The 3-Act Paradigm at Work: Independence Day

written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich


Independence Day is the kind of movie Hollywood does well, a fast-moving action tale with superb special effects. Although it has some weakness in protagonist focus, it is well worth studying for its excellent scene design and economy.

Structural Analysis

  1. Hook (1 min.)
    • A strange shadow crosses the lunar landscape, as an object heads for Earth.
  2. Complication (2-3 min.)
    • On Earth, radio signals from the object are picked up. There's something from another world out there - and it's slowing down.
  3. Call to Action (16 min.)
    • The President refuses to join the evacuation of government in D.C. He's staying with the ship to see what this object is.
  4. Act One Plot Point (26-7 min.)
    • "We're not alone," the President tells the nation - and panic and chaos result. David, a techie, knows the aliens are poised to attack.
  5. Midpoint Plot Point (45-9 min.)
    • The aliens attack, destroying major cities. Air Force One barely escapes.
  6. Act Two Plot Point (89 min.)
    • The end of the world appears at hand -- the U.S.'s best nuclear device fails to penetrate the protective shield of the attacking space ship.
  7. Climax and Resolution (97, 120-30 min.)
    • David gets the idea of giving the space ship a virus, destroying its protective shield. The President himself flies a jet and it is his strike that first damages the space ship. The Earth is saved.

Notes

Independence Day has a tight scene structure -- scenes are short and focused, each driving the story forward. Moments of high action are followed by more reflective quiet scenes, a typical pattern in story pacing. The stakes, especially on the ride through the last act, are always getting raised -- the situation looks worse than it did, or a seeming victory is quickly followed by a reversal and greater challenge. For example, just when it appears the "earthlings" can "fire at will," they run out of missiles -- until an alcoholic crop duster pilot shows up late, with all his missiles ready to go.

There are four important character arcs in this story, and the failure of the President or anyone else to become the clear protagonist is the weakness here, although it is not a crippling one in a story so packed with action and special effects.


MODULE 4: SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting

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