Media Term Thursday #3

Three act structure

Many Hollywood films are said to follow a basic three act structure. Basically the beginning, middle and end or setup, confrontation and resolution.

In act 1 the characters (and their main goals) and setting are introduced and ends with the first turning point or conflict (plot point 1).

Act 2 is the longest act, characters and conflict are further developed and the act ends at plot point 2 (quite often, the hero has overcome some kind of conflict something else has thwarted their progress, everything seems lost but a renewed drive compels them to forge on).

Act 3 is the shorted act and all of the conflicts are resolved.

Excerpt from Media Key Terms and Concepts