Why Screenplay Structure?
Several years ago, when I decided to switch from writing stageplays to screenplays, I began reading lots of books on the subject. Some were useful. Others were a waste of good paper. But as I went further and further into the matter, an interesting issue came up. I refer to screenplay structure. Now in essence this means a film is supposadely divided into three acts…a Beginning, Middle and End. All three are theoretically puntuated by “plot points” or “turning points.” Relationships between such depend on the source. In essence though, it works something like this… A man comes back from the store, carefully hiding what he’s purchased from the neighbors (INTRO). Then he goes into a workroom, using bits and pieces he just bought to build something. After a while we see what he’s made is in fact a bomb. (END OF ACT ONE). Now he goes and plants the bomb somewhere–a schoolyard, perhaps, or maybe in Gestapo headquarters. Our Bomber now goes somewhere else, and with a press of a switch a
