Structure, Structure, Structure? Where Art Thou? (Part 1)

For many years, film structure has mostly followed the three act structure we’re all aware of:

Act I is the setup,
II is the journey, and
III is resolution

Acts I & III comprise each about 20-25% of the script and Act II around 50%. Recently some films have seemingly defied this traditional structure – or have they?

Structure has evolved somewhat. There’s no doubt our viewing habits have also changed which may affect the way films and TV shows are made. Time shifting, which started with DVRs, has reached unimagined levels. Instagram and especially TikTok engage us in minute interval story scenarios. We’ve become consumers of faster delivery and more convenient content all around.

Movies, by their nature still have to be written and delivered in the more traditional fashion, but there’s no doubt that setups are generally getting shorter. The remake of the TV Series V, for example, already had the aliens on Earth and ensconced in our world. The how and why was covered in back exposition. Dexter: New Blood starts with him already deep in his perverse story. Many other movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Lord of the Rings, which skipped an entire book of setup (The Hobbit), take this shortcut approach to setting up a storyline.

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) & Harrison Morgan (Jack Allcott)

Now especially, since sequels are so popular, a long setup isn’t necessary to get the audience involved. Every Jurassic Park, Spiderman or Superman movie (after the reboot films) didn’t have to cover the origin of the superhero, so we are jumped right into the adventure.

So if everything is getting shorter, why then are we seeing these seemingly long setups in recent films?

Perception and intent is key.

King Richard

King Richard, among a few other movies recently released seem to buck the trend of shorter setups, with the filmmakers deciding to show the story of the Williams sisters and their larger-than-life father from an early stage in their lives. The movie opens with Venus (Saniyya Sidney) and Serena (Demi Singleton) already solid players on the courts of Compton, but needing to move up to better venues and foes. The story shifts to the Juniors competitions in which Venus is undefeated and Serena is also winning championships, but far from the pro circuits where they became legends.

The major part of that journey takes place in Florida under tennis coach Rich Macci (Jon Bernthal). This is where the sisters became the unstoppable players they are. The shift is three years in time from when they first head to Florida. This happens 82 minutes into the film (the whole film runs 144 minutes) , so it’s quite late. Some could argue that the movie could have gotten to this point much earlier and the previous 82 minutes were basically all setup. And yes, that’s true somewhat. Why not just put them in Florida or slightly before in the opening scenes? Why wait 82 minutes to tell the story?  

Although Venus and Serena are the stars we all know, this is not really a sports biopic of the Williams sisters, but more a movie about Richard Williams (Will Smith) and his 78-page blueprint for his daughters’ success.

Richard Williams (Will Smith)

As such, Richard’s journey is the focus and the story has tentpoles that follow that journey which is both directly and tangentially connected to his daughters. There are many more key scenes about Richard than anyone else.

Where To Start?

Decisions on where to start a movie and how much to include and leave out are tough ones at times. At 2.5 hours King Richard is a long sit, but there’s a lot of material to cover. Williams’ biography is 305 pages long so picking out the pivotal moments (tentpoles) is key.

Also, the intent of the movie plays heavily into these decisions. What story are you trying to tell?

The film becomes much more of a traditional sports biopic after Venus begins to compete in earnest under Macci’s tutelage and as such it feels like a slightly different movie because we’ve all been programmed to see movies, especially genre movies, in a particular way and to focus on the stars, not the people behind the stars. Most sports films are about the athletes not the parents or coaches. The movie Miracle focused a lot on Herb Brooks, the coach of the Olympic team rather a player’s individual story. King Richard is a drama about a man who dreamed beyond his daily world; determined to elevate those around him. The title is King Richard for a reason, and not Venus and Serena.

The Many Saints of Newark (a prequel) is not a biopic, but because The Sopranos is such a large part of our culture, and James Gandolfini’s son, Michael, plays a young Tony Soprano, it feels like this film is almost about a real person. The movie is in two parts: Tony and his family when he’s quite young, and then as he is in high school, playing football and looking to go to college. It’s not really a tonal shift, but it feels like it a bit especially since the ending is somewhat Godfatherish in aspect.

I’m fascinated by the choices made in this film by David Chase because they would not have been mine. I would have started with the teenaged Tony and left the youth parts out. My take is a more traditional choice and probably would not have been nearly as successful or compelling. As it sits, Saints is a wonderful film that covers a tremendous amount of ground introducing and deepening all the characters in the original series and setting up for another series or perhaps sequel film à la The Godfather after Michael Corleone embraces his destiny to become the next Godfather.

Tonal Shifts Sometimes Seem To Make Two Movies

Movies that have long setups can sometimes have tonal shifts as well. This is obviously purposeful. The filmmakers want to show something thematically that a short setup and traditional structure would not have accomplished. Sometimes these long setups make a film feel like it’s two movies, not one.

Swimming With The Sharks, and Full Metal Jacket to name two older films seem schizophrenic in nature as the tone goes from seriocomic to just plain serious, deadly, and even bloody.

Million Dollar Baby is a prime example of a hugely successful film that feels like two movies: You have a sports film with the rise of boxer Maggie Fitzgerald (Hillary Swank) and the dirty shot in the ring that leaves her as a bed-bound paraplegic. Filled with standard boxing and sports tropes in the first half of the film, everything after the injury is painful and heartbreaking drama. Just thinking about the ending has me choked up. But…two movies, right?

Again, what was the filmmakers’ intent? Like King Richard this isn’t a sports movie but rather a drama about a special relationship between two people who find purpose and love through their relationship of mentor and student. Frankie (Clint Eastwood) is estranged from his daughter but finds saving grace in this young boxer who becomes his world. Her death, her release from pain, is his redemption – watch the film to understand why.

by Mark Sevi

Mark Sevi is a professional screenwriter (34 scripts sold, 19 movies done as a writer, and 16 credits as a producer of other projects). He lectures and teaches scriptwriting in Southern California. He is also the founder of the OC Screenwriters Association. His book, "Quantum Scriptwriting: Informed Structure" is available on Amazon in ebook or print. His bi-monthly podcast on scriptwriters and scriptwriting (plotpointspodcast) is available on Apple Podcasts and others. He is repped by Wayne Alexander of Alexander, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz, LLP in Beverly Hills.

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