Structure Exercise #1

[RylenolFlu]

We'll wait a day or two to see the results of the poll and then will begin analyzing the popular choice.

Here are the links:
In The Valley of Ellah - http://wbads-63.vo.llnwd.net/e1/wip/us/elah/ITVOE_Final_Script.pdf

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - http://www.awesomefilm.com/script/lifeaquatic.pdf

Any Given Sunday - http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/any_given_sunday.pdf

Sideways - http://www.awesomefilm.com/script/Sideways.pdf

The Talented Mr. Ripley - http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/mr-ripley_shooting.html

The Prestige - http://www.simplyscripts.com/p.html (no direct link, there is only a PDF download, this is the link the link to the p section)


Ideally, the objective of the exercise would be to fit the selected film into the three act structure, identifying
Act I: inciting incident, first turning point leading into-
Act II: midpoint, second turning point leading into-
Act III: big defeat, finale/payoff

Highlighting any other plot points is encouraged.

This should be fun.

Sincerely,
Ryan

[Plot Device]

Why did you only pick five????? :( I have seen only three of those five, I do not own any of them, and it's been years since I've seen them.

(Okay, enough kvetching from me. Lemonade time. :) )

Do you have the scripts for all five? (Yes, I am asking YOU to do all the work of finding them online because you are hosting the exercise.) If you provide the links, I can start reading and I won't need to actually see them (or re-see them).

[ricetalks]

How about picking a great film that doesn't neatly fit into a the theory of Hollywood story strutcure? This displays how hollywood structure works and some of the short comings of depending on it too much. God knows there are lots of terrible films that have perfect structure. That being said, in the classic Hollywood sense, I'd be willing to bet that The Fugitive fits the most neatly into three act structure.

[LIVIN]

Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan are two scripts with big action and huge budgets - not something a spec writer is likely to break into the business with.

Similarly, The English Patient runs 162 minutes, so I'll repeat myself - not something a spec writer is likely to break into the business with.

And then there were two...

It's been awhile since I've seen the fugitive. The Prestige was rather good, IMO.

But, only having 2 actual examples that could be likely is, well.... it is what it is.