The 3-Act Paradigm Worksheet

by Charles Deemer

(revised, June 2002)

TITLE:

AUTHOR:

LOGLINE:





(Note: page references below are guidelines and can vary.)

ACT ONE

The Hook [first scene if possible; no later than several pages in] (we have to know what happens next):




The Complication [scene after the hook if possible; certainly before page 10] (the hero's initial predicament):




The Hero's Call to Action [about 15-20 pages in] (s/he's going for the "goal"):




First Act Plot Point [about 25-30 pages in] (a startling turn of events):






ACT TWO

Hero's Goal (what s/he wants now):





Midpoint Plot Point [about 50-60 pages in] (another turn of events, possible new goal):




Act Two Plot Point [about 80-90 pages in] (major reversal, all appears lost):





ACT THREE

Hero's Goal (what is the showdown about?):





Climax & Resolution (how does the hero win?):





Step Outline

To expand the paradigm chart into a step outline, list the scenes in sequence that make up each section of the chart above. Use index cards, number them in order and describe each scene with a sentence or two, one card per scene. You should end up with anywhere from fifty to a couple hundred cards, give or take, depending on how "small" you make the steps of the story. See sample.

(Note: you may end up with less cards if you are writing your step outline with SEQUENCES rather than scenes. A sequence is several related scenes - a chase through the countryside could take three pages of script and ten scenes but remain one sequence, and your index card might merely note "chase through the countryside" rather than breaking it down moment by moment, scene by scene. It depends on how much of a tree person you really are, how much of the detail you want to work out ahead of time. One of the all time Big Tree People was Alfred Hitchcock, who would storyboard his entire movie before shooting it.)

Treatment

A treatment expands the step outline: it is a present-tense telling of the story, using very little dialogue. Treatments can run five or ten pages, or longer, again depending on how much detail you get into. See sample.


SCREENWRIGHT: the craft of screenwriting

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