Every structure model is academic. There really are no rules. Instead, these systems are merely tools to allow us to communicate about story.

In the course of my screenwriting training career, I have always strived for simplicity. What we need in screenwriting, is an MVP, a Minimum Viable Product: the simplest possible system that still delivers the results for you. So you can focus on the creative aspects rather than the ‘how to‘.

Ideally, each screenwriter develops their own method. Only, there wouldn’t be much communication in that screenwriting utopia, as each were to use a different language.

As a thought experiment, I would like you to consider my approach to the Grand Story Arc: the 2-Act Structure. Before we venture into that, let’s brush up on the 2 main competing approaches: the 3-Act Structure (mostly for film and TV half-hours) and the 4-Act Structure (mostly for one-hour TV).

The 3-Act Structure

Although different people use different criteria to determine act breaks, I like a combination of dramatic tension and Hero’s Journey. In my approach, you will find that:

1. Act One ends once the main character’s goal is clear; either to the audience, to the characters itself, or both. Then, in Act Two we see the active pursuit of that goal.
2. Act Two ends after the character has almost given up on that goal, but finds a final reason or clue to push through.
3. Act Three sees the character’s final – and mostly successful – action in pursuit of that goal.

A massive problem of the 3-Act Structure is that chunky mid-act. Most writers struggle to create interesting story material that sustains 45-60 minutes. This is why the Mid Point is so important. I prefer calling it the Mid Point Reversal because in great stories, a very important value is completely reversed.

(It’s about time I write another piece about this, after early attempts in 2006 and 2009.)

Just because this Mid Point Reversal is so critically important, I believe the 4-Act Structure is a really helpful way of approaching screen story structure.

And look, in one-hour TV drama, we already have 4 acts, as the act breaks are roughly every 15 minutes on the ‘TV clock’. So before we move on to the mysterious 2-Act Structure, let’s examine the 4 acts.

The 4-Act Structure

This structure is no different than the 3-Act Structure, with the only difference that we have an act break for the Mid Point reversal.

So what does this Mid Point Reversal do that it is so important?

Let’s first look at what other authors and teachers think (that I don’t necessarily agree with).

1. It’s a point of no return.
   Yep, that may well be, but both act breaks are also points of no return.
2. It raises the stakes.
   Like those other act breaks, you mean? More proof the Mid Point is more like an act break.
3. It’s a false victory or false defeat.
   In fact, it is most often a false victory followed by a false defeat. A kiss and a slap.

The Mid Point Reversal

Here is what I think the Mid Point Reversal (MPR) really means … and it supports the 2-Act Structure beautifully:

1. A reversal of fortune
   In Groundhog Day, Phil (Bill Murray) believes his scheme has worked when Rita (Andy MacDowell) kisses him. But she immediately sees through the con, and slaps him.
   In The Untouchables, Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) achieves a major win by stopping a liquor transport at the Canadian border, and he seizes the accountant’s ledger, but at the end of the sequence one of his ‘untouchables’ is murdered.
2. A reversal of approach
   In the first half of Die Hard, McClane tries getting help from the outside. At the MPR he receives it, only to realise he now has to solve the problems himself because the outside help is making matters worse. A reversal, indeed.
   In One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest McMurphy tries to stay in the asylum, but after the mid point he tries to get out. Quite the opposite!
   In The Incredibles, Mr Incredible works [inadvertently] for Syndrome until the MPR. Here, he learns the truth about all the Supers, and now he will fight Syndrome. The ally becomes an enemy (or Shadow, in Hero’s Journey terms).
   In Avatar, Jake first works with the military against the Navi’, but after the MPR this reverses, and he now fights with the Navi against the military.

I am a huge fan of great mid points, and I will dedicate a full article to this soon. Meanwhile, see if you can find the meaning of the MPR in your favourite films. It is not always as clear as in the examples above, but you may be surprised…

The 4-Act Structure proves that the MPR has fully fledged act-status. It is just as important as the other act breaks.

In fact, I think it is even more important.

The 2-Act Structure

In many great movies, at the MPR two major reversals occur. One is often experienced as the result of an EVENT – or series of events – that happens to the character; this is the reversal of fortune. The other is a reversal in the way the character pursues the goal, or ACTION; This we call the reversal of approach.
In the greatest movies, this reversal is so profound that it sometimes feels as if we are entering a whole new movie altogether. Do you remember Life Is Beautiful? The first half of this incredibly successful foreign language Oscar winner was a love story, the second was … a World War II-drama.

Because the MPR really cuts the movie in two in a way that is much more obvious than the break from act 2 into 3, I would propose to do exactly this: cut the movie in two at the halfway point.

Voilà. The 2-Act Structure is born.

Two Parts Of The Journey

Michael Arndt, writer of Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3 gives us another strong argument to support the 2-Act Structure.

After the Inciting Incident, the hero responds with actions that demonstrate the character flaw. Michael Arndt calls this the hero’s flawed response.

The MPR mostly starts with what looks like a major win for the character (false victory). Whatever approach they took, it worked! Then, they’re put with both feet on the ground, and they suffer a major loss (false defeat). These two polar opposites are part of the same MPR.

The negative polarity, the loss in the MPR, is a major event, and it actually looks very much like a second Inciting Incident, effectively testing the hero’s response after what they learned in the preceding story stage.

This time around, the hero will change their attitude, and respond in a way that shows they have learned something, or are learning.

See? There really are two parts to the story. Here is how I would summarise it.

Act One
The hero experiences the (first) Inciting Incident.
The response to the Inciting Incident is flawed, as they continue their dysfunction.
They enjoy a major win, and for a moment it seems the goal is (almost) achieved.

Act Two
The hero experiences a second Inciting Incident, as part of the MPR.
The response to this MPR Inciting Incident is the right response, as now the Hero makes an effort to improve, to heal.
They enjoy a final win, and we trust that in the future they will continue to act in the right way.

What do you think?

I believe the 2-Act Structure is a simple, appealing way of looking at the character’s journey, both in terms of plot and theme.

This approach recognises what some people call the ‘Inner Journey’ and the ‘Outer Journey’ in one simple, integrated model.

There is no need to throw out whatever structural tools you have been using up to this point, but perhaps this sheds a new, fresh light on how stories for the screen are structured from a bird’s eye perspective.

Let me know if the comments in this approach makes sense to you, and if you would like to use it in the development of your own stories.

– by Karel Segers

– Karel

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.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

If you liked this, check out more videos about screenwriting or filmmaking. And if you know of a great video on Screenwriting, let us know in the comments. Thanks!

by Karel Segers

This ‘new look’ thing seems a bit out of character for me. I mustered the courage before going into a 10-day meditation retreat – where I didn’t expect anyone would know me. I expected wrong. After the experiment with super-short hairdo and lack of facial hair, I’m now back to (fairly) normal. Other changes have stayed, like getting up before sunrise every morning. You should try it – it is totally awesome.

So here I am with a rare, more personal kind of article. I’ve tried to start a regular thing like this before – but was too shy, too much of a perfectionist – or probably just not good enough a writer to stick to it on a weekly basis.

But after a few inspiring chats with my team members last week, we have a plan for a regular Saturday post.

And lots more.

The Future And The Past

My Facebook friends witnessed how last year was quite amazing in that I had tons of fun teaching and consulting. I’ve worked on my biggest projects ever, with wonderful people. One project involves the director of Australia’s most successful film of recent years.

So not much blogging in there.

Now I’m staring 2013 in the face… and suddenly last year pales in comparison, both in terms of work volume and scope. I’ll be teaching at 5 different places in Sydney and after trips to Asia and the Middle East, this year for the first time I’m going back to my European roots to lecture in Sweden. And I’m working on some very exciting projects.

Still, I’ll try to update you here every month.

I do want to get back into writing about the craft of screenwriting again, too. My study of movie structure and screenplays and the work with my clients have given me a some insights I have not read about anywhere else and I would love to share them with you.

One Hundred Articles – One Great Team

Behind the scenes of this blog, 100 draft posts are waiting to be developed and published. For some other bloggers this may not seem so much but for me, who has only posted a handful of articles over the past year, it’s pretty intimidating. I’ve made a commitment to ship more often this year.

The most exciting thing of all is that I have an amazing team behind me to start this year, and I would like to introduce the five members of the core team to you:

Jamie Campbell: She is a novelist, blogger and screenwriter from sunny Queensland, who has taken the role of Co-Editor. Jamie has been helping me for quite a while to make The Story Department the best website on screenwriting in the Southern Hemisphere. Jamie runs Tuesday’s Guest Posts as well as Sunday’s Best Of The Web.

Jamie Wynen: This young man has talents coming out of his ears. He is an excellent writer and equally gifted behind the camera. Jamie collects the best videos on screenwriting, storytelling for the screen or filmmaking in general and presents them to you on Wednesdays. If only he would write more posts himself as his insight and style are both terrific.

James Michael: Like Jamie, I met James during a screenwriting course in which he excelled in terms of story originality and scriptwriting and I was thrilled when he accepted my invitation to join the team. He bridges the gap between The Story Department and “Logline It!“, the website on loglining that I started last year. James posts the Thursday logline reviews and often adds his own incisive feedback.

Marie Setiawan: I’ve know this screenwriter, filmmaker and blogger for a few years and was over the moon when at the end of 2012 she agreed to become one of the contributors to this web site. Marie graduated from the International Film School Sydney, where I consulted to the students on their projects. Marie will be tweeting on screenwriting and monthly on a Saturday, Marie reports on her path to becoming a professional screenwriter.

Cameron Pattison: Also a graduate from the IFSS, Cameron blew me away with the feature treatment he presented before graduating. Not only is he a promising screenwriter, Cameron is very much au fait on what is happening in the industry. His calm appearance disguises a burning passion for the craft. Cameron is keeping an eye on what’s reeling in the blogosphere and tweets it to @ozzywood.

Become One Of Us!

In addition to the core team, I’m hoping to present regular articles by Steven Fernandez, Mark Rasmussen, Ben Lenzo and other great regular contributors I am dying to read more of. We also have a fantastic monthly series coming up by JT Velikovsky, which will start next month.

If you have a screenwriting blog or would like to try your hand at writing a piece, drop us a note! We’d love to (re-)publish your stuff here.

Alongside all these collaborative efforts, I’ll make a superhuman effort to bring back the popular Structural Analyses.

If it weren’t for those wonderful people who have been helping me over the past few years, this blog would have virtually disappeared off the radar some time mid 2010. That’s when I dropped the ball due to real-life developments. But my volunteers have always stayed around – and so have you, my dear readers.

I thank you humbly for this.

– Karel

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.

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

(Note from Karel: Some of this article was cut because Sam’s overly generous attribution to The Story Series.)

-By Samuel Bartlett

READ IF YOU WANT TO WRITE

What’s the point?

There are a LOT of unproduced screenplays out there. Really fucking good ones you can learn bucket loads from. If you’ve got a bit of spare time and know your way around Google, you can find whole PACKS of UNPRODUCED SCREENPLAYS  – I’m talking hundreds of scripts that are doing the rounds in LA, right now.

Read that shit, see what these people are doing that you’re not. Even better, read their shit and analyse it, what works, what doesn’t. If you were a producer with 5 million dollars and a family to feed, which script would you buy? Would you take one, would you take 5 smaller scripts at a mill’ a pop?

Start thinking like the person that’s going to buy your scripts then sit down and write the ultimate film YOU want to see, but keep that buyer in mind.

THE STORY SERIES

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Karel Segers in here somewhere.

Yes. This is his website. Yes I am writing this as a favour to him (no money BTW) but do you know what Karel has given me…?

Pretty much EVERYTHING no other screenwriting teacher has given me.

Start thinking like the person that’s going to buy your scripts then sit down and write the ultimate film YOU want to see, but keep that buyer in mind.

I need to qualify that by saying that I’ve studied at AFTRS, I did my Master in Screen Writing at Sydney Uni, and while the teacher there is a great man, the curriculum of what they taught in an ENTIRE YEAR didn’t come close to what I took away from my first class of, what was it, about two hours with Karel.

I’m still studying with Karel, and will continue to do so until I can out wit him in film – let me say, that will be a loooooong time coming. (The word ‘long’ looks so much better elongated. Am I wrong?)

[OMITTED]

Anyhoo, enough of all that, you get my point…

I hope that in here there’s been some sort of advice you can take away to help you. I hate reading shit written by people, or interviews with screenwriters that have ‘broken in’ only to find it’s basically a recount of their glory days with little to no insight into how to better yourself.

Great, that person’s getting somewhere, how does that help me?

If nothing else, and if you are serious about screenwriting, then make it your daily ritual to read Script Shadow (just Google it) it’s a daily updated script writing blog-spot with a wealth of filmic knowledge.

I’ve learnt fuck loads from there.

Happy writing people.

Happy writing.

-Samuel Bartlett

Part 1 – The Beginnings
Part 2 – Cars and Cops
Part 3 – The Truth about Comps
Part 4 – The Law of Causation

Photo Credit: luis de bethencourt
Photo Credit: Sharon Terry
Photo Credit: Metro Screen

Samuel Bartlett

Samuel Bartlett is an award winning screen writer and film maker with two feature films currently in development with Los Angeles based production companies. He shot his first award winning feature film in 2011 and has another short film ready for the festival circuit. He divides his time between Sydney, London and LA. Samuel also regularly deconstructs unproduced scripts here.

deconstructthescript.blogspot.com.au/