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"So I’m sitting there reading Sex Tape last week and it hits me. Even the high level professionals getting a million bucks a script struggle with their second acts. And then I really start thinking about it (always a bad thing), and it clocks me. Not only do they struggle with it. They FAKE IT. No seriously, they do. They don’t know how to get through their second act so they throw up a bunch of smokescreens and set pieces and twists and turns, all in the hopes that you won’t figure out that they have no idea what they’re doing. And hey, who can blame them? It really is a fucked up act. I mean the first act is easy. You set up your story. The last act is simple. You conclude your story. But if you’re not setting up and you’re not concluding, what the hell are you doing?"
Many screenplays, and many movies, are plagued with a flagging middle. So how do you set up the second act without setting yourself up for failure?
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"Keep in mind the main tension - and that your character should always be on the path to resolving that tension.
"The second act begins right after the lock-in: the moment when the character is stuck in the predicament and main tension - it is too late to turn back, so he/she must go forward. Now the character aims towards the goal, the objective, and he/she has the first meeting of the obstacles and antagonists or circumstances, always with rising actions.
"The first sequence usually presents the alternative solutions. What are the choices? What should be done? And the character selects one alternative, and if it should be the worst one, then he selects another one, and in the meantime, the rest of the alternatives are eliminated. Then the character uses one of the ways to solve the predicament, and it seems to work, and that’s usually the first culmination or midpoint.
"But it’s not that simple, because there are consequences of things that happened before that he didn’t take into consideration. He offended somebody. He didn’t do things that he was supposed to do. He forgot about things. You bring those things back in the second part of the act, and at that time they can be entered almost without motivation, because anything that works against your character at that time is acceptable. Any accident, any coincidence is fine because it makes his predicament worse, and therefore we enjoy it. Also it helps to explore the validity of the desire of the dream."
(Source #2)
Character Development:
(Source #1)
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The Essential Elements:
- OBSTACLES: The second act is all about obstacles. It elaborates in great detail and intensity on the difficulties and obstacles the hero faces as he or she struggles to achieve his or her goal. Just when we think the situation can’t get worse, it does. And when there is no way that our hero can get out of the jam, he does, only to end up in a worse jam. Basically, each sequence centers around a new obstacle or obstacles of increasing difficulty.
- FIRST ATTEMPTS: Now that the character is locked-in, he makes his first attempts to solve the problem. This is usually the simplest, easiest manner to resolve the problem, and these attempts usually fail.
- RAMIFICATIONS: It is important to show the ramification of the attempts, which must result in an increase in complications.
- ACTION: Every move the character makes traps him even more. Each action leads to more entrapment. Be merciless on the character.
- SUB-PLOT: A solid sub-plot that carefully intertwines with the main tension in both plot and theme will be a great channel in which to relate the character’s emotions (in regards to the main tension).
- FIRST CULMINATION: This is the midpoint of the film. If our hero is to win in the end, this then is the first time the character finds a solution that seems to work. It is a victory. If the script is a tragedy, however, this is often a low point for the character.
- MIDPOINT MIRROR: The first culmination and ending of the film usually mirror each other: both victories or both failures.
- MIDPOINT CONTRAST: The first culmination (Midpoint) and the main culmination (End of Act II) are usually in contrast with each other.
- NEW ATTEMPTS: By the first culmination, our hero has failed in his/her first attempts, but in failure realizes the weight of the issue and becomes aware of the correct method in which to resolve the main tension. He/she then can begin new attempts, still faced with new obstacles, that get him/her closer to resolving the issue.
- CHARACTER CHANGE: Throughout the second act, the main character starts changing, learning, and developing, or at least intense pressure is put on the character to change, and that change will manifest in the third act.
- MAIN CULMINATION: This is the end of the second act and the point where the character sees what he thinks he has been doing is not what he has been doing. The tension is at the highest point, and this is the decisive turning point. You must convince the audience that their worst fears are going to come true. This moment will change the main character in some way.
- FIRST RESOLUTION: This resolution of the second act tension often spins the character(s) into the third act.
(Source #2)
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In keeping with the Shakespearean theme I started in the first act essay (using Hamlet), I will be demonstrating the 'second act' of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet". The term second act is in quotation marks because "Romeo and Juliet" was actually written in five acts. But I like to mentally torture myself, so I'm going to break down what is the 'middle' of this well-known tragic tale. [Enter] Chorus: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene....
- OBSTACLES: Romeo and Juliet have figured out that their budding relationship is threatened by their families dangerous and deadly quarreling. Oh, baggage....
- FIRST ATTEMPTS: They know they can't tell their families about their undying love for each other, at least not until their families undying hatred for each other's families fizzles out. So they.... get married....in secret.
- RAMIFICATIONS: Now Romeo can't fight any of Juliet's relatives, which apparently was his hobby when he wasn't being a whiney bitch over Rosaline. But.....
- ACTION: Romeo still has that duel with Tybalt coming up because he was caught at the Capulet's party and no one likes a party crasher, so a fight to the death is in order.
- SUB-PLOT: Aside from their families unreasonable hatred for each other, poor Paris of the ruling family of Verona wants to marry Juliet. This may cause problems since her family is fine with that choice in husband, but Juliet is already married.
- FIRST CULMINATION: When Romeo refuses to fight Tybalt for insulting him, Mercutio fights in his stead and is mortally wounded.
- MIDPOINT MIRROR: Romeo kills Tybalt. This is problematic for our lovers: Firstly, Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin and at this point in the story, Romeo and Juliet are married, so by extension Tybalt is Romeo’s cousin. Secondly, according to the laws of Verona, Romeo himself will receive the death sentence for killing Tybalt. It must be noted that the first point makes it more poignant because Romeo may lose Juliet’s love.
- MIDPOINT CONTRAST: Instead of receiving the death penalty, Romeo is banished from Verona for the slaying of Tybalt. Juliet forgives him, but now they cannot see each other. Also, Juliet's marriage to Paris is coming up.
- NEW ATTEMPTS: Both lovers miss each other terribly, to the point where they take drastic measures to ensure their life together. I guess running away didn't seem like a good enough idea to either of them....
- CHARACTER CHANGE: Juliet needs a plan that will get her out of her marriage with boring Paris and into the arms of her dashing Romeo. (She is the one who needs to make the plan, as Romeo is probably just being mopey somewhere.)
- MAIN CULMINATION: Juliet comes up with a plan that involves Juliet faking her own death - all without telling Romeo a damn thing. Good thing she sent a messenger. Well, this can't possibly end badly....
- FIRST RESOLUTION: The messenger never arrives in time, so when Romeo hears of her death, he buys poison with the intent of killing himself at her tomb.
(Source #3)
The Fall:"The end of your second act is when your character has tried everything. He’s overcome all the previous obstacles. He’s managed to keep his relationships together. He may even believe he’s overcome his flaw. But then all of these things (either bit by bit or all at once) should come crumbling down on top of him. He should lose the girl. He should fail to defeat the villain. He should fall back into his own ways. The last 10-15 pages of your second act is the steady decline of your main character, ending with him at the lowest point of his life. Neo unable to defeat Smith in The Matrix. Kristin Wiig losing her boyfriend and best friend in Bridesmaids. The Man In Black LITERALLY dying in The Princess Bride. The end of your second act should LOOK like it’s over for your character. That there’s no hope. And with that my friend, you’ve done it. You’ve concluded your second act and are ready to cross into the third."
(Source #1)
BitterScriptReader explains the Midpoint:
Many people consider the second act as the story. Well, it takes up most of the script and a lot of effort on your part, it should be doing something.
If there is something you would like to see in the future on this blog, please let me know in the comments section below! Until next time!
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