Ideas to date and The 3 Act Structure

      The 3 Act Structure

      ...is the process of structuring a story for the screen and is about making creative choices about which actions, events and characters will be the best ones to tell that story. The story is the actual content of a film and the structure is the form or they way the story is told.

      Act 1 - introduces main characters and sets up the conflict that is the story of the film.
      Act 2 - explores the consequences of the catalytic moment.
      Act 3 - resolves the story and tells us the outcome.

      One film we looked at particularly for the 3 Act Structure was the latest Bond film - Skyfall. After a discussion we decided Act 1 is Bond completing the old mission and being given his new one from M. Act 2 would be the locations in which we see Bond and him nearing his meeting with the baddie. Finally, Act 3 would be the shoot out, the final conflict and Bond's success.

      Another film could be a pick of any from Harry Potter. Act 1 is Harry finding out he is a wizard, the very very beginning of Harry's adventures. Act 2 is his day to day life in Hogwarts and Act 3 is his showdown (usually with Voldemort), ending with Harry usually in the hospital ward in Hogwarts and the feeling that everything is okay for now.

      Narrative/Story

      Linear - straightforward, following the chronological/time order.

      Non-linear - messes with time such as using flashbacks, flash-forwards and parallel story lines.

      After researching into this and discussing our film a little more, we have come to the conclusion of using a non-linear narrative as our Protagonist finds out hidden secrets of a past she never knew existed. This could be done by flashbacks, or beginning the film at the end, and only just giving this away toward the end of the film. 

The 3 Act Structure for our film 

      Act 1 - The setting up of our Character. Our protagonist Amelia Western. Emphasis on the era with strong use of mise-en-scene. Working out who she is. Something comes into her life that she can't explain. 

      Act 2 - An object from the modern world, appears in her house. Maybe there is a phone in her kitchen drawer, something she wouldn't have seen before. A message appears on the screen. She throws the phone down in shock and falls to the ground. She is confused. She has no idea where it is from, what it is or why it is there. She is fighting the inevitable. 

      Act 3 - The climax. The change takes place. Our protagonist suddenly realises the lives she has been living. She isn't sure what is real and what is fake anymore.