Filmmaking tips - How to Make a Better Film with the Three Act Structure

The three act structure is the template that most modern films use to tell their story. Understanding the three act structure is important, but understanding why the three act structure works is more important. The three act structure is based on how people relate to any imbalance in their lives, how they attempt to re-establish that balance and restore their own idea of order.

Interestingly, there is only one three act structure, which is why the word "the" often precedes it. By definition, it's the thematic blueprint that holds the story together. As a story telling people, we have been socialized to not only know the three act structure in telling a story, but also what to expect in the three act structure in hearing a story. I'll now explain in brief the function of the three act structure, using the films Star Wars and 300 to demonstrate.

Act One is the set up, this is the bit where we find out where the story takes place, who the story is about, and what the hero desires. Everything from limericks to jokes to three hour movies will follow this format, because it gets the audience in the mind of the writer. Here, the farmer hero is in balance, life is good, oh the sweet sweet smell of success.

Act Two is the road to the desire that the hero takes. Often this road will go in exactly the opposite direction than the hero wants to go, but the hero feels it's the write way, only because he is too frightened or unaware of the correct path. Each step on this road will cause the hero to lose his allies, his weapons, and his confidence until his is forced to proceed alone.

Act Three is about the resolution, the hero facing the final battle alone, despite everyone feeling for sure that it is a suicide mission. The hero must make a stand and say "it's them or me this time" and live up to that. There is no going back; there is no ability to turn around, never surrender.

Once you have those concepts down, it's time to look at what is going on around the three act structure as a support system, enabling the audience to enjoy the film more. Buried within the three act structure are two points that are often over-looked but are so important to any and every story. Between Act One and Act Two there is the "inciting incident"...the "something" that will occur that brings the battle to the farmer. Nobody wants to go to war, nobody wants to upset the balance, the inciting incident does exactly that, it's the final push that is needed to pull the farmer off his ranch and onto the battle field.

In Star Wars, it was the fact that Luke's home was destroyed. In 300 it was the killing of the messenger. In every film, there will be three attempts to bring the farmer to the battle (wether seen or not seen in the film), but the final one will be where the hero says yes, I must go, I need to go. Between the second and the third attempt, he will pointedly deny going, and insist on staying.

The second most important bit is the apex, the bridge that has to be crossed, the point where the evil takes a personal interest in the hero and it becomes a one on one battle. In Star Wars, when Ben dies, for the first time Vader sees Luke. At the moment, for the first time, Vader understands who he must destroy or consume. This occurs between the first half of Act Two and the second half of Act Two. The first half of Act Two is the journey to the evil, all cocky and self-assured, and the second half is the "this is all a big mistake" and the racing for his life from the evil. This is the point where the farmer will say "I'm not cut out for this, I can't do this, I just want to run and hide" and the evil will be relentless. If the evil can't find the farmer, he will begin threatening and destroying everything the farmer loves as an attempt to call the farmer out. Again, the rule of threes will come to play. There will be three attempts made to draw the farmer out, and again, it will be on the last one that the farmer agrees to come back out and face the evil.

The three act structure allows the writer to locate and highlight the best parts of the story, but it's the connecting parts of the story that can prove the downfall of the film. This is where the audience can get "bored" or lose interest. The bits between the main points of the three act structure are the parts that the writer has to think "this only serves to get me to the next part" and nothing more. All the rest of the story is going to be found in the main points of the three act structure.

This of the in-between parts as a fast moving river between ports...yes, they are exciting in and of themselves but without the port, they would have no frame of reference. Remembering this will allow you to construct fast moving stories that keep your audience asking "wait, what just happened?" and playing catch-up, which is what you want. That is the thrill of seeing something, trying to comprehend it, and getting blown away by the next part. Spending to long in the river and you end up making the audience feel they should be paying attention to the river, which is what you don't want.