Prewriting Your Screenplay

Chapter 16Three-act structure

Figure 16.1 Michael Sanborn–The protagonist’s dangerous path to success or failure can feel like wandering lost in the desert until you study the proverbial tent poles of structure and how they work to create a constantly escalating story.

“The longest process on any project is the beginning. The research and doing a treatment… so I know exactly where I’m going.”

–David Seidler

There are dozens of learned, screenwriting gurus out there with an endless number of books that break down and explain the industry-wide accepted pillars of three-act structure. Each story analyst and author explains his or her take on ...