Essay of the Month: The Second Act

Last month, in the Essay of the Month: The First Act, I gave you the rundown on the structure of the opening moments, the inciting incident, and the 'first act turn'/'plot point one' that make up the first act of your screenplay. Since many screenwriters, producers, agents, and most people in Hollywood use the three act structure when composing a screenplay, we're going to keep going in that vein.

Picture found here.

Now that you have your first act written, or at least in outline form, you need to have a second act. Follow through with the story. What happens next? For many screenwriters, this is the hardest act to write. ScriptShadow said it best:

"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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Obstacles: Remember the Character's Goal

"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)

BitterScriptReader explains the Three-Act Structure:

Character Development:

"Okay, here’s why most second acts fail: Because writers don’t realize the second act is about CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. That’s not to say there isn’t action in your second act. Or plot. Or thrills. Or horror. There can be all these things. But the bigger overarching purpose of the second act is to explore your characters. Once you realize that, you’re way ahead of everyone else. All of this starts with your character’s defining flaw - or “fatal flaw” - which is loosely defined as the thing that’s held your character back his/her entire life. Once you identify that flaw, you’ll create a journey to specifically test it over and over again. These tests will force your character to grow, which will in turn bring us closer to your character."

(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)

Picture found here.

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!

Sources:

- #1 - http://scriptshadow.blogspot.com/2011/07/article-how-to-conquer-your-second-act.html

- #2 - http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/structure/three-acts/56-act-two-the-middle
- #3 - http://mr.fabroa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/32-vp-plot-structure-elements.pdf

Essay of the Month: The First Act

This is going to be a long one. There is a lot to go over concerning most of the shape of the First Act, which consists of the opening moments of the story; the inciting incident, or incidents as there can be more than one; and the last bit, the first act turn.

This is going to be based on a three-act structure, which most writers use and most people prefer to watch. The first act is basically where you set everything up, as was stated in the previous Essay of the Month: The Elements of a Story. Here's a recap if you have trouble remembering:

"Also called 'exposition', the 'beginning' is where everything is set up: you have a place, a time or time period, characters that will meet and conflict ensues. The characters are usually the source of the conflict. Maybe they don't like each other for whatever reason - it has to be a pretty strong reason or the story will fall flat. Although other characters don't have to be the conflict in the story. Maybe the main character decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery and there is no one to blame but themselves."

"Invention, it must be humbly admitted, does not consist 

in creating out of a void, but out of chaos; 

the materials must in the first place be afforded; 

it can give form to dark, shapeless substances,
but cannot bring into being the substance itself."

~ Mary Shelley

The First Thing That They See:

"Begin with an image. [...] The eye picks up details much more quickly than the ear, and nothing's more disconcerting than staring at talking heads. In a way, you haven't earned the right to open verbally. Your audience doesn't yet know the people speaking; they haven't decided whether the characters are interesting enough to pursue. Let your audience watch your characters for a bit, assess their actions, and make some initial assumptions. Doing so keeps your audience actively involved in guessing what your story will be.

"Also, everything that happens in the first moments of a film is important. If you provide vital information verbally, your audience is likely to miss it in their quest to appraise the environment visually. People come to the movies to see pictures in motion. Why begin with anything else?" (Source #1)

Ultimately it is the director's decision on what to shoot. But if you can hook somebody in with a concise description of something visual from the first moment, you're a lot more likely to get read and considered. It also depends on the genre. For a horror movie, you could open with a plain, brick wall with drops of red paint dripping down its side; and then pan slowly backwards to reveal that there are severed heads on the wall.

Picture found here.

The Opening Moments:

Within the first ten pages or so, much of the back story must be explained here: what time period it is, who the main characters are, and what their 'problems' may be. Tip: Once you set that up most of the audience is going to expect that these 'problems' of theirs will be 'fixed' in some way at the end of the story.

For an example, in a romantic comedy, or rom-com, the main character is lonely and searching for love for a variety of reasons. Or just one *cough* sex *cough*. Those reasons must be stated somehow or their 'problems' won't get 'fixed'. In an action-adventure picture, the main hero, or heroine, must defeat the bad guy, usually by taking a very long trip and kicking ass the whole way. The bad guy may not be bad at first (usually it is very obvious who the protagonist's opponent is), that may come later and be explained by actions or decisions he/she makes that causes the inciting incident.

But, no matter what the genre, try to make your characters worth a damn (or at least the cost of a theatre ticket). Also, you're writing what will (hopefully) be turned into something visual, so keep that in mind.

"The first ten pages provide an initial criterion on which to judge the ensuing story. They should provide just enough information to establish a clear world without giving too much of the eventual plot away, and they should create enough mystery to keep the audience wondering what's in store. Your first ten pages should accomplish the following tasks:

• Introduce the main characters
• Establish the primary environments
• Convey a distinct mood or atmosphere
• Establish the time period
• Illustrate a routine or way of life
• Provide any relevant backstory (events that transpired before the story began)
• Introduce the antagonist

"If you haven't already settled on an ending to your script, now is the time to do it. If you don't know where the script is going, how will you determine which pieces of information to highlight at the beginning?

"Everything that happens now is a setup for what comes next. So you have to know what comes next.

"Some films reveal the antagonist as the villain right away. The opening text of The Untouchables delineates Al Capone as the film's key scoundrel. The shark in Jaws consumes its first victim in the first five minutes. By contrast, the true murderer in Ghost seems to be a nice guy until well after the protagonist is killed. When you reveal the villain is up to you; you certainly don't have to do so in the first ten pages. However, make the conflict clear shortly thereafter. If you wait much longer, you risk having a restless audience that's impatient for the action to begin." (Source #1)

Picture found here.

What is the "Inciting Incident"?

"In contemporary screenplay theory, every story must have an 'inciting incident'. The inciting incident is an event near the beginning of the story that initiates the protagonist on his or her journey. It represents a change in the equilibrium of the character. It has been described as an external event which creates a desire on the part of the protagonist, the 'primary cause for all that follows'." (Source #2)

" 'Inciting' comes from the Latin word incitare which means 'to put into rapid motion, urge, encourage, and stimulate.' And that’s exactly what your inciting incident is: it’s an event that catalyzes your hero to 'go into motion' and take action." (Source #3)

"The 'inciting incident', also known as the 'catalyst', marks the film's first turning point. It tilts the story from order to chaos, from complacency to combat. It's the point of no return. In this moment, you answer two questions:

1. What do your characters want?
2. What might prevent them from getting it?

"Together, these queries make up the film's premise, or what it's ultimately about. [...] A strong premise clearly defines a need and an impediment. As soon as an audience senses these details, you can pose the central question:

• Will your protagonist(s) succeed?

"If the answer is yes, you may have a happy ending; if it's no, a tragedy is in the works. Your inciting incident isn't complete until you pose this question.

"An inciting incident generally occurs in one of the following ways:

• An action plunges the characters into conflict.
• A piece of critical information arrives.
• A sequence of small events prepares an audience for the story.

(Source #1)

Examples of inciting incidents are:

• In The Line Of Fire - Frank goes to an apartment to check on a routine call and discovers a serious threat to the life of the president that he must investigate.
• Stars Wars IV - R2D2 ends up in the hands of Luke Skywalker.
• Casablanca - Ilsa returns to Rick's bar.

(Source #2)

Picture found here.

When Should the "Inciting Incident" Happen?

When it needs to. Seriously.

If you would like to get technical about it, you could put it at around ten pages into the story. That should leave enough time for the audience to find out and embrace the characters and their lives, but not enough time for them to become bored before the events unfold in front of them.

"As the above examples [in the "What Is the Inciting Incident?" section] show, deciding which event is the "inciting incident" is somewhat arbitrary. In Star Wars, the inciting incident could have been Princess Leia putting the plans in R2D2 in the first place. Or, it could have been the Empire boarding her ship. Similarly, in Casablanca, Ilsa does not appear until almost thirty minutes into the story. Many important events have occurred before we even meet her. Are any of these events the "inciting incident"? If not, what are they? Many thoughtful screenwriting theorists and teachers do not place significant emphasis on a single event which begins the story." (Source #2)

In Hamlet, there are two inciting incidents, one that happened before the story even begins and another one that is a sort of series of events. Hamlet's father is dead, supposedly by natural causes. It leaves Hamlet feeling rather suspicious about it, since his uncle starts acting weird: he marries his newly single sister-in-law for one thing, overreacts to a play that Hamlet wrote for him, and sends Hamlet off to another land with the intention of having him killed there. Which brings us to the 'First Act Turn'....

Picture found here.

The First Act Turn or Plot Point One:

"'Plot point one' is the first big turning point in your script. It occurs at the end of the first act, approximately 30 pages into the action (with a script length of about 120 pages), and propels an audience into Act II. It must do the following things:

• Push the action in a new direction
• Force the protagonist to make a choice and take a risk
• Raise the central question for the first or second time
• Raise the stakes

"Pivotal events, like 'plot point one', are usually surprises. Audiences know that something grand will happen eventually. They might even know what the result of that event will be. But don't allow them to guess the details of the event itself or you'll spoil the surprise. [...] Stories that hint too thoroughly at upcoming events become overly predictable and less exciting to watch. [....] The first plot point may be as shocking as the death of a loved one or as gentle as the touch of a hand. Both actions have the power to launch a great story." (Source #1)

The 'First Act Turn' for Hamlet is when he sees his father's ghost, who pretty much says he was murdered and by whom. Hamlet stages a play for his uncle's enjoyment that depicts a murder that is oddly similar to the murder he actually committed. Fearing for his life, his uncle sends Hamlet to be executed in another land. After finding out that his uncle means to have him assassinated using his so-called friends, Hamlet has his 'friends' killed and goes back to his homeland to kick some ass, all the while spouting off the most depressive and emo lines ever. 

"Act turns exist to re-energize the potential of a story’s problem, not to satisfy page-counting readers or paradigm-happy script gurus. Connecting the two first plot points to this problem, and making sure that they aren’t simply the same event, will give an audience something to engage in and something to become invested in. The fact of the matter is that no audience member can resist the draw of the problem solving process as it unfolds on the big screen; it’s human nature to see what greater meaning can be gained from how the resolution plays out." (Source #4)

Picture found here.

I hope this has been helpful. The next Essay of the Month will feature the second act or at least feature in some way how to keep people engaged in the story after the first act. 

"Determining the events or decisions that escalate a story’s problem should be Job One for the working dramatist. It is one thing to create an opening scene that wrecks havoc on the characters in the film and forces them to deal with this new problem, quite another to ensure that the inequity persists until the closing curtain." (Source #4)

Until next time! If there is something you would like to see in the future on this blog, please let me know in the comments section below!

Sources:

- #1 - http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-act-i-of-your-screenplay.html

- #2 - http://screenwriting.wikia.com/wiki/Inciting_Incident

- #3 - http://scribemeetsworld.com/2011/screenplay-writing/inciting-incident-definition-examples/

- #4 - http://storyfanatic.com/articles/story-structure/plot-points-and-the-inciting-incident

I wanted to leave a video detailing the first act and there are quite a few of them on the web, but I chose the one starring a puppet. Although Alan Denman does a good job explaining things as well.

Here is the "Inciting Incident" as explained by BitterScriptReader:

And another one describing the "First Act":

Essay of the Month: The Elements of a Story

This is something that I decided to do for the blog; that on the first day of every month I will post a little something I like to call "Essay of the Month". "Essay of the Month" is a detailed and researched blog entry describing character development, narrative, and the elements of storytelling.

There is a lot to go over, but for right now, I'm going to keep it pure and simple: The Elements of a Story.

I'm starting off with the most basic of story writing lessons: how to go from the innocent beginning, to a conflicted middle, and thought-provoking and (hopefully) satisfying ending.

Picture taken from here.

Plot: What Happens in the Beginning, Middle and End?

Plot noun "Also called storyline. the plan, scheme, or main story 

of a literary or dramatic work, as a play, novel, or short story."(Source #2)

Plot involves every other element, or the story cannot be told. Without "conflict", you just have a bunch of characters doing nothing. Without "character", you just have an issue that cannot be resolved.

"The plot is the action, the series of events in the story that help move the characters forward to resolve their conflict(s). When conflict enters a character's world, the plot is catapulted." (Source #3)

Picture taken from here.

Also called 'exposition', the 'beginning' is where everything is set up: you have a place, a time or time period, characters that will meet and conflict ensues. The characters are usually the source of the conflict. Maybe they don't like each other for whatever reason - it has to be a pretty strong reason or the story will fall flat. Although other characters don't have to be the conflict in the story. Maybe the main character decides to embark on a journey of self-discovery and there is no one to blame but themselves.

The 'middle' is the basis of the story and it will take up most of the action. This part is called 'rising action'. At this point in the story the action should be getting more exciting: maybe the character moves to another place or finds another character that is on his side. It is where characters face more problems, may defeat some problems that create other more difficult problems, and develop in some way. 

In the middle of the 'middle', there is a 'climax'. But if you are smart, you won't place that in the exact middle of the story. But don't mistake it as the conclusion. It is the part where the main character is forced into making a 'crucial decision' that will decide the outcome for that character. It should be the impetus that pulls the story forward into the 'resolution'.

The 'resolution' is where everything is, literally, resolved. Maybe the main character realizes he's in love and finds the girl of his dreams and they decide to make it work. Or maybe the main character has just defeated the evil overlord of the story. Most parts of the story are answered here, but not all of them.

After the 'resolution' comes the 'ending'. This is the part where everything is decided or finalized. Not everything has to be finalized. You can leave some very select pieces of the storyline unfinished if that is best for the story. But for the most part, everything has a conclusion: the bad guy is dead or at least defeated, the main character falls in love or achieves some aim he had in the 'beginning'.

Depending on how well written the 'denouement' is, people who are watching the story may think that the movie or story could've ended before this part, right at the end of the 'resolution' period. Which is fine. A lot of stories work this way and most movies do as well.

Picture taken from here.

A lot of people feel as though this diagram of the plot is a more correct visual representation of the story. It is because the 'conclusion' is not on the same space occupied by the 'exposition' or the 'beginning' of the story. And it shouldn't be, because even though things have seemingly gone back to the way things were before the story was told, i. e. back to normal, it is not the same as it was before. Changes have happened to the main character and to those closest to him. 

Setting: Where is this Happening?

Setting noun "the locale or period in which the action 

of a novel, play, film, etc., takes place." (Source #2)

You can place the characters and their problems anywhere, but they have to be somewhere. Also, it helps if the setting influences the character. Like if they're originally from the country and they move to the big city, or vice-versa.

Character: Who is this Happening To?

Character noun 

1. the aggregate of features and traits 

that form the individual nature of some person or thing.

2. one such feature or trait; characteristic.

3. moral or ethical quality.

4. qualities of honesty, courage, or the like; integrity.

5. reputation. (Source #2)

6. a person or persons who populate a story 

(and should have a few, if not all, of the above).

I like the definition provided by Theatre: Its Art and Craft: "the representation of the personalities in action." (Source #4)

These people make up your story. Make them interesting.

Conflict: What are the Problems Faced in the Story?

Conflict verb (used without object)

1. to come into collision or disagreement; 

be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash. 

2. to fight or contend; do battle. (Source #2)

Conflict noun

3. a fight, battle, or struggle, especially a prolonged struggle; strife.

4. controversy; quarrel: conflicts between parties.

5. discord of action, feeling, or effect; antagonism or opposition, 

as of interests or principles: a conflict of ideas.

6. a striking together; collision.

7. incompatibility or interference, as of one idea, desire, event, or activity 

with another: a conflict in the schedule. (Source #2)

It goes without saying that without conflict you don't have a story. There is nothing to tell. There may be characters, but they don't do anything: they don't grow, learn what strengths they have, find a lover, or change in any way. So they won't be affecting the audience. 

The conflict should be able to motivate someone, like the main protagonist to get off his keister and do something that challenges himself in some way.

Theme: What is the Underlying Message of the Story?

Theme noun 

1. a subject of discourse, discussion, meditation, or composition; 

topic: The need for world peace was the theme of the meeting.

2. a unifying or dominant idea, motif, etc., as in a work of art.

You can develop a theme based around the conflict. It can be morally or politically charged. It could be simple, like don't be a bad guy and try to take over the world while Superman is around.

Everything is up to you. Be creative and have fun. Many projects are made based around its ability to make money, but you only show your best stuff if you do it for you.

Also, for your enjoyment, this video about the elements of a story courtesy of Flocabulary's Youtube channel:

Tell me what you think in the comments below: did you like what you read? What would you like to read about later?

Sources:
- #1- http://teachers.saschina.org/dcole/2008/04/08/story-elements/
- #2 - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plot?s=t
- #3 - http://christiewrightwild.blogspot.com/2012/05/story-element-3-plot.html
- #4 - Archer, Steven, Cynthia Gendrich and Woodrow Hood. Theatre: Its Art and Craft. 5th Ed. San Diego, CA. Collegiate Press. 2003. Pg. 60.