Exercise: Structure the narrative in a film of choice, based on Syd Field's 3 act structure

Exercise: Structure the narrative in a film of choice, based on Syd Field's 3 act structure

For this exercise, we have been, again, split in groups of 3, and we have chosen to talk about Finding Nemo.

Act 1 

 The set up

 In Finding Nemo, the set up can be broken down in 3 acts as well, as Normality is being set as we are being introduced to Marlin and Coral, 2 clown fish, expecting a whole lot of babies. They are talking about normal things, like what to name their babies, as a barracuda comes and eats Coral as well as all but one eggs. At the same time, Marlin is being hurt and knocked unconscious, so this can easily be classed as a mini climax, or a mid point. But then, he realises that one egg is left, so life has purpose again, and he is determined to offer this one egg the best life he can. 

Another "normality" is being established as we are being introduced to the life Nemo and Marlin are living, as they get ready for Nemo's forst day of school

Characters

In a very short period of time we meet quite a few characters: apart from Nemo and Marlin, we also meet Mr Ray (Nemo's teacher), a few of Nemo's new school mates and also, we are beibng introduced to Dory who will play a key role in this whol adventure

Act 2

Inciting incident

The confrontation between Nemo and Marlin as the young fish ventures into the sea. Nemo feels like he needs to prove himself, while Marlin is trying with all his will to stop him from getting hurt.

Plot point 1

Marlin sets off to find his son, after he was picked up by a diver

Obstacles
Dory and Marlin encounter the sharks and then the angler fish as they are escaping the sharks.

Midpoint

Marlin realises that Dory can't actually help him due to her very short term memory.

At the same time, on the other side of the ocean, Nemo is trying to escape through the filter in the fish tank, in the Dentist's office.

( We encounter here, two stories happening side by side hence the situation where we have 2 midpoints)

Plot point 2

The turtles find Marlin and Dory and are pointing them in the right direction.

                                                             Marlin meets Crush

Act 3

Clinax 1

Marlin and Dory get to the dentist's surgery and see Nemo belly up in a bag - they think he is dead and give up the rescue

Climax 2

Nemo lying for dead at the bottom of the ocean after trying to save the fish caught in the net. 

Denoument

Nemo and Marlin go back to school. Normal life is being restored, however, there is a twist, normality is slightly different than at the beginning of the film. As Nemo gets ready to go with Mr Ray, Dory shows up with their shark friends. "Fish are friends, not food" is being proven to be true for now.