The Three Act Structure for Script Writing

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In my last post we learnt about how to write a standard screenplay on a paper. Today, I will share with you how to structure your story as a screenplay. If you understand these basics well then you will be able to write scripts for short films, tele films & feature films alike. The Three Act Structure: There is a story in everything. The poem ‘Twinkle twinkle little star’ is a story about a child fantasizing the star as its friend, the poster of a film star wearing a branded innerwear also sub consciously creates a story in your mind that he/she always uses this brand and so does all those novels and story books. So why writing a script for a movie so different? Which brings us to act 1, act2 & act 3. A screenplay has a beginning, middle & end; that’s what we call as the three act structure. If you can categorize any poem or novel into these three sections then it can very well qualify to be written as a screenplay. It is clear from the diagram above that the act1 & act 3 are comparatively smaller than act 2. In fact in most cases, if you combine act 1 & act 3 together the duration of the screenplay would be equal to Act 2. Which means, in a typical film of 120 mins, 30 mins is for Act 1. 60 mins is for Act 2 & 30 mins is for Act 3. (Approx value of time: There is always a difference of 5-10 mins) This is also because Act 2 is where most of the action takes place. Act- 1 : Beginning Act one is about how you start a screenplay. Here you introduce characters & relations. Here you show how they overcome everyday problems or how happy they are with the life until everything starting turning wrong. For example, in Avatar movie, we see human beings in control of an alien planet. We are introduced to a new element which is a precious source of energy and found in abundance in that planet. The residents of the planet are opposing nature’s

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