After seeing Inception this week, for me Toy Story 3 is still the only movie I have seen in cinemas this year that has a flawless story, reaching for a four-quadrant audience with a script that is at the same time intelligent and moving. But while analyzing Toy Story 2 I was reminded how much I love this one – and how much TS3 is indebted to it.

Because the Pixar brain trust have proven beyond any doubt that they understand how stories for the big screen work, I have decided – encouraged by a good friend and fellow Pixar fan – to analyse every single movie from their stable. You can now find structural analyses on this site for the following movies:

• Toy Story 1
• Toy Story 2
• The Incredibles
• Up
• Toy Story 3

A Structure that works

So far I have found that the Pixar movies are often structured around an eight-sequence hero’s journey, with two sequences in acts one and three and four in the second act. Sometimes (like you will see below) Act Two consists of five sequences with the mid point sitting in the middle sequence rather than at the end of the fourth sequence.

Each movie has a powerful Mid Point Reversal – not just a ‘point of no return’ – and all three Toy Story movies have more than one transformational journey. Later (e.g. with Finding Nemo and Ratatouille) we’ll find that some of the Pixar stories have a  dual protagonist, each with their journey of change.

all three Toy Story movies have 
more than one transformational journey.

Now let me ask you: do you like these movies? Have you embraced the structural engine behind them? Do you master it? Or are you still resisting the structure, thinking that it’s all just about the characters?

Well, good luck to you if you are.

spoilers about Toy Story 2 and 3

We’re only eight minutes into the movie when Woody rips his arm and Andy shelves him. Right there is a metaphor reminding us of our mortality, soon reinforced by Wheezy’s statement that there is no use in prolonging the inevitable: all toys are ultimately destined for the garage sale.

How much deeper can a movie go
with its thematic challenges?

In Act Two Woody has to decide what his purpose in life is when he actually does have an opportunity to ‘prolong the inevitable’ by going to a museum. Now he has to choose between (the equivalent of) immortality and happiness for a child. How much deeper can a movie go with its thematic challenges?

At the Mid Point, there’s a heart-wrenching moment when Jessie shares her emotional wound with Woody. This experience will be referenced again in Toy Story 3 when Jessie says “It’s Emily all over again!” and it’s not hard to recognize the exact same emotion in Chuckles’ story about Daisy leaving Lotso, Big Baby and himself behind. In Toy Story 3, however, the abandonment is a result of a mistake rather than a deliberate donation.

Now, despite the fact that Toy Story 2 is immaculately – and, yes, almost mathematically – structured around nine sequences,  this movie is not all about just slavishly following structural principles. Actually, it breaks one major rule… Look carefully and you’ll find something quite peculiar about the second act.

Look carefully and you’ll find
something quite peculiar about the second act.

Where in most transformational movies at the Mid Point the Hero changes the approach from ‘doing it the easy way’ to ‘doing the right thing’, Toy Story 2 shows that the opposite can work, too. Initially it is Woody’s plan to return to Andy; at the Mid Point he is so moved by Emily’s story that he changes his mind, only to be brought back to reason at the end of Act Two.

Enjoy!

ACT ONE

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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Apart from the division in 3 acts and 8 sequences, later I will also indicate how some story points relate to the Hero’s Journey.

It’s really worth watching the first installment again to realize how cohesive the trilogy really is. The themes of the three movies are related and the visual goals are remarkably similar, too.

The only differences between my sequence structure and Paul Gulino’s approach are the end of Act One and the different division of Act Three (into a double climax – Sequence G1 and G2 – and a separate ‘aftermath’ sequence).

When I have more time later, I will add some notes to each sequence.

If you haven’t already checked it out, please go and have a look at my breakdown of Toy Story 3.

Enjoy!

ACT ONE

00.00 Walt Disney and Buena Vista leader.

*01.00 Andy playing with his toys: Damsel in distress. Woody to the rescue!
01.30 You’ve got a friend in me: Andy and Woody, best of friends.
03.00 The “special spot”: Woody is Andy’s favourite toy.
03.30 “Coast is clear!” Woody and the Toys come to life.
06.00 Staff meeting: 1 week before moving. Today is Andy’s birthday party!

07:00 Woody reassures the toys that no one will be replaced by new toys.
07.30 “They’re here!” Andy’s friends arrive with presents. Meeting Adjourned.
08.30 Code Red! Woody sends out the troops: Recon post downstairs.
09.00 Troops dispatched.
10.30 Troops report back about the contents of the presents.
11.30 Mission accomplished. No new toys!
12.00 Mum pulls out surprise present!
12.30 Red Alert: Andy is coming upstairs. Leaves new present on bed.

Sequence B: Woody in denial: still Andy’s favorite! (8mins)

13.00 Woody: “Just a mistake.” Let’s give it a nice welcome.
15.00 “I’m Buzz Lightyear. I come in peace”.
16:00 More gadgets then a swiss army knife.
17:00 Woody has Laser envy.
17:30 Woody challenges Buzz to fly.
18:00 “To Infinity and Beyond!”
18:30 Buzz falls with style! Woody isn’t Impressed.
19:00 They’ll see, I’m still Andy’s favourite. [Reluctance to change]
19:30 Strange things are happening.
20:00 Buzz Lightyear! Andy’s new favorite.
20:30 Andy: “I’m still Andy’s favorite toy.”

I include the musical montage in the first act for the following reasons:

– the montage is a visualization of Woody’s goal in reverse: he wants it to be HIM who’s being played with.

– the montage ends with a natural wipe to black, indicating a clear ‘curtain’ closing Act One.

– the sequence length is now more equally distributed, which is consistent with an audience’s attention’s ebb & flow.

ACT TWO

Sequence C: Woody’s Revenge and consequences. (8mins)

21:00 Woody confronts Buzz. “Stop with the spaceman thing”
23:00 Sid – the toy torturer. Blows up soldier.
26:00 Woody’s revenge: Buzz falls out of the window.
27:30 Andy leaves with Woody. Buzz in pursuit.
28:00 Toys trying to recover Buzz. Where could he be?

Sequence D: Stuck at Pizza Planet & unwanted help (8mins)

29:00 Fuel station: Woody and Buzz fight out their differences.
30:00 Left behind at the petrol station as Mom & Andy drive on.
31:00 Woody: “You are a toy!” Not the real buzz lightyear.”

32:00 Pizza delivery truck, a spaceship and a way home!
33:00 The cockpit, safer than the cargo bay. A bumpy ride to Pizza Planet.
33:30 Welcome to Pizza Planet! Disguises, a way to get inside.
34:30 Woody: “Andy!” Buzz: “Spaceship!” Buzz runs off.
35:00 Buzz makes peace with Aliens in the spaceship.

36:00 Woody: “It’s Sid! Get Down!”
37:00 The Claw chooses Buzz & Woody.
37:30 Sid takes the toys home: “Let’s go home and … play!!”

Sequence E. Sid’s toys. Woody tortured & Buzz’ Ordeal (9mins)

38:00 Sid’s dog Scud and sister Hayley
38:30 Sid performs surgery on his Hayley’s doll.
39:30 Sid’s mutilated toys. Woody is petrified.

41:00 Andy’s room next door. They’re home.
41:30 Sid tortures Woody with a magnifying glass.
42:30 “The door! It’s open, we’re free!”
43:30 A dog between the exit. Woody and Buzz split up.
*44:00 Television Commercial: “Star command to Buzz Lightyear!”
44:30 “Not a flying toy”. Buzz realises he is just a toy.
46:00 Buzz tries to fly. Fails miserably.

Sequence F: Woody trapped: redemption. (10:30mins)

47:00 Hayley salvages Buzz. Takes him to tea party.

48:30 Plan for return, but Buzz gone crazy.
50:30 Woody fails to convince toys. They abandon him.
51:30 Sid’s toys fix Buzz, not so evil after all.
52:30 Sid straps the rocket to Buzz, prepares for launch!

53:00 Launch delayed, Woody trapped. The clock is ticking.
53:30 Andy misses his toys.
54:30 Buzz has lost all hope. Stupid toy. Woody motivates Buzz.
56:30 Woody’s redemption. I should be strapped to that rocket.
57:00 Woody and Buzz reconcile, will work together.

ACT THREE

Sequence G1: Climax 1: Working together to defeat Sid (7mins)

57:30 The moving van is here!
58:00 Woody is free. Sid wakes up. Time for lift off!
58:30 The dog between the exit.
59:30 Woody and Sid’s toys band together to rescue Buzz.
60:30 Sid’s toys distract the dog.
61:30 Woody and the toys make it outside.
*62:00 Woody is spotted, Buzz’s launch draws near.

62:30 3…2…Woody stands up to Sid
63:00 Sid’s toys come to life!
63:30 Woody: “We toys can see everything. So play nice.”
64:00 Sid defeated. Buzz: “thanks.”

Sequence G2: Climax 2: Reuniting with Andy (8:30mins)

64:30 The Van!
65:00 Buzz gets stuck. Woody saves him, again. Chase Van.
65:30 Dog, chases them. Woody in danger.
66:00 Buzz jumps on dog to save Woody.
66:30 Woody sends out the remote controlled car (RC) to save Buzz
67:00 Andy’s toys misinterpret this as an act of aggression.
7:30 Car crash. Dog is stopped. Maximum Pile-up.
68:00 Andy’s toys in disbelief, throw Woody off the truck.
68:30 Woody gets picked up by RC. Toys realise they’ve made a mistake.
69:00 Slinky Dog to the rescue. RC is running out of battery.
69:30 Slinky lets go, RC runs out of juice.
70:00 Woody lights the rocket using Buzz’s helmet.
71:00 Rocket explodes, Buzz flys (falls with style)!

71:30 Woody and Buzz reunited with Andy

Sequence H: Return with the elixir.

72:00 Christmas. New presents. Our friends working together again.
72:30 Woody, Bo Peep and mistletoe.
73:00 Woody and Buzz, best of pals. Andy gets a dog.

THE END

Thank you to Chae Ryan for the great help!

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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Once you understand how drama functions, you can apply it to EVERY level of the story.

Earlier we have looked at how the Mentor Sequence in The Untouchables was conceived as a mini 3-act story.

Today we’ll go a step further and see how Pixar plays with the Hero’s Journey story stages.

It is no news that the guys at Pixar know their Journey inside out. But you may be surprised to see how accurate the paradigm is followed.

As a matter of fact, by the time we reach the Inciting Incident (Call to Adventure) in Toy Story 2, you will have seen two almost complete hero’s journeys.

Let’s focus on the first one.

The film opens with Buzz Lightyear approaching the planet of the Evil Emperor Zurg.

The following three minutes are a textbook example of the Second Act within the Hero’s Journey, or stages 5 to 9:

5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

Buzz enters the atmosphere. He crosses the Threshold into the Special World, which is the planet of Zurg.

Insofar the Crossing of the Threshold symbolises the Hero’s decision to act, this has already happened (in Toy Story 1) as we know what Buzz’s mission is: ‘to defeat the evil emperor Zurg’. In other words: we don’t need to see the scene in which Buzz commits to the journey. We know his character and purpose.

6. TESTS, ALLIES & ENEMIES

Before he embarks on his mission to find Zurg, he has to pass a number of Tests: 1) fly through the belt of asteroids unharmed, 2) land safely and 3) dodge the falling debris.

While he records his mission log (Ally?), he is surrounded by enemy droids (Enemies), protecting Zurg’s stronghold.

The tests continue as we commence the …

7. APPROACH TO THE INMOST CAVE

While Buzz is looking for a way to enter Zurg’s headquarters, a Cave Guardian in the shape of a video camera notices him. Buzz has to eliminate the Guardian before he can proceed.

Now a secret entrance opens up. When Buzz jumps in, he crosses the Second Threshold. The approach continues underground. More tests follow, one of which is the crossing of the abyss (to the tune of Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, a reference to Kubrick’s 2001).

Now we have a brief scene from Zurg’s POV: “Come to me, my prey!”. This is the ‘antagonist high point’, which always immediately precedes the Hero’s lowest point, i.e. the Ordeal.

9. THE REWARD

In this journey, we see the Reward before the Ordeal: the ‘Source of Zurg’s Power’ – a battery – is floating in a magnetic field. It is clear that this is the item Buzz is after. But first he’ll have to face Zurg….

Note that a similar technique – revealing the Reward before the Ordeal –  is used in The Incredibles, where we see the video projection in the Cave, showing the information the Incredibles need to fight Syndrome in Act Three. But first they have to survive the Ordeal.

8. THE ORDEAL

In the Ordeal, Buzz and Zurg fight. A proper Ordeal confronts the Hero with death. Here it seems frighteningly literal, when Zurg blows off Zurg’s head and torso – a scary image.

The Second Act has come to a down ending, without Buzz reaping the reward. Only now do we enter the real story of Toy Story 2 and realise it was only a video game; a story within the story and and entire Hero’s Journey Act Two in only just over 3 minutes!

So, what’s there to learn?

When beginning writers talk about structure, most of the time they mean the 3-act structure and they don’t get any further than that.

The screenwriting industry is hellishly competitive. I believe it would increase your chances of selling your work or getting a writing job if you understand how you can make stories exciting by using structure creatively WITHIN the Act, the Sequence and the Scene.

Is there a danger that all films will end up the same? It depends on what your criteria are. If you find that all Pixar movies  are the same, then yes. If you find that all Cameron movies are the same, then yes.

Anyhow, the audience doesn’t seem to mind.

Further reading

If you’re ready to do your own analyses, check out Myth & the Movies. In this book, Stuart Voytilla identifies journey stages within 50 major movies of 10 different genres. He drills deeper than just the story level.

Do you know of any other mini-journeys? Share them with us in the comments!

Karel FG Segers

Karel Segers wrote his first produced screenplay at age 17. Today he is a story analyst with experience in acquisition, development and production. He has trained students worldwide, and worked with half a dozen Academy Award nominees. Karel speaks more European languages than he has fingers on his left hand, which he is still trying to find a use for in his hometown of Sydney, Australia. The languages, not the fingers.

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