Copyright © 2023 Jerry Dunne
The plot isn’t a series of events that move forward in a random way. The events are connected by cause and effect and have a very definite structure to them. The three fundamental building blocks of this structure are dramatic action (a character has a want, desire or need that they act on in some way and which is plot relevant), dramatic conflict (occurs when a character’s want, desire or need is opposed by someone or something and is plot relevant) and dramatic climax/crisis/event (creates a point of important change for character/s which is initiated by dramatic conflict and is plot relevant). Yet, these major building blocks do not in themselves offer us a concrete structure for the play. However, by incorporating them into the 3-act plot arc structure, we discoveran incredibly effective way of guiding the play’s physical and emotional storyline to its maximum potential from start to finish.
Let’s take a closer look at this 3-act plot arc structure.
Act 1
Start with a set-up. A set-up can be viewed in a simple way: introduce a protagonist within a setting where a problem is about to hit him. What triggers the play’s main area of dramatic conflict and kicks the plot fully into gear at the same time is known as the inciting incident. This incident or problematic situation will be something that both disturbs and challenges the protagonist. Often, and more than likely amongst other issues, it revolves around exposing some character flaw that our protagonist is incapable of facing up to at this point or isn’t even aware they possess; yet, one way or the other, they must eventually want to resolve this flaw, which must happen by the drama’s end. This inciting incident comes as close to the beginning of the play as possible. Once character and setting are introduced in the set-up, the inciting incident should occur. After the inciting incident, we can add what is commonly known as the first plot point. This is where the protagonist generally accepts the challenge of the inciting incident. It marks the end of Act 1.
Act 2
This is the main body of this type of plot arc structure. Here we are placing scenes which develop character through dramatic action, conflict and crisis in a smooth and logical manner, where the stakes keep rising for the protagonist/s, so that the tension also keeps rising. Everything is heading toward a final and inevitable clash with the antagonist/s, the conflict of which first got underway during or directly after the inciting incident.
In an average length play, we usually have two or three little but very important climaxes/crises/events in this middle plot arc act, where the protagonist/s and antagonist/s clash each time in order to bring about changes in the plot. These changes will each time raise the stakes for the protagonist in their search for a resolution to the ‘big problem’ or challenge of the inciting incident, and, so, also, raise the tension of the story.
The last crises/events in this plot arc act will be a high point followed by thedarkest moment. At the high point, it may look like our hero has got one over on the opposition, but then unexpectedly, the darkest moment arrives, and all he has tried to achieve now looks to be undone. It seems as if he has completely failed in his quest to sort out the challenge of the storyline, which first cropped up in the inciting incident, of course. The darkest moment is an essential moment that forces the tension even higher. It is the nail-biting moment in the action film when it looks like the baddie has been killed but then has the gall yet to live and then even more gall to rise up sneakily behind our unsuspecting hero ready to finish him off. At this point, it looks like our hero is surely doomed. Of course this plays out very differently in other types of dramas, but the point of the cliff-hanging highs and lows here is clearly made.
Act 3
The major climax is where our hero turns round in time to stop the baddie from plunging the knife into his back and their final struggle ensues. It is an all or nothing moment where everything the hero has striven for up to this point (from the challenge of the inciting incident) will turn to dust if he loses.
In the resolution all the loose ends are tied up.
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Before we move on, let’s clarify something that may otherwise confuse the reader.
This plot arc structure may fit perfectly over the way the writer decides to structure his own play, but certainly it in no way has to conform to it. In fact, it is not even advised to attempt to do so as it can cause the writer problems and, really, there exists no particular reason why he ought to do so.
This plot act structure is also used for short stories and novels, where the writer never divides the story’s structure into 3 acts, but into chapters and/or ‘scenes’. The playwright may decide that the play’s structure is better divided into two, four or even five acts, (or even into three acts, only not in the way shown here). This is because the 3-act plot arc structure, as the name implies, is a structure for the plot arc and not for the structure of the play or story itself. Bear in mind, as well, that most of the audience will not recognise, anyway, how you structured your play on paper, only on the stage. It is much more probable that they will recognise a scene’s structure than that of an act, and, of course, where you place the interval, if there is one, will obviously show them where you structured the play into two separate parts.
Certainly, this also now begs the question: how and why then do we structure the play itself into acts? This is generally connected to the storyline. A short play may need only two acts, a long one five. A play might be neatly divided into four parts where the story takes place in a different environment and time jump with each part and where important and separate plot related events are also contained in each of these four parts. So the story of the play will have a natural separation into four acts – for the writer’s convenience. However, the 3-act plot arc structure will still weave its way throughout these four acts, having the set-up and probably the inciting incident in the first act and culminating in the main climax and resolution in the fourth act.
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Here is the 3-act plot arc structure in its simplest form. This covers the set-up through to the resolution where the overall objective/problem is to be tackled.
Act 1
Set-up
Inciting event
First plot point – here our protagonist accepts the challenge of the inciting incident.
Act 2
Dramatic conflict (runs through the play’s important events (main plot points, where the stakes keep getting raised and so therefore the tension in the story also keeps rising)
High point
Darkest moment
Act 3
Climax
Resolution
The 3-act plot arc structure is a common formula that works effectively across the genres of the play, the film, the novel and the short story. At first glance, it looks incredibly simple to achieve but actually can take years of practise to handle well. In order to do this successfully, we need to understand the underpinning psychology of why the formula creates rising tension and so holds the reader or audience spellbound to a high degree. We can use a sporting analogy as a reference point to explain this underpinning psychology in a very basic but fundamental way. Let’s think of a tug of war contest.
Act 1 has the set-up, the inciting incident or challenge and the first plot point.
The two teams get ready. One team then screams out a challenge to the other and tugs hard on the rope (antagonist here doing the challenging) pulling the other team (protagonist) toward the line. The action is aggressive and confrontational but exciting for the spectators (audience, in our case). The game is now certainly well underway.
Act 2 is the middle part where the dramatic conflict must keep the stakes rising and so therefore the tension, too. This act has a high point and a darkest moment.
The challenged team (protagonist) might manage to pull the other side a few feet forward, but then the challengers (antagonist) dig deep and pull the challenged team back close to the line. This exciting to-ing and fro-ing (plot points/moments of crisis) is constantly forcing up the tension. The most exciting moments of crisis come round possibly three times, so it’s like three scenes of major dramatic action and conflict within the overall match.
The challenged team (protagonist) eventually pull the other side right to the line (high point) and it looks like they’ve got it won. But the challengers recover, and soon drag the challenged team toward the line. One of the members of this team slips and falls, releasing his hold on the rope. Surely they’ve lost now. (Here is the darkest moment for the protagonist.)
Also, to really ratchet up the tension, we must have greater potential catastrophe for our heroes than just losing this particular game. So, this is no ordinary match but a critical one. At the first of these most exciting points of crisis we find out that the challenged team (protagonists) will lose their championship position if they lose the match; at the next most exciting point of crisis we find out that they will be relegated if they lose; then at the third most exciting moment of crisis we learn that they will lose all their sponsorship deals if they lose the match. The stakes keep rising, and, so, therefore, the overall tension in the game goes into overdrive.
Act 3 is the big climax and resolution.
The losing team (protagonist) suddenly finds its second strength. It pulls back hard and regains a step. The other side pulls back hard. Another fierce struggle ensues, but this time the challenged team (protagonist) pulls its opponents over the line in a nail-biting finish (climax). The winners have staved off catastrophe and instead are rewarded with medals and other laurels (resolution). What a relief!
You don’t have to be a tug of war fan to understand this sporting analogy perfectly well. It is a simple and expressive example which gets the basic points across clearly. If you were just to have a match, where within the opening seconds one team pulled the other over the line, or a match that lasted minutes but one team looked like it would win right from the start with no real balance in the struggle between the contestants, and no stakes at play, it would not be anywhere near as exciting. Of course, you can’t plan the most exciting outcome for a sport, but you can for a play.
Although the conflict here is described in physical terms, the same rules apply if the conflict is psychological and emotional because it is dramatic conflict we are discussing. Both the physical and the emotional journey of the play are equally catered to by this plot arc structure. The psychological and emotional plot arc in a play has its challenges, its dramatic action, conflict and crisis, its ups and downs and its bruises and tears just like in the physical plot arc. In fact, the emotional journey is by far the most important journey of the play. It is the whole point of drama.
Naturally, once the writer has somewhat mastered the 3-act plot arc structure, they will tweak it to fit the needs of their storyline. It is rather flexible in this way.
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One final point! Yes, the 3-act plot arc structure is by its very nature formulaic, but this does not mean that it produces formulaic plays. Let’s use another metaphor to show this. We all have rather boring, quite similar skeletons (as opposed to other species), yet this skeleton allows us to behave very individually as personalities, physically, behaviourally, psychologically and emotionally. The 3-act plot arc structure is similar. It creates the skeleton through which the play’s vast array of physical, behavioural, psychological and emotional movement and change can occur. Individualism and originality in the play are created by other skills, and not just by the writer, either, incidentally, but also by the actors.
To find out about the scene’s plot arc structure, click here
Concerning the play’s 3-act plot arc structure, you may also be interested in these posts: Inspiration from inside an empty matchbox
Emotion and the play’s plot arc
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