High concept: a story based on a shining and easily communicable plot or idea
Plot:
- The hero wanting something
- One event causing another
Story:
- The hero needing something
- Revealing the hero's character
One sentence explanation (logline) good for competitions
Conflict = different desires
"Without conflict, it's just a series of events"
Someone (the hero) wants something but is blocked by something (the adversary)
Idea in one word = Theme
Protagonist = who the audience follows
- Want = External
- Need = Internal
- Protagonist needs a flaw
- The need is to fix the flaw
- Antagonist forces protagonist to face their flaw
Structure:
- A film is made of the 3 ACTS of SEQUENCES of SCENES made up of BEATS
Act 1:
Introduce people, the world and the protagonist's flaws. Something then happens when the world changes: HOOK or CALL TO ADVENTURE. Then "Do I stay or go?" protagonist initially refuses 99% of the time then something changes to change their mind; into the new world.
Act 2:
Discover love and new abilities. Midpoint; the point of no return. False victory where things seem to be okay (sometimes a false defeat too), long journey into night. Villain is more powerful. Protagonist must hit rock bottom (sometimes due to flaw), they realise flaw and rise from the ashes.
Act 3:
Kick ass, hero faces villain, hero is at their strongest and wins (or loses), the world is changed, every major character is changed, protagonist is older and wiser.
*Notable Texts*
Robert McKee - Story
Blake Snyder - Save The Cat!
Joseph Cambell, Hero With a Thousand Faces
This lecture was extremely useful in helping me realise how the path our character will take shape and what it will mean to the audience. It also helps me to visualise the sequence of events in the plot of our short film a lot better long before we write the script.
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