The Midpoint of a screenplay isn’t just a bookmark slipped into the center of a script, it is in fact a plot point no less important than the Act One or Act Two Turns. Yet it’s perhaps the most neglected element in many screenplays, even in some that manage to make their way to the silver screen.
The Midpoint is the scene where the main character stops reacting and starts acting.
The Midpoint is often a tributary in the story where character joins plot in a pivotal moment when the protagonist or hero stops reacting to events controlling his life and decides to take control of his own destiny. In the beginning of many films, the Antagonist or antagonistic force is pushing against the hero. At the Midpoint, the hero pushes back.
The Midpoint may also give the audience a glimpse of the answer or resolution to the Protagonist's problem (or main tension) established in Act One.
In 40 Year Old Virgin the Midpoint occurs when protagonist Andy Stitzer (Steve Carrell) hits a low point after his friends set him up with a male prostitute. Deciding that he’s no longer going to react to events, Andy takes control of his own destiny by marching across the street and asking the gorgeous grandmother (played by Catherine Keener) out on a date, thus giving the audience a glimpse or sneak preview of the Act III resolution to the main problem established in the beginning of the film.
If using the sequence method of structuring your screenplay, the Midpoint is the culmination of the fourth sequence; a breaking point or emotional turning point for the character that becomes a launching pad for the second half of the script.
Understanding the Midpoint and learning to use it effectively can be the key to unlocking the mysteries of plot for many writers struggling with structure.
Monday, February 26, 2007
