Hello all,
In class today we discussed the Myth Structure and Sequence Outline. In the writer-friendly book The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler outlines 12 steps of the Hero’s Journey. But your story doesn’t have to hit them all. See if they fit your story organically, but don’t force those steps onto your character. Remember, none of that is written in stone. However, the basic steps, which are also discussed by Truby and Field, should be present in your screenplay; steps such as Ordinary World, Call to Adventure, Crossing the First Threshold, etc.
I think the best and the most practical way to look at the Sequence Outline is to arrange it into EIGHT SEQUENCES. The eight-sequence approach was developed by Frank Daniel when he was the head of the Graduate Screenwriting Program at USC. What it does, essentially, is it breaks down the entire story into 15-minute parts (15 x 8=120 minutes).
ACT I consists of two sequences, ACT II of four, and ACT III of two. Eight sequences all together. Below is a good article on the sequence approach by Kathryn McCullough, a story analyst and editor. Her website is (http://www.scriptnannies.com).
Explanation: SEQUENCES: THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF A SCRIPT
by
Kathryn McCullough
As mentioned in last month’s essay, a screenplay story is generally composed of eight sequences: two sequences in the first act, four in the second act, and two in the third. If you study several films and screenplays, you will find that the dramatic beats of the sequences generally unfold as follows:
In the first sequence of the script, we are shown the main character in a situation in which a problem already exists. For instance, a lovestruck man is afraid to talk to the girl of his dreams; a woman with low self-esteem is trapped in an abusive marriage; a troubled cop takes risks on the job that put his career in jeopardy. There is drama from the start, because there is already a difficulty of some kind, even if it is subtle.
In the second sequence, something happens. This is “the inciting incident,” “the point of attack” or “the disturbing moment” mentioned in screenwriting books and seminars. If not for this development, the protagonist’s life would continue unchanged; the situation would remain the same. This unexpected event jolts the character and forces him or her to act, or at least to react. At the end of this sequence (the end of the first act), we know what the protagonist wants as a result of the jolt, and what the forces are against him or her. The story has begun.
In the third sequence, the character takes action to achieve his or her goal, but it becomes clear that this will not be so easy, either due to new obstacles and/or to the character’s dawning understanding of just how great the opposing forces are. By the end of this sequence, the character’s actions have actually made the situation worse, but they have also made it impossible for the protagonist to go back to the way things were originally. Generally, this sequence deals more with the social aspects of the story (the career, the crime) than with the personal (the romance or key relationship).
In the fourth sequence, the protagonist comes up with a new plan to deal with his problem, which may even include abandoning the goal. However, forces set in motion by the main character’s earlier actions culminate in a complication of some kind that not only forces the character to commit completely to the goal, but also raises the story to a new level. This sequence also usually develops the personal subplot of the story. Throughout both the third and fourth sequences, the character’s journey is bringing about personal growth.
In the fifth sequence, the protagonist reacts to the complication. Due to the growth mentioned above, the character is now capable of dealing with the situation in a way he or she would not have been able to at the beginning of the story. The fifth sequence often contains a personal reversal of some kind. The protagonist now realizes that he’s in love, or she discovers that her best friend has betrayed her. In a story with a happy ending, the outcome of this sequence is hopeful. If the script will end unhappily, that resolution is foreshadowed here.
The sixth sequence twists the fifth around, bringing all the subplots together in a way that sends the main character crashing to a low point (if a happy ending), or to a deceptive high (if a sad ending). The social story reverses: the criminal seems to have gotten away; the protagonist loses his job; the guy loses the girl. The ending of the second act is a false ending. Either all seems lost, or all obstacles seem to have been overcome — until the next sequence.
The seventh sequence, which begins the third act, starts with a twist: a new hope, if a tragic ending, or a new obstacle if a happy ending. This is the moment when the character has a realization. Up to now, circumstances have been changing the protagonist, but the protagonist hasn’t really changed. Acceptance of his or her new life and circumstances now sinks in, and he or she acts accordingly.
This action by the protagonist leads to the eighth sequence, which is the true ending. It opposes the false ending. The guy gets the girl; the cop nabs the killer.
Not every story will match this outline to the letter, but if you study individual films closely, you will find that most tend to follow this pattern.
These definitions are easier to understand with examples. Below is the link to Kathy’s analysis of Rushmore, starring Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray. http://www.scriptnannies.com/script/12_03.html
Remember that all 12 steps in the Hero’s Journey and 22 Building Blocks in Truby are not sequences — they are dramatic elements / blocks and often several can comprise one sequence. That’s why breaking your story down into eight-step sequences is an effective way of seeing where your story is going.
You can identify parts of the sequences, such as Plot Point I, or Revelation I, or Ordeal, etc. There’s no right or wrong way of doing this assignment, as long as you move your story toward the climax/battle and know the important major turning points that you need to hit on the way there.
Also remember that you can’t have TOO MANY plot points, otherwise you won’t have time for quiet moments. Too many plot points will give you nothing but turning points and reveals. It might be an exciting video game, but not a story.
Your Assignments:
Read Field (Ch. 12)
Read The Social Network (in SCREENPLAYS folder; let me know if you can’t open it).
Start working on your Sequence Outline (we’ll talk more about it in our next class).
ak
