Glossary
Here are some common terms that are used on this site and what they mean:
Bringing Something to the Party — This is the talent or voice that a writer has that no one else has. In every script you write, indeed every scene, you should bring something to the party. This is the thing that only you could have written. A great line of dialog…an interesting setting…something that needed you to write it. Because, frankly, if some other writer could have come up with the same thing why the hell do we need you?
Central Question — The question that, once it’s definitively answered “yes” or “no”, ends the movie. The best central questions are made up of three parts detailing three areas of conflict the protagonist is trying to overcome: professional, personal, and private. Check out the article “Three Areas of Conflict” to learn more.
Four Archetypes — The main character moves through four distinct archetypes from the start of the film to the end. Check out the the article “Four Questions? Four Archetypes?” to learn more.
Four Questions — Every movie, in order to be a full and satisfying experience, must answer four simple questions: who is your main character?, what is he trying to accomplish?, who is trying to stop him?, and what happens if he fails. Check out the the article “Four Questions? Four Archetypes?” to learn more.
Good Guy vs Bad Guy over Stakes — The final battle in every film MUST be between the protagonist and the antagonist over the stakes character. Many a film has cut it’s own legs out from under it by creating a climactic battle that doesn’t include the protagonist or in some other way violates this simple equation.
Professional, Personal, & Private — An idea put forward by Syd Field about the three areas of conflict for the main character. Check out the post “Three Areas of Conflict” to learn more.
Stakes Character — The character who embodies all of the stakes and who usually has a personal relationship to the protagonist.
- EXAMPLE — In DIE HARD, John Maclean is trying to stop the terrorists and save all of the hostages, but the stakes character is his wife, Holly, who is one of the hostages. It’s for this reason the climactic fight is John Maclean vs Hans Gruber over Holly (see “Good Guy vs. Bad Guy over Stakes” above.)
Third Act Solution — An item, object, or concept that is mentioned as a throwaway or a joke early in a film (usually around the end of act 1 or the beginning of act 2) that ultimately is the solution the protagonist needs to be victorious. The key to the Third Act Solution is mentioning it sufficiently early in the story so the audience will have forgotten about it until it’s used, but not so early that they have trouble remembering it when it is.
- EXAMPLES — The tank of compressed air in JAWS. Brody almost knocks over when he first gets on the boat eliciting a stern warning to be careful because it can “blow up.” The air tank becomes the third act solution when Brody shoots it to blow up the shark. In THE DARK KNIGHT Bruce Wayne is given a new bat-suit and accidentally fires throwing stars from his gauntlet. He uses this in the final battle to defeat the Joker.
Three Areas of Conflict — Typically, your main character has three areas of conflict that he or she is trying to resolve by the end of your story: a “professional” area of conflict, a “personal” area of conflict, and a “private” area of conflict. Check out the post “Three Areas of Conflict” to learn more.
Traveling Angel — A type of character who doesn’t change from the beginning of the film to the end of the film, but who has a positive effect on those he or she comes in contact with during the story.
- EXAMPLES — Dennis the Menace, Beethoven (the dog, not the composer), the pre-Daniel Craig version of James Bond, and Kirk in the new STAR TREK.
