Script Analysis: “Zootopia” — Part 2: Plot

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: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Dialogue
Saturday: Takeaways

Today: Plot.

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: Zootopia. You may download a PDF of the script here.

Screenplay by Jared Bush & Phil Johnston, story by Byron Howard & Rich Moore & Jared Bush & Jim Reardon & Josie Trinidad & Phil Johnston and Jennifer Lee.

IMDb plot summary: In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.

Writing Exercise: Go through the scene-by-scene breakdown of Zootopia and identify the major plot points. Post your thoughts in comments and we’ll see if we can come up with a consensus.

Major kudos to Will King for doing this week’s scene-by-scene breakdown.

For Part 1, to read the Scene-By-Scene Breakdown, go here.

To download a PDF of the breakdown for Zootopia, go here.

Tomorrow we shift our focus to the script’s key characters.

I am looking for volunteers to read a script and provide a scene-by-scene breakdown for it to be used as part of our weekly series. What do you get out from it? Beyond your name being noted here, my personal thanks, and some creative juju sent your way, hopefully you will learn something about story structure and develop another skill set which is super helpful in learning and practicing the craft.

The latest volunteers:

A Monster Calls / Andrew Turner
Anthropoid / Marija Nielsen
Bridget Jones’s Baby / Tatiana Bacchus
Captain Fantastic / Despina Karintis
Denial / Gina Gomez
Eye in the Sky / Abhinav Tiwari
Hail, Caesar! / Brianne VanTuyle
Kubo and the Two Strings / Nikki Syreeta
Maggie’s Plan / Monique Mata
Manchester by the Sea / Ashley Lara
Miles Ahead / Alecia Hodges
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 / Niki Leydecker
The Secret Life of Pets / Paul Huffman
Victor Frankenstein / Lisa Gomez
Zootopia / Will King

Thanks, all!

Go here to see the current set of 2016 movie scripts available for download and reading. I expect another 20–30 movie scripts from 2016 to be released to the public over the next 2 months. As you know, I post those download links as soon as the scripts go public. If you see a one of these scripts go online and you’d like to volunteer to do a scene-by-scene breakdown, email me. First come, first serve.

Even if you do not participate in the analysis, discussion, or write up a scene-by-scene breakdown, I strongly encourage you to read these scripts.

So seize this opportunity and join in the conversation!

I hope to see you in comments about this week’s script: Zootopia.

Onward!