25: Audrey slips past a husband wanting to shoot Gary for his romancing his wife. Audrey slips into another hotel room, climbs onto the balcony, sidesteps over to Gary's room and warns him about the husband. Gary likes the look of Audrey and the romance starts. The birth of something new.
45: Maurice and Audrey talk about Audrey's beau and his family history; the father has investigated him. When Maurice leaves, Audrey sits to write Gary a letter, she writes she doesn't want to see him and that she's not his type. Now that I'm aware.
60: Gary wants to know Audrey's name and she won't tell him. Gary tips the hotel staff and tries to guess Audrey's name. Audrey says she wants no scenes or tears, "this way it was just perfect." He wants to buy her jewelry but all she wants is his carnation. They say good-bye. There's no going back now.
-45: Audrey and Maurice. Maurice wants to know why Audrey has a white fur coat. Maurice talks about how anklets drive men crazy. He says they are provocative. Audrey stares at something that could pass for an anklet. In the park with Gary she wears an anklet and he brings a carnation. When he discovers she's wearing an anklet he rips it off her ankle. Discovery.
-25: Gary is angry and troubled, he leaves his hotel followed by the band. In a sauna the band plays as the husband (the husband who wanted to kill him earlier at 25) tells Gary he's happily going through a second honeymoon with his wife. The husband tells Gary doesn't want to hear it, but the husband tell Gary he's in love with Audrey and to end the uncertainty he suggests he contact Maurice, a detective. Eventually, Audrey and Gary get together. The final turning point.
My Fair Lady
25: Audrey enters the room, and the Professor doesn't want her around. She says she'll pay, she wants to be a lady and she's willing to pay for voice lessons. Pickering asks her name and she says her name is Eliza Doolittle. He asks her to sit. The birth of something new.
45: Eliza's father sings "with a little bit of luck" before and after he becomes aware that her daughter is no longer living in her apartment and is living with a professor. Now that I'm aware.
60: Eliza fantasizes about Professor Higgins being marched before a firing squad and shot. She and Higgins look at each other. He says "A" and she mispronounces "A" three times. There's no going back now.
-45: Eliza and Higgins have just had an argument. Eliza searches for a ring in a fireplace hearth and places it on her finger. She says that Higgins will be sorry one day, that he'll be hurt and have no one. Tearfully, she removes a ring and goes outside as a young suitor sings "on the street where you live." Discovery.
-25: Pickering is on the phone with the police to find the whereabouts of Eliza. Higgins asks, "What prompted her to go?" Pickering makes a Whitehall call to a friend. Higgins begins to sing "why can't a woman be more like a man?" Eventually, Eliza and Higgins get back together. The final turning point.
45: Eliza's father sings "with a little bit of luck" before and after he becomes aware that her daughter is no longer living in her apartment and is living with a professor. Now that I'm aware.
60: Eliza fantasizes about Professor Higgins being marched before a firing squad and shot. She and Higgins look at each other. He says "A" and she mispronounces "A" three times. There's no going back now.
-45: Eliza and Higgins have just had an argument. Eliza searches for a ring in a fireplace hearth and places it on her finger. She says that Higgins will be sorry one day, that he'll be hurt and have no one. Tearfully, she removes a ring and goes outside as a young suitor sings "on the street where you live." Discovery.
-25: Pickering is on the phone with the police to find the whereabouts of Eliza. Higgins asks, "What prompted her to go?" Pickering makes a Whitehall call to a friend. Higgins begins to sing "why can't a woman be more like a man?" Eventually, Eliza and Higgins get back together. The final turning point.
The 5 Moments - brief intro
Hidden in the structure of every good movie and screenplay are 5 key moments. These 5 moments provide an objective formula that pinpoint exactly when key moments happen in a good movie and screenplay. Knowing this insight deepens your understanding of story structure and gives you a valuable tool to improve your work.
This blog takes a close look at story structure from the vantage point of 5 moments located on page 25, page 45, page 60, 45 pages and 25 pages before the screenplay ends.
Being aware of the 5 moments means you're capable of leveraging precise information that can improve how well you tell a story. It doesn't mean you're limiting yourself to a formula, it means you're aware of a hidden structure within every good story.
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.” At -45 in Schindler's List a key moment happens. What if that wasn't an accident? What if that key moment was at -45 according to a structural plan?
This blog enriches you because it helps you read movies from another perspective; the better you read, the better you'll write. The 5 moments provides you with a deeper understanding of structure to help you create better screenplays.
This blog takes a close look at story structure from the vantage point of 5 moments located on page 25, page 45, page 60, 45 pages and 25 pages before the screenplay ends.
Being aware of the 5 moments means you're capable of leveraging precise information that can improve how well you tell a story. It doesn't mean you're limiting yourself to a formula, it means you're aware of a hidden structure within every good story.
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.” At -45 in Schindler's List a key moment happens. What if that wasn't an accident? What if that key moment was at -45 according to a structural plan?
This blog enriches you because it helps you read movies from another perspective; the better you read, the better you'll write. The 5 moments provides you with a deeper understanding of structure to help you create better screenplays.
Planet of the Apes
25: Taylor and the other two astronauts walk past scarecrows, trees, swim in the water, and their clothes are stolen. Soon, they will be captured by the apes. The birth of something new.
45: Taylor fights to defend himself in prison. He's burned and sent to another prison in a lab. Dr. Cornelius sees Taylor's writing in the dirt and rubs it out with his foot. In the lab, he gets a pencil and paper and his writing proves he's not like any man they've met. Now that I'm aware.
60: Taylor gives his friend a name: Nova. A water hose is turned on Taylor and Nova is placed in a different cell. The apes tell Taylor to shut up and call him a freak. Taylor opens up to Nova, telling her about his society and past: "lots of lovemaking but no love." There's no going back now.
-45: Taylor and his allies are on trial. Taylor says he wants to defend himself but they won't allow him to tell his side of the story. He is silenced and called an animal. The apes repeat well known human themes and when Taylor submits his views in writing they call his viewpoint a joke. Discovery.
-25: Taylor, Nova, and their ape allies journey past the scarecrows and reach a river that leads to the sea. Eventually, the forbidden zone reveals a shocker of an ending too cool to mention in case you haven't seen this great film. The final turning point.
45: Taylor fights to defend himself in prison. He's burned and sent to another prison in a lab. Dr. Cornelius sees Taylor's writing in the dirt and rubs it out with his foot. In the lab, he gets a pencil and paper and his writing proves he's not like any man they've met. Now that I'm aware.
60: Taylor gives his friend a name: Nova. A water hose is turned on Taylor and Nova is placed in a different cell. The apes tell Taylor to shut up and call him a freak. Taylor opens up to Nova, telling her about his society and past: "lots of lovemaking but no love." There's no going back now.
-45: Taylor and his allies are on trial. Taylor says he wants to defend himself but they won't allow him to tell his side of the story. He is silenced and called an animal. The apes repeat well known human themes and when Taylor submits his views in writing they call his viewpoint a joke. Discovery.
-25: Taylor, Nova, and their ape allies journey past the scarecrows and reach a river that leads to the sea. Eventually, the forbidden zone reveals a shocker of an ending too cool to mention in case you haven't seen this great film. The final turning point.
The Wrestler
25: Ram sticks a needle in his butt, lifts weights, gets his hair done, gets a fake tan, goes to Jersey Dollar with a friend and they hit each other. The birth of something new.
45: He tells Cassidy that he doesn't want to be alone. Cassidy suggests he call his daughter. He says she doesn't like him but Cassidy tells him he'll be ok. Cassidy exits the car to back into the strip club. Now that I'm aware.
60 and -45: In a bar, Cassidy and Ram enjoy each other's company. She's thinking about moving. A favorite song of his plays and they dance and sing in the bar. He kisses her. There's no going back now and Discovery.
-25: Ram meets a young woman in a bar, they drink shots, snort, and have sex in the bar's bathroom. He sleeps and forgets about dinner with his daughter. She tells him she never wants to see him again. Eventually, he gets back in the ring and Cassidy is there for him. The final turning point.
45: He tells Cassidy that he doesn't want to be alone. Cassidy suggests he call his daughter. He says she doesn't like him but Cassidy tells him he'll be ok. Cassidy exits the car to back into the strip club. Now that I'm aware.
60 and -45: In a bar, Cassidy and Ram enjoy each other's company. She's thinking about moving. A favorite song of his plays and they dance and sing in the bar. He kisses her. There's no going back now and Discovery.
-25: Ram meets a young woman in a bar, they drink shots, snort, and have sex in the bar's bathroom. He sleeps and forgets about dinner with his daughter. She tells him she never wants to see him again. Eventually, he gets back in the ring and Cassidy is there for him. The final turning point.
Tropic Thunder
25: They land in the jungle, the director tells them what to do and then steps on a land mine and becomes little pieces of meat. The birth of something new.
45: Ben separates from the group and walks up the river. Rolling Stones plays as they walk through the jungle. Ben says hello to Mr. Mantis and says he's beautiful. Now that I'm aware.
60: Matthew the agent goes to Tom Cruise and takes a call from Flaming Dragon, a comedy of errors as Matthew thinks they're another agency that has stolen his client. Tom gets on the phone and spits fire at the kidnappers, then tells his assistant to "find out who that was." There's no going back now.
-45: Jack Black approaches a water buffalo. We go to the village with Ben is held prisoner. Ben: "My body maybe shackled but my mind wanders free." Ben has a spitting contest with one of his captors. Downey, Black, et al discover the location of the village. Discovery.
-25: Matthew considers a photo of his friend and a photo of a G5 plane. We view stars and the guys talk about romance. JB is tied to a tree and asks that they don't ignore him. Radar tells Downey he thinks Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot and asks Downey if he's still dating her. Eventually, Radar kisses Ms. Hewitt, Downey announces Ben as the winner of an Oscar, and other relationships are resolved. The final turning point.
45: Ben separates from the group and walks up the river. Rolling Stones plays as they walk through the jungle. Ben says hello to Mr. Mantis and says he's beautiful. Now that I'm aware.
60: Matthew the agent goes to Tom Cruise and takes a call from Flaming Dragon, a comedy of errors as Matthew thinks they're another agency that has stolen his client. Tom gets on the phone and spits fire at the kidnappers, then tells his assistant to "find out who that was." There's no going back now.
-45: Jack Black approaches a water buffalo. We go to the village with Ben is held prisoner. Ben: "My body maybe shackled but my mind wanders free." Ben has a spitting contest with one of his captors. Downey, Black, et al discover the location of the village. Discovery.
-25: Matthew considers a photo of his friend and a photo of a G5 plane. We view stars and the guys talk about romance. JB is tied to a tree and asks that they don't ignore him. Radar tells Downey he thinks Jennifer Love Hewitt is hot and asks Downey if he's still dating her. Eventually, Radar kisses Ms. Hewitt, Downey announces Ben as the winner of an Oscar, and other relationships are resolved. The final turning point.
Hard Times
25: A doctor joins the gambler and the fighter. The birth of something new.
45 and -45: A loan shark wants his money. Chaney enters his small apartment with groceries. He pours milk for his cat, counts his money, fights the next day against the top street fighter, and wins. Now that I'm aware.
60: The rich gambler who lost money because of Chaney wants Chaney on his side. Chaney refuses. There's no going back now.
-25: Lucy tells Chaney she's met another guy with a steady job. Chaney walks away from her, ending the relationship. Eventually, Chaney beats the best street fighter available. The final turning point.
45 and -45: A loan shark wants his money. Chaney enters his small apartment with groceries. He pours milk for his cat, counts his money, fights the next day against the top street fighter, and wins. Now that I'm aware.
60: The rich gambler who lost money because of Chaney wants Chaney on his side. Chaney refuses. There's no going back now.
-25: Lucy tells Chaney she's met another guy with a steady job. Chaney walks away from her, ending the relationship. Eventually, Chaney beats the best street fighter available. The final turning point.
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