Story Elements Truby, Vogler, Hauge, McKee, Snyder, Howard, Iglesias, Soth, Gulino, Williams & Sheridan

For Educational Use Only—Not For Sale or Commercial Distribution.

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Tables 13 and 14 examine each of the characters and their goals.
 ’ Opening Image: Sets up the tone, genre, and initial salvo of the movie. A “before”
snapshot—the opposite of the Final Image.

Theme Stated: Usually spoken to the main character, often without knowing what
is said will be vital to his surviving this tale. It’s what your movie is really about.

Set-up: The first 10 pages of the script must grab the reader, and introduce or hint
at introducing every character in the “A” story.

Catalyst: The telegram, the knock on the door, the act of catching your wife in bed
with another—something that is done to the hero to shake him. It’s the movie’s first
whammy.

Debate: The section of the script, be it a scene or a series of scenes, when the
hero doubts the journey he must take.

Break into Two: Where we leave the “thesis” world behind and enter the upside
down “antithesis” world. The hero makes a choice and the journey begins.

B Story: The “love” story, traditionally, but actually where the discussion about the
theme of a good movie is found.

Fun and Games: Here we forget plot and enjoy “set pieces” and “trailer moments”
and revel in the “promise of the premise.”

Midpoint: The dividing line between the two halves of the movie, after which it’s
back to the story as “stakes are raised,” “time clocks” appear, and we start putting
the squeeze on the hero.

Bad Guys Close In: Both internally (problems within the hero’s team) and externally
(as actual bad guys tighten their grip), and real pressure is applied.

All Is Lost: The “false defeat” and the place where we find the “whiff of death”—
because something must die here.

Dark Night of the Soul: Why hast thou forsaken me, Lord? That part of the script
where the hero has lost all hope.

Break into Three: But not for long! Thanks to a fresh idea, new inspiration, or last
minute action or advice from the love interest in the B story, the hero chooses to
fight.

Finale: The “synthesis” of two worlds: From what was, and that which has been
learned, the hero forges a third way.

Final Image: The opposite of the Opening Image, proving a change has occurred.
And since we know all stories are about transformation, the change had better be
dramatic!

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