Storytelling in Hollywood

Everyone Has a Story to Tell

How….

Plot Defined

• Chain of events occurring in time and space that are linked by cause and effect.

– Events and actions don’t happen randomly

Basic Plot Map

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?

Examples• Pulp Fiction

• Memento

• Sliding Doors

• 500 Days of Summer

• Slumdog Millionaire

• Love Actually

Pulp Fiction – Character Chart

Pulp Fiction - Chronologically

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”

Easy to Follow?

• Classical storytelling may be easy to follow.

• But….that does not make them SIMPLE or childish!

The Four Stages!

• Not to be confused with…..

1) The Set-Up

• Meet characters

• Get a feel for who they are

• Establish the “double goal” structure

2) Complicating Action

• Action goes in a new direction

• New situation that the protagonist must cope with

3) Development

• Goals are all in place

• Many incidents that create action, suspense, and delay

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

4 Stages

• Roughly balanced in terms of time

• Cause and effect pattern

Summary

• Plot = series of events through which the story is told.

• Might be chronological, might not.

• Films progress through 4 stages.– Set up Complicating action

Development Climax and resolution