How can you establish a clear plot in the first act of a screenplay?

1 Start with a hook

The first scene of your screenplay should grab the attention of the audience and establish the mood and tone of your film. It should also introduce your protagonist, their goal, and their flaw or challenge. This is called the hook, and it should be engaging, surprising, or intriguing enough to make the audience want to know more. For example, in The Matrix, the hook is the mysterious phone call that leads Neo to escape from the agents. In Jaws, the hook is the shark attack that sets the horror genre and the main threat.

2 Establish the status quo

After the hook, you need to show the audience the normal world of your protagonist, before the main conflict disrupts it. This is called the status quo, and it should contrast with the new world that the protagonist will enter later. The status quo should also reveal some important information about your protagonist, such as their personality, relationships, skills, and flaws. For example, in Star Wars, the status quo is Luke Skywalker's life as a farm boy on Tatooine, where he dreams of adventure and rebels against his uncle.

3 Introduce the inciting incident

The inciting incident is the event that triggers the main plot and forces the protagonist to make a decision or take an action. It should also introduce the antagonist, the main obstacle, or the central question of your story. The inciting incident should happen around the 10% mark of your screenplay, and it should create a sense of urgency, curiosity, or conflict for the protagonist and the audience. For example, in The Hunger Games, the inciting incident is the reaping, where Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place in the deadly games.

4 Show the first plot point

The first plot point is the moment when the protagonist commits to the main goal and enters the new world of the story. It should also raise the stakes, introduce new allies or enemies, and set the rules or challenges of the new world. The first plot point should happen around the 25% mark of your screenplay, and it should mark a point of no return for the protagonist and a shift in tone or genre. For example, in The Wizard of Oz, the first plot point is when Dorothy lands in Oz and sets off to find the wizard.

5 End with a cliffhanger

The last scene of your first act should end with a cliffhanger, a twist, or a question that leaves the audience wanting more. It should also foreshadow the main conflict, theme, or message of your story. The cliffhanger should create suspense, tension, or emotion for the protagonist and the audience, and it should propel the story into the second act, where the protagonist will face more obstacles and complications. For example, in The Sixth Sense, the cliffhanger is when Malcolm realizes that he can't communicate with his wife and that Cole can see dead people.

By following these tips, you can establish a clear plot in the first act of a screenplay that engages the audience, introduces the key elements of your story, and sets up the rest of your script. Remember to keep your first act concise, coherent, and compelling, and to use the hook, the status quo, the inciting incident, the first plot point, and the cliffhanger to structure your plot and create a strong foundation for your screenplay.