• Opening Image: The first shot of the film. If you’re starting a novel this would be an opening paragraph or scene that sucks readers into the world of your story.
• Set-up: Establishing the ‘ordinary world’ of your protagonist. What does he want? What is he missing out on?
• Theme Stated: During the setup, hint what your story is really about - the truth that your protagonist will discover by the end.
• Catalyst: The inciting incident!
• Debate: The hero refuses the call to adventure. He tries to avoid the conflict before they are forced into action.
• Break into Two: The protagonist makes an active choice and the journey begins in earnest.
• B Story: A subplot kicks in. Often romantic in nature, the protagonist’s subplot should serve to highlight the theme.
• The Promise of the Premise: Often called the ‘fun and games’ stage, this is usually a highly entertaining section where the writer delivers the goods. If you promised an exciting detective story, we’d see the detective in action. If you promised a goofy story of people falling in love, let’s go on some charmingly awkward dates.
• Midpoint: A plot twist occurs that ups the stakes and makes the hero’s goal harder to achieve — or makes them focus on a new, more important goal.
• Bad Guys Close In: The tension ratchets up. The hero’s obstacles become greater, his plan falls apart, and he is on the back foot.
• All is Lost: The hero hits rock bottom. He loses everything he’s gained so far, and things are looking bleak. The hero is overpowered by the villain; a mentor dies; our lovebirds have an argument and break up.
• Dark Night of the Soul: Having just lost everything, the hero shambles around the city in a minor-key musical montage before discovering some “new information” that reveals exactly what he needs to do if he wants to take another crack at success. (This new information is often delivered through the B-Story)
• Break into Three: Armed with this new information, our protagonist decides to try once more!
• Finale: The hero confronts the antagonist or whatever the source of the primary conflict is. The truth that eluded him at the start of the story (established in step three and accentuated by the B Story) is now clear, allowing him to resolve their story.
• Final Image: A final moment or scene that crystallizes how the character has changed. It’s a reflection, in some way, of the opening image.