Before you start banging yourself up trying to figure out which story points to tuck into which acts in your latest TV pilot, it’ll be helpful to think about your script as traveling down two or three separate roads at the same time:
1. You’re first road is called your A-plot, and it is that part of your script which fuels the actions of the main characters in the script, and generally pushes the story along, as in: “Oh no, the city is under attack—thank goodness the Power Rangers are here to fight the monster and save us all!”
2. Your B-plot is that part of your script which expresses the emotional entanglements and problems of your main characters tangentially to the doomsday scenario that is unfolding, as in: Carrie Bradshaw’s life may be in ruins, but wait—who in the world is that dreamboat? Let me date him and report back to my friends!
3. Hour-long shows will usually also have a C-plot, which focuses on the parallel lives of supporting characters, as in: Tony Soprano’s daughter Meadow rebels against her family by dating an African-American Jewish student at Columbia!
Each of your acts should contain a 60/30/10 breakdown of your A, B and C-plots, respectively. In a half hour show with no C-plot, the ratio should be closer to 60/40. These are rough estimates, however, and you should feel free to take liberties in how you organize your story. The bottom line is to keep your show moving.
1. You’re first road is called your A-plot, and it is that part of your script which fuels the actions of the main characters in the script, and generally pushes the story along, as in: “Oh no, the city is under attack—thank goodness the Power Rangers are here to fight the monster and save us all!”
2. Your B-plot is that part of your script which expresses the emotional entanglements and problems of your main characters tangentially to the doomsday scenario that is unfolding, as in: Carrie Bradshaw’s life may be in ruins, but wait—who in the world is that dreamboat? Let me date him and report back to my friends!
3. Hour-long shows will usually also have a C-plot, which focuses on the parallel lives of supporting characters, as in: Tony Soprano’s daughter Meadow rebels against her family by dating an African-American Jewish student at Columbia!
Each of your acts should contain a 60/30/10 breakdown of your A, B and C-plots, respectively. In a half hour show with no C-plot, the ratio should be closer to 60/40. These are rough estimates, however, and you should feel free to take liberties in how you organize your story. The bottom line is to keep your show moving.