IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS

Transcription

1 23 STORY ACTIONS IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS By Eric Edson AUTHOR OF THE STORY SOLUTION COMPLETE HERO GOAL SEQUENCES FOR FINDING NEMO

2 Learning basic story structure is incredibly important for all storytellers. And creating a complete, engaging story plotline has forever been one of the toughest challenges in dramatic writing. That s where Eric Edson s new Hero Goal Sequences concept comes in. Here are five vitally important things this new story-building approach will accomplish for your screenplay or novel: You ll always know exactly how much story your script or novel will need, so you ll never end up with too little plot or too much;

3 2. Your story will be built in a way that ensures it is emotionally captivating and reaches maximum impact for readers and audiences; Any plot problems in your script or novel will be clearly revealed to you, and you will see exactly how to fix those problems; You ll never again write a passive Hero your lead character will actively drive your story forward on every page which is exactly what producers and stars look for; Your plot will never wander off course, since correct story focus and pacing will be built in, allowing dramatic tension to rise at a gripping rate throughout. On the next page, we ll get clear about some definitions of terms. NOTE: The plotting concepts and examples in this booklet along with many other topics all screenwriters and novelists need to understand are explored in great depth in Eric Edson s book THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, currently a bestseller world-wide. Buy your copy of The Story Solution direct from the publisher:

4 3. A HERO GOAL SEQUENCE usually consists of 2 to 7 pages of screenplay (2 to 7 minutes of film) in which the Hero or Heroine pursues a single physical, active short-term goal as one immediate step toward achieving the main plot objective that drives the entire story. A Goal Sequence ends when the Hero discovers: FRESH NEWS which is some form of new information that effectively ends the necessity to pursue the current goal, and creates another physical, active short-term goal, thereby launching the next Hero Goal Sequence. (FRESH NEWS either provides the Hero s next short-term physical goal, or sends her on a short search less than 60 seconds to find it. A Hero or Heroine can learn many new things in a Goal Sequence, but FRESH NEWS can only be a discovery that actually CHANGES your lead s current short-term goal to a new one.)

5 and oh boy, DEFINITIONS 4. STUNNING SURPRISE ONE is the arrival (on page 25-30) of a MAJOR revelation or dramatic reversal creating a moment of stunned shock for the Hero that drop-kicks him/her straight into Act Two. The Hero must be present for this moment of shocked surprise so that he can be emotionally impacted by it. Your Hero begins Act Two struggling to recover by floundering for a plan of action to press forward toward what has now become a crystal-clear, urgent overall story goal. STUNNING SURPRISE TWO occurs at the end of Act Two (around page 85-90) when another profound shock for the Hero arrives out of the blue and it changes everything, signaling the end of Act Two and the beginning of Act Three. This stunner must be the biggest reversal in your whole script, and it usually destroys completely the Hero s plan for victory so starting in Act Three your lead now faces a final showdown with the Adversary using only her wits and acquired wisdom to improvise actions toward achieving the ultimate goal. (STUNNING SURPRISE TWO can occasionally be a reversal to the positive but if this happens, Act Three better be short!)

6 5. MIDPOINT SEQUENCE In the middle of all great movies there s a group of scenes that serve several storytelling functions. Unlike a Stunning Surprise, the Midpoint is NOT one moment, but a series of them. Act Two is broken into two halves by the Midpoint Sequence. It usually includes a point of no return for the Hero - and some form of ticking clock starts, to show time running out. Here also there can be an unmasking, literal or metaphoric, where a secret truth is revealed. In romances, it s commonly here the lovers either kiss or make love for the first time. Or, in mythological mode, there can be a literal or metaphoric death and rebirth, as a rite of passage for the Hero. (See Eric Edson s book The Story Solution for details and examples.) OBLIGATORY SCENE This is the showdown climax scene in Act Three where Hero and Adversary face off to go at each other for all the marbles (as befits your genre), settling once and for all if the Heroine will win or lose the overarching story goal. It s why your Adversary must be one person, so the lead can battle them face to face here, to resolve all conflict. (It can happen in HGS #19, #20, or #21.) DENOUEMENT It s a French word meaning the untying. This final story sequence demonstrates that all plot and character threads have been resolved. It reveals the new, better world your Hero has made possible, with social equilibrium restored. Don t make it long, but it s absolutely required. Buy your copy of The Story Solution direct from the publisher:

7 6. EVERY commercially successful one-hero American movie contains between 20 and 23 Hero Goal Sequences. (The most common number of HGS used in highly successful films is 21) Act One ALWAYS contains 6 Hero Goal Sequences, and Stunning Surprise One ALWAYS takes place as FRESH NEWS in Goal Sequence #6. The FIRST HALF of Act Two ALWAYS contains 6 more Hero Goal Sequences, and the Midpoint Sequence ALWAYS takes place during Hero Goal Sequence #12. The SECOND HALF of Act Two ALWAYS contains 6 more Hero Goal Sequences, and Stunning Surprise Two ALWAYS arrives as FRESH NEWS in Sequence #18. Act Three contains a minimum of 2 Hero Goal Sequences and a maximum of 5. SO a MINIMUM of 20 HGS and a MAXIMUM of 23 HGS in EVERY successful American movie. A Goal Sequence cannot be repeated unless some major new story element is added to it.

8 7. ERIC EDSON S HERO GOAL SEQUENCING

9 8. Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for ACT ONE (Producing company credits for 30 seconds, then:) Hero Goal Sequence #1: Hero wants to show off to his wife the wonderful new home Marlin has found for them and their babies (hundreds of eggs). An evil barracuda attacks. Fresh News: Tragedy. Marlin s wife and all the eggs but one are gone. Marlin swears to the single remaining egg, Nemo, that he ll never let anything happen to him. (4 min 6 sec) HGS #2: Titles. Time has passed. Reluctant Marlin must take son Nemo to his first day of school and send the boy off with his class & teacher. Hero tries to tell a joke to three other fathers, but Marlin is a clown fish who isn t funny. (An indication of his inner need for character growth.) Fresh News: Hero finds out the teacher took all the kids to the Drop Off! (6 m 23 s) SUBPLOT CUTAWAY- In class, Nemo sneaks away to follow his new buddies and see his first boat. They play a dare game to find out who ll swim closest to the boat. HGS #3: Marlin rushes up to save Nemo from the Drop Off and scolds the boy. Fresh News & INCITING INCIDENT angry, Nemo defies Dad - swims out, touches the speedboat but suddenly the boy is netted and whisked away in a divers boat toward deep ocean. (2 m 43 s) HGS #4: Horrified, Marlin chases after the boat to save Nemo. The boat speeds further away. Hero meets sweet, forgetful Dory; she ll show him where the boat went. Fresh News: A shark insists Marlin and Dory come to a party with him. (4 m 7 s)

10 EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) 9. Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO HGS #5: Avoid getting eaten by Bruce the Shark. Party turns out to be a 12-step meeting in an old submarine wreck three sharks trying not to eat fish. Marlin spots a clue nearby, the kidnapper diver s swim mask, but Fresh News: while retrieving it Dory hurts her nose, blood floats into the water. Smelling blood, Bruce goes wild and attacks. (4 m) HGS #6: Hold on to mask clue while escaping from blood-crazed Bruce. Fresh News & STUNNING SURPRISE ONE an old sub torpedo gets released accidentally and it triggers scores of old naval war mines that explode, throwing Marlin and Dory into a new dark world of danger and impossible obstacles. How will Dad ever find Nemo now? (1 m 40 s) (ACT ONE = 24 m 14 s) ACT TWO SUBPLOT CUTAWAY Nemo finds himself in a fish tank in a dentist s office; meets new friends, buts he s scared. The boy also meets Nigel the Pelican, who will become a key Helper-Follower Ally for Merlin. (5 m 25 s) Hero Goal Sequence #7: Marlin comes to, muddled, on a dangerous cliff. He must find that mask again, it s his only clue, only hope. Hero watches the submarine wreck crack and sink into an abyss along with the mask. Fresh News: The mask is lost but Dory convinces Marlin they must swim down into the black abyss to retrieve it. (2 m 5 s) Hero Goal Sequence #8: Swim to the bottom of the abyss and get the mask. Marlin and Dory find it, but are almost eaten by an angler fish with a glowing lure on its head! Fresh News: Dory can read the address on the mask! Sidney, Australia. Hero now knows where they must go. (3 m 10 s)

11 EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO 10. SUBPLOT CUTAWAY In the dentist s fish tank Nemo undergoes an initiation ritual on Mount Hock-a-loogie. But the boy finds out he s to be a present for the dentist s niece, DARLA THE FISH KILLER! However, Mentor Gil claims he has a bold plan for escape (Nemo is the ENDANGERED INNOCENT now. See Eric Edson s Character Categories in The Story Solution.) (4 m 10s) HGS #9: Get directions to Australia. Not so easy. Fresh News: A school of tuna finally points the way. Marlin hurries off only Dory hears the tuna say, Go through the trench, not over it. (3m 51s) HGS #10: Follow directions to East Australian Current and reach Sydney. At a scary trench they hesitate at. Forgetful Dory wants to swim through the trench for some reason, but Hero tricks her into going over it Fresh News: Big mistake they suddenly find themselves surrounded by thousands of stinging jellyfish. (1m 39s) HGS #11: Get through the jellyfish to reach the East Australian Current. Finally out the other side of the jellies, Marlin sees Dory didn t make it through, so he rushes back into the sea of jellyfish to save Dory. Fresh News: Marlin rescues Dory, but he is stung into unconsciousness... (2m 11s) SUBPLOT CUTAWAY In the dentist s fish tank Nemo despairs. He thinks Dad won t come for him since Marlin is afraid of the ocean. Gil has a plan for escape, asks Nemo to wiggle up inside the tank filter so the boy can jam it with a pebble. In trying, Nemo nearly gets killed. The boy has failed to stop the pump, and he sinks back into fear. Gives up. (3m 14s)

12 EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO 11. HGS #12 MIDPOINT SEQUENCE Ride the East Australia Current to Sydney. Marlin wakes up inside the East Australian Current; Dory s okay, and their mentor-savior, Crush the Sea Turtle, teaches the Hero to confront his inner conflict (Marlin s over-protectiveness issue). SUBPLOT CUTAWAY Fish to fish, crab to crab, bird to bird. The story of Marlin s brave crusade spreads across the whole ocean SUBPLOT CUTAWAY Nemo mopes in fish tank. Then, word arrives that Dad is coming after all! BUT DARLA THE FISH KILLER IS COMING TO GRAB AND SHAKE NEMO TO DEATH SOON. ONLY 48 HOURS TIL DOOM! ( Ticking Clock established.) Finding courage because of his Dad s example, Nemo once again enters the fish tank pump and this time he s successful and stops it. Now the tank will get scummy and the dentist will take the fish out to clean it! Gil says that will be their chance to escape Fresh News for HGS #12: Riding and romping on the current, learning about good parenting, Marlin is told that they re approaching Australia! Hero must get ready to get off the East Australia Current. Fear returns. (10m 14s) Hero Goal Sequence #13: Get off the Australian current at the Vortex of Terror and live to tell about it. Marlin and Dory are pushed off into their exit tunnel, a horrifying drop. They make it through alive, and Marlin realizes it was actually fun! Fresh News: but Marlin now faces a vast, empty ocean. (1m 55s) HGS #14: Suck it up and swim straight ahead, and hope to arrive in Sydney. Marlin soon realizes he is lost in this huge gray ocean. He sinks back into fear. Fresh News: Marlin spots a stranger coming, maybe ask them for directions? (1m 3s)

13 EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO 12. HGS #15: Ask the stranger but they turn out to be a huge whale! Marlin is terrified again. Dory insists she knows how to speak whale, so she tries but... Fresh News: Marlin and Dory are scooped into the whale s mouth. (2m 25s) Hero Goal Sequence #16: Get out of the whale s mouth before they die! Nothing works, and Marlin sinks into despair. Dory remains chipper as ever. Water in the whale s mouth suddenly rushes back down its gullet it looks like the end to Marlin, as he clutches the whale s tongue to hold on. Dory insists the whale just said it s time to let go. Marlin finally masters his fear, lets go and falls down the whale s throat... (Overcomes inner conflict.) Fresh News: They shoot out the whale s spout and the Hero finds himself in Sydney harbor! Dory CAN speak whale! The whale DID help! (7m 4s) SUBPLOT CUTAWAY The fish tank scum scam doesn t work, and Nemo gets gift-bagged for DARLA. THE FISH KILLER is on her way. The end is near (2m) HGS #17: In the harbor, Marlin must find the boat that kidnapped Nemo. A pelican scoops up Hero and Dory in its beak pouch, saves them from the attacking dumb killer seagulls. Fresh News: Turns out the friendly pelican knows Marlin s story, and he knows where Nemo is! (2m 34s) Hero Goal Sequence #18: Hero wants to swoop in and save his son! NOW THE TWO PLOTLINES BECOME ONE NEMO: Darla terrorizes the fish tank. Nemo gets netted into a plastic bag so he plays dead to get to the toilet escape route. But rather than the toilet, the dentist is about to drop Nemo in the TRASH...

14 EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO 13. MARLIN: While carried in the pelican s mouth-pouch, Marlin and Dory fly into the dentist s office and chaos erupts! Hero navigates from Nigel s mouth (all Heroes must remain active). Fresh News STUNNING SURPRISE TWO From Nigel s beak Marlin sees Nemo lying dead in a plastic bag. As the pelican is shoved out the window, the Hero believes he is too late his son is dead and the Hero s plan for victory has been destroyed. It s the Hero s DARKEST HOUR. NEMO: Nigel is pushed out the window, Darla again threatens Nemo and Gil risks his own life (a true Mentor) to help get Nemo into the dentist s spit drain. Nemo drops into the sewer but then he s whisked into the dangers of the water treatment plant! END OF ACT TWO. (3m 18s) (ACT TWO = 56m 28s) ACT THREE HGS #19: Heartbroken, Marlin wants to thank Dory, go home alone and forget. It s a shock to Dory that Marlin says goodbye, he IS her home now and she doesn t want to forget. Marlin says, Sorry, I do. Fresh News: Marlin swims slowly off alone, heading home in failure. (2m 16s) HGS #20: Go home in defeat and grief. Fighting his way into the ocean at last, Nemo searches and finds Dory in the fishing grounds. She has already forgotten him but then remembers! It s little Nemo! They head off to find Marlin. Nemo and Dory swim up to Marlin, and he expresses joy in the reunion with his son, but then Fresh News: Dory is scooped up with tuna inside a fishing trawler net! (3m 23s) HGS #21: Save Dory from the fishermen s net. Nemo tells Dad he s got a plan. Marlin is horrified by the danger the boy faces, but then Marlin calms himself, says he ll trust his son s judgment. (Marlin has grown beyond his over-protectiveness.) Fresh News: Nemo s plan works, Dory and the tuna are freed. (3m 28s)

15 14. EXAMPLE (CONTINUED) Eric Edson s Hero Goal Sequences for FINDING NEMO Hero Goal Sequence #22: DENOUEMENT Hero returns to Ordinary World with Marlin s gift of new wisdom about child rearing. Everyone is happy and gets along with each other, even the sharks. Nemo tells Dad, I love you. Hero says, Go have an adventure. Dad has grown within, overcome interior conflict and his whole village is better for it. Marlin the clownfish now tells FUNNY jokes. (I.e., character growth is complete and the Hero has found new balance.) (1m 45s) (ACT THREE = 10m 42s) Order your copy of THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take Direct from the publisher: mwp.com/the-story-solution