March is screenwriting month here at H8URS and we’re kicking off by highlighting some of the best videos for understanding this complex craft. Structure, in particular, can be one of the trickiest aspects of screenwriting to master, but it’s also one of the most helpful. I’ve personally found that whenever a script feels flat or dull, there’s usually something off with the structure. Structure helps us take our often vast and sprawling ideas and give them direction. To be clear, there’s really no one right way to structure a story; different stories and genres have their own needs, and different approaches will work better for different writers. That said, an understanding of the various ways that writers have found of breaking down the arc of a story is an essential tool you can draw on as you write. Below are some of our favorite videos on story structure, enjoy!

3 Act Structure – Story Structure Tips – Screenwriting

We’re all familiar with the basic idea of 3 act structure—a beginning, middle, and end—but most of us don’t immediately understand how these parts work or why this structure is so important. D4Darious breaks down the fundamentals of traditional 3 act structure in a simple, easy to understand way, drawing on some of the most essential writers of the subject, including Joseph Campbell, Robert McKee, and Syd Field.

Dan Harmon Story Circle: 8 Proven Steps to Better Stories

There are many ways to break down story structure, but Dan Harmon’s story circle has become one of the most popular in recent years. In this video, StudioBinder takes Harmon’s system and applies it to Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, breaking down the film into each of Harmon’s 8 steps to show how they function in actual practice.

How to Use a Midpoint

It’s no secret that act 2 is typically the hardest to write. We tend to get inspired by either a beginning or ending and making the connection between the two is a challenge, exacerbated by the fact that this act is so darn long. A concept that can be incredibly helpful for navigating act 2, that is perhaps not discussed in depth often enough, is the midpoint. Tyler Mowery explains this concept, citing the work of playwright Gustav Freytag, and using examples from recent films to show the different ways this turning point can function.

How to Outline Your Story Using Character Actions – Part 1

Breaking from the traditional understanding of structure a bit, Marshall Dotson of Six Act Structure reframes the typical 3 acts as 6 character actions. Dotson focuses on the key elements of characters, actions, and goals as the driving forces of the story, and while this approach might not work for everyone, it can be very helpful think about your story in terms of characters and the choices they make, rather than focusing on events, which can be external and sometimes forced.

How to Build Story Momentum

If you’ve ever studied screenwriting, you’re probably familiar with the idea that each scene should occur as the consequence of the scene before it. Another way of saying this is that scenes should be thought of as being connected with the word “because” and not “and then.” But we don’t often get much practical advice on how to do this. In this video, Mowery gives us that practical advice, using the notion of wants and costs.