Three Act Structure #7

Three Act Structure


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-act_structure

Not all films follow the 3 act structure, for example Disturbia

Act 1 - Inciting incident. A car crash in which his father dies 



Act 1 - Turning point. He is put under house arrest 




Act 2 - Confrontation/Development. The protagonist becomes suspicious that his neighbour is a murderer and begins to spy on him. 




Act 2 - Turning Point #2. The neighbour kidnaps the protagonists mother and it is up to him to save her. 




 







Act 3 - Climax. He saves his mother and kills the murderer.





Act 3 - Resolution. He gets his tag removed and gets the girl



In act 1 the audience meet the protagonist and the other characters that will appear in the film. We also get an insight to what problems will occur later in the film. The key to act one is to keep it interesting and to not give away the film too early. Act 1 is also an opportunity to learn about the protagonist and form an attachment to them.

Act 2 is normally where the complications arise. Problems that were shown in act 1 now have to become more dangerous and complicated. At the end of act 2, the main character shown be at their lowest point and desperate. This could be either physically or emotionally.

Act 3 is usually the resolution to the antagonists problem. The main character usually ends up victorious but some films occasionally have downbeat endings where the main character loses or dies.