Today we are going to begin the filmmaking process by brainstorming possible ideas for short, narrative films.
We will look at:
- story structure
- The One-Liner
- Pitches
Some Notes About Story Structure
This content is adapted from Screenwriting, by Raymond G. Frensham, available in the school library.
Most popular movies are divided into three acts:
- ACT 1: Establishes main character(s), setting, the goals of the protagonist or hero are established. (First 1/4 of movie)
- ACT 2: Development of the main story. Obstacles to the hero’s goals are presented. (1/2 of movie)
- ACT 3: Main goal achieved, sub-plots and character relationships are resolved. (Last 1/4 of movie)
See Tootsie handout from Frensham (paper copies only)
The One-Liner: The idea for your movie expressed in 25 or so words
Example: A dislikable man is forced to repeat the same day over and over again and cannot escape; can he find a way out – and love? (Groundhog Day)
Activity: Pick 2 movies you have seen from this list of top grossing films and spend a few minutes trying to come up with a sensible one-liner for each:
- Avatar
- Titanic
- The Avengers
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Dark Knight Rises
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
- Toy Story 3
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace
- Alice in Wonderland
- The Dark Knight
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I
- The Lion King
- Finding Nemo
- Shrek 2
- Jurassic Park
- Spider-Man 3
- Inception
- E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
- 2012
- The Da Vinci Code
- The Matrix Reloaded
- Up
The Pitch
Advertisements
