Character BIO/3 ACT Structures/Terminology

DEVELOPMENT HELL:


From Story to Script

1. 1-sentence story idea
2. synopsis and story angle
3. character bio
   1. character motives
   2. situations, outcome, key message
   3. dramatic sequence (the chain reaction from 1 event to another)
4. 3 Act Structure
   1. identify setup, plots and sub plots
   2. create a hook/teaser
   3. turning points
   4. climax
5. storyline
   1. follow 3 act structure
   2. use beats
   3. use scene breakdown
6. script - draft
   1. use standard format
7. story and script eitting

Story-telling:


- Character (with motives)

- Situations (to reach an outcome)

- Key idea/message (moral of the story..)






Know Your Character:

- Name, nicknames

- Appearance

- Profile- age, race, background, sex

- Nature/Personality

- thoughts, attitudes, values, beliefs

- Behaviour/reaction

- likes/dislikes, interest/pet peeves

- Strengths/talents, weaknesses

- Experiences/backstories

- Relationships

- Motives, objectives



Character motives:



- What he wants and needs to do..

Situations:

** act and react on certain situation; pleasant, angry,  mock, etc..

- to allow viewers to know/understand your character better.

- allow you to hook your audience ( to have feelings with the character...)

- situations allow characters to reach a resolution for their motives.

- situations help stories move forward from act1 to act3.

- situations allow chain reactions, making your story more interesting.

one storyline  can have many plots & subplots.

*** Keep your story simple!!

set-up (opening) -- confrontation (body) -- resolution (closure)..

STANDARD TERMS FOR SCRIPTWRITERS

List and learn the following terms:

A Scriptwriter’s Terminology:

1 SENTENCE PITCH

LOGLINE

SYNOPSIS

CHARACTER BIO

CHARACTER BIBLE

3 ACT STRUCTURE

STORYLINE

TREATMENT

PLOTS / SUBPLOTS

SCENE BREAKDOWN

BEATS

SCRIPT

All situations/plots need:

HOOK / TEASER

MOTIVE

CONFLICT / OBSTACLES

DRAMA / ACTION

DRAMATIC SEQUENCE

UP THE STAKES

CHAIN REACTION

RESOLUTION

OUTCOME

CLOSURE

Terms and the 3 Act Structure:

- PARADIGM = diagram of a screenplay (story map)

- ACTS - Act1, Act2, Act3

- SET UP

- CONFRONTATION

- RESOLUTION

- PLOT POINTS
- TURNING POINTS

- MOTIVE

- CONFLICT
- DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT
- UP THE STAKES
- CLIMAX