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This is the structural template that aspiring and professional TV writers have been looking for. Story Maps: TV Drama offers the first beat sheet for television screenwriters ("Save the Cat" for TV). Not that we don’t have complex emotions or ideas about what it all amounts to, but at this point we crave clarity.Daniel Calvisi brings his Story Maps screenwriting method to television as he breaks down the structure of the TV drama pilot, citing case studies from the most popular, ground-breaking series of recent years, including THE WALKING DEAD, GAME OF THRONES, HOUSE OF CARDS, TRUE DETECTIVE, BREAKING BAD, MR. If they turn left, all is well, if they go right, the world as we know it ends. The TWIST can end this sequence or come at the start of the eighth sequence. Simpler, faster in nearly all ways, with rapid, short scenes and no real elaborate set-ups.
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The full yet simple, brief establishment of the third act tension with its requisite exposition. So if our hero wins at the midpoint and at the end of the film, then she usually hs her lowest point here. Note: Since most midpoints and endings are paralleled, the PLOT POINT at the end of act two is usually at a polar opposite of those points. But we get the first inklings of the new tension that will carry us through the third act. The highest obstacle, the last alternative, the highest or lowest moment and the end of our main tension come at this point. The build-up to the MAIN CULMINATION – back to the main story line with a vengeance. SEQUENCE SIX – Main Culmination/End of Act Two We still want RISING ACTION, but we’re not ready for the MAIN CULMINATION yet. The SECOND ACT SAG can set in at this point if we don’t have a strong SUBPLOT to take the ball for a while. If, however, our hero wins in the end of the film, then sequence four should end with him winning in some way. If the story is a tragedy and our hero dies, then the first culmination (or midpoint) should be a low point for our character. SEQUENCE FOUR – First Culmination/MidpointĪ higher OBSTACLE, the principle of RISING ACTION is brought in and builds to the FIRST CULMINATION, which usually parallels the RESOLUTION of the film. Since our character is locked into the situation and can’t simply walk away, the stakes are higher – there is a lot more to lose. The first OBSTACLE to the central character is faced, and the beginning of the elimination of the alternatives begins, often a time where EXPOSITION left over from ACT I is brought out.

SEQUENCE THREE – First Obstacle & Raising the Stakes
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The sequence ends when the main character is LOCKED IN the predicament, propelling him/her into a new direction to obtain his/her goal.ĭownload your favorite scripts here for free The main tension will be established at the end of the act.

Sets up the predicament that will be central to the story, with first intimations of possible obstacles. It usually ends with the POINT OF ATTACK or INCITING INCIDENT, but this plot point can sometimes appear earlier in the first few minutes of the film. SEQUENCE ONE – Status Quo & Inciting IncidentĮstablishes the central character, his/her life, and the status quo and the world of the story. Once you understand your outline, write your script in 5 weeks with this guide. Because each script is a prototype: new, unique, custom-made just for its own story. This Sequence Outline is NOT an absolute formula or perfect recipe to building a feature script, but it is something to work from.
