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Day 09 – The Syd Field Method
August 9, 2011 by S David Acuff
Filed under /Editorials, /Film Schooled
Welcome to Day 9!
If you have not heard of Syd Field, you need to. That’s Screenwriting 101. Besides, Syd Field is the Jesus Christ of Screenwriting. Seriously, he actually died and rose again for your writing sins: bad formatting, one dimensional characters, stilted dialogue, lack of narrative throughput, non-causal scene progression, lame first 10 pages, and fizzling out in Act II. These are the 7 deadly writing sins. But they can be forgiven.
The unpardonable sin, of course, is writing a script about Vampires or the End Times.
Anyway, you don’t know how many scripts I’ve read where I just wanted to send them a Syd Field Bible (“Screenplay: The Foundation of Screenwriting“) and tell them to get saved! I’m not here to steal Syd Field’s thunder at all, but I have boiled down his screen theology and would like to present that for your consideration.
Remember when we were talking about loglines and I said we would talk more about the four points you need before you begin writing your script? Yup! Okay, then, let’s dig in…
Syd Field’s – Four Point Plot Structure
Most, but not all screenplays, are broken down into 3 Acts.
1. ACT I – The first 20 to 30 pages of your script. If it’s a 90 page Comedy, Act 1 leans more toward the 20 count. For a 120 page Drama, it tends toward the 30 page count.
This Act establishes all the characters. It introduces the HERO who has a PROBLEM. Act I ends the moment HERO makes a decision about the PROBLEM.
For Example: Elliot is the runt in his single parented family. Meanwhile, some Extra Terrestrials land to pick some flowers and when they leave, one of them is left behind. The abandoned E.T. is befriended by Elliot and his brother and sister. Elliot utters the words: “I’m gonna keep him” (BOOM! Did you hear that? That’s the decision which signifies the end of Act I)
2. ACT II – The next 45 to 60 pages
Also known as the “Sea of Act II” because it’s a loooooong expanse to voyage across. It can be very traumatic if you haven’t tossed in enough elements in Act I to create the DRAMA needed to propel the narrative into Act III.
SIDE NOTE about Drama: Drama=Conflict and Conflict=Drama Conflict fuels the action of Act II.
Act II is also the section where the HERO tries everything in his/her power to fulfill the decision of Act I and all hell breaks loose to stop them. The end of Act II is a specific point called the LOW of LOWS. This is the absolute LOWEST point the HERO has faced. It appears the goal is unattainable and that ALL IS LOST!
For example, in the MATRIX, Neo hits his LOW of LOWS. He’s dead. Killed off by Agent Smith. Meanwhile, Morpheus’ ship is under attack by the machines as they rip into the hull and they have to ignite the ElectroMagnetic blast which will prove even more fatal (since he’s just mooooostly dead) since he’s plugged into the Matrix, which is generally considered a no-no.
What happens next in the LOW of LOWS is a turn of events that is sparked by the SEEDS of the SOLUTION which have been planted all along the way throughout the story. In Neo’s case, the seeds have been the idea that maybe he is The One. Maybe he is endowed with special powers because he is a Saviour for all humanity. Is he or isn’t he? All along through the film the audience has gone back and forth on this one. Finally…we realize the truth. He is. (BOOM! Hear that? That’s the sound of us the audience careening headlong into Act III!)
In E.T. the SEEDS of the SOLUTION which have been planted through the story is the fact that ET’s life force is linked to other things like Elliot and that flower that ET “healed”. So after ET dies, Elliot cries and everyone leaves to give him a moment and then as he walks out he sees the Flower, coming back to life and he KNOWS that ET is back! (BOOM! You guessed it! Act III!)
3. ACT III – 15 to 20 pages
In this Act the HERO has one more chance to reach his/her goal. Act III barrels along as the HERO attains this goal, or not. Once the GOAL has been attained (or not) the story is over…it would be tempting to keep on going, but resist the urge. End the story as soon as possible after the GOAL has been reached. Do not dip to black 7 times a la “Return of the King” and do not pass Go and do not collect $200. Just finish your script, a.k.a:
4. The DENOUMENT. (2 to 3 pages).
In DIE HARD 2, after the climax and the Airplane with the baddies is blown up, the Denoument is the 2 to 3 pages where Bruce Willis makes up with his wife, gets apologies from the skeptical authorities and his wife punches out the pesky reporter and they ride off into the sunset together….er….they ride off into the dark of night on the back of an emergency vehicle.
So, to recap:
ACT I >>>DECISION>>>ACT II>>>LOW OF LOWS>>>SEEDS OF SOLUTIONS>>>ACT III (Climax)>>>>DENOUMENT
This becomes the spine of your story. The stronger you make it, the better your narrative holds up. Take a little time to dissect some other films and figure out the 4 Point Plot Structure. Here are some choices below, but it’s best to pick a film that you’ve seen 5 or 10 times and you know backwards and forwards for this exercise.
Using Syd Field’s structure, map out some of the following films:
“Facing the Giants”
“Back to the Future”
“Bruce Almighty”
“Toy Story”
“Napolean Dynamite”
“Mrs. Doubtfire”
“Garden State”
“Talledega Nights”
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So far, I’ve really enjoyed your site and have been recommending it to others.
Except…today’s post went a bit too far…”Syd Field is the Jesus Christ of Screenwriting. Seriously, he actually died and rose again for your writing sins.” I spend very little of my time writing critiques on other blogs, but because this site has some great content, today’s post deserves some critical feedback.
Syd Field is to be commended for all his hard work and thinking on behalf of screenwriters, but your comparison to Jesus Christ is simply unjustified. It’s an example of sloppy writing and thinking. It’s gives the impression that comparing Syd Field to Jesus Christ was used to attract eyeballs to your site. What was your purpose in comparing the work of Syd Field to the work of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross?
It seems there could have been a whole host of comparisons or examples you could have used: Syd Field is like a god…he’s a giant among experts…whatever.
I love a good joke, I love good writing, and I think we should push for excellence in the craft of screenwriting. (i.e. let’s be serious about our craft and serious about our faith)
I think this is an oversight and was not written with bad intention, but comparing a screenwriting expert “dying and rising for our writing sins” could be viewed as sacrilegious, thus minimizing the effectiveness of this site and your overall mission.
We already have a world that loves to poke fun at campy B Christian movies and Christians in general (some of it well-deserved). Everything we produce needs to show greater thoughtfulness, intentionality and originality…including our blog posts.
Overall, keep up the great content on the site. I look forward to recommending it to more friends.
I’m pretty sure that the only thing more turbulent than the bleeding edge of technology is the bleeding edge of comedy. Thanks, Joey, for your feedback and your support of Wired4Film. We endeavor to entertain and educate as well as to shake some things up and step on some toes from time to time, but in so doing, our goal is definitely to fall short of getting struck by lightening.
The J.C. comparison was not meant to diminish the Savior of mankind or his sacrifice, rather to humorously over-exaggerate Syd Field to god-like status in a way that no one has ever read before. The outrageous comparison does kind of make for an unforgettable post. But like I said, I’m casting a wary eye to the clouds for signs of a storm a-brewin’.
And as we pursue the wide world of Screenwriting and storytelling, let me know if there’s anything you’d like to add to the dialogue on the site. I’m open to guest-posts, articles, etc. Feel free to email me any idears at editor@wired4film.com. Thanks again!