Lesson 7

[Bob Rowen]

Bob Rowen’s 4 Act Structure

What I learned doing this assignment: In developing my 4-Act structure, I hopefully achieved my goal of pacing and layering tension through each act in order to sustain audience engagement.
Act 1 establishes the stakes, characters, and conflict, and the protagonist’s decision to fully expose his dismissal hearing.
In Act 2, the “Plan in Action” and the subsequent obstacles provided by the antagonists deepen the conflict, especially when the teacher faces unexpected roadblocks. I learned how vital it is to incorporate shifts in power dynamics, like the key witness being blocked in Act 2, which forces the protagonist to rethink his approach.
Act 3 provides the importance of a strong turning point—especially a setback—that drastically changes the protagonist’s strategy. This leads to the teacher’s decision to expose the conspiracy, reflecting a pivot from defense to offense.
In Act 4, I developed a climax that should be more than just a resolution of the immediate conflict; I wanted it to heighten the themes of the story—the political divides and manipulation at play. The final twist, where the protagonist is named “Teacher of the Year” right after the board votes for dismissal, reveals how adding a surprise element underscores the central message while keeping the resolution dynamic and satisfying.

Concept: A teacher faces a tense, public termination hearing where students, parents, and school board members clash over accusations of indoctrination, revealing deep-seated political divides.

Main Conflict: The teacher discovers a secretive, community-wide campaign to discredit him, leading to a tense confrontation in the town’s Community Hall, where the truth about his teachings is laid bare.

Act 1
• Opening: A teacher (protagonist) arrives at the community hall parking lot, where he is greeted by a small group of supporters including students and parents. The teacher sees the school board president (antagonist) in conversation with two ultraconservative powerbrokers and the vice principal (co- antagonist) who the teacher suspects is up to no good. Tension in the air–whispers about the hearing reach him.
• Inciting Incident: As he opens the hearing, the school board president lays out the official charges, including accusations of “indoctrination” and failure to follow the school district’s policies.
• Turning Point: The teacher commits to making his hearing public with selective evidence and testimony, hoping transparency will reveal the truth. He has arranged for students to be allowed with parent permission to testify at his dismissal hearing.

Act 2
• New Plan: The teacher has his legal representative dig deeper into the smear campaign. He begins organizing testimonies from his most outspoken students and three of his past classroom guest speakers; one of whom is very influential in the community.
• Plan in Action: The teacher’s dismissal hearing begins in the main auditorium, packed with community members. The far-right school board president opens with a confident speech about upholding educational standards based on his worldview.
• Midpoint Turning Point: One of the teacher’s key student witnesses, who happens to be the daughter of the school board president, is blocked from testifying by a last-minute technicality. The school board president says he did not give his daughter permission to testify. It’s a major blow to his defense.

Act 3
• Rethink Everything: The teacher starts to lose hope as the case seems stacked against him. Public opinion is beginning to shift due to the school board president’s influence. However, the daughter of the school board president steps up to bravely say that it was her mother who gave her permission to testify and the vice principal was fully aware of it.
• New Plan: The teacher decides to go all out in exposing the conspiracy. He begins drafting a statement that will blow the cover on the school board president and his political allies during the final round of testimonies.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: The teacher’s influential guest speaker backs out, citing pressure from his employer. This leaves a gaping hole in his defense.

Act 4
• Final Plan: The teacher enters the final round of the hearing ready to take a huge risk. He presents his closing statement, where he reveals the smear campaign and accuses the school board president of manipulating the board.
• Climax / Ultimate expression of the conflict: The clerk of the school board has heard enough and demands a vote in executive session which results in a decision to dismiss the teacher by a 3-2 vote.
• Resolution: After the Board’s decision is announced, a parent who is a County Office of Education (COE) confidential employee demands to speak. She announces the COE has named the teacher as the County’s “Teacher of the Year”, making a public announcement that was actually scheduled for the following week. There is immediate commotion on the school board with two members demanding a revote which is finally taken and results and reversing the Board’s earlier decision by a vote of 3-2, but this time to retain the teacher. The final scene is a press conference in the parking lot by a national news network where the teacher talks about what took place and reflects on its significance.

[Micki Hess]

Micki’s 4 Act Structure
What did I learn from this lesson is that it is simpler by doing 4 Acts instead of 3-Acts. By breaking it down to twenty minutes makes less bog down in the 2-Act.
Act 1: A Trapped Christmas
Opening Scene:
* A Festive Arrival: The Anderson and Walker families arrive at the charming Hollyridge Hotel for a Christmas getaway.
* Initial Tension: Old rivalries surface as the families settle in.
Inciting Incident:
* A Strange Occurrence: The clock strikes midnight, but the day remains Christmas Eve.
* Trapped in Time: The families realize they are unable to leave the hotel or contact anyone outside.
Set-Up:
* A Strange Loop: Despite the oddity, the families attempt to enjoy the holiday.
* Growing Tension: As the same day repeats, frustration and resentment grow.
Rising Tension:
* A Prank War: The children’s playful pranks turn into an outlet for the families’ anxiety.
* A Hidden Room: A strange event reveals a hidden room filled with unwrapped presents.
Turning Point 1:
* A Cryptic Message: The families discover a cryptic message suggesting they must find “the true gift of Christmas” to escape.
* A New Goal: Determined to solve the mystery, the families reluctantly agree to work together.
Act 1 Ends:
* A Shared Purpose: The families, united by their predicament, embark on a journey to break free from the endless Christmas Eve.
Act 2: The Path to Redemption
New Plan:
* Confront the Past: The families agree that they must confront their ancestors’ feud head-on.
* Seek Reconciliation: They decide to find the descendants of their ancestors’ rivals and attempt to reconcile.
* Uncover the Truth: They aim to uncover the true cause of the original feud, hoping to understand its origins and break free from its cycle.
Plan in Action:
* Research and Discovery: The families begin researching their ancestors’ history, tracking down their descendants.
* Initial Encounters: They meet with the descendants of their rivals, initially met with skepticism and distrust.
* Shared Stories: Through shared stories and revelations, the families begin to understand the depth of the historical conflict.
Midpoint Turning Point:
* A Shocking Discovery: A crucial piece of information comes to light, revealing a hidden truth about the original feud.
* A Shared Enemy: The families discover that their ancestors were actually victims of a common enemy, leading to a newfound sense of unity.
* A Path Forward: Realizing they have a shared goal, the families decide to work together to seek justice for their ancestors and break free from the cycle of hatred.
Act 3: The Final Countdown
Rethink Everything:
* A New Perspective: The families reevaluate their understanding of the hotel and their situation.
* A Deeper Meaning: They realize that the endless Christmas Eve is more than just a physical trap; it’s a test of their character and their ability to overcome their differences.
New Plan:
* A Heartfelt Approach: The families decide that they must focus on the true meaning of Christmas: love, forgiveness, and compassion.
* A Final Attempt: They plan to confront their deepest fears and unresolved issues, hoping to break free from the cycle of negativity.
Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift:
* A Setback: Despite their best efforts, the families encounter a major setback. Their attempts to break free from the loop seem futile.
* A Heartbreaking Revelation: A shocking truth comes to light: the hotel is a reflection of their own hearts. If they cannot change from within, they will be trapped forever.
* A Final Chance: Faced with the possibility of eternal imprisonment, the families realize that they must make a drastic change. They must truly forgive each other and let go of their past grievances.
Act 3 Ends:
* A Moment of Truth: The families come to a profound realization: the only way to escape is to truly forgive and love one another.
* A Final Effort: With renewed determination, they make a final attempt to break free from the endless Christmas Eve.
Act 4: The Gift of Christmas
Final Plan:
* A Heartfelt Gesture: The families decide to focus on the true meaning of Christmas: giving.
* A Charitable Act: They plan to help those in need, hoping to spread joy and kindness.
Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict:
* A Final Test: As the families carry out their charitable acts, they face their final test. Their true nature will be revealed.
* A Moment of Truth: A crisis arises, forcing the families to choose between their own desires and the well-being of others.
Resolution:
* A Triumph of Love: The families overcome their differences and choose to help those in need, demonstrating the true spirit of Christmas.
* Breaking Free: As a result of their selfless act, the families are finally able to break free from the endless Christmas Eve.
* A New Beginning: The families return to their lives, forever changed by their experience. They have learned the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of love, forgiveness, and compassion.
Act 4 Ends:
* A Happy Ending: The families celebrate their newfound unity and the true spirit of Christmas. They have not only escaped the endless loop but have also found a deeper connection to each other.

[Marni Sullivan]

Marni’s 4-Act Structure

WHAT I LEARNED:
It is better to split up the standard 3-Act structure into 4 Acts to make sure you have a proper turning point that keeps escalating the stakes until the climax in the final Act.

• CONCEPT: Lysha finds herself in a terrifying position when three ruthless criminals break into her records retention facility for unknown purposes.
• MAIN CONFLICT: Lysha must subdue the criminals on her own after she learns the only other person in the place with her is working for them.

Act 1:
• OPENING: Lysha checks in for the Tomb Shift with Wallace after
• INCITING INCIDENT: Lysha checks in for the Tomb Shift with Wallace after learning three of their other facilities had cybersecurity breaches.
• TURNING POINT: After finding a few anomalies in the login registry, Lysha and Wallace walk the outside perimeter and find a door that is partially open and the senor not reporting that it is opened to their security software.

Act 2:
• NEW PLAN: They split up. Wallace searches the stacks while Lysha checks the server room and finds evidence someone tampered with a unit.
• PLAN IN ACTION: Lysha starts to go through everything in the cybersecurity logs and stops reporting to Wallace about her actions because he keeps dismissing her concerns.
• MIDPOINT: She discovers Wallace is helping a heist take place and she has to put the building into lockdown, trapping her inside with three ruthless criminals.

Act 3:
• RETHINK EVERYTHING: Lysha needs to learn why they are so fixated on a particular box and how to stop them from getting to it.
• NEW PLAN: Get the work order that shows the information and make sure they can’t access the vault. That requires her going out into the main area and possibly running into them.
• TURNING POINT: Huge failure / Major shift: Not only do they get to the work order and she gets into a fight with one of the men, but she returns to find Wallace dead and his hand cut off. They now have access to the vault through Wallace’s biometrics.

Act 4:
• FINAL PLAN: Put the high-security vault into lockdown by creating a problem that will trigger its sensors.
• CLIMAX: She fights through the second member of the trio who holds her up enough to allow the leader of the gang to get to the vault. Lysha manages to enact the protocols before he can find the right box and he must abandon the vault or be locked in. He moves to kill her after he realizes he has been trapped in the building until authorities arrive.
• RESOLUTION: Lysha manages to kill the leader and finds his phone which reveals the person financing the heist. It turns out to be a Board member who she has been investigating since the day she was employed at the company.

[Karyn Laitis]

Karyn Laitis–LESSON 7 — 4 Act Structure
Assignment
“What I learned doing this assignment is…?” I learned that the 4-act structure is easier to layout the story components and build the plot and character’s journey. I think this is a great brainstorming exercise. I have more ideas but I need to elevate everything.
Create the first draft of your 4 Act Structure.
1. Tell us the following:
• Concept: A team of explorers discovering ancient alien remains deep within a labyrinth cave awakens the alien species, threatening the lives of the team.
• Main Conflict: The alien guardians are protecting the cave and ancient secrets to reshape human history and the future. The team is under constant threat, not knowing who the enemy is and what is at stake.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
• Opening: Dr. Jean Lester, Cameron (Cam) Woods and Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Barnard and rival Brett Halston are preparing for a treacherous cave expedition. She tries to hide her guilt & need for redemption for the past. Brett conceals his ambition. On descent they are met with mysterious petroglyphs and strange artifacts embedded in the cavern walls. There is subtle tension among the team.
• Inciting Incident: Deep into the cave they discover the remains of an ancient alien civilization. There is excitement and fear of the strange events within the cave.
• Turning Point: One of the team members accidentally triggers a dormant alien orb setting in motion seismic shifts in the cave and tunnels causes the expedition to uncontrollably fall deeper into the cavern and awakening alien guardian energies. The team encounters alien shapeshifting beings hunting them down. Jean realizes the magnitude of their situation; how to discover the alien technology to survive and escape. Brett begins to undermine Jean’s authority and her directives.

Act 2:
• New plan: The team retreats to reassess the situation. Jean is struggling with her self-doubts and control of the team. She wants to keep going to uncover the secrets of the cave, while her colleagues think they should leave. Brett agrees with Jean to move forward while he is secretly planning to use the discoveries for his profit. Jean’s plan is to move deeper into the cave – she believes there is something that can explain the alien remains and the connection to the guardian gatekeepers. She secretly wonders if there is a connection to her twin sister’s disappearance. Brett becomes more aggressive.
• Plan in action: The team goes further into the cave, experiencing more strange phenomena—shifting walls, tunnels collapse, creatures appear, bioluminescent walls appear to be moving and symbolic carvings/artifacts reveal a strange human connection.
• Midpoint Turning Point: During sleep, Jean has a vision of an ancient war between aliens and humanity-the cave is a shared burial site and the guardians are protecting a secret that would destroy humanity. Brett tries to get control of alien technology. The group is separated. Jean is trying to destroy the clues that Brett is trying to use to possess the alien technology for his personal gain.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: The team is divided – Brett goes rogue. The sentient cave begins to react more aggressively, tunnels closing, traps set, the guardians are more hostile. Jean realizes that to escape, Brett must be stopped and the alien technology destroyed
• New plan: Jean formulates a plan to go deeper into the cave still looking for clues to her sister’s disappearance and to find the alien energy source and destroy it. Cam and Dr. Maggie bristle at the risk, and growing danger. They align with Jean and prepare to confront Matt.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift As they go deeper into the cave, Matt sabotages with traps and dead ends directing them to the alien guardians. They face fierce danger as they move to the central chamber. Matt’s plan backfires releasing a mega-force to destroy the cave and anyone in it. Cam is injured, Jean confronts Matt in a final conflict; she barely escapes him and the alien guardians as Matt is consumed by the alien technology. Injured Cam fights off the guardians to give Jean and Maggie the space to get to the heart of the cave.

Act 4:
• Final plan: Jean realizes she must sacrifice herself to destroy the alien energy source protecting the technology from falling into dangerous hands. She and Maggie acknowledge what needs to be done. Jean begins to activate the plan and sees her twin sister with the guardians near the energy source.
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Jean directs Maggie and Cam to leave the cave. Jean fights off guardians as the walls of the cave come alive and start to disintegrate around her-she manages to push her twin aside and destroys the energy source, causing the guardians to lose power and the technology to collapse. As the cave collapses, Cam and Maggie manage to make it out of the cave.
• Resolution: The cave is sealed forever with only Cam and Maggie surviving. The alien threat is over and the origin secrets will never be revealed. Jean is shown in her final moments before the collapse-redeemed for her past failures. The final scene is a figure staggering out of the smoke from the mouth of the cave. It is her twin sister.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 2 weeks ago by  Karyn Laitis.

[Rice Rice]

Frances’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is the value of having created my 4 Act structure that helps me with visualizing my story from beginning to end.
Here is my 4 Act structure:
Title: Mistletoe & Whisky
Genre: Fantasy, Drama
Concept: When a cynical distiller with cancer gets snowed in his mountaintop retreat with mysterious troubadours who sing ancient Druid lyrics and tout the healing power of mistletoe, he succumbs to their assurances and brews a toxic mix of mistletoe and his signature whisky blend that could heal or kill him.
Conflict: The troubadours’ leader seeks a cancer cure formula for her pharmaceutical company and encourages the risky human experimentation with the toxic mistletoe and whiskey brew.
Act 1
Opening: Jack, a reclusive, cynical distiller, is living in self-imposed isolation, embittered by the loss of his wife and son on Christmas Eve and battling terminal cancer. He refuses to acknowledge any form of emotional connection or the holiday spirit, finding solace only in his work. He believes he deserves his suffering, harboring deep guilt over the accident.
Inciting Incident: The arrival of Ellie and her fellow troubadours who sing ancient Druid lyrics and tout mistletoe’s healing power disrupts Jack’s solitude.
Turning Point: Jack’s grip on reality is shaken when Ellie removes an antiquarian book from a bookshelf, finds an ancient Druid poem in the back and sings the poem a cappella with her soprano voice being so high-pitched that it causes the entire bookshelf to tremble and shift, exposing a concealed entrance to a passageway behind it.
Act 2
New Plan: Surprised by the revelation of the hidden passageway, Jack, Ellie and the other troubadours, traverse the hallway and discover an inner chamber with the appearance of an ancient monastery with a mysterious poem on one wall that features mistletoe imagery.
Plan in Action: Using their knowledge about ancient Druid lyrics, Ellie and her cohorts determine that the poem contains a formula of fermented grain and mistletoe that promises to cure all ills, body and spirit. Back in Jack’s distillery, he produces a semblance of the formula, using freshly gathered mistletoe and his aged whiskey consisting of water, malted barley and yeast. Encouraged by Ellie, he drinks the brew, but experiences no change in his physical or emotional condition. They return to the inner chamber to search for any missed clues, but find nothing.
Midpoint Turning Point: While they are in the inner chamber, a sundial shows it is three o’clock in the afternoon and a beam of sunlight flashes through a stained-glass window, creating a pattern on the floor. When they align objects in the room with this pattern, a wall slides away, revealing a crypt that has a coffin with an inscription identifying the deceased as an ancient high Druid priest who lived to be 1,000 years old and passed away 500 years ago.
Act 3
Rethink Everything: A closer examination of the coffin reveals Jack’s family crest is etched on the sides. Jack scoffs at the idea that this “high Druid priest” could be connected to him.
New Plan: They open the coffin and find a small glass vial of golden liquid, along with a parchment inscribed with an ancient Druid text nestled atop the brown robe of the skeletal remains. Ellie tells Jack she believes he is destined to inherit ancient knowledge and power by drinking the golden liquid.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Jack takes a sip of the golden liquid, convulses, vomits, falls to the floor, and appears to be dead.
Act 4
New Plan: Ellie administers Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until Jack starts breathing again and his regular heartbeat returns. She surmises that the ancient brew only works to heal when the ancient ritual is performed as inscribed on the inside of the coffin’s lid by a druid priest wearing the robe on the skeletal remains.
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Urged by Ellie, Jack embraces his heritage, removes the robe from the skeletal remains, puts it on, and chants the ancient lyrics in the original language etched in the lid of the coffin, while Ellie sings the English interpretation a cappella where a verse calls for kissing a maiden under a mistletoe. Ellie puts a mistletoe sprig over her head and shares a tender kiss with Jack who then drinks the remaining liquid in the vial.
Resolution: Jack announces that his cancer pain is fading and acknowledges that this miracle is due to his recognizing the mistletoe plant is a symbol of love, and love is the real power that unlocks the physical healing the mistletoe-whisky brew promised. Jack fully embraced also his newfound emotional healing, not out of belief in magic, but as a symbol of his acceptance of life and love. He lets go of his past grief and guilt, ready to face his mortality with peace and a sense of connection to those around him.

[Leona Heraty]

Leona Heraty’s 4 Act Structure
What I learned doing this assignment is…breaking the script into 4 Acts makes the plot much easier to write!
Create a first draft of your 4 Act Structure.
1. Tell us the following:
Concept: A realtor seeks shelter from a storm in a greenhouse and can’t leave because her an elderly homeowner says there are toxic fumes that surround the building…but her client says this is a lie!
Main Conflict: Can’t leave and doesn’t know who to believe.
2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
Opening: A realtor, Louisa, seeks shelter greenhouse during a violent storm and finds a man there, her client, Jamison, searching for something.
Inciting Incident: An elderly woman, Agnes, appears and tells them there’s a foul odor in the bushes and it could be toxic!
Turning Point: Agnes pokes her head outside and gags from the toxic fumes and almost dies! They must ride out the storm in the greenhouse until help can arrive!
Act 2:
New plan: Louisa searches for anything to cover their mouths so they can escape and she finds some old masks.
Plan in action: They go outside wearing the masks but the seals don’t work and they all get sick and must retreat back to the greenhouse! Their cell phone service isn’t working!
Midpoint Turning Point: Louisa finds a hidden door that leads to a tunnel! They escape through the tunnel but Agnes turns into a sinister ghost and chases them into the basement of the mansion!

Act 3:
Rethink everything: Louisa and Jamison join forces to get out of the basement and they try to trap Agnes in a hole, but she escapes and tells them her husband killed her and buried her in the wall and they need to find her skeleton. They try to escape but she threatens to open a jar of the toxic fumes!
New plan: Louisa and Jamison find Agnes’ skeleton but then she says they can’t leave until they bury her skeleton in the yard. They find an escape passage to the first floor and decide to risk the toxic fumes and they escape through the first floor windows.
Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: They escape and immediately get sick from the outside toxic fumes that surround the property and Agnes drags them back inside the house! She insists they find her skeleton and breaks their HAM radio!
Act 4:
Final plan: The clock strikes Midnight and Jamison morphs into a ghost! Agnes says he’s the husband who murdered her! Louisa doesn’t know who to believe!
Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Louisa barricades herself behind a desk as the two ghosts fight it out! The house shakes and moans and the fumes enter the first floor.
Resolution: Louisa finds a lost skeleton, but it belongs to Jamison! Agnes was his wife and she murdered him and reenacts the murder every Dec 26! Jamison thanks Louisa for uncovering his skeleton, and the two ghosts fade into the mist. Louisa runs outside, and the storm has ended and the air is safe to breathe!

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Leona Heraty.

[Anna Maganini]

Anna Maganini’s 4-Act Structure!

What I learned in this assignment –

I got some crappy stuff, but I revel in the crappy stage, as I will find the layers and intrigues and ways to elevate it. Right now, it’s just about getting some kind of structure on paper, crappy as it is. I don’t even have any kind of exciting opening yet, and the whole thing needs more action and better turning points and reveals. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like I’m writing structural things, but I know I am still figuring it out and using the paper to think it out. It will come. I did some more brainstorming, which changed things a bit from Lesson 6. And of course, I will change more as I go and find deeper things.

1. Tell us the following:

Concept – A woman is tricked into taking a half hour shower while neighbors rob her home, but in this neighborly game, both sides will die, no matter who wins.
Main Conflict – A neighborly game turns into a life and death struggle for the contestants – until they find out who is running the game.

2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.

Act 1:

Opening – Rainey, a crippled woman, moves into a quaint neighborhood. Eager to make friends, she flirts with the cute guy and bakes everyone homemade —-? She makes friends with a young disabled kid and his dad, an old peacenik. Neighbors start including her in their games, posting notes in each others’ mailboxes with harmless riddles about each others’ daily lives. Rainey encourages the old man to join the games and she will too. They join together.

Inciting Incident – A note in Rainey’s mailbox gets personal, asks her to commit to a more serious game. Thinking it’s the cute guy flirting with her, she says yes. Things escalate quickly when she finds a note inside her home! – asking her how long she takes a shower. It frightens her but she answers – half an hour. Meanwhile she meets a couple of unpleasant neighbors who —-???

Turning Point – Rainey finds all the clocks in her house are missing. She takes a shower, thinking she’s getting ready for a date with the cute guy – when robbers invade her house! It’s the unpleasant couple next door.

Act 2:

New plan- She finds a gun near the shower and a note pinned to her shower curtain that explains the game she’s in. She must shower in exactly half an hour, while the robbers rob her in exactly half an hour – no clocks. Finish first, you kill the opponent. Finish last – they kill you. But finish too early before the time is up, and your weapon backfires and kills you.

Plan in action – Rainey has a nervous breakdown in the shower as she’s never killed anyone. But she starts counting down the half hour, determined to end right on time. The thieves in her house are doing the same thing.

Midpoint Turning Point – When Rainey tries to put on a bathrobe to talk to the robbers about a compromise, she gets another note pinned to her shower forbidding her to do it and she discovers the person running the games knows what she’s doing by sense of smell! THE SNIFFER! He smelled her coming out of the shower! Another note tells her that even if both sides end on time, they die. Two winners are not allowed, and both their guns will backfire and kill them as they kill the other. Oh, if both finish too late – a bomb will go off, killing both sides.

Act 3:

Rethink everything – Basically both sides find out, that win or lose, they die. Rainey tries to compromise with the robbers so neither side shoots.They refuse. But she finds out they were suckered into the game to get out of deep debt. When she tries to get her medication and walker and canes she left outside the bathroom door, the robbers try to shoot her. Instead the gun backfires and Kayla dies, because she shot the gun too early.

New plan – The only option is to find THE SNIFFER’S identity and stop the game before the half hour is up.

Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift – She tries to outsmart THE SNIFFER’S nose with charcoal bamboo to mask her smell, gets far enough to discover a locked door that leads to — tunnels. But THE SNIFFER finds out and threatens her with ——??

Act 4:

Final plan – Josh tries to fool Rainey on how much time is left, while Rainey figures out that THE SNIFFER gets in to leave them notes through the tunnels – and can smell things through the air vents.

Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict – Without canes, she half stumbles and falls through the tunnels and stairs to find THE SNIFFER, running the game from his apartment, complete with a clock and bomb detonator plus smell and hearing aids connected to the vents???. But she can’t see who it is, as he has his back turned. A note outside his locked door challenges her to shoot him to see if her gun will backfire.

Resolution – Afraid and unable to shoot well with her paralyzed gun hand and body, he urges her to use her left hand. She finds out who THE SNIFFER is when he turns around. It’s the young disabled kid, a virulent anti war activist who wants to kill anyone who’s served in the military, and he already knew she was a former soldier, and thereby tried to kill both Rainey and Josh, another vet. Kayla was just collateral and a sociopath.

Ending is – In fact, he shoots her as encouragement. Afraid, unable to escape, and out of options, she shoots spastically through the wall with her left hand out of sheer desperation. Her awkward shots somehow hit him. Too late – the explosion he promised goes off. BUT – not in her apartment. it is his apartment that blows up, sending her flying through the air but OK. When she shot him, the suicide explosive vest he was wearing went off.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Anna Maganini.

[Gina Coviello]

Gina’s 4-Act Structure

What I learned doing this assignment is… The 4-Act structure flows better than the 3-Act, and makes it easier to determine if you have enough tension and conflict in the story. I know I have to keep tweaking this, but this gives you a nice roadmap to see where there are holes, or where changes need to be made before the writing process. My first pass on paper was loaded with details (which you told us not to do!) so I cleaned it up for the purpose of this assignment. I feel like I can make my concept a little stronger, as well.

Concept – A medical research team find themselves trapped in their deep ocean lab after an ocean earthquake damages the base, communication, and life support systems.

Main Conflict – The base is flooding and sliding toward the edge of the sea shelf and the IT expert is sabotaging their escape for his own gain.

ACT 1

Opening – In a deep ocean medical research facility, the group work on creating cures for viruses and diseases, experimenting with the venom from sea creatures as a possible cure.

Inciting Incident – An ocean earthquake rattles the station, damaging areas and wreaking havoc with the computer systems.

Turning Point – The IT expert assures the group that he can get everything up and running, and that the damage is manageable.

ACT 2

New Plan – Assess the damage to determine if it is safe to continue their work.

Plan in Action – Marcus (security) checks it structurally, Keller (IT) checks the systems, and the doctors (Lena, Nadine, Oliver, and Isaac) check their labs and make sure the contagions are secure.

Midpoint Turning Point – Oliver is exposed to a deadly virus and closes himself in the lab to protect the others. They watch helplessly outside the door as he dies. Keller can’t get the system up and running, but lies about it, planning to escape in a one-man submarine, leaving them all behind.

ACT 3

Rethink Everything – Losing Oliver has the group worried that they may all be infected. Marcus suspects Keller is up to something, but his main concern is getting everyone out alive.

New Plan – Gather up the data and research, and evacuate the base.

Turning Point: Huge Failure/Major Shift – The earthquake caused a landslide and the base is shifting toward the edge of the shelf. They discover Keller’s betrayal, that the company he is working for is blackmailing Nadine, making her steal samples of the virus and he is there to report on her. At the same time, he is also stealing the base’s research and secrets to sell to the highest bidder. The only reason they didn’t evacuate immediately is because he didn’t have what he needed, so he lied about the life support systems coming back online. The system is down, and access to the single submarines is destroyed.

ACT 4

Final Plan – Navigate the flooding base in order to manually override the system and jettison the submersible to the surface.

Climax/Ultimate Expression of Conflict – As they race to the submersible, the base fills with water. Isaac gets trapped and drowns. The box jellyfish, now loose from its tank, stings Keller, sending him into cardiac arrest and killing him. The remaining three get to the submersible, but once inside, see that it can’t be sealed and jettisoned from the inside. While Mac and Lena rush to find a solution, Nadine exits, seals the hatch from the outside and hits the eject button, sacrificing herself to save them.

Resolution – Marcus and Lena watch the base and Nadine slide off the shelf into the dark abyss as they rise up to the surface, finally free.

• This reply was modified 7 months, 1 week ago by  Gina Coviello.

[Arthur Anderson]

Arthur’s 4 Act Structure

What I learned from the assignment is the four-act structure serves as a powerful tool for crafting a cohesive and compelling film, ensuring that the narrative remains engaging while providing opportunities for character exploration and thematic depth.

1. Concept
In The Creatures of Jekyll Island, a group of high school students wins a lottery for an exclusive Halloween houseboat river tour, only to find themselves stranded on the eerie shores of Jekyll Island, a former bio-weapons lab filled with genetically mutated creatures. As night falls, they must confront these terrifying monsters, including a former mutated scientist who controls them, while battling their own hidden fears and betrayals to survive the night.

2. Main Conflict
As the teenagers navigate the horrors of the island, they face terrifying creatures led by a mutated scientist.

Act 1:

Opening: The film opens at a lively Halloween party at a river house, showcasing the excitement of the lottery winners preparing for the “Halloween Houseboat Horror River Tour.” The characters are introduced amidst laughter and camaraderie, setting a carefree tone.

Inciting Incident: As they pass by Jekyll Island, something rams their boat from below, disabling the engine. Panic sets in as they realize they are adrift, unable to navigate away from the ominous island.

Turning Point: The group decides to investigate the island for help. As they approach the shore, they witness Ty being violently killed by a creature and taken away. Fear grips them, leading to chaos as they scramble to find safety.

Act 2:

New Plan: The remaining friends, now in shock, decide to seek shelter in an abandoned building on the island. Tension rises as they argue about what to do next, revealing their individual fears and insecurities.

Plan in Action: While searching for supplies and a means to call for help, they encounter strange noises and unsettling signs of previous inhabitants. They stumble upon hints of a former scientist who conducted unethical experiments, heightening their paranoia.

Midpoint Turning Point: In a shocking moment, they discover a hidden chamber revealing the creatures’ origins and that the former scientist has mutated into a creature that now controls the other mutated animals. This revelation shifts their understanding of their situation and escalates their desperation.

Act 3:

Rethink Everything: As night falls, the group faces a new threat: the creatures, led by the mutated scientist, begin attacking them one by one. They must confront their inner demons and the fractures within their friendships.

New Plan: They devise a plan to create a diversion using flares to distract the creatures while attempting to escape back to the boat.

Turning Point: Huge Failure / Major Shift: The plan goes horribly wrong when the flares attract even more creatures, and the mutated scientist reveals its terrifying power to command the others. In the chaos, Mason is brutally killed, causing the remaining friends to spiral into panic and despair, realizing they may not escape.

Act 4:

Final Plan: With dwindling hope, Riley devises a last-ditch effort to reach the boat and signal for help using whatever materials they can find, recognizing that they must confront the mutated scientist to survive.

Climax/Ultimate Expression of the Conflict: In a heart-pounding showdown, Riley faces the mutated scientist and the remaining creatures, using her wits and courage. As she fights for survival, she must confront the group’s hidden truths and her own guilt over their decisions.

Resolution: Riley emerges as the sole survivor, traumatized but resolute. As she escapes the island on a piece of driftwood, she is haunted by the memories of her friends and the horrors they faced, not seeing the giant claw emerging from the water close behind her!

[Joy Smith]

Joy Smith’s 4 Act Structure

What I learned doing this assignment is… The same thing I always learn when I look at structure – it is my friend! The framework leaves me with plenty of room to still be creative, even with the timelines if I wish, but it helps me to tell the story clearly, in a way that makes sense to the audience and builds excitement and entertainment.

My current structure isn’t perfect and needs strengthening, but I can do that. Forward!

Create a first draft of your 4 Act Structure.

1. Tell us the following:
• Concept: When Santa’s daughter is accidentally stuck on a magical island, she is forced to choose a husband before her father’s powers vanish, threatening Christmas for everyone.
• Main Conflict: Sandra choosing a husband – it shows up as conflict with her father, between her and the two suitors and only between the two suitors.

2. Fill in each of these with the answers you have right now.
Act 1:
• Opening: Santa on the beach with his daughter, having an office party before the biggest day of the year: delivery day.
• Inciting Incident: Santa tells his daughter he wants to retire and she must choose a husband because being Santa is a big job.
• Turning Point: Sandra realizes she is trapped on the island – she thinks alone!
Act 2:
• New plan: While she is enjoying sulking, she finds out that two of her suitors are also trapped with her.
• Plan in action: They try to woo her and get her to make a decision, respecting Santa’s wishes, but she is resistant.
• Midpoint Turning Point: They find out that Santa’s powers are diminishing the longer they are on the island.
Act 3:
• Rethink everything: Sandra realises she must make a decision to save Christmas for everyone.
• New plan: She uncovers the elf that has been helping Magnus, and realizes that he and the elf are in love. They leave the island via the Bermuda triangle.
• Turning Point: Huge failure / Major shift: Santa is still on the island, in a weakened state, they need to resolve it to save Christmas.
Act 4:
• Final plan: Sandra must marry Jasper to save Santa.
• Climax/Ultimate expression of the conflict: Sandra marries Jasper, fulfilling her Father’s wishes and releasing the magic.
• Resolution: They start deliveries as Mr & Mrs Claus

3. Once you have created the 4-Act Structure for your Protagonist, go back over it to see if there is any big picture points you need to add to represent your Antagonist. – Done! (Santa is the antagonist.)