The three-act structure is a commonly used framework in storytelling, particularly in screenwriting and playwriting, but it can also be applied to other forms of storytelling like novels and short stories.
It divides a story into three main parts, each with its own content and purpose.
The three-act structure has long been used to tell stories.
It has evolved over centuries as a result of dramatic and narrative conventions in various cultures and art forms.
If you go back and look at classical drama from Ancient Greece and Rome, you’ll find the three-act structure.
Classical plays, like those of playwrights like Aristotle, used a structure that included elements of exposition, rising action, and resolution.
Aristotle’s Poetics provided early insights into dramatic structure.
Shakespearean drama in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly Shakespeare’s five-act plays, had a significant influence on the development of dramatic structure. While he used a five-act structure, there were clear turning points and acts within his plays.
In the 17th century, French neoclassical playwrights like Jean Racine and Pierre Corneille further refined dramatic structure. They adhered to the unities, three principles which were derived from Aristotle’s Poetics, which contributed to the idea of acts and dramatic arcs.
These principles were called, respectively, unity of action, unity of place, and unity of time, and they required a play to have a single action represented as occurring in a single place and within the course of a day.
In the 19th century, melodrama became a popular theatrical form. It often featured a clear three-act structure with a villain, a hero, and a damsel in distress. This format influenced later storytelling.
The three-act structure became more prominent in the early days of Hollywood film-making. Screenwriters like Syd Field and others helped popularise and codify the three-act structure as a standard for screenwriting in the 20th century.
While the three-act structure’s precise origins are difficult to pinpoint, it has become a foundational and versatile tool for storytellers across different mediums. It provides a framework that helps create engaging and well-structured narratives by establishing a clear beginning, middle, and end with distinct turning points and arcs.
The third-act breakup is common in romance narratives.
When a story is a romance (or has a pivotal romantic arc) it’s pretty standard for the couple to meet in the first act, hang out and get to know each other in the second act, and then break up in the third act.
Done wrong, the third-act breakup is corny, predictable, and doesn’t feel justified.
It becomes a pain to sit through, as you find yourself shouting at the characters that they’re being utter idiot. But done right, it can elevate the ending and push the right pace for the conclusion.
Just because it’s called a break up, doesn’t always mean the relationship ends (especially not if it’s a genre story with genre rules), but it’s a catalyst that throws a wrench in the protagonist’s plans, causing a pivot in the direction of the narrative or character arc.
These acts help create a sense of structure and progression in a narrative.
Here’s an overview of the three acts and their components:
Act 1: Setup
Establishes the foundation of the story, introduces the characters and their goals, and sets up the central conflict. It engages the audience’s interest and sets the stage for what’s to come.
- Introduction: This is where the main characters, setting, and the initial situation are introduced to the audience.
- Inciting Incident: This is the event or situation that disrupts the protagonist’s normal life and sets the story in motion.
- Plot Point 1: This is a significant event or decision that propels the protagonist into the main conflict of the story. It often occurs around the end of Act 1.
Act 2: Confrontation
This is the longest part of the story and is all about building tension and conflict. It tests the characters and their goals, and it deepens the narrative by exploring different facets of the story’s themes and characters.
- Rising Action: This part of Act 2 is filled with a series of complications, obstacles, and challenges that the protagonist faces as they pursue their goal or attempt to resolve the central conflict.
- Midpoint: The midpoint is a pivotal moment in the story where something significant changes. It can be a revelation, a turning point, or a moment of decision.
- Plot Point 2: Towards the end of Act 2, another significant event occurs that raises the stakes and often seems to make success even more difficult.
Act 3: Resolution
Provides resolution and closure to the story. It answers the questions raised earlier and allows the audience to see the consequences of the characters’ actions.
- Climax: This is the highest point of tension and conflict in the story. It’s where the protagonist faces the central conflict head-on and makes their final push toward their goal.
- Falling Action: After the climax, the story begins to wind down. Loose ends are tied up, and the consequences of the climax are revealed.
- Resolution: This is where the story reaches its conclusion. Questions are answered, and the characters often find some form of closure.
The three-act structure is a versatile framework, and not all stories fit neatly into it.
Variations and adaptations exist, such as the five-act structure or more complex structures — the Hero’s Journey, Mice quotient and a basic flash fiction structure to name a few — but the three-act structure remains a well-used tool for creating structured and engaging narratives.
By having even the simplest framework in place, it’s easier to build tension, keep the audience engaged, and deliver a satisfying conclusion.
How to combine the three-act structure with other narrative arcs.
Mixing and matching story structures (especially the overarching ones with ones that have specific beats) can be a great way to examine or plan a plot.
Here, I’ve combined the key beats of the Hero’s Journey with the overarching framework of the three-act structure, creating a comprehensive narrative arc for the hero(ine)’s transformation and growth.
Act 1: The Departure
- Ordinary World: Introduce the hero in their normal environment, establishing their everyday life and desires.
- Call to Adventure: The hero receives a call to action or discovers a problem that needs to be addressed.
- Refusal of the Call: Initially, the hero resists the call due to fear, doubts, or obligations.
- Meeting the Mentor: The hero encounters a mentor figure who provides guidance or wisdom.
- Crossing the Threshold: Despite initial reluctance, the hero decides to embark on the journey, leaving their ordinary world behind.
Act 2: The Initiation
- Road of Trials: The hero faces a series of challenges, tests, and encounters with allies and enemies.
- Approach to the Inmost Cave: The hero approaches the central conflict or faces their most significant challenge.
- Ordeal: The hero confronts their biggest fear or undergoes a transformational experience.
- Reward (Seizing the Sword): After overcoming the ordeal, the hero gains new knowledge, skills, or allies.
- The Road Back: The hero begins the journey back to their ordinary world, but they may encounter one final obstacle.
Act 3: The Return
- Resurrection: The hero faces one last, climactic challenge that tests their newfound abilities.
- Return with the Elixir: The hero returns to the ordinary world, bringing back what they’ve learned or gained from their journey.
- Master of Two Worlds: The hero integrates their experiences from the journey into their ordinary life, achieving a new balance or understanding.
- Freedom to Live: The hero has achieved personal growth and is now free to live a fulfilling life, having completed their journey.
I also went ahead and did the same with the 7-point plot structure, and it leaves us with a cleaner, more focused story arc:
Act 1: Setup
- Hook: Grab the audience’s attention with a compelling opening that establishes the tone and sets the stage for the story.
- Plot Turn 1 (Inciting Incident): Introduce the event or decision that sets the main conflict of the story in motion, disrupting the protagonist’s ordinary world.
- Pinch Point 1: Reinforce the antagonist’s power or threat, increasing the pressure on the protagonist.
Act 2: Confrontation
- Midpoint: A significant event or revelation that changes the direction of the story and deepens the protagonist’s involvement in the conflict.
- Plot Turn 2: Introduce a major twist or setback that raises the stakes and pushes the protagonist to their limits.
- Pinch Point 2: Escalate the conflict further, showing the protagonist’s vulnerability and reinforcing the antagonist’s strength.
Act 3: Resolution
- Conclusion: Resolve the central conflict, tying up loose ends, and providing closure for the audience.
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