Writing Part I
Inside Hollywood’s Three-Act Structure
Basic Characteristics of Hollywood Filmmaking
● The Studio System, otherwise known as
Hollywood’s Golden Age of filmmaking,
describes an ethos that Hollywood filmmaking
in the US today is best known for, one that
values story and story structure above all else.
● Adopted by the five major studios (some of
which are pictured to the right) and reproduced
heavily.
● This formulaic approach to filmmaking, coupled
with Hollywood’s massive production output in
its glory days, has created the hegemonic
relationship we have with Hollywood cinema
today. Consciously or unconsciously, we think
of Hollywood film as the benchmark for what is
good or bad filmmaking.
The Three-Act Structure
● A story and narrative-forward approach to writing, the Three-Act structure is
characterised by the following:
○ A beginning, middle, and end defined by three clean acts. Each of these acts serves a
particular purpose that helps the plot go from A to Z: the set up, the confrontation, and the
resolution
○ Linear storytelling, where scenes happen consecutively for the most part and story is plot-
driven as well as character-driven
○ Main plot and subplots
○ Main characters with a changing arc (often growth through the attainment of needs over
wants)
○ Defining character moments and introductions
○ Ascending and descending actions
○ & more!
Act I: Set Up
● Establishing the world of the story
● Introducing main and secondary characters
● Defining the status quo: habits, the everyday
● Inciting Incident: the change introduced to the world; first sign of something
changing (the arrival of a new person, the breaking of a habit, etc)
● Set up of the problem
● Establishing of the story’s main tension, which often tends to test a
character’s wants and begin their journey to getting what they need
Bridesmaids (2011), Act I
● What do we learn about the world of the
movie in Act I?
● Who are the main characters of the
movie? What do we learn about them?
● Who are the secondary characters? What
are their defining scenes?
● What is the inciting incident?
● What’s problem materialising for the main
character?
● What is the main tension?
Cont’d:
● Locations (apartments, old bakery, supermarket), we
see the city, workout scene shows friendship +
routine/habit, etc.
● Main Characters:
○ Annie: our hero, down on her luck and in a rough spot
emotionally and financially. Lost and trying to find her way.
○ Lilian: the best friend, excited to finally be getting married,
loves Annie
○ Helen: our antagonist, exact opposite of Annie, wants to
replace Annie in Lilian’s life
○ Secondary characters: the bridesmaids: Rita (kids), Becca
(husband), Megan (eccentric)
○ Tertiary characters: the mom, the roommates, Ted
● Inciting incident: Lilian gets engaged. Their friendship
is about to change.
● Problem Set Up: Helen is introduced. Threatening.
Competition for Lilian’s affection.
● Main tension: will Annie best Helen and be a great
maid of honour?
Act II: Confrontation
● Full scope of main tension/problem is revealed
● Subplots introduced
● Low-stakes obstacles are addressed and stakes get higher
● More obstacles, main character’s hopes/fears are established
● First attempt at resolution, ascending action
● Second attempt at resolution
● Midpoint: the first major blow to the main character; beginning of descending action
● Descending action: everything starts to go wrong
● Descending action ends with the character’s lowest point: all is lost. This is the
point furthest away from the character’s want (and not necessarily the saddest part
of the movie, though it often is).
Bridesmaids, Act II
● What are some of the subplots?
● How does the main point of tension
expand?
● First attempt at resolution?
● What are some obstacles?
● Second attempt at resolution?
Obstacles?
● Midpoint?
● Where does the descending action
begin? How does it end? What’s the
lowest point for the character?
Bridesmaids, Act II
● We meet Rhodes, love subplot, roommate subplot
● Helen and Annie are very different and lead different lives
● First attempt at resolution: Annie tries to bond with Helen through tennis, takes Lilian to Brazilian place
● Obstacles: food poisoning, Helen insists on expensive dresses, Helen rejects Annie’s ideas (and
therefore her and Lilian’s friendship)
● Second attempt at resolution: Annie suggests a bachelorette party at a lake house, but Helen has other
ideas.
● Midpoint: plane scene. Lillian tells Annie she’s going to let Helen handle the planning and give Annie a
break.
● Descending action: things go well with Rhodes, but then Annie lashes out on him and he stops
responding, she gets kicked out of her apartment, loses her job.
● Lowest point: At the bridal shower, Annie and Helen fight. Annie and Lillian have a falling out. Annie is
disinvited from the wedding.
Act III: Resolution
● Set up of a new tension
● Resolution of subplots
● Payoffs, Clarity for main character, reflection
● Third-Act Twist: important to keep this act from being predictable and
monotonous. This is also a final test for the hero.
● Resolution of main tension
● Needs achieved
Bridesmaids, Act III
● What are some moments of
clarity/reflection for Annie after she hits
her lowest point? How does she change?
● How are some of the subplots resolved?
● What’s the third act twist? How is it
resolved?
● What’s the resolution for the main
tension?
● How does the movie end? Compare to
how it opens: what does that tell us about
Annie’s journey?
Bridesmaids, Act III
● Annie picks herself up, tries to take care of herself and does things she’s been
putting off. She tries to make amends with everyone in her life and embraces
vulnerability.
● Third-act twist: Lillian is missing and Helen comes to Annie for help. Annie finds
Lillian and the two make up. Annie listens, demonstrating her commitment to
changing. She comes through for Lillian.
● Helen and Annie work together to find Lillian. Helen convinces Rhodes to come
back for Annie.
● Annie changes by realising she needs to take care of herself more and be a better
friend. She embraces potential rather than fearing chaos.
● Annie goes of with Rhodes, someone who respects her and someone she actually
likes, as opposed to Ted who was using her and stringing her along.
Conclusion
As we consider the three-act structure and its prevalence in Hollywood film, it’s
important to remember not to generalise. Though most Hollywood cinema follows
some sort of formulaic structure, there are genres that fall out of it like the avant
garde, experimental cinema, some documentaries, or even mainstream movies.
Above all else, good films start with good scripts that allow their characters to go
where it is natural, three-act structure or not (Marriage Story is a good example of
a movie that does not follow this structure, for instance).
