Structure

Choosing what the audience knows and when they know it in order to maximize narrative momentum and emotional resonance.

While ALIEN was not written in 8 sequences, it is a superb example of the 8-sequence approach.

The pivot into Sequence 4 is not an independent choice. It is dictated by the needs of the larger choices around it.

Sometimes the needs of Act 1 do not lend themselves to an early inciting incident. For those unique stories, you have the 3-Part Act 1.

I approach each screenplay structure as a fractal and have found that the most satisfying screen stories follow this pattern.

The midpoint doesn't change the character. It just changes their direction.

When structuring your story, you don't have to start from scratch. There are plenty of places to look for inspiration, and one of them is genre.

Narrative momentum is the force that keeps the audience compelled to continue watching. It's why a good 3-hour movie can go by so much faster than a bad 90 minute film.

The moment when a character earns ownership of their change by surrendering something they once valued but is no longer aligned with their new value system.

Plots seem complicated when you're in the moment, but when you lay them out scene by scene it's clear how simple they really are.

Relationships are vital for every story. Audiences care deeply about relationships, perhaps more than anything else. But what about when the relationship is the story?

The most effective inciting incidents are personal, and the best ones evoke an emotional reaction from the protagonists and from us.