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U64006
INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING
WEEK 8
Complex narratives
Case studies:
- Pulp Fiction
- Memento
- Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind
- Mulholland Drive
4 MODELS
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Field’s 3-act paradigm (Aristotle)
Vogler’s 12-step hero’s journey
7-step pattern (comedy)
Krevolin’s 15-step pattern (simplified)
Traditional + internal patterns
• Alternative models?
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
Traditional 3-act structure
• Significant events in linear structure (logical flow)
• Cause and effect
• Climaxes and turning points at end of acts, final
resolution
• Main narrative device: conflict  goal
• Usually “closed” ending (consistent fictional reality,
emphasis on external conflicts, all questions resolved)
• Majority of Hollywood films (archetype is Casablanca)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
Mixed / complex structures
• Structure is not clear-cut
• Still beginning, middle, end BUT not 3 acts, no usual
climax, turning points, act breaks.
• Can reverse chronological or logical order or events
• Series of episodes, incidents on a central theme OR
apparently separate stories that interweave – also
multi-plot stories
• Often “open-ended”
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
• Causal relation between sequences not explained,
nor evident to viewers at the beginning (and most of
movie)
• The overall plotline jumps backward and forward in
time, but begins and ends in media res (in the middle
of the chronology)
• Three stories (plus prologue) with narrative
connections that explains the cause-effect logic, even
though at different times
- Honey Bunny and Pumpkin at diner
- Jules and Vincent (The Bonnie Situation)
- Vincent and Mia
- Butch and Marsellus (The Gold Watch)
PULP FICTION
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Diner, Honey Bunny and Pumpkin
Previous jobs, decision to hold up diner
Priming effect, protagonists (?) BUT…
Freeze frame
Credits
PULP FICTION
• New situation, causal relationship unexplained
• Jules and Vincent
A) Conversation in car (expectations, diner?)
B) Retrieve case at Brett’s flat (“business partners” doublecrossed boss)
• Backward in time (unaware)  non-linearity
PULP FICTION
• New situation, Marsellus and Butch (paid to throw
boxing match), BUT causal link…
• Jules and Vincent, connection between characters
1) Vincent’s episode (later)
2) Butch’s episode (later)
• Case + different clothes  Forward in time (aware) 
non-linearity confirmed
PULP FICTION
• New situation (Vincent and Mia) BUT linearity
• Forward in time (aware, previous conversation
w/Jules)
• First self-contained story
• Internal 3-act structure
- Preparation (Lance)
- Main event (night out with Mia and complication)
- Climax and resolution (Lance)
PULP FICTION
• New situation, causal relationship unexplained
• Butch’s father and gold watch
A) Self-contained
B) Plot element for subsequent section (Butch’s story)
• Flashback (visual and oral info) = Backward in time
(unaware for now)  non-linearity
PULP FICTION
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New situation (Butch and Marsellus, and Fabienne) BUT linearity
Forward in time (aware, previous conversation w/Marsellus + ellipsis at
motel  day after the match, simultaneous w/Mia story)
Second self-contained story
Internal 3-act structure
- Prologue (Gold Watch flashback) + ellipsis
- Setup (preparing to flee with Fabienne) + disturbance (watch)
- Main action/goal (retrieving the watch) + complications (Vincent + Marsellus +
S&M gay perverts in dungeon)
- Climax and resolution (Butch and Fabienne leave)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
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5
6
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
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6
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
• Paradigm/pattern/3-act ??
• Character’s goal-plot/arc/growth
- Protagonist(s) ?
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
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Vincent Vega (protagonist 1)
Night out with Mia (setup)
Attraction + boss’s jealousy (disturbance)  RL
Mia ODs (TP1)  AL
Foiled by Lance’s reluctance (setbacks)
Mia almost dead (TP2)
Adrenaline shot, Mia revived (climax)
Return home (resolution)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
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Butch Coolidge (protagonist 2)
Accepts bribe from Marsellus (setup)
Double-crosses Marsellus (disturbance)  AL
Fabienne forgets watch (TP1)  RL (linked to flashback, back
story)
Foiled by Vincent (setback 1) and Marsellus (setback 2)
Dungeon with perverts (TP2), manages to escape
Goes back and saves Marsellus (climax)
Rides away with Fabienne (resolution)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
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Jules Winnfield (protagonist 3)
Teams up with Vincent (setup)
Executes Brett’s gang (disturbance)  AL
Hidden guy, divine intervention (TP1)  RL (inner torment)
Foiled by Vincent’s accidental shooting of Marvin (setback 1)
and Bonnie’s imminent arrival (setback 2)
Held up at gunpoint by Honey Bunny (TP2)
Solves problem, paths of God (climax)
Walks away with Vincent (resolution)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
Change  Characters’ arc/growth?
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Vincent  no change  dies
Butch  changes  new life
Jules  changes  new life
Paradigm  portmanteau structure
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
PULP FICTION
Paradigm  portmanteau structure
{ HB&P + J1  [ (VV)  (B) ]  J2 }
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
MEMENTO
• Not just backward chronology
• Colour scene / BW scene pattern
• Specific pattern?
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
MEMENTO
C1 – Credit sequence / polaroid (someone killed)
BW1
C2 – Motel, then derelict building with Teddy
C1(e) + BW1 + C2(e-1) ...
BW2
C3 – Motel room, photograph of Teddy (“Kill him”)
C1(e) + BW1 + C2(e-1) + BW2 + C3(e-2) ...
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Colours scenes show event moving backward, time “turns back”
BW scenes show event in chronological order but with abrupt
interruptions of action
Birectional structure (not just backward)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
MEMENTO
OVERALL STRUCTURE
BW scenes numbered 1 to 22
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Continuous action, no ellipses
17 minutes in total
Abrupt, short interruptions of colour sequences
Leonard in room (mirror, tattoos), 4 phone calls (monologues + 6
flashbacks  story of Sammy Jankis), voiceover
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Scene 22 transitions to colour (A)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
MEMENTO
OVERALL STRUCTURE
C scenes named A to W
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Retrograde movement (reverse motion in W, then in steps)
Matching shots  mnemonic device, orienting elements
Mental temporal reordering
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
MEMENTO
OVERALL STRUCTURE
BW scenes numbered 1 to 22
C scenes named A to W
Film Structure
W-1-V-2-U-3-T-4-S-5-R-6-Q-7-P-8-O-9-N-10-M-11-L-12-K-13-J-14I-15-H-16-G-17-F-18-E-19-D-20-C-21-B- 22+A
Story chronology
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22+A-B-CD-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
• Layered 3-act structure
• Double/tandem narrative
1) Joel & Clementine’s story (plot, RL, triggers AL)
2) Lacuna’s staff stories (AL  new RLs  themes: love, pain, memory,
mental manipulation)
• Preview flashback + Regret flashback
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
JOEL’s STORY
• Protagonist (asleep ?)
• Joel is engaged with Clementine (setup)
• Discovers Clementine had him wiped from her memory (disturbance)
• Joel decides to do the same (plan, preparation, delay)
• Lacuna’s staff start procedure (TP1, threshold)
• Act 2=memory-wiping process  Joel changes his mind Vs computer
(external antagonist force) and Vs. painful memories (internal
antagonistic force)  complications
• Joel’s memory wiped (Black moment) BUT decides to fight back (TP2)
and goes to Montauk (Road back)
• Newly attracted to Clementine BUT Lacuna’s file (climax)
• Continue relationship (?) (resolution)
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
Flashback
Preview flashback
Lacuna stories
Dist. + Plan
Memory-wiping
Regret flashbacks
(non-chronological)
Flashbacks as illustration
(surreal escape)
TP1
TP2
1
ALTERNATIVE MODELS
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
TANDEM STRUCTURE
1.
Consequences (TP2)
2.
Original cause (Dist.)
3.
Plan  links to tandem story
4.
Tandem  Process (execution of plan; exploration of themes
and conflicts)  A+B+flashbacks (layered narrative)
5.
Return to opening (but new course of action)
6.
Resolution
HOMEWORK FOR WK 9
SEMINAR
- Watch/Analyse “Slumdog millionaire”
- Prepare presentations (booked students)
- 3-Act structure (?); two storylines (past and present)
- Internal patterns (including relationship lines and
dynamics, tandem ?)
- Characters