1. Storytelling in Hollywood

2. Everyone Has a Story to Tell

3. How….

6. Plot Defined Chain of events occurring in time and space that are linked by cause and effect. – Events and actions don’t happen randomly

7. Basic Plot Map

8. But Who Says? WHY do stories have to be told in this linear fashion? So DO they HAVE to? Where have you seen films NOT follow the plot map?

9. Examples Pulp Fiction Memento Sliding Doors 500 Days of Summer Slumdog Millionaire Love Actually

10. Pulp Fiction – Character Chart

11. Pulp Fiction - Chronologically

12. Challenge? Want to tell their story Want to tell it in unique manner Can’t confuse the audience! – Not saying they need to “dumb it down”

13. Easy to Follow? Classical storytelling may be easy to follow. But….that does not make them SIMPLE or childish!

14. The Four Stages! Not to be confused with…..

15. 1) The Set-Up Meet characters Get a feel for who they are Establish the “double goal” structure

16. 2) Complicating Action Action goes in a new direction New situation that the protagonist must cope with

17. 3) Development Goals are all in place Many incidents that create action, suspense, and delay

18. 4) Climax and Epilogue Straight forward progress toward a resolution Build steadily toward a point of high action Will protagonist’s goals be achieved or not? Nothing new should be introduced

19. 4 Stages Roughly balanced in terms of time Cause and effect pattern

20. Summary Plot = series of events through which the story is told. Might be chronological, might not. Films progress through 4 stages. – Set upComplicating action DevelopmentClimax and resolution