BEHIND THE CURTAIN: An Introduction.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Our goal in putting together BEHIND THE CURTAIN is to provide a resource for those wanting to learn more about the craft of writing, and more specifically, comics writing. I would like to stress however, that I am not a not a professional writer. I don’t make any claims to know how to write. We want the information we provide to do all the talking; that and the occasional professional who will stop by and share their experiences. Whether you put any of this information into use, is entirely up to you.

What follows is intended to provide a basic understanding about the structure of modern storytelling. These are not rules designed to limit a storyteller. Rather, they are to serve as a guide to story structure.

For roughly the last 2000 years, western literature has been comprised of three elements: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Stories, whether they are in the form of a comic book, a novel, a TV show, a movie, or a play, all have the three-act structure in common. The beginning of a story corresponds to Act I, the middle to Act II, and the end to Act II.

As seen in Figure 1, a story is a whole, made up of different parts. In classical terms, these are the introduction, the rising action, and the denouement.

These acts are more commonly known as Set-Up, Development, and Resolution.

Act I - The Set-Up

The set-up gives us vital information about the story, establishing who and what the story is about. Who are the main characters? What do they want? Where is the story located? What type of story is it (comedy, drama etc.)? Most importantly, the set-up introduces us to the main character's dramatic need, also referred to as the central question. What does the main character want to win, gain or achieve in the course of the story? What are the obstacles in that character's way? The set- up gives the story its focus, as well as a push that gets the plot moving, leading us into Act II.

The following contains spoilers if you haven't read WATCHMEN…

For example, in Chapter I of Alan Moore's and Dave Gibbons' maxi series, WATCHMEN, we are immediately introduced to the main character, Rorschach, and his dramatic need. Someone has murdered the superhero The Comedian, and Rorschach has committed himself to finding out who it was, because as he writes in his journal "… there is good and there is evil, and evil must be punished. Even the face of Armageddon I shall not compromise in this." (Page 24) This statement will carry Rorschach through the entire story. This first chapter also introduces the other protagonists (as well as antagonists) in the story, and gives some brief background on all of the characters.

Act II - Development

Development is a unit of dramatic action where the main character is faced with obstacle after obstacle that must be overcome in order to achieve his/her dramatic need. The plot thickens, as things become progressively more difficult for the protagonist. Act II also contains two turning points, one that begins the second act, and another that ends it. These points are important in keeping the action of the story moving. Also called plot points, they serve to tighten tension and make obstacles tougher than they seemed before. Turning points add unpredictability to the story and maintains the audience's interest. The second turning point is especially important in giving the story a sense of urgency. The stakes are raised and the danger towards the main character is increased. It also serves to propel the story into Act III.

While we continue to learn more about the characters involved in WATCHMEN, the story intensifies with the first plot twist. Act II begins with Chapter III as we discover that Rorschach must continue his search for the killer while the threat of nuclear war between America and the USSR looms near. To make matters worse, America's protector, Dr. Manhattan, has been forced to leave the Earth. Rorschach is again confronted with more obstacles in Chapter V as he is framed and arrested for the murder of another superhero, Jacobi Moloch. Finally, our second plot twist occurs in Chapter X when Nite-Owl and Rorschach believe they have uncovered the murderer.

ACT III - The Resolution

The resolution takes place from the end of the second turning point until the end of the story. It contains the climax, where the main character is able to fulfill his/her dramatic need. A change occurs. The status quo is altered. The problem is solved and the tension is let up. After the climax, all the loose ends of the story are tied up. Generally, this means a happy ending for the main character. The audience is given a measure of satisfaction from the conclusion of the story. Of course, this does not have to be the case. Oftentimes, the hero is not victorious, or the resolution is left open-ended. But the story still manages to entertain its audience.

WATCHMEN's Act III begins with Rorschach's and Nite-Owl's arrival in Antarctica, where they plan to confront the suspected killer. The climax takes place at the end of Chapter XI where Adrian Veidt confesses murdering the Comedian, and reveals his master plan. From this point onward, the story moves toward a final resolution. The other heroes agree to keep Veidt's plan a secret for the good of the world, but Rorschach disagrees, keeping true to his promise to punish evil. Unfortunately for him, Rorschach is murdered by Dr. Manhattan in order to keep his silence. With the main character's failure and subsequent death, does WATCHMEN become a tragedy? There are several ways to interpret the ending, but on WATCHMEN's last page, we are left with the possibility that Rorschach was indeed successful after all.

Below is screenwriting instructor Syd Field's paradigm of dramatic structure. This should give you an idea into what structure looks like.

Remember, rules are made to be broken. Structure shouldn't imprison a writer, but free them to focus on the story. As Field says, "It's the story that forms the structure; structure doesn't form the story".

In addition to the BEHIND THE CURTAIN column, we're proud to present an essay on plotting the contempoary comic, by noted SPECTRE scribe John Ostrander. Make sure to check out the INDUSTRIAL section to read this informative essay.

Francis Lord is an independent filmmaker who resides in Canada. His first feature, Libraria, will be out in the summer of 2000.

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