Another convention. Another article. This time is was Westercon 54, a science fiction convention in Portland, Oregon, where I was accosted by a group of rabid Tolkien fans.

After driving three hours from Seattle to Portland and settling in my hotel room overlooking the parking lot, I was too restless to sit still, deciding instead to check out the Con's evening offerings. Sorry to say, pickings were slim, but I found something interesting for a film buff: "Will Peter Jackson's 'Lord of the Rings' Films Be Any Good." Now that sounded interesting!

As a fan of fantasy, and having read The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, I obviously thought it would be fun to go and hear some news, or at the least the latest 'gossip' about the upcoming film. But instead of finding other films buffs or writers, I stumbled upon a group of Tolkien fans who had gathered to discuss (or should I say, worship) their beloved fantasy. These people were more than fans, they were Tolkien devotees who could quote chapter and verse and exclaimed loudly "after reading The Lord of the Rings fifteen times, I finally understood . . ." They reminded me of a group of Star Wars fans who once told me about Boba Fett's family life. Sorry, but I didn't even know my favorite bounty hunter was married.

Anyway, after listening quietly to discussions about which characters might be left out of the film, and pledges of suicide if certain characters were changed or combined, I raised my hand and asked: "Knowing that almost all films take a 3-Act Structure, and knowing the novel as well as you all seem to, how do you think Jackson will adapt the novel to fit three acts?"

First, there was a beat of dead silence and then shouts of  "It will never happen! Jackson said he would be true to the novel." A woman to my right turned to me and shouted, "If you want to view films that way, than go right ahead. If that's how you want to view the world . . ."  Some people stood, shook their heads and walked out. Another woman in the front turned and said, "If all films are three acts, then how do you explain a film like The Empire Strikes Back?" 

This was when I realized that while people who certainly knew their Tolkien surrounded me, they obviously didn't know their film. Unfortunately, feeling I had committed blasphemy by suggesting that their sole purpose for living would probably be reduced to an action-adventure sword and sorcery commercial vehicle (Not that there's anything wrong with that) for selling Tacos and fries (God bless America), action figures (I do collect some action figures) and lunchboxes, they refused to discuss it further and changed the subject. I just sat there, stunned and amazed.

So, the question remained, is the 3-Act Structure a fate to befall The Lord of the Rings when it is transformed to celluloid?  I offered to meet with the Tolkien group after the film releases to analyze the structure, but they wouldn't discuss it. That offer still stands, but we'll have to wait until after its December 2001 release to find out. So, in the meantime, let's look at what 3-Act Structure means.

With The Empire Strikes Back offered as an argument against 3-Act Structure, The Star Wars films seemed like a good place to start the discussion because they are such fine examples of the 3-Act Structure, and I'm sure most of you have seen them. . . at least fifteen times. In fact, let's take a look at the original trilogy for many reasons.

To understand 3-Act Structure, divide your typical 120 minute film into four quarters with the first quarter (approximately 30 minutes) as Act I, the second and third quarters (figure 60 minutes) as Act II, and the last quarter (another 30 minutes) as Act III. Another way to look at it is 0-30 minutes for a 30 minute Act I, 30-90 minutes for a 60 minute Act II, and 90-120 minutes for a 30 minute Act III (30-60-30). Notice that Act II, which tells the actual story, is usually twice as long as Acts I and III. Of course, not all films are exactly two hours, so adjust the breakdown accordingly.

If you've studied film, I'm sure you've come across Syd Field's Screenplay: the Foundations of Screenwriting (Dell) as the definitive text. It's a good place to start, but, as I've discovered, not the complete story. I'll explain later. Another thing to keep in mind is that this is art and (thankfully) as art, it will play with this formula. 

Anyway, according to the 3-Act "formula," the first ten minutes of Act I is used to hook your audience as the rest sets up the story and characters. This means meeting main characters through dialogue (what they say) and action (what they do), as well as learning the time and place for the story, what the genre will be, and everything you need to know before the real story starts. 

Before the real story starts is key here because in film, the actual story doesn't start until Act II, preceded by a plot point - a bridge or transition of scenes that moves the story into the next act. During Plot Point One something happens that introduces the conflict for the main character. And this conflict will later be resolved during a "climax." It's basic fiction structure. 

Now think of the 3-act structure this way: A 30 minute Act I that includes Plot Point 0ne at approximately 25-30 minutes, a 60 minute Act II with a Plot Point Two at approximately 85-90 minutes, and a 30 minute Act III.

Or: Act I (plot point one) / Act II (plot point two) / Act III.

Let's apply this formula to Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope (Special edition) @ 125 minutes in length. The film begins with the imperial cruiser's flyover as it engages a small craft in battle. Lots of action, things getting' blow'd up good, a large character dressed in black appears within four minutes, robots, Princess Leia captured, Vader interviewing Leia (giving us important "setup" information - things we need to know before the actual story gets started), and the droids escaping to a planet by the nine minute mark. Wow, that's a lot happening in nine minutes. Some hook! They got me, and most of you! However, Act I isn't over yet. Remember, the formula gives them 30 minutes to play with.

On the planet, the droids discuss "a message" to be delivered (giving us more setup information) and are captured by Jawas in a strange tank-like vehicle. Is the story ready to start? I say no, because we haven't met the main character yet - Luke Skywalker. Remember, this is Luke's story and we still have over  fifteen minutes to play with. 

The droids end up going to a farm to be sold and guess whose there? At 16 minutes his aunt yells, "Luke!" introducing us to a young, fair-haired man, our hero, Luke Skywalker, a restless youth who wants to leave his uncle's farm to join the academy as his friends did. Now, is the story ready to begin? No, not yet. Because to start the story covered by ACT II, the main character must be given a task to perform, a mystery to solve, a criminal to catch, "conflict" to get him or her off and running. Luke has no real conflict yet.

What happens next? R2D2 runs away. Luke and C3PO follow, attacked by Sand People. They meet Ben who tells of the Jedi and Luke's father. They play "the message" explaining the rebellion's plan to destroy the Death Star (a plot?). Cut to the Death Star where we learn of Vader's "sorcerer ways and devotion to an old religion," and witness his power. Cut back to Ben asking Luke to join him in the rebellion, and this restless youth says, "No, I can't leave my uncle." (Well, we'll see about that.) Luke and Ben discover the dead Jawas, realizing the Empire is looking for the droids. At about 40 minutes, Luke returns to the farm to find it destroyed and his family killed. When he returns to Ben he says, "I'll come with you now. There's nothing for me here. I want to become a Jedi like my father."

Now we can start the real story. Notice that Star Wars went over the thirty minute mark. It's art, remember. The conflict of the story was introduced at about 40 minutes. Plot Point One was when Luke's family is killed and he decides to follow Ben and join the rebellion to get revenge. Now that the real conflict has been introduced, the story takes us to ACT II: Confrontations.

Act II follows the main character trying to achieve goals to resolve conflict. But who would watch a story where everything works out easily. Therefore, Act II also involves confronting obstacles, which means villains and allies. 

In Act II for Star Wars we quickly meet Hans Solo, introduced with dialogue and action. We learn, through dialogue, that he is a smuggler in debt to the gangster, Jabba the Hutt, and he kills (action) Guido the Bounty Hunter without blinking an eye. Now the characters must escape the storm troopers. Cut to the Death Star, which destroys an innocent planet to show us how evil the Empire really is. Cut back to the Falcon where Luke practices Jedi skills, and the Falcon, after encountering a Tie fighter, is captured by the Death Star. While Ben goes off to shut down the tractor beam, Luke discovers Leia and the rescue begins.

Side note - One of my favorite bloopers: At about 80 minutes watch the storm troopers enter the room where C3PO and R2D2 are hiding. As the storm troopers leave, watch the soldier on the far right of the screen bang his head on the top of the doorframe. Good thing he's wearing that helmet.

Okay, so in Act II, one thing is leading to another (confrontations) as we head for Plot Point Two and the next major change in the story leading to Act III, climax (resolving the conflict) and wrap-up. 

That next change (Plot Point Two) begins at approximately 90 minutes when Ben meets and fights Vader. At 92 minutes, Vader kills Ben, shocking Luke. Luke has lost his teacher. He is on his own. It is up to him to deliver the plans to the rebels. "Run, Luke, Run." After a firefight with some Tie Fighters, the Falcon delivers Luke, Han, and Leia to the rebels where they present the plans. Now they can destroy the Death Star and wrap things up. 

But this is Luke's story, isn't it. And he wants revenge, doesn't he? And he wanted to learn the ways of the force, didn't he? So, those are the conflicts of the main character that must be resolved before the story can end.

At 98 minutes, Act III begins. Han solo leaves and Luke joins the rebels in their attack on the Death Star. The attack begins. But any rebel ship that approaches the Death Star is destroyed. Only one is left to try. Luke goes into the trench. C3PO is damaged. Darth Vader is on his tail. Luke turns off the computer. "Use the force, Luke." Darth Vader has his finger on the trigger and . . . Han Solo shows up to save Luke, but, and this is a big "but," it must be Luke who saves the day. It's Luke who blows up the Death Star (the climax). All conflicts are resolved here. Luke has discovered the Force. His family is avenged. And the rebels have triumphed. The end! 

A 0-40 minute Act I. A 40-98 minute Act II. A 98-125 minute Act III. 3 Acts!

Let's do it again, but faster this time, with Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (Special Edition)@ 127 minutes in length. (The film I was told is not 3 acts.) 

Act I: set up. We meet the rebels at their base camp. Luke, Han, and Leia are re-introduced. Remember, the writers can't assume you've seen the first film, so character set up must take place again. (Imagine this philosophy applied to a television series and you'll understand why characters call each other by name at the start of each show.) Of course, the plot sets up the continuing story of the Rebels vs. the Empire and a new plot; Ben tells Luke to go to Dagobah to find and train with Yoda. 

The Empire finds the base at 20 minutes into Act I, attacking the base at 25 minutes, which leads Luke leaving to find Yoda at 35 minutes (as instructed by Ben in the setup), and Han and Leia to escape to find Lando. Therefore, the attack at 25 minutes to the escape at 35 minutes is Plot Point One, introducing the conflict (Luke going to Dagobah to face his dark side) and launching the story for Episode V. 

This Act II also adds a "parallel plot" because it launches two similar stories: Luke's story and Han's story. They are parallel because similar things happen in each plot. For example, both plots involved going into a cave. I'll leave it to you to figure out the rest. Anyway, Luke has his story with Yoda showing him the dark side of the Force, and Han goes to Lando's world to face the dark side personified. You can probably name the confrontations faced by each character and plot.

This time we get Plot Point Two at about 87 minutes (sending the plot in another direction, leading to climax and wrap up in Act III) when on Dagobah, the force tells Luke his friends are in trouble and he disobeys Yoda to go to save them. Meanwhile, Darth Vader shows up on the Cloud City to capture Han and company. Lando realizes he's been double-crossed by Vader as Han is frozen and Luke arrives, bringing the parallel plots together for Act III.
 
In Act III, Luke faces the dark side (his conflict) first, when asked to join Vader, and then after learning that Vader is his father (the climax). He won't become like his father and drops. Was he trying to kill himself? I don't know. But this wrap up is especially interesting because one story is (kind of) wrapped up while the other continues as Luke (knowing the truth) is saved by Leia and Lando to end one story, while Han is shipped off to Jabba's (to be continued).

This time it's a 0-35 minute Act I, a 35-87 minute Act II, and a 87-127 Act III for 3-Acts.

But is three times the charm? Let's quickly look at Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (Special Edition) @ 135 minutes in length and then I will show you something rather interesting about the trilogy. 

Again, they have the task of balancing what returning viewers already know with the people who have not seen the previous films. So again, characters and situations must be re-established without boring retuning viewers. This time Act I uses Jabba's castle and Han's rescue to set up the this third film, while at the same time, ending a plot from the second. 

And Plot Point One (from about 40-50 minutes) occurs after Luke leaves the desert to go to see Yoda, confronting the Jedi master about his father. Luke is especially torn when Ben appears, instructing Luke to kill his father to save the world. Talk about conflict. (Kill your father, boy!) But Luke is convinced there is still some good in Vader. And now we know what this film is about.

Act II concerns the Alliance's preparations for destroying the new Death Star. I'm sure you remember the obstacles they will face in this one. (Bring on the Ewoks!) Things seem to be going well until . . . Luke is captured at 82 minutes, confronting Vader ("It's too late for me, son.") The alliance attacks the Death Star at 87 minutes. Luke meets the Emperor at 90 minutes, who tells him the Death Star is operational and that his friends are walking into a trap. The Alliance is surprised and overwhelmed. Han and company are captured. Luke is watching the destruction of the Alliance. And the Emperor offers him a place at his side. Ready for something to change?

Plot Point Two. At 87 minutes, the Ewoks rescue Han, allowing him to deactivate the shield. And at 103 minutes, Luke turns on the Emperor, forced to fight his father once more. 

Act III. As the war rages outside the Death Star, Luke, believing his father is still good, refuses to kill his father when the opportunity presents itself. The Emperor steps in to kill Luke. And at 116 minutes, Vader kills the Emperor to save his son (the climax), proving Luke correct about his father and resolving the conflict of this story. After the Death Star is destroyed at 121 minutes, Luke escapes with Vader's body, and the victory celebration begins (at 124 minutes), with celebrations throughout the Star Wars universe until closing credits.

This time it's 0-45 minutes for Act I, 45-87 minutes for an Act II, and 87-135 minutes for an Act III. In case you check my numbers, be aware that opening and closing credits are counted within a film's running time.

That, my friends, is the 3-Act Structure. Keep it in mind the next time you watch any theatrical film and see if you can locate plot points and acts. Remember, this is art, so while the exact 30-60-30 formula will be tinkered with, the functions of the three acts and plot points will always remain.

One more interesting observation about the Star Wars Trilogy, and another reason for choosing it as my example, is that while each film follows a 3-act struture, the trilogy can join to form one immense 3-act "story." Star Wars: A New Hope has all the characteristics of an Act I, setting up the trilogy. Empire Strikes Back makes a perfect Act II, providing the meat of the story. And Return of the Jedi wraps it all up as a typical Act III would, which makes me wonder if that was why most people thought Empire was the best since it told the most "story."

However, the question remains. Will 3-Act Structure apply to The Lord of the Rings? Based on my experience with film and Peter Jackson's track record with commercial, mainstream flicks such as The Frighteners (1996) and Dead Alive (1992), I have to say yes. Also, The Lord of the Rings' quest-adventure plot typically lends itself to a three-act form. I'll even predict, based on the book (if I remember the story correctly) that Act One will be "meet the Hobbits, Frodo, and Gandalf." Plot Point One will be "learning about the ring's power and getting 'the quest.'" Act II will be trying to "return the ring to the mountain." Plot Point Two will be with the elves. And Act III will involve "returning to the land of the Hobbits," for better or for worse. 

Of course, we won't know until after we see the film, so be sure to check back sometime in January 2002 to see if I eat my words.

Lastly, I need to make one more observation that I hope doesn't contradict the point of this article. As I said previously, when it comes to Syd Field's three-act credo, I do take exception! 

After teaching film studies for ten years and seeing quite a few films in my lifetime, I did discover that not all films follow a three-act structure. While the three acts is by far the most popular form used, I have come across some films that break with tradition. Think about films like Falling Down (1993), Forrest Gump (1994), Little Big Man (1970), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Pulp Fiction (1994), Reservoir Dogs (1992) and, I humbly submit for your evaluation, Aliens (1986) as films that do not follow a three-act structure.

They follow what I call Episodic Structure, using episodes, segments, or vignettes instead of acts to tell the story. There are no plot points or acts to speaks of. Instead, each episode tells a mini-story about the main character that ties together directly or indirectly with the whole story. Instead of waiting for plot point one to introduce the conflict, Episodic films introduce the conflict right away, usually in the first episode and all episodes lead to and build up to the climax. I call this "story telling on the run." No acts. No plot points.

Think Forrest Gump: Forrest as a child episode (conflict introduced). The school days episode. The college episode. The Vietnam episode. The ping-pong champion episode. The shrimp captain episode and so on where conflicts are resolved with Jenny and Dan. 

Or Aliens with the hospital episode (no one believes her - conflict: she must face her fears), meeting the marines on the ship, entering the compound, into the nest, trapped on the planet, rescuing Newt, battling the queen (climax). . . 

Nevertheless, I still predict Lord of the Rings will follow the 3-Act structure, but I'll get back to you later!