How To: Write the Action/Adventure Screenplay

Well, we have had a pretty basic story structure in the previous couple of  blogs.  However, for the third act there is considerable leeway on how this story can play out. You can turn a story like this into a tragedy or comedy. Remember the line from the film Stranger Than Fiction "Tragedy, you die. Comedy you get hitched." Well in the Action/Adventure story, almost anything goes.  For instance, GUY does not have to die, but CHICK could perish tragically. However, avoid cliches like someone jumping in front of a bullet for another person. Things like this have been used to often and it is not a realistic action for a human to take. Realistic actions though for an Action/Adventure film are vengeance and adrenaline.  This entire story is based on vengeance., so lets go with adrenaline and see what we can do just on that.

   We want this story to end on an adrenaline rush so. At the beginning of Act III let us say that GUY gets lucky with CHICK and they cuddle the night away.  Although this is a bit unrealistic, please note that fiction is not reality but you want it to be close. The guy always gets lucky with the girl on the first night and she NEVER NEVER in the action/adventure story lets him pay for the meal and all before saying hey "I just want to be friends." That works for comedy, but in the action/adventure story, just for simplicity sake, all the girls are promiscuous and all the boys are players. The next morning, Two or Three Gangsters including MUGGER are there and hit the two unconscious. CUT they both awaken tied up.  The MUGGER is messing with his knife and talking some trash to them. A great moment to show your abilities as a writer because this is almost always the part where a long speech is given. After his speech, MUGGER takes the tied up CHICK into his bedroom to do some naughty and evil things to her. ADRENALINE, so now is time for the climax, maybe we hear some noises or screaming or maybe MUGGER just brings her to his room. But at any point the main ingredients for climax, no not that kind boys, are there. CHICK is in imminent danger, GUY is facing the consequences of his actions and the bad guys are about to win. However, with our adrenaline element, GUY is able to rip through the ropes that have him tied up, break the chair he is tied too or simply, he attacks another man while tied up and is able to escape. BANG BANG BANG the  bad guys die and GUY now is madly in love with his damzel in distress, and she is madly in love with him for saving her loins. The two live happily ever after 

Although this film would screen in 10 minutes. The essential ingredients for a good story are there. In act I, we introduced the characters, had an inciting incident and the first plot point, or role reversal.  In act 2 we developed those characters  by showing their wants and diswants as well as showing their actions under these characteristics. The events take place in Act 2 as well and in Act 3, we conclude the events with the climax and we show how these events have shaped our characters and changed them. The Character Arc in this story is GUY, who is satisfied with life and needs nothing, gets put into imminent danger, and is forced to fight for a woman he loves. In the end he realizes he wants to marry the girl and they live happily ever after. Simple but effective.

 I hope this was enjoyable  and informative!