Without denigrating the work and contribution of Syd Field to the art of screenwriting, it is about time many screenwriters moved on.
Syd Field gave us the plot point - a clearer definition of what was previously known as the "twist" - as well as other concepts such as the "pinch" and midpoint. His work is still a valuable start point for screenwriters.
Syd Field's midpoint analysis moved us towards four-act structure, which is well established in many cultures, whereas western culture still tends to dwell on three acts.
It seems as though Syd Field had some issues with the mid-point, one of them being that the inclusion of the mid point and consequently four act structure does not fit well with all stories ? his attempt at preciseness resulted in a consequential lack of broadness and hence greater critical analysis as a template.
Hollywood has implicitly accepted four act structure ? most movies now have a high point midway ? usually a catastrophic event for the protagonist. Resistance to four-act structure is probably a result of our theatrical heritage.
But moving light years ahead in terms of structure is the Hero's Journey.
Ironically, Campbell published Hero with a Thousand Faces before Syd Field published his work. Vogler wrote an easy to read update in 1992 (The Writer's Journey). The Hero's journey is a well established anthropological analysis of stories across cultures.
Depending on the interpretation, there were 17, 18 or 19 stages to the Hero's Journey. But a modern, detailed analysis reveals at least 106.
There is some rejection of the Hero's Journey as a universal template primarily because the archetypes (Mentor, Shape Shifter, Threshold Guardians etc) refer to the Quest, Fable, Fantastic et al genres. However, this is a misunderstanding as a metaphoric and symbolic interpretation leads to such classics as Midnight Cowboy and Get Carter, the original Michael Caine classic.
Ultimately, the Hero's Journey is a much more sophisticated study of Story Structure than Syd Field's analysis ? and story structure is the most fundamental and critical of the skills that screenwriters need to possess.
Other theorists, such as McKee in Story are not as structure orientated, but their input when debating structure, is also indicative to it's importance. For example, McKee rightly states that the screenwriting process should involve a step-outline, treatment and then a words-on-paper first draft.
The thing that held us back was this idea that a template had to be broad, which made sense if that template had to explain many stories. But a conceptual leap is the understanding that detailed templates, which may not each explain large numbers of stories, when taken together, can be more useful tools.
Further, whereas Syd Field's analysis left the screenwriter with yawning gaps - the need to fill 30 and 60 pages ? detailed templates overcome this problem.
Whereas Syd Field had difficulty with four acts, we are now playing with story structures with potentially 150 acts. This is the natural result of analysing sequences as opposed to acts.
It is like comparing today's scientific analyses to Middle Aged analyses using Fire, Water, Earth and Air.
In conclusion, it is time screenwriters moved beyond Syd Field.
A detailed Hero's Journey analysis and related story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
**********************************
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com
Ashley limo service .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare1. SECRETS TO SUCCESS2. MAKING A POWERFUL FIRST IMPRESSION3. AVOID... Read More
(Skip directly to ten for the fastest shortcut!)Like any field,... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Your theme has to be something you... Read More
Among the various foolproof methods used to boost traffic to... Read More
ADAPTATION 101Brimming with confidence, you've just signed the check purchasing... Read More
The decision to publish a book is very exciting! It... Read More
Just about every marketer on the Internet claims to be... Read More
It occurred to me one day that I needed something... Read More
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time,"... Read More
Written communication is often the first impression you make on... Read More
As a professional copywriter, not only do I do a... Read More
Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire... Read More
There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More
The following answer sounds simplistic?but think about it. The single... Read More
1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More
What is this annoying, insidious angst that permeates my psyche?... Read More
The Scanning ReaderWriting for the Web is different than writing... Read More
Creating incredible characters can be easy if you know of... Read More
Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
Do you suffer from writer's block? Is there a pending... Read More
When you read a letter from someone, we are immediately... Read More
You can create a great headline, a dynamic first sentence,... Read More
First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More
The creativity of Jaisini is not designed to be preaching... Read More
car service from Midway Arena ..So you've got your plot outlined, a title lined up... Read More
ACCEPT, EXCEPT Not commonly seen even from unpublished writers, who... Read More
In the business of freelance writing, it's not enough to... Read More
When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More
Next time you're tempted to use italics for emphasis... STOP!"Why?"... Read More
Winning writing contests can provide several advantages to writers. For... Read More
Virgil, the great Roman poet, wrote "Practice and thought might... Read More
Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
One morning, you open your inbox and find several e-mails... Read More
Tips for your writing journeySo, you'd like to be a... Read More
I owe the completion and success of my book to... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Our plotting stage is our testing area.Everything... Read More
If you find your sentences filled with commas, and they... Read More
Many of us dream of writing a book. Why not.... Read More
IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More
There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More
The works you've written are numerous, ranging from short stories... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Your theme has to be something you... Read More
You're writing a story set in your local city, but... Read More
Remember the days when we wrote with pen and paper?... Read More
Simply put, it is the art of writing scripts for... Read More
Most people can easily identify with the dreaded "writer's block".... Read More
Writing |