Subscribe to our new RSS feed!

Three-Act Out

By Story Consultant Fernanda Rossi, The Documentary Doctor

(Reading time: 5:05 minutes – 515 words)

Click here to download a printable PDF of this issue.
Missed the last issue? print version

A three-act structure is a misnomer—though lately I feel it is more like a misdemeanor in our doc business—used to describe stories that are organized around a central conflict and protagonist and comprise three parts: setup, development, and resolution. We’ve come to agree that’s what it means, even though it’s not exact, and what we strive for, even though it’s not entirely applicable to most documentary stories.

So imagine my shock when filmmaker Beth Kruvant confidently blurted out, “This story can easily be done as a three-act-structure documentary, but it would misrepresent what happened. Besides, I just don’t want to do three-act, it’s not me.” Did I hear her right? Or did I lose my capability to understand American English after weeks of lecturing abroad?

I’m used to hearing, “I want this film to be three-act for theatrical release,” or “I’m following the three-act model by the book yet nothing seems to work.” Statistically, three-act-structured films are NOT the majority of films released theatrically or in any category for that matter; and it’s definitely a deceiving tool when building a story, as opposed to analyzing a finished film (almost any model can be imposed after the fact).

However, neither Beth nor her editor Anand Kamalakar was acting out of naïve defiance. This was Beth’s third film and Anand has done his share of editing and directing. As usual I trusted the filmmakers’ intuition and desire, because, first, what I would do if it were my film is irrelevant and inappropriate in this case. Second, they’ve been with the film longer than I: if they express a concern or desire, there must be a very valid reason.

We watched her documentary Hard to be an Indian, about a predominantly African American high school and the trials and tribulations of its principal Ronald Stone, Jewish alumni, and even gang members to restore the school’s safety and past glory. Beth and Anand were absolutely right. It would have been so easy to push here, force there, and make the principal of the school a hero battling a troubled body of students. But in the real world, every person—including each of the gang members—was a hero and helped turn the fate of the school around.

We spent a concentrated two days together. The film was so close to being done and so well edited that it took my entire bag of tricks to shift the balance of characters and conflict without flattening the overall arc. Anand’s amazing memory came in handy to remind us of this or that sound byte and Beth and I took turns applying color dots, printing frames, and re-organizing the board.

In the end, I had the satisfaction of seeing that “end-of-session-filmmaker’s-face.” An equal mix of a pleasant “Yes, this is it, the film is almost done” and the panic of “Oh my God, the film is almost done.” You would have to see it to know what I mean… like a film that is not three acts.

Conclusion: If characters are forced into three-acts, they’ll act out more than three times.

The Doctor will see you now: The Doc will be offering her signature workshop on structure and fundraising trailers in Tucson, AZ and San Francisco, CA in October. For details check www.documentarydoctor.com.

Three-Act Out – Case Study: Hard to be an Indian by Beth Kruvant
Article by Fernanda Rossi | edited by Marcia Scott | photo by Tania Retchisky
published by Documentary Educational Resources

Fernanda Rossi, 2008. All rights reserved. This article can be reprinted in its entirety for educational purposes only, as long as no charges of any kind are made. Partial reproductions or modifications to the original format are strictly prohibited.

Posted on September 22nd, 2008 in Doc Doctor | No Comments »

Doctor's Credentials: Internationally renowned author and story consultant Fernanda Rossi has doctored over 200 documentaries, scripts, and fundraising trailers including the 2007 Academy Award nominated Recycled Life by Leslie Iwerks. In addition to private consultations, lectures, and seminars worldwide, she has served as festival juror and grant panelist. Ms. Rossi shares her knowledge and research of story structure and the creative process in columns and articles in trade publications. She is also the author of the book Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making your Documentary Fundraising Trailer.