MOVIE SCRIPT CONSTRUCT
“three acts: disruption, winning, impossible problem solved by subplot.”
The Lesson
Every commercial movie follows this format. Hero has flaws that get resolved by the end. They become a better person. Act 1: something disrupts the hero's life (death, trauma, earthquake). Act 2: 'fun and games.' Hero wins small interesting battles, looks in control. Act 3: insurmountable problem appears that seems impossible to solve. The solution comes from the B story, the sidekick's subplot (maybe they were learning horseback riding) interferes with the main plot in a way that provides the improbable solution. This is why great books often make mediocre movies. Books don't need this rigid structure, but movies get jammed into it. Add this format to your talent stack.
Real-World Example
A founder is pitching their startup story. They restructure it as a movie. Act 1: the disruption that made them start the company. Act 2: early wins and traction, fun product stories. Act 3: the impossible scaling challenge, solved by an unexpected asset (maybe a team member's side project became the key technology). The pitch becomes dramatically more engaging because it follows the format humans are wired to find satisfying.
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