Story Structure Review The Art & Craft of Video Production Teacher: Ken Kimura
email: ken_kimura at lsrhs dot netNOTE: First read the story, "Norman's Bad Day"
Which line from the story best describes the main theme?
Points to Remember:
The theme is the main idea of the story.
Themes are often universal truths that are suggested by the specifics of the story.
Often the theme of a story, is the same as the moral of the story.
What we talked about in class:
The theme of “The Lunch Date,” is about negative assumptions that people make based on class, race and gender.
The theme of “George Lucas in Love,” is about the idea that inspiration is found all around you, and that George should write about “what he knows
Who is the Protagonist?
You should know this one, check your terms sheet.
What part of this story is the climax?
Points to Remember:
The climax is when the drama, and the conflict are the most intense. Most often occuring at the end of the second act or near the beginning of the last act - and never near the beginning.
Sometimes it is marked by the point where the protagonist is compelled to do something they would not ordinarily do.
What we talked about in class:
The climax of “The Lunch Date,” was when the lady was driven to the point of reaching across the table and sticking her fork into the man’s salad.
In “George Lucas in Love,” the montage scene where George is inspired to write, is a build up to the climax where he is about to kiss Marion.
What is the plot goal?
Points to Remember:
Plot goal is the goal within the story. Most often the goal of the protagonist. NOT the goal of the author or filmmaker.
What we talked about in class:
The plot goal in “The Lunch Date,” was for the lady to take the train home, and then to have some food before catching the next train.
The plot goal in “George Lucas in Love,” was for George to finish writing his script so that he could graduate.
What part of this story is the resolution?
Points to Remember:
The resolution is how the climax is resolved, how the story ends.
It almost ALWAYS happens after the climax, sometimes it happens at the same time, but never the other way around.
What we talked about in class:
The resolution in “The Lunch Date,” is when the lady realizes that the man had NOT stolen her salad after all, and she is finally able to catch her train home.
The resolution in “George Lucas in Love,” is when George and Marion realize that they are siblings.
It is an important plot point that Norman receives a lucky charm from Chen. What were the plot point setups for this?
Points to Remember:
Plot point setups help to setup things that happen much later. They often seem unimportant at the time, but it is later revealed to be very important.
What we talked about in class:
In “The Lunch Date,” the scene when the lady begins to eat from the man’s salad plate is set up earlier in the story, when she looks through her purse and cannot find any money. If she HAD money, she would have just bought another salad, and this story would never have happened.
In “George Lucas in Love,” George mentions to his roomate at the beginning of the movie that his mother is coming to visit. This is a setup to the event that happens at the end.
Foreshadowing:
Points to Remember: Reread your terms.
What we talked about in class:
In “The Lunch Date,” there are a number of shots of homeless men in the train station.
We even see the same man walking, that the lady meets later in the movie.
