, 490 story climax 178, 206, 236
story construction 139
story design 493
story objective 125
strategies 134, 183
Structures of Fantasy 9
subgoals 19, 87, 96, 125, 132, 172, 178, 183, 213, 222, 315 subplots 178
superiority theories 267, 272
supernatural 166, 335
supernatural world 19
supporting characters 18, 85, 117
surprise 132, 183, 225, 250, 267, 315, 325
suspense 20, 316, 320
synopsis 189
T telling 247
terror 166, 335
theme 21, 201, 332
three-act structure 187
ticking clocks 20
transformations 18, 109, 213
transition scenes 20, 222
treatments 189
U understatement 291, 299
unique object 18
unpredictability 19, 132, 134, 183, 325
V values 109, 130, 154, 172, 178, 180, 197, 198, 200, 206, 213, 255, 332 vices 197, 199, 241, 282
virtues 197, 198, 241, 282
W
WGA 5, 9
Richard Michaels Stefanik THE MEGAHIT MOVIES www.TheMegahitMovies.com
* TITANIC *
STAR WARS * SHREK 2 * E.T.
THE PHANTOM MENACE * SHREK * SPIDER-MAN LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING SPIDER-MAN 2 * THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
JURASSIC PARK *THE TWO TOWERS FINDING NEMO * FORREST GUMP * LION KING HARRY POTTER: THE SORCERER’S STONE LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING STAR WARS: ATTACK OF THE CLONES * STAR WARS: RETURN OF JEDI * INDEPENDENCE DAY * THE SIXTH SENSE * STAR WARS: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK * PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN * HOME ALONE * THE MATRIX RELOADED* SHREK * HARRY POTTER: CHAMBER OF SECRETS* MEET THE FOCKERS * THE INCREDIBLES * THE GRINCH * JAWS * MONSTERS, INC. BATMAN * MEN IN BLACK
This website analyzes the Megahit Movies, those films which have generated more than $250 million in North American Box Office receipts. It presents principles of story development that can be used to develop popular movies by providing an analysis of cinematic techniques. The site is designed for writers, directors and producers who want to create commercially successful films. The fundamentals of dramatic structure, the human emotions, and the creation of humorous characters and situations are explained, with example from the most popular Hollywood movies ever produced.
Richard Michaels Stefanik www.TheMegahitMovies.com [email protected]
The Megahit Movies Page 46