25: Babysitter tries to prevent Damien from going to church. The car stops at the church but when the car door opens Damien viciously attacks his mother and causes a scene. The birth of something new.
45: Priest is killed by a long metal pole. Now that I'm aware.
60: Damien's father and a photographer read from the dead Priest's diary. The father is starting to believe he has a problem and the photographer commits to solving the mystery because of the photo that could mean his days are numbered. There's no going back.
-45: The father asked the babysitter about the dog; later we learn that it's the babysitter he should have been worried about. On a fact-finding mission to search for records of the adopted child, the father and the photographer learn there are no records and no hospital because of a fire the same year the child was born. The more they learn, the more they believe Damien is part of something evil. Discovery.
-25: The babysitter throws Damien's mother from the window. Wearing a bloodied shirt, Damien's father learns of her death from a phone call. This is when the storytellers want us to know that a happy ending is unlikely. At the end of the movie Damien's father dies. The final turning point.
Wall Street
25: Protagonist receives $1 million check from antagonist, he's entered the world of being rich. The birth of something new.
45: At party, protagonist meets romantic interest. Antagonist gets call from a competitor and learns that he's arriving soon. Antagonist informs protagonist of the confrontation. Later in the story the protagonist will contact this competitor to help him defeat the antagonist. Now that I'm aware.
60: Protagonist talks with his father, gives him money, says his secretary will call him to set up dinner. The father realizes his son has changed. There's no going back now.
-45: "Greed is good" speech. Discovery.
-25: "Are you with me?"/"I'm with you." Protagonist is aware his father's company is going to be liquidated if nothing is done. He's realizing he's made a huge mistake. The final turning point.
45: At party, protagonist meets romantic interest. Antagonist gets call from a competitor and learns that he's arriving soon. Antagonist informs protagonist of the confrontation. Later in the story the protagonist will contact this competitor to help him defeat the antagonist. Now that I'm aware.
60: Protagonist talks with his father, gives him money, says his secretary will call him to set up dinner. The father realizes his son has changed. There's no going back now.
-45: "Greed is good" speech. Discovery.
-25: "Are you with me?"/"I'm with you." Protagonist is aware his father's company is going to be liquidated if nothing is done. He's realizing he's made a huge mistake. The final turning point.
Kung Fu Panda
25: Po punches a bag as Shifu and the furious five observe. For the first time Po is seen training. He gets hurt by training devices. Birth of something new.
45: Shifu and Oogway discuss the illusion of control. Oogway tells Shifu that to guide and nurture Po he must believe in him. Oogway dissolves into pink leaves and floats away to become part of the starry sky. Now that I'm aware.
60: Tai Lung defeats the furious five in a battle on the bridge. There's no going back now.
-45: Po shows resilience as he is beaten by each of the furious five. He bounces down the steps vowing he won't quit. During acupuncture Po wonders if Shifu is trying to get rid of him. Discovery.
-25: Po starts to reveal mastery as he struggles to get the dumpling with his chopsticks during intense training with Shifu. The final turning point.
45: Shifu and Oogway discuss the illusion of control. Oogway tells Shifu that to guide and nurture Po he must believe in him. Oogway dissolves into pink leaves and floats away to become part of the starry sky. Now that I'm aware.
60: Tai Lung defeats the furious five in a battle on the bridge. There's no going back now.
-45: Po shows resilience as he is beaten by each of the furious five. He bounces down the steps vowing he won't quit. During acupuncture Po wonders if Shifu is trying to get rid of him. Discovery.
-25: Po starts to reveal mastery as he struggles to get the dumpling with his chopsticks during intense training with Shifu. The final turning point.
Quantum of Solace
25: Antagonist shows Olga dead geologist in water. Birth of something new.
45: Bond is chased after he identifies members of a secret organization at the opera. "We've been compromised." We get a better understanding of the nature of the organization thanks to Bond. Now that I'm aware.
-45 (1:41 - 45 = 56): Bond and Fields' romance. He invites her to antagonist's party. Discovery.
60: Antagonist calls Bond and Olga damaged goods. Olga tells Bond she wants the general dead. There's no going back.
-25: (1:41 - 25 = 116) They find water. Bond says the antagonist is creating a drought. They reach a village, a bus, and the hotel. The final turning point.
45: Bond is chased after he identifies members of a secret organization at the opera. "We've been compromised." We get a better understanding of the nature of the organization thanks to Bond. Now that I'm aware.
-45 (1:41 - 45 = 56): Bond and Fields' romance. He invites her to antagonist's party. Discovery.
60: Antagonist calls Bond and Olga damaged goods. Olga tells Bond she wants the general dead. There's no going back.
-25: (1:41 - 25 = 116) They find water. Bond says the antagonist is creating a drought. They reach a village, a bus, and the hotel. The final turning point.
Cassandra's Dream
Cassandra's Dream is 1:45 long, so 60 and -45 are the same. Notice how important the moments in 60 and -45 are: the story is about two brothers killing an innocent man. The two brothers start to do the things necessary to kill that person at 60 and -45.
25: Ian learns that his brother Terry owes 90,000 pounds and they both agree he's in real trouble. The birth of something new.
45: They discover that their uncle wants to kill someone and the situation escalates: Ian and Terry agree to kill someone. Now that I'm aware.
60 and -45 (145 - 45 = 60): They agree on where and how they will kill him: they'll break into his home and shoot him in the head. They get a car, observe their target, and break into his home. There's no going back now. Inside the home they discover that their victim has company. They postpone the murder. Discovery.
-25: Intense emotions as Terry confesses to Ian that he regrets the murder so much that he can't go on. Ian tries to reassure Terry but Terry believes he's crossed a line and is going to die. Later in the story there's talk of a Greek tragedy. At the end of the movie they both die. The trend toward how this story will end begins here. The final turning point.
25: Ian learns that his brother Terry owes 90,000 pounds and they both agree he's in real trouble. The birth of something new.
45: They discover that their uncle wants to kill someone and the situation escalates: Ian and Terry agree to kill someone. Now that I'm aware.
60 and -45 (145 - 45 = 60): They agree on where and how they will kill him: they'll break into his home and shoot him in the head. They get a car, observe their target, and break into his home. There's no going back now. Inside the home they discover that their victim has company. They postpone the murder. Discovery.
-25: Intense emotions as Terry confesses to Ian that he regrets the murder so much that he can't go on. Ian tries to reassure Terry but Terry believes he's crossed a line and is going to die. Later in the story there's talk of a Greek tragedy. At the end of the movie they both die. The trend toward how this story will end begins here. The final turning point.
5 moments can help you write your screenplay
I've written 31 screenplays, and since my college days I've always thought the creative process was like toast popping up out of a toaster. When it comes to writing you need subject matter - the bread. You need to put the bread in the toaster - the toaster being your brain, your heart, your spirit, emotions, all the energy that's inside you and around you. You need to heat that subject matter up with contemplation, memories, feelings, and everything else you use and eventually that bread will become toast and it will pop up. Hopefully you'll record it all down on your computer, your journal or a recorder.
Let's say what pops up is a movie title, or a premise, or a feeling that you express in a theme or basic idea. Maybe it's a lot of dialogue. Maybe you have a main character in mind, or an actor you'd like to write for. Maybe you remember some things that are important to you and you want to preserve them. Maybe you've got an idea after watching something or thinking about something. You may even have an outline or half the script written.
Remember that the 5 moments doesn't mean all movies only have 5 moments, it means some moments are more important than others in terms of story structure. Now, you're writing a screenplay. How can knowing about the 5 moments help you?
Here are the 5 moments:
25: the birth of something new
45: now that I'm aware
60: there's no going back now
-45: discovery
-25: the final turning point
With your new screenplay idea in mind, contemplate the 5 moments. Go over each of the 5 moments, study them, think how other movies used them. Go for a walk if you'd like. See if anything pops up. If you write a lot, keep going until you're exhausted and need to sleep or starving and need to eat and drink. If nothing is created, have as a goal to write a few ideas down for each of the 5 moments. So start with the goal of an outline with 5 moments.
To begin, write down the 5 moments. Below them, write down 25 and start thinking and feeling. Start with page 25 and The birth of something new. Start asking questions that focus on what could be born at page 25. Remember, this isn't page 1 of your screenplay. What new things could arrive? A new relationship? Is the birth of something new about journeying toward some new location? Is it the discovery of some new power or resource? An interview? A demonstration of how evil a new antagonist is?
Think of other movies and their moments at 25. Write everything down. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between page 1 and page 25. If nothing comes up, just write down "My main character has an important and/or intense, turbulent talk with someone new or something new and it means the world to him," and move to the next moment.
Moving to Now that I'm aware on page 45, imagine what kind of thing or thought or activity that your main character or other characters may be aware of and could take action and how would this impact secondary characters? If you have a situation, here is where you escalate the situation. Write it all down. Even if it involves some other moment or character or situation or dialogue that came out of nowhere, put it down on paper or your computer or recorder. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between page 25 and page 45.
Focus on There's no going back on page 60. Start thinking about things that could get very serious and tense, creating a sense or feeling that there's no turning around. You can also think about locations that could not be revisited. There must be a sense that things have really changed and conditions force our main character to pivot in some other direction, physically and/or emotionally. 60 is where things deepen so much there's no going back to where things were at the beginning of the story. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience in between 45 and 60.
Focus on page -45 and Discovery. Consider what could have happened at 45 that could impact what happens at -45. What seeds could have been planted at 45 that could sprout at -45? Write down lots of things that have to do with escalating action, showing how your protagonist is exerting himself or herself. Have others in the story impacted in some way by these escalating actions. The activity has to be more intense or spectacular than the activity at page 45. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience in between 60 and -45.
Now comes -25 and The final turning point. Things that you first wrote when you thought about writing a new screenplay could very well belong here. Consider any kind of ending or trend that indicates a particular ending. Do you want the audience glad or sad at the end? Let's say you want a glad ending. Now would be a good time to make up a sad ending and have your main character do something they could not do at the beginning of the story and use that new found power or evolution or change as a way of reversing the antagonism, whatever it is. Write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between -45 and -25.
From -25 to the end, think of 10 incredibly emotionally tense moments, moments that could not get anymore emotional for your main character and others involved in the story. One way to get 10 moments is to write out 100 moments and choose your top ten best moments. Something that works for me is to do a walkabout. Just walk around, doesn't have to be quiet. Remember that the quality and quantity of what goes in determines the quality and quantity of what goes out, meaning if you've filled yourself with subject matter you'll express yourself eventually. If you want to bring along a micro recorder and record dialogue and description, go ahead. Keep reading screenplays and books on screenplays and Internet content on how to write better. Continue to look at art, listen to music, be with people and interact with them, etc.
Keep things simple and keep everything you write down. Build on your ideas, get to specifics. Read about this, that, and the other thing so you get the notion and confidence you're the expert on this, and you're telling it like it is.
As you continue to elaborate and make adjustments to your movie title, premise, concept, characters, focus on accomplishing these things:
1. Write character studies for all your characters.
2. When you think of scenes, make sure that when you write your scenes that your characters have very different goals and attitudes and objectives. Focus on creating turbulence, and that usually means creating conflicting emotions within your characters and then have them go at it. Remember that things usually build with intensity, things usually should rise in tension and turbulence.
3. Make sure you have a core of emotion or feeling or intensity or value in your story that you don't want your antagonist to ruin. In other words, make sure there is something of great value to the audience that the antagonist is trying to kill in some way.
4. Have plenty of emotion and intense feeling in your protagonist so the audience will care about him or her.
5. What can the main character or characters do at the end they couldn't do at the start?
6. Get that outline done. Start with the 5 moments and keep building. Get it to around 20 to 30 pages. Have one line that describes all your major characters and know what they want and what they don't want and how they go about doing things. Keep making adjustments.
7. Write the screenplay. Reread your favorite book on screenwriting and see if any new ideas come up to make changes in the screenplay. Consider buying a new book on screenwriting and read it and during the process of reading see if any new ideas or dialogue for your screenplay come up.
8. Have an intention to write a great screenplay that will become a great movie that will improve yourself, your family, and the world. Intend to write the most creative, entertaining story humanly possible. Intend to do your best to get it sold or get a deal done to make it and get it made as well as humanly possible.
When you're finished, if you don't know what to do with it, just rest for awhile and do other stuff, then read or reread books on how to market screenplays.
Get it done.
Let's say what pops up is a movie title, or a premise, or a feeling that you express in a theme or basic idea. Maybe it's a lot of dialogue. Maybe you have a main character in mind, or an actor you'd like to write for. Maybe you remember some things that are important to you and you want to preserve them. Maybe you've got an idea after watching something or thinking about something. You may even have an outline or half the script written.
Remember that the 5 moments doesn't mean all movies only have 5 moments, it means some moments are more important than others in terms of story structure. Now, you're writing a screenplay. How can knowing about the 5 moments help you?
Here are the 5 moments:
25: the birth of something new
45: now that I'm aware
60: there's no going back now
-45: discovery
-25: the final turning point
With your new screenplay idea in mind, contemplate the 5 moments. Go over each of the 5 moments, study them, think how other movies used them. Go for a walk if you'd like. See if anything pops up. If you write a lot, keep going until you're exhausted and need to sleep or starving and need to eat and drink. If nothing is created, have as a goal to write a few ideas down for each of the 5 moments. So start with the goal of an outline with 5 moments.
To begin, write down the 5 moments. Below them, write down 25 and start thinking and feeling. Start with page 25 and The birth of something new. Start asking questions that focus on what could be born at page 25. Remember, this isn't page 1 of your screenplay. What new things could arrive? A new relationship? Is the birth of something new about journeying toward some new location? Is it the discovery of some new power or resource? An interview? A demonstration of how evil a new antagonist is?
Think of other movies and their moments at 25. Write everything down. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between page 1 and page 25. If nothing comes up, just write down "My main character has an important and/or intense, turbulent talk with someone new or something new and it means the world to him," and move to the next moment.
Moving to Now that I'm aware on page 45, imagine what kind of thing or thought or activity that your main character or other characters may be aware of and could take action and how would this impact secondary characters? If you have a situation, here is where you escalate the situation. Write it all down. Even if it involves some other moment or character or situation or dialogue that came out of nowhere, put it down on paper or your computer or recorder. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between page 25 and page 45.
Focus on There's no going back on page 60. Start thinking about things that could get very serious and tense, creating a sense or feeling that there's no turning around. You can also think about locations that could not be revisited. There must be a sense that things have really changed and conditions force our main character to pivot in some other direction, physically and/or emotionally. 60 is where things deepen so much there's no going back to where things were at the beginning of the story. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience in between 45 and 60.
Focus on page -45 and Discovery. Consider what could have happened at 45 that could impact what happens at -45. What seeds could have been planted at 45 that could sprout at -45? Write down lots of things that have to do with escalating action, showing how your protagonist is exerting himself or herself. Have others in the story impacted in some way by these escalating actions. The activity has to be more intense or spectacular than the activity at page 45. Also write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience in between 60 and -45.
Now comes -25 and The final turning point. Things that you first wrote when you thought about writing a new screenplay could very well belong here. Consider any kind of ending or trend that indicates a particular ending. Do you want the audience glad or sad at the end? Let's say you want a glad ending. Now would be a good time to make up a sad ending and have your main character do something they could not do at the beginning of the story and use that new found power or evolution or change as a way of reversing the antagonism, whatever it is. Write down 4 emotionally tense moments you and others in your story could experience between -45 and -25.
From -25 to the end, think of 10 incredibly emotionally tense moments, moments that could not get anymore emotional for your main character and others involved in the story. One way to get 10 moments is to write out 100 moments and choose your top ten best moments. Something that works for me is to do a walkabout. Just walk around, doesn't have to be quiet. Remember that the quality and quantity of what goes in determines the quality and quantity of what goes out, meaning if you've filled yourself with subject matter you'll express yourself eventually. If you want to bring along a micro recorder and record dialogue and description, go ahead. Keep reading screenplays and books on screenplays and Internet content on how to write better. Continue to look at art, listen to music, be with people and interact with them, etc.
Keep things simple and keep everything you write down. Build on your ideas, get to specifics. Read about this, that, and the other thing so you get the notion and confidence you're the expert on this, and you're telling it like it is.
As you continue to elaborate and make adjustments to your movie title, premise, concept, characters, focus on accomplishing these things:
1. Write character studies for all your characters.
2. When you think of scenes, make sure that when you write your scenes that your characters have very different goals and attitudes and objectives. Focus on creating turbulence, and that usually means creating conflicting emotions within your characters and then have them go at it. Remember that things usually build with intensity, things usually should rise in tension and turbulence.
3. Make sure you have a core of emotion or feeling or intensity or value in your story that you don't want your antagonist to ruin. In other words, make sure there is something of great value to the audience that the antagonist is trying to kill in some way.
4. Have plenty of emotion and intense feeling in your protagonist so the audience will care about him or her.
5. What can the main character or characters do at the end they couldn't do at the start?
6. Get that outline done. Start with the 5 moments and keep building. Get it to around 20 to 30 pages. Have one line that describes all your major characters and know what they want and what they don't want and how they go about doing things. Keep making adjustments.
7. Write the screenplay. Reread your favorite book on screenwriting and see if any new ideas come up to make changes in the screenplay. Consider buying a new book on screenwriting and read it and during the process of reading see if any new ideas or dialogue for your screenplay come up.
8. Have an intention to write a great screenplay that will become a great movie that will improve yourself, your family, and the world. Intend to write the most creative, entertaining story humanly possible. Intend to do your best to get it sold or get a deal done to make it and get it made as well as humanly possible.
When you're finished, if you don't know what to do with it, just rest for awhile and do other stuff, then read or reread books on how to market screenplays.
Get it done.
Schindler's List
25: Schindler says "That's the point I'm trying to make. Poles cost more. Why should I hire Poles?" He's not thinking about the Jews as people, he's thinking about them in terms of helping him make more money. The next scene is Itzhak Stern talking to a group of Jews to let them know Schindler is offering something new: employment. The birth of something new.
45: Schindler starts to differ with the Germans about his employees. German officer: "A one-armed machinist, Oskar?" Schindler replies "He was a metal press operator. Quite skilled." Schindler's realizing people are being killed and he can make a difference. Now that I'm aware.
60: The liquidation of the Ghetto is gearing up, at 60 we're inside a hallway and the murdering begins: A man is backed up, put on the floor, stepped on, and shot in the head. We watch the blood pour onto the floor. There's no going back now.
-45: Itzhak Stern holds up the list: "The list is an absolute good. The list is life." Discovery.
-25: Oskar saves Jewish children, walks with Jewish people, and warns the German guards not to shoot his workers. The final turning point.
45: Schindler starts to differ with the Germans about his employees. German officer: "A one-armed machinist, Oskar?" Schindler replies "He was a metal press operator. Quite skilled." Schindler's realizing people are being killed and he can make a difference. Now that I'm aware.
60: The liquidation of the Ghetto is gearing up, at 60 we're inside a hallway and the murdering begins: A man is backed up, put on the floor, stepped on, and shot in the head. We watch the blood pour onto the floor. There's no going back now.
-45: Itzhak Stern holds up the list: "The list is an absolute good. The list is life." Discovery.
-25: Oskar saves Jewish children, walks with Jewish people, and warns the German guards not to shoot his workers. The final turning point.
Blades of Glory
25: Chazz and Jim are in a jail cell, Coach proposes something new: that they skate as a pair: "Two men skating together?" The birth of something new.
45: Jimmy and Katie meet and exchange compliments, they realize they are attracted to one another. The two antagonists Stranz and Fairchild realize Jimmy and Chazz are a threat, Jimmy and Chazz become aware after seeing their scores that: "We're going to Montreal..." Now that I'm aware.
-45: 1:32 - 45 = 47: Chazz shows Jimmy his tattoos and doesn't want to talk about the wolf tattoo. This is the first time Chazz and Jimmy bond as friends as Jimmy learns more about Chazz's relationships. At the end of the movie, Chazz will show Jimmy his new Jimmy tattoo to show that Jimmy's part of Chazz's wolf pack. Discovery
60: Jimmy receives an invite card from Katie to join him in a hotel room later that evening, Chazz attends a sex addict discussion group, Jimmy finds Chazz and Katie in the hotel room together. Katie goes through turmoil because of her feelings for Jimmy. Chazz goes through turmoil to maintain Jimmy's friendship. There's no going back.
-25: 1:32 - 25 = 1:07: Chazz is in bed, Jimmy sleeps, Coach calls, Chazz is late for the final skating performance. In the taxi, Chazz is attacked by Stranz. Fairchild steals handcuffs and stalks Jimmy. The final turning point.
45: Jimmy and Katie meet and exchange compliments, they realize they are attracted to one another. The two antagonists Stranz and Fairchild realize Jimmy and Chazz are a threat, Jimmy and Chazz become aware after seeing their scores that: "We're going to Montreal..." Now that I'm aware.
-45: 1:32 - 45 = 47: Chazz shows Jimmy his tattoos and doesn't want to talk about the wolf tattoo. This is the first time Chazz and Jimmy bond as friends as Jimmy learns more about Chazz's relationships. At the end of the movie, Chazz will show Jimmy his new Jimmy tattoo to show that Jimmy's part of Chazz's wolf pack. Discovery
60: Jimmy receives an invite card from Katie to join him in a hotel room later that evening, Chazz attends a sex addict discussion group, Jimmy finds Chazz and Katie in the hotel room together. Katie goes through turmoil because of her feelings for Jimmy. Chazz goes through turmoil to maintain Jimmy's friendship. There's no going back.
-25: 1:32 - 25 = 1:07: Chazz is in bed, Jimmy sleeps, Coach calls, Chazz is late for the final skating performance. In the taxi, Chazz is attacked by Stranz. Fairchild steals handcuffs and stalks Jimmy. The final turning point.
The Bourne Ultimatum
25: The CIA sees Bourne for the first time in the movie and orders him killed. The birth of something new.
45: Pam questions Noah on Bourne status: "What's going on? What's Daniel's got? What's Operation Blackbriar?" The scope and nature of the organization that started everything for Bourne is discussed. Noah describes his take on the situation and how things will play out: a surveillance program evolved into sanctioned lethal action without red tape. Their discussion escalates the situation as Pam becomes aware of a potential abuse of power. Now that I'm aware.
60: The CIA assassin starts hunting Nicky Parsons as Bourne is chased by police. Nicky used to work for the CIA. There's no going back.
-45: 150 - 45 = 1:05: Searching for Nicky, Bourne jumps from building to building and eventually crashes through a glass door to confront the assassin hunting Nicky. Intense turbulence as an excellent hand to hand fight ends with Bourne alive and the assassin dead. Discovery.
-25: 150 - 25 = 1:25: Bourne drives the car over the roof to escape. What happens here at -25 indicates the trend that will continue throughout the story: Bourne will find a way to evade capture. The final turning point.
45: Pam questions Noah on Bourne status: "What's going on? What's Daniel's got? What's Operation Blackbriar?" The scope and nature of the organization that started everything for Bourne is discussed. Noah describes his take on the situation and how things will play out: a surveillance program evolved into sanctioned lethal action without red tape. Their discussion escalates the situation as Pam becomes aware of a potential abuse of power. Now that I'm aware.
60: The CIA assassin starts hunting Nicky Parsons as Bourne is chased by police. Nicky used to work for the CIA. There's no going back.
-45: 150 - 45 = 1:05: Searching for Nicky, Bourne jumps from building to building and eventually crashes through a glass door to confront the assassin hunting Nicky. Intense turbulence as an excellent hand to hand fight ends with Bourne alive and the assassin dead. Discovery.
-25: 150 - 25 = 1:25: Bourne drives the car over the roof to escape. What happens here at -25 indicates the trend that will continue throughout the story: Bourne will find a way to evade capture. The final turning point.
Children of Men and 4 to 10
There are 5 key moments in every good movie and screenplay. What exactly happens before and after those 5 moments? Is there another hidden structure pattern within good movies that can help you write better screenplays? Think about the number of emotionally intense moments in every good movie. Now take a look at what happens during 5 moments in the critically acclaimed Children of Men:
25: After having an emotional argument with his estranged wife on a bus, the protagonist follows his wife off the bus and up a flight of stairs. At 25, the protagonist asks "What happens to us?" His wife answers "I don't know," and kisses him. They walk through a dark tunnel to get in a car with the antagonist, a pregnant woman, and a midwife. Their journey on the road begins. The birth of something new.
45: The protagonist learns he’ll be killed if he doesn’t leave immediately. He makes a daring escape from a house and takes the pregnant woman and the midwife with him. At 45 they're in the car trying to get the engine started. Now that I'm aware.
-45: (1:40 - 45 = 0:55 into the film) Theo listens in another room as Roger, played by Michael Caine, tells the story of how Theo's child died during the flu pandemic. "Theo's faith lost out to chance." The movie is about a world without babies. At -45 we learn how our main character's baby died. Discovery.
60: The protagonist is in the car driving away after watching the antagonist kill his best friend. He must get the pregnant woman and the midwife to a safe place where the child can receive expert care. There's no going back now.
-25: (1:40 – 25 = 1:15 into the film) -25 is when Theo and the pregnant woman are alone in the room and the baby is born. Theo handles the delivery and eventually leads the mother and baby to safety. The final turning point.
Now let's focus on what happens before and after those 5 moments and the number of emotionally intense moments in Children of Men. How many emotionally intense moments usually happen in a good movie? Is there a general rule about how many intense moments should happen? The next time you watch a good movie, count the number of emotionally intense moments before and after the 5 moments.
In Iron Man, before 25 there are about 4 emotionally intense moments. After 25, there are about 4 intense moments. After 45 there are about 4 intense moments. After 60 there are about 4 intense moments. After -45 there are about 4 intense moments. After -25, there are about 10 intense moments.
In Children of Men, regarding the number of emotionally intense moments the same thing happens: before and after 25 45 60 -45 the main characters experience about 4 emotionally intense moments. After -25, there are about 10 intense moments.
Let's break Children of Men down in terms of emotionally intense moments:
Beginning of movie to 25 minutes: he witnesses a bomb explosion - his world is in chaos, he's kidnapped, his friend at the table shouts intensely, he shouts at his wife on a bus.
25 to 45: mob chases their car, wife killed, cops killed, mourns wife, discovers woman is pregnant, hears that someone is going to kill him.
45 to 60: he escapes in car with pregnant woman and midwife, listens to story about his dead child, argues with his friend but fails to persuade his friend to go with him, watches friend shot. This includes -45 because (140 - 45 = 55).
60 to 1:15 (140 - 25 = 1:15): Sid threatens him with weapon, midwife separation, he convinces guard with dog to go away, environment tense: pushes away people and people are being burned, birth pains.
1:15 to 1:40: Sid's gun is on him, fights Sid, foot in glass - intense request for a boat: he draws boat on wall, they enter a war zone and watch people get shot, antagonists arrive and he's about to be shot: he's separated from woman and baby, under fire as he escapes, antagonist runs at him and fires, shot at as he enters building, threatened with gun and soon shot in stomach by antagonist, under fire after leaving building, bleeds and dies in boat.
Wondering how to fill the gaps in your screenplay? Focus on creating 4 to 5 emotionally tense moments before and after the first 4 key moments of the story, and then during the last 25 minutes of your screenplay create at least 10 emotionally intense moments.
25: After having an emotional argument with his estranged wife on a bus, the protagonist follows his wife off the bus and up a flight of stairs. At 25, the protagonist asks "What happens to us?" His wife answers "I don't know," and kisses him. They walk through a dark tunnel to get in a car with the antagonist, a pregnant woman, and a midwife. Their journey on the road begins. The birth of something new.
45: The protagonist learns he’ll be killed if he doesn’t leave immediately. He makes a daring escape from a house and takes the pregnant woman and the midwife with him. At 45 they're in the car trying to get the engine started. Now that I'm aware.
-45: (1:40 - 45 = 0:55 into the film) Theo listens in another room as Roger, played by Michael Caine, tells the story of how Theo's child died during the flu pandemic. "Theo's faith lost out to chance." The movie is about a world without babies. At -45 we learn how our main character's baby died. Discovery.
60: The protagonist is in the car driving away after watching the antagonist kill his best friend. He must get the pregnant woman and the midwife to a safe place where the child can receive expert care. There's no going back now.
-25: (1:40 – 25 = 1:15 into the film) -25 is when Theo and the pregnant woman are alone in the room and the baby is born. Theo handles the delivery and eventually leads the mother and baby to safety. The final turning point.
Now let's focus on what happens before and after those 5 moments and the number of emotionally intense moments in Children of Men. How many emotionally intense moments usually happen in a good movie? Is there a general rule about how many intense moments should happen? The next time you watch a good movie, count the number of emotionally intense moments before and after the 5 moments.
In Iron Man, before 25 there are about 4 emotionally intense moments. After 25, there are about 4 intense moments. After 45 there are about 4 intense moments. After 60 there are about 4 intense moments. After -45 there are about 4 intense moments. After -25, there are about 10 intense moments.
In Children of Men, regarding the number of emotionally intense moments the same thing happens: before and after 25 45 60 -45 the main characters experience about 4 emotionally intense moments. After -25, there are about 10 intense moments.
Let's break Children of Men down in terms of emotionally intense moments:
Beginning of movie to 25 minutes: he witnesses a bomb explosion - his world is in chaos, he's kidnapped, his friend at the table shouts intensely, he shouts at his wife on a bus.
25 to 45: mob chases their car, wife killed, cops killed, mourns wife, discovers woman is pregnant, hears that someone is going to kill him.
45 to 60: he escapes in car with pregnant woman and midwife, listens to story about his dead child, argues with his friend but fails to persuade his friend to go with him, watches friend shot. This includes -45 because (140 - 45 = 55).
60 to 1:15 (140 - 25 = 1:15): Sid threatens him with weapon, midwife separation, he convinces guard with dog to go away, environment tense: pushes away people and people are being burned, birth pains.
1:15 to 1:40: Sid's gun is on him, fights Sid, foot in glass - intense request for a boat: he draws boat on wall, they enter a war zone and watch people get shot, antagonists arrive and he's about to be shot: he's separated from woman and baby, under fire as he escapes, antagonist runs at him and fires, shot at as he enters building, threatened with gun and soon shot in stomach by antagonist, under fire after leaving building, bleeds and dies in boat.
Wondering how to fill the gaps in your screenplay? Focus on creating 4 to 5 emotionally tense moments before and after the first 4 key moments of the story, and then during the last 25 minutes of your screenplay create at least 10 emotionally intense moments.
Transformers
25: Sam and Mikaela open up the hood to view Bumblebee's engine. Mikaela is impressed with the engine, Sam is impressed with Mikaela. Moments later Mikaela walks away and Sam pursues. Eventually he drives her home and their relationship looks promising. The birth of something new.
45: The Defense Secretary becomes aware of a Decepticon in the desert and wants soldiers who fought it to come home. Moments later a Pentagon analyst realizes she can't break the code; she removes a computer chip to take it to the one hacker who can break the Decepticon's code. Now that I'm aware.
60: Optimus Prime and all other Autobots are landing on Earth. At exactly 60, Sam and Mikaela are looking at a smoldering Autobot that just landed. Moments later Optimus and the other Autobots will gather and inform Sam his grandfather's glasses holds the key to Earth's future. There's no going back now.
-45: The Pentagon experiences a global virus attack caused by the Decepticons. Defense Secretary discovers what happened on Mars, orders ships to turn around, orders all commands to prepare for an imminent attack, orders soldiers and others to Hoover Dam. Discovery.
-25: A Decepticon roller blades through a bus and tackles Optimus, they fight. Optimus wins the fight, indicating who will win the final conflict. The final turning point.
Notice that 45 is usually about escalating the situation and -45 is often about escalating the action to try and resolve the escalating situation.
The next time you look at Transformers, examine 45 and -45: At 45 Pentagon analysts and an expert hacker struggle to understand a code. At -45 the Pentagon experiences a global virus attack caused by the code the analysts couldn't break.
At 45 the Defense Secretary orders soldiers home, at -45 after the virus attack, the Defense Secretary escalates the action: he orders ships to turn around, learns what happened on Mars, and orders soldiers and other protagonists to Hoover dam.
45: The Defense Secretary becomes aware of a Decepticon in the desert and wants soldiers who fought it to come home. Moments later a Pentagon analyst realizes she can't break the code; she removes a computer chip to take it to the one hacker who can break the Decepticon's code. Now that I'm aware.
60: Optimus Prime and all other Autobots are landing on Earth. At exactly 60, Sam and Mikaela are looking at a smoldering Autobot that just landed. Moments later Optimus and the other Autobots will gather and inform Sam his grandfather's glasses holds the key to Earth's future. There's no going back now.
-45: The Pentagon experiences a global virus attack caused by the Decepticons. Defense Secretary discovers what happened on Mars, orders ships to turn around, orders all commands to prepare for an imminent attack, orders soldiers and others to Hoover Dam. Discovery.
-25: A Decepticon roller blades through a bus and tackles Optimus, they fight. Optimus wins the fight, indicating who will win the final conflict. The final turning point.
Notice that 45 is usually about escalating the situation and -45 is often about escalating the action to try and resolve the escalating situation.
The next time you look at Transformers, examine 45 and -45: At 45 Pentagon analysts and an expert hacker struggle to understand a code. At -45 the Pentagon experiences a global virus attack caused by the code the analysts couldn't break.
At 45 the Defense Secretary orders soldiers home, at -45 after the virus attack, the Defense Secretary escalates the action: he orders ships to turn around, learns what happened on Mars, and orders soldiers and other protagonists to Hoover dam.
The 5 Moments
When editing a movie or organizing the story structure of a screenplay, do filmmakers follow a structural plan involving 5 moments? What if they did? Would you want to know about the 5 moments?
The next time you watch a good movie, notice what happens at 25 minutes into the film, 45 minutes into the film, 60 minutes into the film, 45 minutes before the film ends, and 25 minutes before the film ends: 25 45 60 -45 -25. Calculate -45 and -25 when the story ends, not when the final credits end.
25 minutes into The Bourne Ultimatum the CIA finds Bourne and issues an order to kill him. 45 minutes into Straight Time Dustin Hoffman steals a car and handcuffs his parole officer to a fence on the freeway. 60 minutes into Iron Man Tony Stark flies around the room and says “Yeah, I can fly.” 45 minutes before Schindler’s List ends, Ben Kingsley’s character Itzhak Stern holds up the list and says “The list is an absolute good. The list is life.” 25 minutes before Transformers ends a Decepticon crashes through a bus on the freeway.
In the above films, 25 45 60 -45 -25 are pivotal moments, inspirational, entertaining, emotionally turbulent moments that helped the screenwriter and filmmaker persuade the audience to care about their characters and what happens to them.
The 5 moments in Iron Man:
25: Tony Stark is in the cave, he examines a metal ring used to create the mini arc reactor that will fit in his chest. Soon, the light of the arc reactor turns on, his new power source is born. The birth of something new.
45: An emotionally intense Tony Stark tells the press he never said good-bye to his father. He declares that because his weapons have fallen into the wrong hands he’s shutting down his company’s weapons production. Now that I’m aware.
60: He’s flying around the room, struggling to control his power, and he succeeds: “Yeah, I can fly.” He's making real progress, there’s no going back to the drawing board. There's no going back now.
-45 (1:57 - 45 = 1:12 into the film) Tony receives new information about a besieged village from a reporter, learns more about the situation and escalates his action: he flies to the village and starts rescuing people. Discovery.
-25 (1:57 - 25 = 1:32 into the film) Pepper discovers the video that proves Obadiah Stane wants Tony dead. Final turning point.
In every good film and screenplay you'll find these 5 moments:
25: The birth of something new.
45: Now that I'm aware.
60: There's no going back now.
-45: Discovery.
-25: The final turning point.
The symmetry of 25 45 60 -45 -25 obeys a dynamic truth of nature: What goes up, must come down.
The 5 moments are located in any good movie or screenplay, including Romancing the Stone:
25: Joan is alone on a mountainous road, the antagonist walks into frame, pulls out a gun and aims it at her. Jack Colton arrives and discharges a barrage of gunfire to chase away the antagonist. 25 is where the heroine is confronted by the antagonist and where the love affair begins. The birth of something new.
45: Joan and Jack sit in a torn up cargo plane. Jack offers Joan a bottle of tequila. Joan lies about why she’s in Columbia. Within two minutes Jack finds the treasure map, a discovery that ignites future turbulence between Jack and Joan. Now that I'm Aware.
-45: (1:43 – 45 minutes = 58 minutes into the film) The ally with the monster truck opens the door and asks, “You are Joan Wilder, the novelist?” Because he learns she writes the books he loves he lets them in. Discovery.
60: Joan and Jack tour the ally’s home and within minutes they’re in a monster truck that jumps over a stream to escape the antagonists. There's no going back now.
-25: (1:43 - 25 minutes = 1:18) Joan and Jack reach Mother’s Milk, a small pool where they find the green diamond. The final turning point.
Knowing where the 5 pivotal moments belong in a screenplay will fundamentally change how you look at movies and how you read and write screenplays.
The 5 moments offer an objective formula pinpointing exactly when key moments happen, it's a precise structural tool to improve your ability to analyze and organize story structure so you can tell a better story.
You're probably aware of approximations when it comes to story structure (p. 10-20, p. 50-60, p. 80-90). If you're looking for something more accurate than an approximation when it comes to story structure, the 5 moments offer a precise, reliable, objective, naturally strong structural dynamic.
When your subject matter means the world to you, you owe it to yourself to know exactly where everything goes. Look at what the professionals are doing. They know exactly where everything goes, don't they?
A writer of 31 screenplays, Martin Felando is available for screenwriting assignments, private consultations, and speaking engagements. See above for script consulting services and rates. He can be reached at martinfelando@yahoo.com
The next time you watch a good movie, notice what happens at 25 minutes into the film, 45 minutes into the film, 60 minutes into the film, 45 minutes before the film ends, and 25 minutes before the film ends: 25 45 60 -45 -25. Calculate -45 and -25 when the story ends, not when the final credits end.
25 minutes into The Bourne Ultimatum the CIA finds Bourne and issues an order to kill him. 45 minutes into Straight Time Dustin Hoffman steals a car and handcuffs his parole officer to a fence on the freeway. 60 minutes into Iron Man Tony Stark flies around the room and says “Yeah, I can fly.” 45 minutes before Schindler’s List ends, Ben Kingsley’s character Itzhak Stern holds up the list and says “The list is an absolute good. The list is life.” 25 minutes before Transformers ends a Decepticon crashes through a bus on the freeway.
In the above films, 25 45 60 -45 -25 are pivotal moments, inspirational, entertaining, emotionally turbulent moments that helped the screenwriter and filmmaker persuade the audience to care about their characters and what happens to them.
The 5 moments in Iron Man:
25: Tony Stark is in the cave, he examines a metal ring used to create the mini arc reactor that will fit in his chest. Soon, the light of the arc reactor turns on, his new power source is born. The birth of something new.
45: An emotionally intense Tony Stark tells the press he never said good-bye to his father. He declares that because his weapons have fallen into the wrong hands he’s shutting down his company’s weapons production. Now that I’m aware.
60: He’s flying around the room, struggling to control his power, and he succeeds: “Yeah, I can fly.” He's making real progress, there’s no going back to the drawing board. There's no going back now.
-45 (1:57 - 45 = 1:12 into the film) Tony receives new information about a besieged village from a reporter, learns more about the situation and escalates his action: he flies to the village and starts rescuing people. Discovery.
-25 (1:57 - 25 = 1:32 into the film) Pepper discovers the video that proves Obadiah Stane wants Tony dead. Final turning point.
In every good film and screenplay you'll find these 5 moments:
25: The birth of something new.
45: Now that I'm aware.
60: There's no going back now.
-45: Discovery.
-25: The final turning point.
The symmetry of 25 45 60 -45 -25 obeys a dynamic truth of nature: What goes up, must come down.
The 5 moments are located in any good movie or screenplay, including Romancing the Stone:
25: Joan is alone on a mountainous road, the antagonist walks into frame, pulls out a gun and aims it at her. Jack Colton arrives and discharges a barrage of gunfire to chase away the antagonist. 25 is where the heroine is confronted by the antagonist and where the love affair begins. The birth of something new.
45: Joan and Jack sit in a torn up cargo plane. Jack offers Joan a bottle of tequila. Joan lies about why she’s in Columbia. Within two minutes Jack finds the treasure map, a discovery that ignites future turbulence between Jack and Joan. Now that I'm Aware.
-45: (1:43 – 45 minutes = 58 minutes into the film) The ally with the monster truck opens the door and asks, “You are Joan Wilder, the novelist?” Because he learns she writes the books he loves he lets them in. Discovery.
60: Joan and Jack tour the ally’s home and within minutes they’re in a monster truck that jumps over a stream to escape the antagonists. There's no going back now.
-25: (1:43 - 25 minutes = 1:18) Joan and Jack reach Mother’s Milk, a small pool where they find the green diamond. The final turning point.
Knowing where the 5 pivotal moments belong in a screenplay will fundamentally change how you look at movies and how you read and write screenplays.
The 5 moments offer an objective formula pinpointing exactly when key moments happen, it's a precise structural tool to improve your ability to analyze and organize story structure so you can tell a better story.
You're probably aware of approximations when it comes to story structure (p. 10-20, p. 50-60, p. 80-90). If you're looking for something more accurate than an approximation when it comes to story structure, the 5 moments offer a precise, reliable, objective, naturally strong structural dynamic.
When your subject matter means the world to you, you owe it to yourself to know exactly where everything goes. Look at what the professionals are doing. They know exactly where everything goes, don't they?
A writer of 31 screenplays, Martin Felando is available for screenwriting assignments, private consultations, and speaking engagements. See above for script consulting services and rates. He can be reached at martinfelando@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
