Story Development-Three act structure

The three act structure is a structure used in all books and films. As it is a simple structure, it is very diverse, which is why it applies to all books and films, not just some or most. The three acts are the beginning, middle and end. Throughout these three acts, the story follows a protagonist, also known as the main character. Every story, whether it's from a book or film, needs to have a protagonist because it is the reader's/viewer's way in.

In the beginning stage of this structure, all the characters start in a state of equilibrium, including the protagonist. During this stage, the characters and the story/plot are established.

This is then followed by the middle, or crisis phase. Something happens at this point in the film which disrupts the equilibrium. Common themes in films which cause a crisis are death, war, political issues, a missing/lost character, a crime being committed etc.

The 3 act structure. A screenplay approach
(2011). Available at:
 http://robsanderswrites.blogspot.com/2011/01/screenplay-approach.html.
(Accessed on 11th January 2012)

The final stage, also known as the end, is where this crisis is resolved. How this problem from the middle of the story is resolved is dependent on the crisis, which forms the plot. By the end of the film, the characters are usually back in a state of equilibrium. However, this state of equilibrium is very different to that at the beginning of the film/story.  In an average two hour film, the beginning stage usually lasts for around 30 minutes, as well as the end. The middle stage however is usually around an hour long, as this is the most important part of the film.

It was believed for many years that the order of the three act structure is always the beginning first, followed by the middle and then the end, but this isn't the case. For example, some episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, starts with showing the ending, and then pieces the picture together through the 45minutes to show how the ending came about. The Green Mile is another example of this, stating with an old man in a care home telling his friend about his past.