How to (re)write or analyze a screenplay faster? (part 2: plot and structure)

An organic plot stems from the character's choices

When the main character's journey (the dramatic arc) is defined by the theme (read part 1), good new : we have a story! The plot allows us to dramatize the story, i.e. to tell it in a unique and creative way. What are the revelations and narrative twists? In what order will they be revealed? This is the challenge of the structure, modeled here by Blake Snyder (Save The Cat!), which offers a clever and playful breakdown of the traditional three acts used since the dawn of time.?

The third pillar of a story, the plot (or the structure - it's the same), is the?consequence?of the main charater's 7 steps. Basically, a plot is the struggle between his/her need and want.

Let's go back to my mindmap, the narrative wheel.

ACT 1: The thesis

-?Opening Image: first scene that suggests the coming confrontation. The current state of the hero is not very good, but not so bad. But we understand that the hero must change.

-?Set-Up: setting up the main character, his/her?need?and their issues. The need?is a dramatization of the main character's weaknesses (step 1 of the character's arc : psy and moral weakness), that the hero is not aware of.

-?Theme Stated: A suggestion of the theme, often made by a secondary character. This is usually common sense advice that the hero (and the audience) will only fully understand at the end of the story. It is the cryptic key to the story's resolution.

-?Catalyst: this is the big bad news, the call of the adventure. This event, the only one to happen by chance, invites the hero to launch himself/herself into the unkown world.

-?Debate yes/no: these are all the bad reasons that the hero finds to refuse the adventure. Humans are very good at minimizing or even denying the magnitude of a problem. Should I stay or should I go ? A hero must go.

ACT 2: the antithesis, the world upside down driven by his/her WANT.

-?Break Into 2: The hero?wants?something and makes a big decision that launches him into the adventure. The WANT must be a?tangible and external goal?and realistic to acheive.

-?Fun and Games: The action starts, the hero's values are challenged. The hero is like a fish out of water. Trailer, title and poster moments ! That's what the public has come for, so it's best to serve them without restriction!

-?Midpoint:?is when history takes a decisive turn. The stakes are high. It is either a false defeat (the furthest from their will) or a false victory (the closest to their will).

But above all,?the hero's want meets his/her need?furtively. Unfortunately, the hero is not yet ready for the change - we still have half a story to make this transformation. And that will be the most surprising part.

-?Bad Guys Close In: The arguments of the main opponent seem as defensible as those of the hero. This is a moment of intense battle between the different variations of the theme (check out the theme in part 1)

-?All Is Lost: A fatal blow is dealt to the hero. Hero loses his want or will not be able to archive it for sure.

-?Dark Night of the Soul: The hero doubts the wisdom of his approach: he would have been better off staying home. He may even be tempted by the ironic values of the theme. This is the tricky part of a script, often the cause of the famous "soft underbelly" of the second act. Yet its function is essential: it is the moment when the hero is bitterly confronted with the theme of the story. Again, as in the Act 1 Debate, it is a "should I stay or should I go" moment.

ACT 3: the synthesis, the solution will come from the hero's NEED.

-?Break Into 3: the subplot (B-story) brings at the last minute the solution to the hero or a new hope to believe in his values that have been undermined in the second part of act 2. The hero takes an action because he NEEDS something. The story is now driven by the hero's need and no longer by his/her desire.

-?Gathering the team?: either the hero is the furthest from his NEED (the other characters abandon the hero), or the closest to his NEED (the team gathers around the hero).

-?Storming the castle?: a strong moment of hope or despair during the execution of a plan trying to beat the opponent.

-High tower suprise?: Hero seems to have lose what he/she NEEDs (internal defeat), because he/she hasn't yet fully understood it.

-Dig deep down?: but this defeat is mandatory for the hero to fully appropriate the positive value of the theme to make the right decision and defeat the opponent by executing the new plan.

-Final Image: This last scene is in resonance (often in opposition, to show the evolution of the hero) with the opening image. The hero has changed because he/she has understood his/her need.

Test this narrative wheel with the breakdown of James Cameron's ALIENS. The story is structured around a mother (Ripley) who finds peace by adopting a little girl (Newt).?

Narrative wheel's miror effect : promises and resolutions.

A good story is made with set-ups (in the right part of the wheel, until the mid-point of the story) and pay-offs (in the left part of the wheel, mainly in the third act).

The?narrative wheel?inspires?symmetries?by design, which are so exciting in a story because they give?meaning?to the audience. For example :

• The?Dig deep down?in act 3, which is the hero's real thematic questioning, must respond to the?Theme Stated?of act 1 which states the theme implicitly.
• Dark night of the soul?is a intense thematic debate as it is in act 1 (Debate yes/no)

Jér?me Genevray?/ Writer ("La Nuée / The Swarm" on Netflix), Narrative Advisor (Ubisoft & more).

Watch "La Nuée / The Swarm" on Netflix, cowritten by Jér?me Genevray & Franck Victor :