The Beginning
Opening Scene
Sets the tone for the story and introduces the leading character.
Setup
Scenes that introduce the world & supporting characters, and also hint at changes to come.
Inciting Incident
The surprise moment that turns the lead person’s world upside down and kicks off the main plot.
Call to Action
How do the characters react to the inciting incident? What choice must the lead character make?
The Middle
The Choice
How does the lead character decide to deal with the problem? What are the risks?
Rising Action / Mounting Problems
Troubles mount as the conflict gets more intense. What keeps the lead character going?
Midpoint / Reversal
A surprise event that wrecks the plan and makes solving the problem harder, often after feeling like the problem is almost fixed.
The Ending
Plan
Everything starts coming together for the finale.
Climax
The lead character comes face to face with the bad guy or main obstacle and is victorious… or fails.
Resolution
After the climax, the lead character and/or world have changed. A final scene provides closure to the story.