IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS By Eric Edson · IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS By Eric Edson ... Marlin swears...

23 STORY ACTIONS IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS

By Eric Edson AUTHOR OF THE STORY SOLUTION

COMPLETE HERO GOAL SEQUENCES® FOR

”FINDING NEMO”

www.thestorysolution.com

by Eric Edson WWW.THESTORYSOLUTION.COM


Learning basic story structure is incredibly

important for all storytellers. And creating a complete,

engaging story plotline has forever been one of the toughest

challenges in dramatic writing.

That’s where Eric Edson’s new “Hero Goal Sequences”

concept comes in. Here are five vitally important things this

new story-building approach will accomplish for your screenplay

or novel:

► You’ll always know exactly how much

story your script or novel will need,

so you’ll never end up with too little

plot or too much;

2.

► Your story will be built in a way

that ensures it is emotionally

captivating and reaches maximum

impact for readers and audiences;

► Any plot problems in your script or

novel will be clearly revealed to you,

and you will see exactly how to fix

those problems;

► You’ll never again write a passive Hero

– your lead character will actively

drive your story forward on every

page – which is exactly what

producers and stars look for;

► Your plot will never wander off course,

since correct story focus and pacing will

be built in, allowing dramatic tension

to rise at a gripping rate throughout.

On the next page, we’ll get clear about some definitions of terms.

NOTE: The plotting concepts and examples in this booklet – along

with many other topics all screenwriters and novelists need to understand – are explored in great depth in Eric

Edson’s book THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take, currently a bestseller world-wide.

Buy your copy of The Story Solution

direct from the publisher:

www.mwp.com/the-story-solution

http://www.mwp.com/the-story-solution

3.

► A HERO GOAL SEQUENCE

– usually consists of 2 to 7 pages of screenplay

(2 to 7 minutes of film) in which the Hero or

Heroine pursues a single physical, active

short-term goal as one immediate step toward

achieving the main plot objective that drives

the entire story. A Goal Sequence ends when

the Hero discovers:

► FRESH NEWS – which is some form of new information

that effectively ends the necessity to pursue

the current goal, and creates another physical,

active short-term goal, thereby launching the

next Hero Goal Sequence.

(FRESH NEWS either provides the

Hero’s next short-term physical goal, or sends her on a short search – less than 60 seconds – to find it.

A Hero or Heroine can learn many new things in a Goal Sequence, but

FRESH NEWS can only be a discovery

that actually CHANGES your lead’s

current short-term goal to a new one.)


http://www.thestorysolution.com/

4.

…and oh boy, DEFINITIONS

► STUNNING SURPRISE ONE – is the arrival (on page 25-30) of a MAJOR

revelation or dramatic reversal creating a moment of stunned shock for the Hero that drop-kicks him/her straight into Act Two. The Hero must be present for this

moment of shocked surprise so that he can be emotionally impacted by it. Your Hero begins Act Two struggling to recover

by floundering for a plan of action to press forward toward what has now become a crystal-clear, urgent overall story goal.

► STUNNING SURPRISE TWO – occurs at the end of Act Two (around page 85-90) when another profound shock for the Hero arrives out of the blue and it changes everything, signaling the end of Act

Two and the beginning of Act Three. This stunner must be the biggest reversal in your whole script, and it usually destroys

completely the Hero’s plan for victory – so starting in Act Three your lead now faces a final showdown with the Adversary using only her wits and acquired wisdom to improvise

actions toward achieving the ultimate goal.

(STUNNING SURPRISE TWO can

occasionally be a reversal to the positive – but if this happens, Act Three better be short!)

5.

► MIDPOINT SEQUENCE In the middle of all great movies there’s a group of scenes that serve several storytelling functions.

Unlike a Stunning Surprise, the Midpoint is NOT

one moment, but a series of them. Act Two is

broken into two halves by the Midpoint Sequence.

It usually includes a “point of no return” for the

Hero - and some form of “ticking clock” starts, to

show time running out. Here also there can be an

“unmasking”, literal or metaphoric, where a secret

truth is revealed. In romances, it’s commonly here

the lovers either kiss or make love for the first time.

Or, in mythological mode, there can be a literal or

metaphoric death and rebirth, as a rite of passage

for the Hero. (See Eric Edson’s book The Story

Solution for details and examples.)

► OBLIGATORY SCENE This is the showdown climax scene in Act Three

where Hero and Adversary face off to go at each

other for all the marbles (as befits your genre), settling once and for all if the Heroine will win

or lose the overarching story goal. It’s why your

Adversary must be one person, so the lead can

battle them face to face here, to resolve all conflict.

(It can happen in HGS #19, #20, or #21.)

► DENOUEMENT It’s a French word meaning the untying. This final

story sequence demonstrates that all plot and

character threads have been resolved. It reveals

the new, better world your Hero has made possible,

with social equilibrium restored. Don’t make it

long, but it’s absolutely required.

Buy your copy of The Story Solution direct from the publisher: www.mwp.com/the-story-solution

http://www.mwp.com/the-story-solution

6.

● EVERY commercially successful one-hero

American movie contains between 20 and

23 Hero Goal Sequences.

(The most common number of HGS

used in highly successful films is 21)

● Act One ALWAYS contains 6 Hero Goal Sequences,

and Stunning Surprise One ALWAYS takes place

as FRESH NEWS in Goal Sequence #6.

● The FIRST HALF of Act Two ALWAYS contains

6 more Hero Goal Sequences, and the Midpoint

Sequence ALWAYS takes place during Hero Goal

Sequence #12. ● The SECOND HALF of Act Two ALWAYS contains

6 more Hero Goal Sequences, and Stunning

Surprise Two ALWAYS arrives as FRESH NEWS

in Sequence #18.

● Act Three contains a minimum of 2 Hero Goal

Sequences and a maximum of 5.

SO – a MINIMUM of 20 HGS and a

MAXIMUM of 23 HGS in EVERY

successful American movie.

● A Goal Sequence cannot be repeated unless some

major new story element is added to it.


7.

ERIC EDSON’S

HERO GOAL SEQUENCING


http://www.thestorysolution.com/

8.

Eric Edson’s

Hero Goal Sequences for

ACT ONE

(Producing company credits for 30 seconds, then:)

Hero Goal Sequence #1: Hero wants to show off to his wife the wonderful new

home Marlin has found for them and their “babies” (hundreds of eggs).

An evil barracuda attacks.

Fresh News: Tragedy. Marlin’s wife and all the eggs but one are gone.

Marlin swears to the single remaining egg, Nemo, that he’ll never let

anything happen to him.

(4 min 6 sec)

HGS #2: Titles. Time has passed. Reluctant Marlin must take son Nemo to his

first day of school and send the boy off with his class & teacher.

Hero tries to tell a joke to three other fathers, but Marlin is a clown fish

who isn’t funny. (An indication of his inner need for character growth.)

Fresh News: Hero finds out the teacher took all the kids to the Drop Off!

(6 m 23 s)

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY- In class, Nemo sneaks away to follow

his new buddies and see his first boat. They play a dare game to

find out who’ll swim closest to the boat.

HGS #3: Marlin rushes up to save Nemo from the Drop Off and scolds the boy.

Fresh News & INCITING INCIDENT… angry, Nemo defies Dad -

swims out, touches the speedboat… but suddenly the boy is netted and

whisked away in a divers’ boat toward deep ocean.

(2 m 43 s)

HGS #4: Horrified, Marlin chases after the boat to save Nemo. The boat speeds

further away.

Hero meets sweet, forgetful Dory; she’ll show him where the boat went.

Fresh News: A shark insists Marlin and Dory come to a “party” with him.

(4 m 7 s)

9.

EXAMPLE – (CONTINUED)

Eric Edson’s Hero Goal Sequences for “FINDING NEMO”

HGS #5: Avoid getting eaten by Bruce the Shark.

Party turns out to be a 12-step meeting in an old submarine wreck –

three sharks trying not to eat fish.

Marlin spots a clue nearby, the kidnapper diver’s swim mask, but…

Fresh News: … while retrieving it Dory hurts her nose, blood floats

into the water. Smelling blood, Bruce goes wild and attacks.

(4 m)

HGS #6: Hold on to mask clue…while escaping from blood-crazed Bruce.

Fresh News & STUNNING SURPRISE ONE – an old sub torpedo

gets released accidentally and it triggers scores of old naval war mines

that explode, throwing Marlin and Dory into a new dark world of

danger and impossible obstacles. How will Dad ever find Nemo now?

(1 m 40 s) (ACT ONE = 24 m 14 s)

ACT TWO

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – Nemo finds himself in a fish

tank in a dentist’s office; meets new friends, buts he’s scared.

The boy also meets Nigel the Pelican, who will become a

key Helper-Follower Ally for Merlin.

(5 m 25 s)

Hero Goal Sequence #7: Marlin comes to, muddled, on a dangerous cliff.

He must find that mask again, it’s his only clue, only hope.

Hero watches the submarine wreck crack and sink into an abyss…

along with the mask.

Fresh News: The mask is lost… but Dory convinces Marlin

they must swim down into the black abyss to retrieve it.

(2 m 5 s)

Hero Goal Sequence #8: Swim to the bottom of the abyss and get the mask.

Marlin and Dory find it, but are almost eaten by an angler fish

with a glowing lure on its head!

Fresh News: Dory can read the address on the mask! “Sidney,

Australia.” Hero now knows where they must go.

(3 m 10 s)

10.



SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – In the dentist’s fish tank

Nemo undergoes an “initiation” ritual on “Mount

Hock-a-loogie”. But the boy finds out he’s to be a

present for the dentist’s niece, DARLA THE FISH

KILLER! However, Mentor Gil claims he has a bold

plan for escape… (Nemo is the ENDANGERED

INNOCENT now. See Eric Edson’s Character

Categories in The Story Solution.)

(4 m 10s)

HGS #9: Get directions to Australia. Not so easy.

Fresh News: A school of tuna finally points the way. Marlin hurries

off – only Dory hears the tuna say, “Go through the trench, not over it.”

(3m 51s)

HGS #10: Follow directions to East Australian Current and reach Sydney.

At a scary trench they hesitate at. Forgetful Dory wants to swim through

the trench for some reason, but Hero tricks her into going over it…

Fresh News: Big mistake – they suddenly find themselves surrounded by

thousands of stinging jellyfish.

(1m 39s)

HGS #11: Get through the jellyfish to reach the East Australian Current.

Finally out the other side of the jellies, Marlin sees Dory didn’t make

it through, so he rushes back into the sea of jellyfish to save Dory.

Fresh News: Marlin rescues Dory, but he is stung into unconsciousness...

(2m 11s)

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – In the dentist’s fish tank Nemo despairs.

He thinks Dad won’t come for him since Marlin is afraid of the

ocean. Gil has a plan for escape, asks Nemo to wiggle up inside

the tank filter so the boy can jam it with a pebble. In trying, Nemo

nearly gets killed. The boy has failed to stop the pump, and he

sinks back into fear. Gives up.

(3m 14s)


11.



HGS #12 – MIDPOINT SEQUENCE – Ride the East Australia Current

to Sydney.

Marlin wakes up… inside the East Australian Current; Dory’s okay,

and their mentor-savior, Crush the Sea Turtle, teaches the Hero to

confront his inner conflict (Marlin’s over-protectiveness issue).

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – Fish to fish, crab to crab,

bird to bird. The story of Marlin’s brave crusade spreads

across the whole ocean…

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – Nemo mopes in fish tank.

Then, word arrives that Dad is coming after all! BUT

DARLA THE FISH KILLER IS COMING TO GRAB

AND SHAKE NEMO TO DEATH SOON. ONLY 48

HOURS ‘TIL DOOM! (“Ticking Clock” established.)

Finding courage because of his Dad’s example, Nemo

once again enters the fish tank pump and this time he’s

successful and stops it. Now the tank will get scummy

and the dentist will take the fish out to clean it! Gil

says that will be their chance to escape…

Fresh News for HGS #12: Riding and romping on the current, learning

about good parenting, Marlin is told that they’re approaching Australia!

Hero must get ready to get off the East Australia Current. Fear returns.

(10m 14s)

Hero Goal Sequence #13: Get off the Australian current at the Vortex of Terror

and live to tell about it.

Marlin and Dory are pushed off into their “exit” tunnel, a horrifying drop.

They make it through alive, and Marlin realizes… it was actually fun!

Fresh News: …but Marlin now faces a vast, empty ocean.

(1m 55s)

HGS #14: Suck it up and swim straight ahead, and hope to arrive in Sydney.

Marlin soon realizes he is lost in this huge gray ocean. He sinks

back into fear.

Fresh News: Marlin spots a stranger coming, maybe ask them for directions?

(1m 3s)

12.



HGS #15: Ask the stranger – but they turn out to be a huge whale!

Marlin is terrified again. Dory insists she knows how to speak

“whale,” so she tries – but...

Fresh News: Marlin and Dory are scooped into the whale’s mouth.

(2m 25s)

Hero Goal Sequence #16: Get out of the whale’s mouth before they die!

Nothing works, and Marlin sinks into despair. Dory remains

chipper as ever.

Water in the whale’s mouth suddenly rushes back down its gullet…

it looks like the end to Marlin, as he clutches the whale’s tongue to

hold on. Dory insists the whale just said “it’s time to let go.”

Marlin finally masters his fear, lets go and falls down the whale’s

throat... (Overcomes inner conflict.)

Fresh News: They shoot out the whale’s spout and the Hero finds

himself in Sydney harbor! Dory CAN speak whale! The whale DID

help!

(7m 4s)

SUBPLOT CUTAWAY – The fish tank scum scam

doesn’t work, and Nemo gets gift-bagged for DARLA.

THE FISH KILLER is on her way. The end is near…

(2m)

HGS #17: In the harbor, Marlin must find the boat that kidnapped Nemo.

A pelican scoops up Hero and Dory in its beak pouch, saves them

from the attacking dumb killer seagulls.

Fresh News: Turns out the friendly pelican knows Marlin’s story,

and he knows where Nemo is!

(2m 34s)

Hero Goal Sequence #18: Hero wants to swoop in and save his son!

NOW THE TWO PLOTLINES BECOME ONE

NEMO: Darla terrorizes the fish tank. Nemo gets netted into a plastic

bag – so he plays dead to get to the toilet escape route. But rather

than the toilet, the dentist is about to drop Nemo in the TRASH...

13.



MARLIN: While carried in the pelican’s mouth-pouch, Marlin and

Dory fly into the dentist’s office and chaos erupts! Hero navigates

from Nigel’s mouth (all Heroes must remain active).

Fresh News – STUNNING SURPRISE TWO – From Nigel’s beak

Marlin sees Nemo lying “dead” in a plastic bag. As the pelican is

shoved out the window, the Hero believes he is too late…his son is

dead and the Hero’s plan for victory has been destroyed. It’s the

Hero’s DARKEST HOUR.

NEMO: Nigel is pushed out the window, Darla again threatens

Nemo and Gil risks his own life (a true Mentor) to help get Nemo

into the dentist’s “spit drain”. Nemo drops into the sewer – but

then he’s whisked into the dangers of the water treatment plant!

END OF ACT TWO.

(3m 18s) (ACT TWO = 56m 28s)

ACT THREE

HGS #19: Heartbroken, Marlin wants to thank Dory, go home alone and forget.

It’s a shock to Dory that Marlin says goodbye, he IS her home now and

she doesn’t want to forget. Marlin says, “Sorry, I do.”

Fresh News: Marlin swims slowly off alone, heading home in failure.

(2m 16s)

HGS #20: Go home in defeat and grief.

Fighting his way into the ocean at last, Nemo searches and finds Dory

in the fishing grounds. She has already forgotten him… but then

remembers! It’s little Nemo! They head off to find Marlin.

Nemo and Dory swim up to Marlin, and he expresses joy in

the reunion with his son, but then…

Fresh News: Dory is scooped up with tuna inside a fishing trawler net!

(3m 23s)

HGS #21: Save Dory from the fishermen’s net.

Nemo tells Dad he’s got a plan. Marlin is horrified by the danger the

boy faces, but then Marlin calms himself, says he’ll trust his son’s

judgment. (Marlin has grown beyond his over-protectiveness.)

Fresh News: Nemo’s plan works, Dory and the tuna are freed.

(3m 28s)

14.



Hero Goal Sequence #22: DENOUEMENT – Hero returns to Ordinary

World with Marlin’s gift of new wisdom about child rearing.

Everyone is happy and gets along with each other, even the

sharks. Nemo tells Dad, “I love you.” Hero says, “Go have

an adventure.” Dad has grown within, overcome interior conflict

and his whole village is better for it.

Marlin the clownfish now tells FUNNY jokes. (I.e., character

growth is complete and the Hero has found new balance.)

(1m 45s) (ACT THREE = 10m 42s)


Order your copy of THE STORY SOLUTION: 23 Actions All Great Heroes Must Take Direct from the publisher: mwp.com/the-story-solution

IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS By Eric Edson · IN ALL GREAT SCREENPLAYS By Eric Edson ... Marlin swears...

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