April’s Buzz:

THE THIRD ACT: GO OUT WITH A BANG
(Copyright 2004)

by
Kathryn McCullough

A strong third act can make the difference between a pass and a recommend from a reader. A reader who is leaning towards passing will be won over by a powerful resolution that makes earlier problems seem less daunting to fix. Conversely, a reader who is on the fence will be put off by weak, corny, or contrived final scenes. The problems listed below are some of those found in scripts that did not make the grade.

Unresolved subplots

As with the magic disappearing major characters mentioned in last month’s essay, writers often introduce subplots in the first or second acts that ultimately aren’t as necessary as the writer initially thought. This is fine for a first draft. However, in rewriting, it is important to hone in on the important throughlines and cut out the extraneous ones. Subplots that are underdeveloped but essential need to be woven in throughout the script and resolved either by the end of the second act or in the third act. Often these “lost” subplots have to do with the personal backstory of the protagonist and don’t have an integral connection to the action of the plot. If a personal backstory is important, such as a female cop’s problems with her ex-husband over child support, find a way for this issue to impact on the cop’s ability to deal with her job or on some other aspect of the plot.

No character arc

A character arc is an important part of a dramatic story. The best screenplays revolve around characters who are affected by the experiences they undergo during the course of the plot. With rare exceptions, every successful movie has a lead character who changes in some way. Even pure action films and gross-out comedies contain at least slight arcs. Characters who evolve are more emotionally compelling and give a film story more resonance and meaning: the audience feels that they, like the character, have learned something by the end. The arc does not need to be for the better. A naïve character may end up cynical; an honorable man may end up corrupted.

Sudden or unbelievable character arcs

While character arcs are important, writers often try to tag them on at the very end. A bully suddenly realizes the error of his ways. The guy who can’t commit suddenly realizes that he loves his girlfriend and wants to marry her. However, in order for the change to be believable and satisfying, it needs to be built up to throughout the story. Every sequence of the second act should have an effect on the character and take him one step closer to this ultimate transformation. This way, the final step will feel inevitable rather than forced. Make sure that the potential for this change is present from the beginning, and don’t feel that every major character needs to see the light. Some people are not redeemable, and it is fine to leave some of the supporting characters still trapped by dysfunction at the end of the script.

Deus ex machina

This term comes from Greek plays, in which the actor playing a god would literally be hoisted down from above to save the day. This convenient solution to a dramatic situation or crisis was acceptable in ancient times, but today it comes across like a cheat. A “deus ex machina” does not need to be a literal person; it can simply be an overly contrived, easy solution. A killer cannot suddenly confess simply because a cop has confronted him. No character should win the lottery or inherit a fortune in the third act unless the possibility for this has been set up in the first act.

While your third act should flow naturally from the second act, it is worthwhile to treat it as a separate entity, and put as much effort into it as you have into the whole script. In order for an ending to be satisfying, and more important, powerful, it needs to be earned. This requires conflict, tension, and characters overcoming extreme obstacles to get the results they are hoping for. The more difficult the solution is to come by, the greater the tension, and the more affected your reader and later your audience will be.