4 Act Structure for Shorts?

Most pros advise not to create the mini-feature in a short, and instead to use the short form more as a "slice of" a feature. Both of my shorts are complete stories though, so I guess it would depend on your subject and desired style.

Of course in terms of "success" I assume you mean critical because there is no commercial market for shorts beyond compilations and a miniscule amount of shelf space.

I always look at shorts as the smaller version of a feature, and learned from others that shorts is simple 'a part' or 'partial' of a full story, sometimes it can make sense, sometimes it doesn't.

Thinking back on all the shorts I've worked on, it always kept the protagonist 'in mind' and work within the character, never expand over to have many sub-characters that doesn't make sense or 'stealing' the show away.

I think it does follow the 4 act structure but in a very condensed version. Personally, in my 3 mins, 5 mins or even 23 mins shorts of mine. I always have 'a start', 'the reason', 'the conflict', and 'the end'... (ok, my 'version' of 4 act structure but in reality, it's what Filmy said, just I adopted into my own verbage because it connects with me in that way instead. As I see it, learning to write is like learning to do martial arts, you don't do it because it is there to follow, but to do it so it is part of you). The Chase, a 3.32 mins short films also followed it.

To take some of my latest shorts for example that i did:

A Joker's Card (18 mins), characters were introduced (quickly and hoping that their name connects them to the background parent's relationship) since my original goal was to make it very short (which didn't happen), I wanted a way for the comic book fan easiy can connect with the characters (they were my main viewing audience), so I purposely made each character's name or outfit as close as the actual supervillans/superhero, but keeping in mind of them being the offspring.

So Jonathan Napier, son of Jack Napier, but a bit more 'realistic' not as crazy as Jack Napier (Jack Napier of the name Tim Burton gave in the first Batman for The Joker, although it wasn't the 'official' name for Joker - according to WB and many places I've researched), it was mostly identified as the Joker's real name.

I gave Victor Fries (Mr. Freeze) son name as Vince Fries so their first and last connects with the actual character, similarity to imply usually work... So did for Nick Grayson as Dick Grayson's son and poking fun a bit on how we all always made fun of Robin as a gay character, we decided to make the son 'gay' AND into S&M because he always look for his dad's love but never gotten it, and there is that 'cold' contact when his dad showed up at the end face to face with Nick.

Ellen as Wonder Woman's daughter (Donna) but of course, there weren't real lastname being used much for Wonder Woman so it would be easier to use her 'outfit' whom Christine created that assimilate to what Wonder Woman would use.

Then with AJC, I developed a reason, for Jonathan, the main character, showing him being bruised, and beaten up, and the reason why he was hurt bad: everyone already know he's Joker's son and so they just doesn't treat him with respect. Then the 'conflict' where Vince telling Jonathan what he can do to take over the world... (obviously it's more Vince's desire than Jonathan's) and so they embarked out to destroy the sons and daughters of superhero.

When I got this far, i realized, Vince and Jonathan didn't have any allies, they can't beat the good guys just alone by themselves, so we need to connect them for someone who can help, hence the introduction of Mr. Big (my own character, molded after King Pin) to be the underground lord, he is one of those over-the-top person who thinks he's God...

So, Mr. Big has to be 'brought' in but yet, his goons aren't enough of story to keep this moving, and there isn't any 'great' ending. And I didn't want to start developing the goons' personality as then the story's matter will move toward to another realm (I would lose control of my story subject).

See, originally, there were also Green Lantern's son who is very skinny and tall. Batman's son who is blind and deaf. Superman's son who is a very very very very short person. etc. I had to write them out because too many characters to develop and they would also slowly moving out of our protogonist.

Actually, it was already out of the 'character' with Wonder Woman's daughter Ellen but she was more of a 'comedy' part of the story.... fyi, everyone was typecast for their role as that was what I envisioned the sons/daughters to be, based on some psychology research as well.

Anyway, I wanted a good 'death' or the 'end' conflict so I had to introduce characters that are powerful to bring the house down. So I added Nightwing (previously Robin) to have this 'cold' moment with his son and then have an all battle out scene with Ekin Tsu (an actual character of DC that only appeared a few times). So, Ekin works for Mr. Big, and since my goal wasn't to expand much about his past nor about Nightwing and 'wonders' off again, I added this line "Dick, long time" at the end when Ekin shows up... (Bare in mind, that has a 2nd meaning)... but that's reflecting the connection of Ekin and Nightwing knew each other in the past...

Lastly, I didn't want the final 'battle' to take away from the story, so I had to poke fun of the wire-fu and have the good guys walks out winning (in a campy way) since the whole story is campy.

I was told, if I take out all the funny parts, this could make it a serious film, but then if I do that, I wouldn't be able to go to film festivals or conventions or even for distribution possibility (because it will no longer become a parody of sort - poking fun of DC Universe). I would end up with a short that probably 20% of the comic book fans that hated the current version to love it but then I have no more outlet with it).

Same I did with the music video Drama Queen (3 mins), start with showing the drama queen kid to revealing his reason behind doing so, and to end with a conflict and him showing off.

Same I did with En Passant (7 mins), started with a basic 2 men conversation about serial killers (reason and quietly showing each character's personality), it escalated into an argument with them (the conflict), to show the result of their argument (a victim).

So, I think I do follow the 4 Act structure even with short films And I think even Christine's shorts Rubble, Killer Squirrell and 21st Century did as well...

johnny

DIsclaimer: I am no writer, just a kid who grew up playing alone in the dark.

clive said:

Ewan Mcgreggor is walking along a beach, sees a cake in the sand, guilty picks it up and bites down only for a giant fish hook to be ripped through his cheek and he's dragged into the sea.

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Oh, this is fictional? Darn...

I've actually written several short scripts using the 4 Act Structure...

I've found the real key here is to simply use the basic protagonist modes and forget any actual steps within each mode...

Just take your Protagonist through the 4 Protagonist modes:

L ONER
E XPLORER
A CTIVIST
D EATH

If you take your short script's protagonist through the general territory of the above modes, without actually worrying about any detailed steps and keep it fast and loose, it will work.

filmy

I've actually written several short scripts using the 4 Act Structure...

I've found the real key here is to simply use the basic protagonist modes and forget any actual steps within each mode...

Just take your Protagonist through the 4 Protagonist modes:

L ONER
E XPLORER
A CTIVIST
D EATH

If you take your short script's protagonist through the general territory of the above modes, without actually worrying about any detailed steps and keep it fast and loose, it will work.

Click to expand...

I thought that's what it would be -- I just couldn't get my head round the application of it.

In a sense it doesn't matter how short the script is if you take that approach -- it should be possible to cover all those bases in a one page story.

I really must finish reading Hero with a thousand faces -- so I can get to grips with the depth of this.!

When I was looking at stories as 3-act pieces, I was writing fractally. Such that every scene had the same structure as the overall piece...and each character had an arc in every scene they were in...and so on.

Would this still apply to the 4-act structure or is it dissimilar enough from the rising/falling action of the 3-act.

(at one point, I was breaking down every line spoken as well to see if the fractal held up, but that was difficult). I ask because in the 3-act structure, I would say yes, it applies directly to the short form, but it seems the 4-act takes more time to progress through.

I've ended just about every sentence with a preposition...sorry guys, I'll shut up.

Another fractal...

knightly said:

When I was looking at stories as 3-act pieces, I was writing fractally. Such that every scene had the same structure as the overall piece...and each character had an arc in every scene they were in...and so on.

Would this still apply to the 4-act structure or is it dissimilar enough from the rising/falling action of the 3-act.

(at one point, I was breaking down every line spoken as well to see if the fractal held up, but that was difficult). I ask because in the 3-act structure, I would say yes, it applies directly to the short form, but it seems the 4-act takes more time to progress through.

I've ended just about every sentence with a preposition...sorry guys, I'll shut up.

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knightly,

I think the 4 Act Structure is dissimilar enough... Additionally, you hit the nail on the head...

FRACTALS

Essentially, for either a short or feature length script, you are taking your Protagonist through each Mode and within each mode you take the Protagonist through the same exact 4 modes within the CONTEXT of that Act's mode.

Sounds weird so I'll try to explain a little better...

Take your Protagonist and start him or her off through the LONER mode of the 4 Act Structure...

Now, while INSIDE the LONER mode, transition your Protagonist through the same 4 modes within that Act and within the CONTEXT (Loner mode) of that act.

Essentially, your Protagonist does move through all 4 modes within each of the 4 Acts.

So as you move to Act 2 (EXPLORER mode), you once again transition your Protagonist through the same 4 modes... i.e., LONER, EXPLORER, ACTIVIST, and DEATH. You just have to remember to keep the transition within the context of each specific Act mode that you're in.

If you do nothing else as far as structure, just knowing this simple technique will improve the structure of your stories by leaps and bounds...

Of course within each Act, certain things should happen at certain times... But you still transition the Protagonist through all the modes within each Act mode... Hence, the FRACTAL still holds true...

Automatically, you keep the action and conflict constantly rising by following this technique...

This has been a little difficult for some writers to follow but once you get a handle on it... Watch out.

filmy

Wee-Hoo...I put out a writing concept here before Filmy or Clive! Thanks for the explanation also, it seems more concise than mine.

Actually...

knightly said:

Wee-Hoo...I put out a writing concept here before Filmy or Clive! Thanks for the explanation also, it seems more concise than mine.

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LOL. The idea of taking the Protagonist through each of the 4 modes within the context of each mode is already in the Tricks of the Trade pdf file... I am glad that you've brought it up though because using a FRACTAL is more of an advanced way of troubleshooting a story or draft while working on the rewrite...

filmy

DOH! Damn your eyes!

Took me twenty-four hours to process the fractal concept -- however, in the meantime I think I've taken it a step further.

The trick is to expand vertically rather than horizontally.

Fractal micro-structure is a horizontal concept because it breaks the structure into smaller parcels of time.

To expand this vertically you have to move to embrace the idea that everyone is the hero of their own story.

With that concept on board you then apply the four act heroic structure to EVERY character's journey and create the drama out of the conflicts that their different goals and worldviews creates. (Of course this is then applied fractally)

Bottom line is -- there is no antagonist.

clive said:

Bottom line is -- there is no antagonist.

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Wow Neo, we're gonna turn the script writing world on its head! whoa!

I'm pretty sure that theory and creating characters that we as the writers know better than the characters themselves goes hand in hand. When we create a plausible motivation for a character based on subconcious character traits, then we've done something right - and then boom now the character is doing something for themselves instead of just being a piece of a puzzle.

Wow Neo, we're gonna turn the script writing world on its head! whoa!

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And that's without applying the sequence of five tribal rhythms to the pace of every sequence.

Starts flowing, then stacatto, into chaos, releases into lyrical and becomes reflective in stillness! Only to start the cycle all over.

I've read all the posts in this thread with interest because I'm working on my second short film script. I realize I've got a lot to learn about this. I know quite a bit about playwrighting and have stage plays produced. I'm in post production for my first short and have learned a great deal. I'm hungry to get to the next level of writing - I plan to produce this script - if I can get it to a point where it would merit production. Would any gurus out there be willing to take a look at the discovery draft of my short 12p screenplay and offer a bit of criticism?

Sure...

Media Hero said:

I've read all the posts in this thread with interest because I'm working on my second short film script. I realize I've got a lot to learn about this. I know quite a bit about playwrighting and have stage plays produced. I'm in post production for my first short and have learned a great deal. I'm hungry to get to the next level of writing - I plan to produce this script - if I can get it to a point where it would merit production. Would any gurus out there be willing to take a look at the discovery draft of my short 12p screenplay and offer a bit of criticism?

Click to expand...

Just PM me when you're ready to send it...

filmy