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Course: Pixar in a Box > Unit 2
Lesson 3: Story structure | 3Activity 4: Act 2
Part A: Identify the Act 2 in your three favorite films.
- What is the want/goal of the main character(s) at the start of Act 2?
- What (if any) is the point of no return or turning point (when the character learns something and changes their path)?
- What (if any) is the low point?
- What did the character learn by the end of the second act?
Part B: Now develop the information you want to present in Act 2 of your own film.
- What is the want/goal of your main character(s) at the start of Act 2?
- Why does your character reach a low point, if any?
- Describe the point of no return or turning point (where your character learns something new and realizes their needs.)
- Try fitting this into the Act 2 steps of the story spine (fill each step out with 3-4 sentences.)
Want to join the conversation?
Star Wars Episode 4:
Luke's goal is to join the academy.
Luke's low point is when his uncle, aunt and also Ben Kenobi die.
At the point of Ben's death Luke knows he must help the rebellion.
Luke learns that helping others is better then only helping himself.(74 votes)
The low point is Ben's death. It's clear.
But I don't know which scene is point of no return for StarWars.
I think it needs to be located near the end of Act 2.
Does anyone have any ideas?(17 votes)
The Riechenbach Fall
Act 1:
1.) Once there was a detective named Sherlock Holmes and his friend, John Watson.
2.) They solved crimes together, and became famous.
3.) [Inciting incident] Jim Moriarty broke into the Tower of London, Bank of England, and Penteville Prison, all at the same time. He was arrested at put on trial.
Act 2:
4.) Sherlock is a key witness at the trial, skyrocketing himself into fame.
6.) Moriarty is released, and a reporter publishes an 'expose' on Sherlock, claiming that Moriarty was just an actor paid to be Moriarty. All through Moriarty's plan to 'burn' him.
5.) Sherlock investigates a kidnapping, in which he himself becomes a suspect.
6.) Sherlock confronts Moriarty, and the whole of the psychopath's plan comes to light.
Act 3:
7.) Sherlock is forced to commit 'suicide' (or so we believe) to save his friends.
8.) The world believed him a fake genius, until two years later, his name was cleared.(44 votes)
I love Sherlock Holmes! You did it very well, I think.(23 votes)
In Attack On Titan(season 1). The low point is when Eren and his friends almost finished making the final protection for the gate of wall... uh maybe maria, and the colossal titan suddenly appeared and it started destroying every thing. That makes Eren SUPER angry and loses hope. All he tries to do kill the colossal titan as he almost reaches the nape it releases very hot steam. Making Eren's 3d maneuver gear's hook fall out with Eren as well. And the colossal titan just disappeared. The point of no return is in Attack On Titan season 2 is when Eren's titan form is fighting against the armored titan. He tries to fight the armored titan alone. And his friends tell him that he needs to fall back to be in the position that his friends can help him. But he disagrees and keep fighting alone. And he loses and got captured by the armored titan and the colossal titan.(34 votes)- I was litteray watching Attack on Titan yesterday(3 votes)
- Sometimes it's hard to tell whether a "low point" is actually the inciting incident, such as when Nemo is captured, or when Luke's uncle & aunt are killed - these moments sort of launch the main characters into an adventure. Is the low point more towards the end when all hope seems lost? What are some examples of this?(18 votes)
It seems like the inciting incident is often something bad that starts the adventure, and its kind of like a low point. But the low point is towards the end of the adventure, when it seems like everything will fail. In Revenge of the Sith, its bad when Anakin kills Dooku, but the low point is when he kills Windu and swears allegiance to Palpatine.(9 votes)
- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children: At the beginning of Act 2, Jacob wants to recover the peculiars from having been captured. The low point is when Caul captures Jacob and Emma. Jacob realizes that, as a librarian in the Library of Souls, he needs to protect the souls.
School of Rock: At the beginning of Act 2, Dewey wants to win money and pay his parents' rent. The low point is when the teachers and parents of the school begin to get suspicious. Dewey learns that he needs to find the individuality in each and every student in order to build a lasting relationship with them and help them build one with their parents.
My story: At the end of beginning of act 2, Jeremy wants to ignore the murder mystery and let the cops handle it. He reaches a low point when a dear friend is murdered while sitting in the audience, and he realizes that he needs to investigate this mystery, as he is the only one who knows magic and the techniques of the killer(s) as well as he does.(15 votes)
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is one of the weirdest things Ive ever read. Maybe that's why I like it so much(4 votes)
In Big Hero 6
Hiro and his team come SUPER close to killing Professer Callahan
The low point is when he loses hope and gets upset with Baymax
The point of no return is when he realizes he needs his team and not just himself(15 votes)- Part A:
1. Lion King
Simba, Protagonist
Want/Goal: To be king.
Point of no return: That the kingdom is suffering under his uncle's rule
Low point: Death of Mustafa
Learn: That friends are important
2. Beauty and the Beast
The Beast, Protagonist
Want/Goal: To be a human again, Find true love
Point of no return: Getting Belle back and trusting her
Low point: When the Beast is injured and attacked
Learn: You sometimes have to trust people, you don't want to trust
3. Frozen
Elsa, Protagonist
Want/Goal: To keep Anna safe
Point of no return: Rescuing Anna
Low point: Hitting Anna with ice magic
Learn: That she needs to learn how to control her powers
Part B
Want/Goal: To become a famous and respected inventor
Point of no return: Is forced to leave the country
Low point: When he is framed for crimes he didn't commit and is going to have to serve in jail if he stays in his country.
Learn: That he has to give up something in order to get something better.(11 votes)
Would you really say Elsa is the protagonist of Frozen? Based on where the emphasis is put, it seems that Anna is the protagonist, especially by the point where she must choose between saving Elsa and saving herself.... Just saying.(6 votes)
The goal of Frodo in Lord of the Rings is getting to Mount Doom and destroying the ring of power.
The point of no return is at many points for example, when they are in Mordor the journey seems to hard.But not only then but also when Gandalf falls or when Boromir dies but these could also be the low point since Gandalf does not
die from the fall.
Sam learned about the outside world which was dangerous but the peaceful parts about it are worth saving.Frodo learned much wisdom from the elves and wizards that he later put in his book for Bilbo. Sorry if you haven't watched it yet.
SPOILER ALERT!(11 votes)
Nightmare Before Christmas - Jack Skellington's goal is to rule a different holiday, by taking Santa Claus' place. Sally's goal is to keep him from doing such thing.
The poing of no return is when Jack is shot by humans army and realized that nobody liked his version of Christmas. He realizes that phe is what he is - the Pumpkin King - and has new ideas to make a different Halloween... and he also learns that his selfishness caused pain for everyone, and almost got Sally and Santa Claus killed. Sally, by her turn, learns that she's not as worthless as she thought - she was complimented by Sandy Claws as someone with "good sense" and finally got Jack's attention and love.
Rise of the Guardians
Jack Frost's goal is to learn his identity. For this, he has to ally the Guardians to retrieve the teeth Pitch Black has stolen.
The low point is when he is tossed in an ice chasm, apparently powerless, after(10 votes)
Star Wars Episode 4:
When Han Solo and Chewie take Luke and Ben to where Alderaan is, they discover that it was destroyed and the Death Star is in its place.
Because of that all 4(I guess 6 if you count the droids) are forced to find a way out.
Because of helping the rebellion, and for extra money(for Han), they decide to kill to birds with one stone and rescue Princess Leia along with getting off the death star
Because of Ben Kenobi's death, it becomes a low point for Luke, who now tries to destroy the death star to avenge his death.(7 votes)
