Why the Three Act Structure?

by Diana Osberg

Why is it necessary to write a screenplay in the traditional three act paradigm? Why can’t I just break free from this and do my own thing? I’ve heard these questions many times from screenwriters. The answer is, you may write your script in whatever form you choose, but you need to ask yourself if this new structure achieves the desired result.

I feel very strongly that beginning screenwriters should learn the three act structure thoroughly before they start breaking the rules. Further, writers need to determine how they want their work to affect their audience before they start exploring alternative forms. The form should follow the function.

The traditional screenplay structure is a time-tested format that has been adopted by the mainstream movie industry because it works. It appears that we humans respond to the three act structure in a primitive way. This “arrangement” connects with us at a deep, subconscious level that gets us into the theatre over and over again. It is powerful and compelling.

Our reactions to storytelling are usually subconscious and emotional. Humans respond to stories in a primal, fundamental way.

When our primitive ancestors told stories around the fire, they had to lay the facts out first (first act) so that their family and friends would know what they were talking about. They would give just enough information to pique curiosity so their audience would want to know more. Then they would relay what happened (second act) and then they would tell the result (third act).

The three act paradigm of the feature screenplay stems from these early traditions of storytelling. It takes advantage of the natural way in which humans react to stories.

First, we set up the circumstances. We introduce the main characters (who). We describe the place and time (where and when). We describe the conditions in which our protagonist lives (what) and reveal a problem that the character must resolve (why). All of this information traditionally comprises the first act in a feature screenplay (the setup).

By the end of this setup, if we've done our job as writers, the audience should feel anxious to get into the “real” story, the heart of the matter. If we don’t give them enough setup information, they will be confused and will never be drawn into the story. If we take too long in giving them this information or do not do it clearly, we get the same result. We lose our audience.

Once the audience understands the setup, the facts they need to get their bearings within the context of this story, a specific event forces the main character into trying to solve his problem (plot point).

This launches us into the second act. In a subconscious way, our audience knows that something has changed. They have a natural sense that they are about to go on a journey and, if we’re doing our jobs as writers, they are excited about going along on this journey with us.

Act two is all about putting up obstacles in front of the protagonist. Each obstacle must be more difficult than the previous one (raising the stakes), so that the audience can begin to relate to the main character and empathize with him. The audience, in essence, becomes that character. They identify with him in a very personal, emotional way. They become engaged in the story and care what happens to this person.

By the time we get to the end of act two, the audience is rooting for this character to win, to achieve his goal. Once again, something happens to force the protagonist to change his tactics, because if he doesn’t, all will be lost and he will not achieve his goal. This event (plot point) spins us into act three.

At this point, there is usually a “ticking clock” device that forces the character to achieve his goal within a certain time or all will be lost. The audience becomes anxious, fearful. This is a very natural reaction stemming from deep within our psyche, probably tapping into our fight or flight mechanism. There is a primal fear that this person will not get what he wants, which translates to us not getting what we want. We want to be satisfied at the end.

There is a fascinating film entitled MOMENTO, in which the protagonist has experienced profound memory loss. Throughout the story, he tries to piece together what has happened to him. As he learns certain facts about his situation, he has to document them in a way that, when he forgets again, he can look at a picture he has taken or something he has written on his arm to remind him that he encountered certain people or situations before. The structure, at first look, appears to be circular, but it is not. Rather, the arcs of action are more like spirals that evolve. Each time we come back to the same scene, we come in at a different point, we learn something new and we see the situation from a different point of view. I believe that even this film is in the three act paradigm, but I have not deconstructed this script to know for certain. This is an exercise that I plan on doing at some point. I think it would be quite enlightening. I will let you know what I discover.

To reiterate, as a writer, if you are experimenting with variations in form, it is important for you to know how you want to affect your audience. What do you want to achieve? How do you want your audience to feel? You need to draw them in emotionally (see my earlier blog on this subject) in order to engage them. Otherwise, all will be lost.