Presentation Outline




Story Autopsy:

How I Wrote a Novel in Three Days And Then Adapted It Into

a Movie Starring Billy Crystal
Demystifying the three-act structure
with Chris Millis

The following is an outline of Chris’s PowerPoint presentation delivered Friday, March 8 at the 2013 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference in Boston, MA,

Stories are about:
Changes
Significant Moments

Memorable Endings

Real life doesn’t need to make sense, but movies do.


ACT I

About 9-10 scenes

Ordinary world is established

Hero has Limited Awareness
Thesis is presented
Introduce most Principal Characters
Call to Adventure

Departure
for the Hero
Separation
from comfort
Stasis is death

On average, a screenplay is about 110 pages long.

That works out to roughly one minute of screen time per page.
Quick math:
Take a theoretical 110 page screenplay:
Midpoint = Page 55
Act I ends around Page 25-30
Act II ends around Page 85-90

First 10 pages is called The Set Up

Meet our hero, or heroes, and learn about their:
Work
Home
Play
Opening Image

What’s the first thing you see?

Statement of the Theme

Often happens around the five minute mark
Doesn’t necessarily come from the Hero or another Principal Character

What is a “Save the Cat” moment?

Catalyst or Inciting Incident
Usually around the 12-15 minute mark
What draws the Hero into the story? What Forces him to choose between the known and the unknown?
Refusal of the Call
Individual vs. Systemic problems

Debate:
“I don’t want to change.”
“I must change.”

Introduction of the Mentor
Supernatural Aid

A Decision is made

Crossing the First Threshold into the Belly of the Whale

“Small Apartments”: Franklin Decides to Move the Body

Break into Act II
Something BIG happens.
In a 110-page script: around Page 25-30
The Hero can’t go back to his old life. Can only go forward.

“Small Apartments”: Franklin Tries to Make It Look Like a Suicide

Act II
About 10 scenes
Antithesis
Descent/Initiation
The New World of the story
The Road of Trials

The first half of Act II delivers the Promise of the Premise
Includes “set pieces”
Visually embodies the film’s concept (trailer moments)

The B-Story begins
About page 30-35
Love Interest
Meeting the Goddess
Woman as Temptress

Characters begin to bond
Hero accumulates power and information

Hero is tested
Begins acquiring Allies and Enemies
Conflict intensifies

“Small Apartments”: Burt Walnut Investigates

Introduction of New Character
Usually right before, or as a part of, the Midpoint Sequence

Midpoint
About Page 55
The Supreme Ordeal for the Hero
Big Change
Reversal of Momentum
Hero struggles with a Tangible vs. Spiritual goal

Second Half of Act II
About 9-10 scenes
Ideas fail
Desperation grows
Argument and Indecision
Friends abandon the Hero

Bad guys – or, if it’s an Anti-Hero – good guys gain ground
Consequences
from earlier actions start closing in on the Hero

“Small Apartments”: Burt Walnut Interviews Mr. Allspice
All is Lost
About Page 75
Also called the Death Beat or “whiff of death”
Atonement with the Father

The Death Beat is often a “false” victory or defeat that will mirror the film’s climax

The Death Beat also often signals the death of the Mentor, whether physically or in spirit

Rock Bottom
“Dark Night of the Soul”
Around Page 75-85
Resurrection
Hero must regroup for the final push that will carry him into Act III

Act III
Around Page 85
15-25 pages long
Synthesis
The Ultimate Boon
Going to combine knowledge and mistakes so far to make a New Plan
The Return

The Magic Flight
Rescue From Without

The Five Step Finale

Step One:
Gather the team

Step Two:
Execute the plan

Step Three:
Beat the Ticking Clock
Overcome the “Surprise”

Step Four:
Dig deep for the New, New Plan
Complete all Character Arcs (usually three beats)

Crossing the Return Threshold

Step Five: The Climax
It’s all led up to this.
Pull off the New, New Plan
Surprising, yet inevitable

Denouement or Coda
Master of Two Worlds
Freedom to Live