ROCK, PERSON, TREE
That sentence describes a large majority of the movies you love.
The first structure one is taught in nearly any dramaturgy class is the THREE-ACT STRUCTURE. Regardless of whether or not it can be subverted (it can and has) or is necessary (see previous) for everything, one should learn it due to the fact that nearly all of our narratives, culturally, historically, have it baked in (speaking strictly of Western narratives, of course). A simple version is that each story has a beginning, middle, and end.
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Just like a knock-knock joke. Three parts. The three parts are dependent upon each other to work as a unit, too.
So that’s basic story structure, right? Three parts, beginning, middle, end, and they must all be linked somehow… if one piece is removed, the rest doesn’t work.
Simple, yes?
That being said, when writing movies or novels, it’s not always that easy.
In fact, it’s a thing that triggers endless discussions, because although story structure is simple, it’s what I call a complex simplicity… lots of moving parts working as one.
One of the best descriptions for it came from Hollywood, of course. I first heard of it from producer Peter Guber, but I’m absolutely sure he heard it somewhere else first.
Because that’s how great ideas spread… people like them, and they go.
Guber described all great movies follow a particular pattern... (and yeah, I know, quibble, but at least listen to the explanation, okay) and he described the pattern as follows:
A guy gets stuck in a tree.
Someone starts throwing rocks at the guy in a tree.
Guy finds a way out of that tree.
DIE HARD is an excellent example of exactly that, I’m sure you’re aware.
Guy goes to visit his estranged wife at her job just as terrorists attack (tree)
Terrorists start killing hostages and nearly kill him, too, plus they ID his wife (rocks)
Guy finds a way to stop the terrorists, kill the bad guy and save his wife (out of the tree)
That is the simple structure of DIE HARD. Now, lots of moving parts, sure. Definitely.
But it’s still a simple story. That film is an excellent example of complex simplicity.
It’s about a guy saving his wife. He has to do a number of complex things, but they’re all for the sole purpose of saving his wife.
Action films are, of course, easier to see this at play. But what about non-action films?
Let’s look at THE GODFATHER, one of the greatest films of all time.
First of all, let’s identify the “guy”… who’s the hero?
Micheal Corleone. The estranged son of a mafia family. He wants nothing to do with the family business, he’s a war hero, after all. His family is not him.
What’s the tree he gets stuck in? His family’s business, of course. His father is shot and near death, and Michael quickly realizes that if he doesn’t step up, they will eventually succeed in killing his father.
Michael kills the Turk and the corrupt Police Captain.
He has to go on the lam to Italy, falls in love, and his wife there is murdered by the same people who want to kill his father. His brother is murdered, too, as is the family’s number one enforcer, Luca Brasi. (rocks)
His father recovers but is still weak, as is the family’s power. He helps Michael start the process of taking over, then his father dies. (more rocks)
Michael gets his revenge, kills all of his family’s enemies in a single day, and is recognized as the Godfather as a result. (he’s out of the tree… or rather, he built a treehouse and decided to stay after killing those chucking rocks at him)
You can do this with any number of insanely popular movies. You just need to know who your “guy” is (doesn’t have to be a guy, obviously), what tree they’re stuck in, and what do they have to do to get out (or stop the rocks from flying).
Break down your favorite movies. Use this:
A guy gets stuck in a tree.
Someone starts throwing rocks at the guy in a tree.
Guy finds a way out of that tree.
ALIEN: Ripley and her crew answer a distress call and one of their men is attacked by an alien egg that attaches to his face (tree).
The alien hatches out of poor John Hurt’s belly and starts feasting on the crew, plus, the lovely Ash? He’s a robot and sent them on this suicide mission. Oh, and the alien’s blood? Acid. (Rocks, rocks, rocks)
Ripley finally tricks the alien into getting near an airlock and kicks that bug out into space where, presumably, no one can hear it scream (out of tree) and takes a nap with her cat, Jones.
So as a helpful starter, when you’re breaking story on your newest script or novel, just remember… rock, person, tree.