Script Analysis: “Frankenweenie” — Part 2: Major Plot Points
Reading scripts. Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. The focus of this weekly series is a deep structural and thematic analysis of each script we read. Our daily schedule:
Monday: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown
Tuesday: Major Plot Points
Wednesday: Sequences
Thursday: Psychological Journey
Friday: Takeaways
Today: Major Plot Points.
In every scene, something happens. A plot point is a scene or group of scenes in which something major happens, an event that impacts the narrative causing it to turn in a new direction.
A relevant anecdote. Years ago, I was on the phone with a writer discussing a script project. My son Will, who was about four years old at the time, must have been listening to me talking about “plot points” during the conversation because after I hung up, he asked, “Daddy, what’s a plop point?”
That’s in effect what a plot point is. It’s an event that ‘plops’ into the narrative and changes its course. So when you think Plot Point, think Plop Point!
The value of this exercise:
* To identify the backbone of the story structure.
* To examine each major plot point and see how it is effective as an individual event.
* To analyze the major plot points in aggregate to determine why they work together as the central plot.
This week: Frankenweenie. You may download the script — free and legal — here.
For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown created by Will King and analysis of it, go here.
Screenplay by John August, 1984 screenplay by Leonard Ripps, original idea by Tim Burton
IMDb Plot Summary: Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.
Writing Exercise: Go through the scene-by-scene breakdown of Frankenweenie and identify the major plot points. Post your thoughts in comments and we’ll see if we can come up with a consensus.
Tomorrow we consider the script’s structure in terms of its sequences.
If you’d like a PDF of the Frankenweenie script scene-by-scene breakdown, go here.
Major kudos to Will King for doing this week’s breakdown.
If you’d like a PDF of the movie scene-by-scene breakdown, go here.
Thanks to 14Shari for contributing that breakdown.
If you’d like to see the 1984 short film by Tim Burton that was the basis of feature-length movie, go here.
This series started here and we already have 20 volunteers to do scene-by-scene breakdowns of contemporary movie scripts.
American Hustle: Jon Raymond
Argo: Nora Barry
Barney’s Version: John M
Beginners: Ali
Enough Said: Ali
Flight: 14Shari
Frankenwenie: Will King
Gravity: Matt Duriez
Hanna: John Arends
Lincoln: pgronk
Looper: erikledrew
Moonrise Kingdom: iamdaniel
Mud: Alejandro
Paranorman: OhScotty
Prisoners: Melinda Mahaffey Icden
Short Term 12: Carolina Groppa
The Artist: Traci Nell Peterson
The Social Network: N D
The Way Way Back: Ricky
Wadjda: iamdaniel
If you’d like to participate and do a scene-by-scene breakdown yourself, please indicate which script in comments. We are using scripts available on our site here. Note some of the 2014 scripts now available there: Belle, Birdman, Boyhood, Calvary, Get On Up, Gone Girl, How To Train Your Dragon 2, Kill The Messenger, Locke, St. Vincent, The Boxtrolls, The Fault In Our Stars, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Theory of Everything, and Wild.
For new volunteers and those who have already volunteered, but not sent me a breakdown yet, please do so as soon as possible Thanks!
Circling back to where we started, reading scripts is hugely important. Analyzing them even more so. If you want to work in Hollywood as a writer, you need to develop your critical analytical skills. This is one way to do that.
So seize this opportunity and join in the conversation!
I hope to see you in comments about this week’s script: Frankenweenie.
Next week: Prisoners. You may download the script — free and legal — here.
The scene-by-scene breakdown for Prisoners has been created by Melinda Mahaffey Icden.
Comment Archive
