The Ultimate Guide to Synopsis Writing: A Comparison of the 3-Act, 5-Stage, and 8-Sequence Structures


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Table of Contents

Intro

Effective storytelling is a fundamental aspect of film writing, and one of the widely used models is the 3-act structure. This age-old storytelling framework, rooted in ancient Greek drama, divides a story into three distinct parts: setup, confrontation, and resolution. By employing the 3-act structure, screenwriters can bring order to their narratives, ensuring a clear beginning, middle, and end. In this article, we'll explore the origins of the 3-act structure, its evolution, and how it can be applied to write a compelling synopsis. Additionally, we'll delve into alternative structures, such as Freytag's drama structure and the 8-sequence structure, offering writers multiple options to effectively organize their stories. Understanding these structures will empower writers to craft captivating synopses that succinctly capture the essence of their films.

The basic : 3-Act Strutcure

The 3-act structure is a storytelling model that has been used in literature and drama for centuries. It divides a story into three parts - setup, confrontation, and resolution - and is a framework that is often used in screenplay writing to help organize the narrative and ensure that the story has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

The origins of the 3-act structure can be traced back to ancient Greek drama, where plays were divided into three parts: the prologue, the parodos, and the exodos. In the prologue, the characters and setting were introduced, and the main conflict of the story was introduced. The parodos was the main body of the play, where the conflict was developed and the characters' actions led to the climax of the story. The exodos was the resolution, where the conflict was resolved and the story came to an end.

Over time, the 3-act structure has evolved and has been adapted and used in various forms in literature, drama, and film. Today, it is a widely recognized and commonly used framework for storytelling in the entertainment industry. To write a synopsis using the 3-act structure, you can follow these 3 main steps:

  1. Begin by introducing the main character and the setting in the setup, or the first act. This should include any background information that is necessary to understand the story and the main character's goals and motivations.
  2. In the confrontation, or the second act, introduce the main conflict of the story and describe how the main character tries to overcome it. This act should include rising action and a turning point, where the stakes become higher and the main character must make a crucial decision or take a significant action.
  3. In the resolution, or the third act, describe how the main character resolves the main conflict and achieves their goals. This act should include a climax, where the main character confronts the final challenge or obstacle, and a denouement, where the story is wrapped up and any loose ends are resolved.

Right after then, write a concise and engaging summary of the story using the 3-act structure. This should include the main character, their goals and motivations, the main conflict, and the resolution of the story.

Review your synopsis to ensure that it accurately reflects the 3-act structure and that it provides a clear and concise overview of the main points of the plot.

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Is there another way to write a synopsis ? Yes, the Freytag's Drama Structure

Yes there is, the 3-act structure is similar to Freytag's drama structure, which is a common storytelling structure that divides a story into five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

The 3-act structure is a simplified version of Freytag's drama structure that focuses on the main elements of the plot and combines the exposition and rising action into the first act, the falling action and climax into the second act, and the resolution into the third act.

While the 3-act structure is similar to Freytag's drama structure, it is important to note that there are also some differences between the two structures. Freytag's drama (or also know as 5-Stage Drama) structure includes more detailed stages of the plot and is more suited to longer, more complex stories, while the 3-act structure is a simpler and more streamlined approach that works well for shorter and more straightforward stories.

To write a synopsis using The Freytag's drama structure, you can follow these steps:

  1. Begin by understanding the key elements of the Freytag drama structure. This structure consists of five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
  2. Start with the exposition, which introduces the setting, characters, and main conflict of the story. In this section, you should provide enough information to set the stage for the rest of the story.
  3. Next, move on to the rising action, which is the series of events that build up to the climax of the story. This is where the main character faces challenges and obstacles as they try to achieve their goals.
  4. The climax is the turning point of the story and is the point of greatest tension or conflict. This is where the main character confronts the central problem of the story and makes a decision that will determine the outcome.
  5. The falling action follows the climax and is the series of events that occur as the main character deals with the consequences of their decision.
  6. Finally, the resolution is the conclusion of the story, where the main conflict is resolved and the story comes to an end.
  7. As you write your synopsis, be sure to include key events and details from each of these five parts of the Freytag drama structure. This will help to ensure that your synopsis covers the main points of the story and provides a clear and concise summary of the plot.
  8. Review your synopsis to ensure that it accurately reflects the main points of the story and provides a clear and concise overview of the plot.

By following these steps, you should be able to write a synopsis using the Freytag drama structure.

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Other than the 3-act and Freytag's 5-Stage Drama strucrure, is there other way to write a synopsis ?

The Freytag's drama structure and the 8-sequence structure are both approaches to organizing and structuring a story, but they are not exactly the same.

Freytag's drama structure is a common storytelling structure that divides a story into five parts: It is a useful tool for organizing and structuring a story and can be used to help writers understand the different elements of the plot and how they fit together.

The 8-sequence structure is another approach to organizing and structuring a story that divides the plot into eight parts: Character introduction, Dillema, Journey begins, fun and games, Bigger Problem, Culmination, climax, Resolution. The problem is that form different source in the internet you'll find that the plot has different various naming, however the description ussually has overall same explanation. The description and also different naming of the 8-sequence structure will be discussed in another article in this blog.

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Like Freytag's drama structure, the 8-sequence structure is a useful tool for organizing and structuring a story and can help writers understand the different elements of the plot and how they fit together. There is no one "best" structure to use when writing a synopsis, as the structure that works best will depend on the needs of your story.

The 3-act structure is a simple and streamlined approach that works well for shorter and more straightforward stories. It divides the plot into three parts: setup, confrontation, and resolution.

Freytag's drama structure is a more detailed approach that divides a story into five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. It is a useful tool for organizing and structuring a story and can be used to help writers understand the different elements of the plot and how they fit together.

The 8-sequence structure is another approach to organizing and structuring a story that divides the plot into eight parts: the setup, the inciting incident, the first act turn, the midpoint, the second act turn, the crisis, the climax, and the resolution. Like Freytag's drama structure, the 8-sequence structure is a useful tool for organizing and structuring a story and can help writers understand the different elements of the plot and how they fit together.

It is important to choose the structure that best fits the needs of your story and that helps you to clearly and concisely summarize the main points of the plot.

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