![]() Even if you’re writing a script for a streaming service that might not have commercials, keeping your act breaks in mind will help your script crescendo right when it needs to.Ī good act break can involve a few different elements. Act breaks are the most heightened moments of your script– they’ll convince agents to keep reading and your viewers to keep sitting (through commercials). And the C runner is about the overzealous page Kenneth finding success in his menial tasks despite Jack’s intense skepticism.įinding success with your three-act structure and your A, B, and C stories relies on hitting the right moments in your act breaks. The B story is Jenna worrying about her future in the show, much to the distress of Liz. As for the B and C stories, their function in this episode is to build out characters and add extra dimensions to the Liz-Jack conflict. In 30 Rock, the A story is that Liz has a new boss who wants to change her show by casting Tracy Jordan, firing her producer Pete, and being generally more hands-on with the show. You can then layer in your B and C stories to flesh out the world or add extra dimensions to your characters or even build out a thematic message. You will spend most of your time on your A story, which will usually be about your main protagonist and the conflict they’re facing. These letters simply represent the different plotlines in your episode. With all these characters running about, network comedies typically decide to have A, B, and sometimes even C stories. But Liz, who has now had a change of heart and sees the potential in Tracey, swoops in and saves the day. In the third act, Jack tries to manage Liz’s show himself and messes things up horrifically. The second act involves Liz meeting Tracy, whose unpredictable behavior clashes with Liz’s principle-based ideology and forces her to change. Then, the conflict is introduced in the form of Liz’s new boss, Jack Donaghy, who wants to make changes to the show, including bringing in a new star, Tracy Jordan. In the first act, we meet the characters and learn about the show Liz runs. The episode follows the showrunner of a weekly late-night show, Liz Lemon, as she gets a new corporate boss who forces her to rebrand her show. Looking at 30 Rock, we see the perfect embodiment of this three-act structure. Either way, it provides a helpful roadmap to craft your pilot. Perhaps it’s something in our brain, or perhaps it’s because it dates back to ancient Greek tragedy. And as viewers, we’re trained to crave the three-act structure. The brilliance of this structure is the clear rise and fall of the action, which lets the writer spend less time worrying about pacing and plot, and more time building out characters and the world. In the second act, you throw rocks at the cat. It’s like the old adage: In the first act, a cat gets stuck in a tree. ![]() The confrontation, on the other hand, introduces some unseen complications to the plot,, while your final act, the resolution, resolves the conflict and hints at future episodes. The setup is your first and longest act, and it should introduce your world and characters while also establishing the central conflict of the episode. The default form for most half-hour comedy pilots, three act structure is broken separated into the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution. ![]() Immediately, the first thing you’ll notice about the structure of 30 Rock’s pilot is the use of three act structure. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |