Editing and Dramatic Structure

Transcription

1 Editig ad Dramatic Structure BFM6054.FK Editig Fall 2017 Istructor: Tarmo Rajaleid

2 Begiig, Middle ad Ed Frame - the smallest uit i film Shot from oe cut to the other Scee uity of place Episode uity of theme 8 Sequeces uique uit to film medium 3 Acts Film

3 The Greek Legacy: 3-Act Story Structure We have iherited the 3-act structural paradigm of drama from the Greeks. I 321 B.C., Aristotle laid dow the priciples of dramatic structure which we still adhere to, i his book Poetics. Frech New Wave filmmaker Jea-Luc Godard said All stories have a begiig, middle ad ed, but ot ecessarily i that order Velikovsky, J. T. A Guide to Feature Film Writig: A Screewriter s Workbook

4 The Premise Premise i feature films geerally follows this structure: A certai type of perso has a certai goal, ad ecouters obstacles that have chaged him/her whe fially they do (or do ot) achieve that goal. Namely, the structure is composed of: 1) The Expositio (or SETUP) 2) The Cofrotatio (or DEVELOPMENT) 3) The Resolutio (or DENOUEMENT) of the dramatic problem posed by the story... Or more simply: i Act Oe you get a perso up a tree, i Act Two you throw rocks at them, ad i Act Three you get them dow agai.

5 The Premise The key philosophy behid a film Premise is: "Somebody wat somethig badly ad is havig difficulty gettig it."

6 Syd Field s Character Template Accordig to screewritig guru Syd Field, good film characters have: A Dramatic eed Poit of view Chage Attitude Cetral questio: what does my character wat? Ier (story) goal Outer (plot) goal How do they chage i the story? The poits at which we see them chagig Velikovsky, J. T. A Guide to Feature Film Writig: A Screewriter s Workbook

7 Syd Field s Paradigm Syd Field, author of Screeplay ad The Scree Writer's Workbook, has outlied a paradigm that most screeplays follow. Accordig to Field, screeplays follow a three-act structure, meaig the stadard screeplay ca be divided ito three parts: Setup, Cofrotatio, ad Resolutio. Act I comprises the first quarter of the screeplay. For a two hour movie, Act I would last approximately 30 miutes. Act II comprises the ext two quarters of the film. For a two hour movie, Act II would last approximately 60 miutes. Act III comprises the fial quarter of the film. For a two hour movie, Act III would be the fial 30 miutes. Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure.

8 Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms.

9 The Plot Poit Accordig to Field, the three acts are separated by two plot poits. A plot poit, ofte called a reversal, is a evet that thrusts the plot i a ew directio, leadig ito a ew act of the screeplay. Later screeplay gurus have built o Field's theory by statig that Plot Poit #1, which leads ito Act II, is the momet whe the hero takes o the problem. Pich - A remider scee that brigs up the cetral coflict of the drama, remidig us of the overall coflict. Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure.

10 Act I - Setup Expositio - The part of a story that itroduces the characters, shows some of their iterrelatioships, ad places them withi a time ad place. This part of the story itroduces the mai character, the dramatic premise, ad the dramatic situatio. Mai character - the perso i the story who has a eed/objective to fulfill ad whose actios drive the story Dramatic premise - what the story's about Dramatic situatio - the circumstaces surroudig the actio Icitig Icidet - a evet that sets the plot of the film i motio. It occurs approximately halfway through the first act. Plot Poit #1, which leads ito Act II, is the momet whe the hero takes o the problem. Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure.

11 Act II - Cofrotatio Obstacles - I the secod act, the mai character ecouters obstacle after obstacle that prevet him from achievig his dramatic eed. First Culmiatio - a poit just before the halfway poit of the film where the mai character seems close to achievig his or her goal/objective. The, everythig falls apart, leadig to the midpoit. Midpoit - a poit approximately halfway through the film where the mai character reaches his/her lowest poit ad seems farthest from fulfillig the dramatic eed or objective. Plot Poit #2 - a evet that thrusts the plot i a ew directio, leadig ito a third act. Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure.

12 Act III - Resolutio Climax (Secod Culmiatio) - The poit at which the plot reaches its maximum tesio ad the forces i oppositio cofrot each other at a peak of physical or emotioal actio. Deouemet -The brief period of calm at the ed of a film where a state of equilibrium returs. Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure.

13 The Eight-Sequece Structure The sequece approach to screewritig, sometimes kow as Eightsequece structure, is a system developed by Frak Daiel, while he was the head of the Graduate Screewritig Program at Uiversity of Souther Califoria. It is based, i part o the fact that, i the early days of ciema, techical matters forced screewriters to divide their stories ito sequeces, each the legth of a reel (about te miutes). The sequece approach mimics that early style. The story is broke up ito eight miute sequeces. The sequeces serve as "mii-movies", each with their ow compressed three-act structure. The first two sequeces combie to form the film's first act. The ext four create the film's secod act. The fial two sequeces complete the resolutio ad deouemet of the story. Each sequece's resolutio creates the situatio which sets up the ext sequece. Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

14 The Eight-Sequece Structure Sequece 1 - Status Quo Sequece 2 - Raise of Problem Sequece 3 - Raisig Actio Sequece 4 - First Culmiatio Sequece 5 - Emotioally Slower Episode Sequece 6 - Secod Culmiatio Sequece 7 - False Resolutio Sequece 8 - True Resolutio Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

15 The Three-Act ad Eight-Sequece Structure Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

16 The Eight-Sequece Structure ACT 1 Sequece 1 - Status Quo Establishes the routie or status Quo of the mai character before the problem of the film eters ad disrupts his/her life. Typically ear the ed of this sequece we have a Icitig Icidet or Poit of attack which will chage the character s life by the ed of Act Oe. Sequece 2 - Raise of Problem The character ad the problem are i collisio course. By the ed of Act Oe Protagoist kows that they have a serious problem ad they have to do somethig about it. Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

17 The Eight-Sequece Structure ACT II Sequece 3 - Raisig Actio The protagoist tries to solve the problem by doig what seems easier the first. This is a sequece for elimiatig easy alteratives. Sequece 4 - First Culmiatio Protagoist tries harder to solve the problem. Culmiatio or mior climax happes aroud Mid Poit of the story. Sequece 5 - Emotioally Slower Episode Sometimes called romace sequece. Time for rethikig ad regroupig. Sequece 6 - Secod Culmiatio Fial escalatig sequece of the Secod Act. Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

18 The Eight-Sequece Structure ACT III Sequece 7 - False Resolutio This is the way we thik the movie will ed based o what just happeed i the ed of Secod Act. Usually this sequece eds with a TWIST i the ed that sets the story to ew directio. Sequece 8 - True Resolutio How the story really eds. Frak Daiel Script Aalysis Methodology.

19 Hero's Jourey Story Template The hero s jourey story template was discovered by athroplogist Joseph Campbell after studyig thousads of the world s myths. I his book The Hero With A Thousad Faces he revealed the basic `moomyth that uited all cultures via arrative. Christopher Vogler refied it i his book The Writer s Jourey which Hollywood embraced i the 1990 s.

20 Hero's Jourey The Hero starts i their Ordiary World. The Herald appears, ad aouces the Call to Adveture. The Hero refuses it. A Metor appears, ad gives the Hero the `superatural key, tool or aid they eed to embark o the quest. The Hero the reluctatly accepts, ad crosses the First Threshold (which is guarded by Threshold Guardias) ad eter ito the Other world, where they meet with Tests, Allies ad Eemies o their way to cofrotig the Shadow (their emesis). The Hero also ca ecouter a Trickster (who may become a sidekick character) alog the way, ad a Shapeshifter (who first appears as a ally but becomes a eemy - or vice-versa, or aother character type altogether). If it is a male Hero, alog the way they may meet the Heroie, who may also be the love iterest, (or ideed the Jewel/Sword/Elixir). They approach the Iermost Cave (ofte the Shadow s headquarters), cofrot the Shadow, seize the sword (reward) ad the escape, ad the Road Back usually ivolves a chase. Fially they retur to their tribe ad restore the elixir, brigig a boo to the commuity.

21 Vogler, Christopher. Hero s Jourey Outlie.

22 Hero's Jourey 1. THE ORDINARY WORLD The hero, ueasy, ucomfortable or uaware, is itroduced sympathetically so the audiece ca idetify with the situatio or dilemma. The hero is show agaist a backgroud of eviromet, heredity, ad persoal history. Some kid of polarity i the hero s life is pullig i differet directios ad causig stress. 2. THE CALL TO ADVENTURE Somethig shakes up the situatio, either from exteral pressures or from somethig risig up from deep withi, so the hero must face the begiigs of chage. 3. REFUSAL OF THE CALL The hero feels the fear of the ukow ad tries to tur away from the adveture, however briefly. Alterately, aother character may express the ucertaity ad dager ahead. 4. MEETING WITH THE MENTOR The hero comes across a seasoed traveler of the worlds who gives him or her traiig, equipmet, or advice that will help o the jourey. Or the hero reaches withi to a source of courage ad wisdom. 5. CROSSING THE THRESHOLD At the ed of Act Oe, the hero commits to leavig the Ordiary World ad eterig a ew regio or coditio with ufamiliar rules ad values. Vogler, Christopher. Hero s Jourey Outlie.

23 Hero's Jourey 6. TESTS, ALLIES AND ENEMIES The hero is tested ad sorts out allegiaces i the Special World. 7. APPROACH The hero ad ewfoud allies prepare for the major challege i the Special world. 8. THE ORDEAL Near the middle of the story, the hero eters a cetral space i the Special World ad cofrots death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the momet of death comes a ew life. 9. THE REWARD The hero takes possessio of the treasure wo by facig death. There may be celebratio, but there is also dager of losig the treasure agai. 10. THE ROAD BACK About three-fourths of the way through the story, the hero is drive to complete the adveture, leavig the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home. Ofte a chase scee sigals the urgecy ad dager of the missio. 11. THE RESURRECTION At the climax, the hero is severely tested oce more o the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, aother momet of death ad rebirth, but o a higher ad more complete level. By the hero s actio, the polarities that were i coflict at the begiig are fially resolved. 12. RETURN WITH THE ELIXIR The hero returs home or cotiues the jourey, bearig some elemet of the treasure that has the power to trasform the world as the hero has bee trasformed. Vogler, Christopher. Hero s Jourey Outlie.

24 Vogler, Christopher. Hero s Jourey Outlie.

25 Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms.

26 Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms.

27 Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms.

28 Story Aalysis Questios Whose story is it? Who is the PROTAGONIST? What is the story's MAIN CONFLICT? What is the story's MAIN TENSION? As a audiece, what are we hopig for? What do we fear? What is at the stake? Where is the risk? What is the story's cetral THEME? What does the protagoist WANT? (coscious pursuit) What does the protagoist NEED? (usually ucoscious) How does he/she chages i the story? What does the atagoist WANT? (coscious pursuit) What does the atagoist NEED? (usually ucoscious) How does he/she chages i the story?

29 Works Cited Velikovsky, J. T. A Guide to Feature Film Writig: A Screewriter s Workbook. < Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms. A Compariso of Seve Story Paradigms: Dramatica, Syd Field, Michael Hauge, Robert McKee, Lida Seger, Joh Truby, Christopher Vogler. Write Brothers Ic. < Dramatica%20paradigms-0707.pdf>. Vogler, Christopher. The Writer's Jourey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Michale Wise Productio, Hutley, Chris. How ad Why Dramatica is Differet from Other Story Paradigms. Write Brothers Ic. < Stuart Voytilla, Myth ad the Movies: Discoverig the Mythic Structure of 50 Uforgettable Films, Michael Wiese Productios, 1999 < faculty/ccooley/documets/hero's%20jourey%20arch.pdf>. Vogler, Christopher. Hero s Jourey Outlie. Storytech Literary Cosultig. < Pruter, Robi Fraso. Thee-act Structure. <