HOLLYWOOD MOVIE STRUCTURE

This formula has been applied to short 5min movies and more often than not 2hr Hollywood blockbusters new and old. If you have seen a movie that has a galactic ending battle sequence (showdown) between the good guy and bad guy or where the main character faces a huge set back and all hope is lost toward the end of the movie or the stakes always seem to get higher…Well that’s almost every movie out there, below is a break down of how this classic formula is structured.

THE SETUP (0-10%)

• Capture the audience (Hook)
• Show the everyday life of the hero (main character)
• Establish your hero’s identification (sympathetic, likable, funny…)

TURNING POINT 1 (10%)

• Present an opportunity that creates a visible desire (does not necessarily define story’s concept)

NEW SITUATION (10-25%)

• Reacts to a new situation presented
• Hero gets acclimated and Formulates a plan for the new situation

CHANGE OF PLANS (25%)

• Transform original desire to an easily visible goal with a defined end point (rescue the dame in distress)
• Hero is extremely motivated

PROGRESS (25-50%)

• Hero takes action to achieve goal
• Things seem to be going as planned (everything is going their way)

POINT OF NO RETURN (50%)

• Hero had an opportunity to turn back to their life before this goal, but now is fully committed to goal

COMPLICATIONS AND HIGHER STAKES (50-75%)

• Achieving the goal becomes far more difficult and now has more to lose

THE MAJOR SETBACK (75%)

• With goal insight (nearly there) a new obstacle presents itself making it seem all is lost (impossible)

THE FINAL PUSH (75-99%)

• Beaten and battered the hero dives in head first to give everything he/she has left
• The pace is accelerated and everything is working against the hero (counting down bomb)

THE CLIMAX (99%)

• Hero faces the biggest obstacle/bad guy
• Hero determines own fate
• Goal is resolved (hero has reached goal)

THE AFTERMATH (99-100%)

• Now that the hero has achieved their goal what is he/she going to do with this new life

When writing a script keep in mind to stay true to your story and add elements on top of the main story line, not the other way around. Many student films I’ve seen were funny or moving but there was no point to what was going on. If you have clear goals and take the main character on a journey physically or emotionally you will end up with a great movie! Again, have fun, stick true to who you are, and don’t be afraid to work outside the box (outside comfort level).