The
three-act structure is a model used in screenwriting that divides a fictional
narrative into three parts (acts), often called the Setup, the Confrontation
and the Resolution.
The
first act is usually used for exposition, to establish the main characters,
their relationships and the world they live in. Later in the first act, a
dynamic, on-screen incident occurs that confronts the main character (the
protagonist), whose attempts to deal with this incident lead to a second and
more dramatic situation, known as the first turning point, which (a) signals
the end of the first act, (b) ensures life will never be the same again for the
protagonist and (c) raises a dramatic question that will be answered in the
climax of the film. The dramatic question should be framed in terms of the
protagonist's call to action, (Will X recover the diamond? Will Y get the girl?
Will Z capture the killer?). This is known as the inciting incident, or
catalyst. As an example, the inciting incident in the 1972 film The Godfather
is when Vito Corleone is attacked, which occurs approximately 40 minutes into
the film.
The
second act, also referred to as "rising action", typically depicts
the protagonist's attempt to resolve the problem initiated by the first turning
point, only to find him- or herself in ever worsening situations. Part of the
reason protagonists seem unable to resolve their problems is because they do
not yet have the skills to deal with the forces of antagonism that confront
them. They must not only learn new skills but arrive at a higher sense of
awareness of who they are and what they are capable of, in order to deal with
their predicament, which in turn changes who they are. This is referred to as
character development or a character arc. This cannot be achieved alone and
they are usually aided and abetted by mentors and co-protagonists.
The third act features the resolution of the story and its
subplots. The climax is the scene or sequence in which the main tensions of the
story are brought to their most intense point and the dramatic question
answered, leaving the protagonist and other characters with a new sense of who
they really are.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-act_structure
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