before the story) should be revealed gradually later. Even then reveal only what is
absolutely essential by showing us, not telling us.
Does the hero have a game plan or plan of action?
This plan should be precise and detailed. It should start simple and grow more and
more complicated as the story goes along.
Is the hero’s plan sabotaged by the actions of the villain time and time again? The
hero is constantly reworking the plan as the villain attacks him and his plan goes
awry.
Did you include a major plot turn at the end of Act I, turning the action around in
a new direction, and another toward the end of Act II? These plot points each
require a decision or commitment by the star and raise the stakes. The plot points
are like gates. Once our hero has gone through, there is no going back. Ideally, each
major character goes through the gates of his own plot points in turn to make his
own character arc. In fact, you’ll need many twists and turns throughout the story.
Does the game plan build? Reorganize scenes, if necessary, to make them build
toward a climax.
Watch that the storyline doesn’t split in the middle. It must be one super train, bar-
reling down a single track, picking up speed as it goes.
Does the action change? It should never be repetitive. (Roadrunner trying multi-
ple ways to trick Coyote and Tom trying multiple ways to trap Jerry will work only
in very short scripts.)
Is the plot too thin to hold the audience’s interest? New information provides new
twists and turns. The villain may receive news about the hero. There might be
hidden antagonists who are just discovered. The hero should keep receiving new
data, often about the villain who’s hiding things. For the hero things should be going
good, then bad, then good again, alternating throughout the second act. Informa-
tion leads to new action. Then there’s more news.
Does the conflict continue to build? If it’s a comedy, the gags must build and get
wilder. The hero and the villain must get more and more compulsive in trying to
win. They become more desperate and go to greater extremes. The hero’s friends
may criticize him if he goes too far, putting even greater pressure on him. But be
sure that in the effort to reach his goal, the hero doesn’t do things that are too
unbelievable or out of character.
Is there a major high point at the middle of Act II? Everything looks rosy!
Does the evenness of the good news/bad news cycles turn to primarily bad news
after the midscript high point? There may be a big confrontation between the hero
and the enemy. The hero suffers some major defeat, giving the enemy an advan-
tage. This starts the hero’s downward slide toward the major crisis.
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