Story Design

by Richard Michaels Stefanik

  A plot is the series of events that occur from the beginning of the cinematic experience to its conclusion. It is a description of things that happen to the characters and is not concerned with the character's emotional reactions. To describe a plot is to list all the events that occur in a chronological order.

  EVENTS and ACTIONS

  Plot and story distinctions will be further developed in this section on events and actions. They will help to explain why audiences have more appreciation for a "well-constructed story" than "a complex plot." While the later may be intellectually challenging, the former is more emotionally engrossing and produces a much higher degree of audience empathy for the characters.

  The audience finds "over-plotted" films to be unsatisfactory because there is not enough change and development in the personal lives of the characters. These distinctions will be fruitful in defining the structures necessary for a film to be a satisfying emotional experience.

  The distinction between events and actions is essential for the application of the cognitive theory of emotions to the analysis of popular films. This theory analyzes emotional reactions to three fundamental entities: events, agents (and their actions), and objects. The value of this distinction will be born out by the theory's explanatory power in the analysis of popular films.

  An action is something that a character does to himself, an object, or another character.

  An event is something that happens to the character, something that impacts him, and over which he has little control.

  Being hit by a car is an event, but the antagonist intentionally hitting another character is an action.

  Drama is not about accidental events that happen to individuals. It is about how the characters react to these events. It is also about characters making decisions under conflict and performing actions while in pursuit of an objective that represents fundamental human values.

  Audiences lose interest in stories where the character's problems are not solved by their own decisions and actions but by accidental events.

  THE INCITING EVENT

  Each movie has an important incident called the inciting event in which something happens to the protagonist that radically changes his life. Often his home is destroyed, or his life, as he knew it, is radically altered. This is the point when the story begins as the protagonist tries to regain something that he has lost: usually a feeling of safety. In the megahit movies, he attempts either to find a new home or to preserve his home from further destruction.

  The inciting event will eventually lead to the climax scene, and can be considered to be the "root cause" of the climax. It is also the event that forces the protagonist to make a major decision: the decision of personal commitment to the primary objective of the story.

  The inciting event is usually not the result of the intentional action of the protagonist but is an external event that has an impact on his life. This becomes a point of no return from which the protagonist must move forward, overcoming obstacles to achieve his primary goal.

  Avatar

  Jake’s consciousness is transferred into his Na’vi avatar.

  Spider-Man

  Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically enhanced spider.

  Star Wars

  Luke’s aunt and uncle are killed by the Empire troopers..

  Pirates of the Caribbean

  Liz falls into the sea while wearing the Aztec coin.

  Writing Assignment: Write a few sentences describing the inciting event of your story in which something happens that radically changes the life of the protagonist.

  SUBPLOTS and SUBGOALS

  Subplots have been traditionally defined as "supportive" of the main plot, and in some way, related to it. Using subplots can also cause many problems. Linda Seger, in Making a Good Script Great, states:

  Subplots are responsible for many script problems. Some films have failed because of weak subplot integration. These problems seem to fall into several categories. First of all, many times subplots lack structure. They ramble, they're unfocused, and they disorient the audience so that the audience doesn't know what the story is really about or what's going on. Sometimes a film has problems because the subplot doesn't intersect the plot and it doesn't seem to have any bearing on the story. Although the subplot might be interesting, it seems to float, unconnected, apart from anything else happening in the story.

  The concept of a subgoal is much more helpful for constructing stories. While there is only one primary objective to a story, there may be many subgoals that the characters pursue in their attempt to achieve this objective.

  Minor characters help to accomplish these subgoals, and each of the minor characters has their own set of values. The values of the minor characters are very often different from the values of the protagonist. This contrast helps the audience to focus on the codes of behavior that are being tested in these conflicts. The way a minor character's values impact the successful or unsuccessful obtainment of the subgoal constitutes a subplot. In this way, the subplot can

  be connected to the primary objective of the story.

  The effective use of subplots demonstrates alternative codes of behavior that often lead to failure. Eventually, all subplots should converge to the final story climax, where the protagonist reveals his true values in the battle with the antagonist.

  Most megahits use the subgoal structure instead of the subplot structure. This allows the action line to be more focused for the audience. The audience also does not have to dilute their emotional involvement among too many different characters. But some megahits do use subplots.

  In Batman, for example, there is the subplot involving Alexander Knox, the newspaper reporter who seeks to expose Batman in order to win a Pulitzer Prize. This character is seeking the limelight and pursues the prize for his personal glory, even if it damages the fight against crime and leads to the destruction of the community.

  Bruce Wayne, on the other hand, performs his community-protection service effectively and anonymously. Both characters are also pursuing the love-interest, Vicki Vale, as is the antagonist, the Joker. At the end of the story, both Alexander and the Joker lose Vicki, who decides to join Bruce Wayne (Batman).

  In Independence Day, there are four subplots that revolve around the four protagonists, each of whom share the ultimate objective of saving the human race from destruction by the aliens. But they each also have a specific personal objective.

  Russell Casse wants to regain his self-respect and the respect of his children and the community. He does this by warning the community of the destructive intentions of aliens, and, finally, by flying his fighter into their ultimate weapon and destroying their ship.

  David Levinson wants to save the world and win back the love of his ex-wife. He accomplishes both. Steve Hillier wants to become an astronaut and marry Jasmine. He does both. President Tom Whitmore wants to preserve his family, fulfill his duties as President, and help save the world. Although he loses his wife, he does preserve the life of his child and helps to destroy the aliens.

  In Lord of the Rings, the main story line is about Frodo and his efforts to destroy the Ring in Mount Doom. The major subplot concerns Aragorn becoming King of Gondor. This subplot also involves the stories of Theoden of Rohan, Steward Denethor of Gondor, Aragorn's love for Arwen, and Eowyn's love for Aragorn. The subplots come together when Aragorn leads his army against Mordor to distract Sauron and to give Frodo a chance to destroy the Ring.

  In Pirates of the Caribbean, there is the subplot of the love triangle between Norrington, Liz, and Will. The main story line involves the antagonist Barbossa's efforts to gain the Aztec Gold Coin from Liz, Will, and Jack in order to eliminate the curse. After Barbossa has been defeated, the problem of the love triangle with Norrington still has to be resolved, as it is in the final sequence of the movie.

  PLOT TWISTS

  "Reversal of the situation is a change by which the action veers round to its opposite, subject always to our rule of probability
or necessity." -Aristotle, Poetics

  A plot twist usually occurs when a character successfully obtaining a subgoal does not achieve the expected result. This introduces the element of surprise and unpredictability to the story, especially when the audience had been made aware of the plans to achieve the subgoal. Characters create audience expectations by discussing plans for future events and designing strategies so that a series of actions will result in the accomplishment of a subgoal. But when the event fails to occur, the audience is surprised.

  These plot twists force the characters to devise new strategies and plans that also will fail to result in the desired outcome. This new result will then "spin" the characters off into another course of action (i.e., in search for a new subgoal).

  Other plot twists occur when something happens in the story that was not anticipated by either the characters or the audience. These plot twists were not a result of the sub- goal not being obtained. But this new unexpected event forces the characters to completely change their plans and to come up with a new set of subgoals to achieve their primary objective. A plot twist can also be a moment of sudden recognition, like when Luke Skywalker discovers that Princess Leia is his sister in Return of the Jedi.

  A story can have many subgoals, provided that the one primary objective is retained throughout. The audience should always know the final objective; otherwise, they become confused and could lose interest in the story. Plot twists make the story unpredictable, constantly surprises the audience, and helps to keep them engrossed in the story.

  Plot Twists are based on a setup and payoff structure in which the audience is intentionally misled by the writer. But it is important that the characters within the story be sincere about their plans and objectives in order to maintain audience empathy. If a character becomes untrustworthy, the audience will usually lose empathy for him. If the expected result fails to occur because of actions from the opposing characters, then the audience is surprised. They also become intrigued and wonder what will happen next. If the failure is due to bad planning, or the incompetent execution of the plans, then the audience will laugh. Incompetence is one of the standard comic techniques that will be discussed in greater detail in the sections on humor.

  The more plot twists in a story, the more excitement the audience will feel. This is especially true in the climax scene, which should never be predictable. Events should never conclude exactly the way the audience expects. The protagonist should accomplish his objective in this scene, but never in the manner planned and expected. This is true in almost all of the megahit movies.

  Shrek

  After the magical spell wears off in the climax scene, Fiona is still ugly.

  Spider-Man

  Peter does not tell MJ that he loves her in the final scene.

  Matrix Trilogy

  Neo chooses to save the life of Trinity instead of the people of Zion.

  Harry Potter-The Sorcerer’s Stone

  Harry discovers that Quirrell is the real villain of the story, not Snape.

  Pirates of the Caribbean

  Barbossa believes that Liz is the daughter of Bootstrap Turner. But when he cuts her, and her blood drops into the treasure, the curse does not end.

  Lord of the Rings Trilogy

  Frodo decides not to destroy the Ring. As prophesied by Gandalf, Gollum does have an important role to play in the destiny of the Ring. It is Gollum who destroys the Ring by falling into the lava of Mount Doom.

  Avatar

  Jake tries to persuade the Na’vi to leave Hometree before they are destroyed, but he fails.

  Writing Assignment: Write a description of the three (3) different plot twists that result when the protagonist achieves his three subgoals, but they do not bring him what he expected to receive.

  PLOT ORGANIZATION

  A plot is an arrangement of events that organizes a cinematic experience. Acts are collections or sets of events ordered into a sequence. One way to organize a plot is to arrange it into a three-act structure. The acts are distinguished in terms of the specific types of events that occur at the end of each sequence.

  Many plots in the megahit movies are constructed along the following divisions, which are emotionally satisfying for the mass audience:

  Prelude:

  Introduces the antagonist, protagonist, love interest, story objective, generates empathy for the protagonist and love interest, enmity for the antagonist, and includes the inciting event which transforms the protagonist's world.

  Act One:

  The protagonist's pursuit of the first major subgoal results in the first plot twist. The protagonist confronts the antagonist and prevents the antagonist from possessing both the primary objective and the love interest.

  Act Two:

  The protagonist's pursuit of the second major subgoal results in the second plot twist. The antagonist defeats the protagonist and prevents the protagonist from possessing both the primary objective and the love interest. At the end of the second act, the situation of the protagonist appears to be hopeless.

  Act Three:

  The protagonist's pursuit of the third major subgoal results in the third plot twist. The antagonist will have possession of both the primary objective and the love interest toward the end of this act. In the climax scene, the protagonist will fight with the antagonist for both of these objects. During the battle, the protagonist triumphs and the antagonist is destroyed. The protagonist usually does not directly kill the antagonist, but the antagonist dies as a result of some action by which he attempted to kill the protagonist.

  Resolution:

  The protagonist achieves the objective, saves the love interest, and is celebrated by the community.

  E.T. clearly exhibits this structure. In the prelude, E.T. is introduced, the faceless antagonist “keys” pursues him, he is abandoned by his companions in the inciting event, and his primary objective to return home is established. At the end

  of the first act, Elliott possesses E.T. in his room, thereby, preventing the antagonist from getting him. At the end of the second act, the antagonist invades Elliott's home and captures both him and E.T. In the third act, the audience believes that E.T. dies. Elliott then arranges for the escape of E.T. and defeats the antagonist. In the resolution, E.T. is rejoined with his companions and returns home as Elliott and his family watch E.T. flyaway.

  When screenwriters are designing their story, and before they write the first draft of their screenplay, they usually proceed by writing a plot outline, a synopsis, and then a treatment. Once the treatment is approved by a producer, it should then be easy to write the screenplay.

  In the motion picture industry, it is traditional to assume that one page of a screenplay equals one minute of screen time. Therefore, producers expect a screenplay to be about 120 pages for a two hour movie. Since a feature film is about two hours long, or 120 minutes in duration, many screenwriters often attempt to divide the movie into forty (40) segments of three (3) minutes each. Each of these 40 three-minute segments is designed to be a scene. Essential to each scene is a major obstacle or problem that the characters in the scene have to overcome. This is a model of an ideal screenplay. Not all of the produced screenplays will have this structure, but a model is a useful tool that helps the writer design the story. Some story gurus recommend 60 scenes of two pages each. This would quicken the pace of the action and the movie.

  If the writer decides to use the structure discussed earlier in this chapter, then he 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, Resolution = 5 pages

  In the Prelude, the first ten (10) 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, sub goals, 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.