When it comes to screenplay structure, most aspiring writers and beginning film-makers are pointed towards the Three Act structure to signify a form of beginning – middle part – end to their stories while encountering certain plot points such as the inciting incident and several obstacles. What they’re not told is that often these three acts are underpinned by eight sequences. In this article I would like to introduce you to Frank Daniel’s sequence approach, a spin-off of the classical Three Act Narrative made by a Czech Film Director.
A brief history
In the early days, analogue films would be distributed to the cinema in 8 individual rolls, all 8-10 minutes in length. However, until the late 1920’s most theatres only had one projector, making the audience have to wait while the projectionist changed rolls. Therefore writers were advised to use a structure that would allow for a natural ‘narrative break’ at the end of each roll, making the break caused by changing the rolls feel more natural instead of annoying. This resulted in a film with eight narrative sequences, 2 in act 1, 4 in act 2, 2 in act 3.
Each sequence can be perceived as a mini-movie, starting by resolving something and then leading to a climax: a little piece of narrative of its own. This creates a build and release of smaller tensions, while all the while, contributing to the narrative as a whole: the bigger tension.
You can think of a movie as a war, so if the traditional three act structure is about strategy: how to win the war. Then Frank Daniel is more focused on the tactics: how to win the battles. The sequence approach helps in this by providing a certain rhythm, making sure you don’t spend too much time and detail on just one battle, all while keeping an eye on the bigger tension.
8 Mini Movies
Let’s put the theory into practice by using the structure to break down a film to 8 mini-films. For this example I will be analysing the Dutch film ‘Komt een vrouw bij de Dokter” about a couple, Stijn and Carmen, who share a very successful life, until Carmen gets diagnosed with cancer. However, the protagonist of our story isn’t Carmen, but Stijn, who is a very cocky womaniser and has a lot of trouble giving up his everything to support Carmen and her battle against Cancer.
[ ACT 1 ] Beginning
SEQUENCE 1 – Status Quo & Character Flaws to the Inciting Incident
The first sequence starts by resolving the rules of the universe as well as the character flaw of our protagonist. Stijn, is a handsome womanizer living at the top of the world with Carmen, who is, fun, intriguing and hard to get. Stijn shares a successful advertising agency with his buddy Frank. He’s rich, confident, happily married but ( introducing the character flaw ) unfaithful. Carmen knows about this and kind of accepts it, although she isn’t too happy about it, she defends him by saying nobody is perfect and it really seems to be the only irregular in their relationship.
This is till we reach the climax of the 1st sequence, the inciting incident in which Carmen gets diagnosed with breast cancer.
SEQUENCE 2 – Predicament & Internal Motivation to Lock-in
Then we get to the 2nd sequence, in which the 1st climax gets resolved by introducing the internal motivation of our protagonist.
We see how Stijn tries to hang on to his normal life by denying the severity of Carmen’s cancer. He can not stand having no control over the situation, so chooses to flee instead. Acting as if everything is fine.
This leads to the climax of act 1; the lock-in. Carmen and Stijn are attending this party hosted by his buddy Frank. The party has a ‘change of the sexes’ theme, in which Stijn gets hit in the face with his own attitude as he observes how Carmen behaves as if everything is fine even though things are obviously not fine. This makes Stijn feel disgusted and uncomfortable in his ordinary world. They have a fight on their ride home and Stijn realises things need to change; he’s locked in the conflict.
[ ACT 2 ] Middle Part
SEQUENCE 3 – The promise of the Premise to Higher stakes
In sequence 3 we see how Stijn explores the new world. He alienates from Carmen, who was basically his old world, and starts an affair with Roos, who becomes his new world, they still enoy live, but no longer with each other.
This leads to higher stakes when Frank finds out about Stijn’s affair, and reminds him about sharing a child with Carmen. Stijn then decides to stop dating Roos.
SEQUENCE 4 – Attempts to achieve set goal to Midpoint
In the 4th sequence we resolve the tension by seeing a first series of attempts to achieve the protaganists goal, in our case we see Stijn lose contact with Roos. The main action of the 2nd act hasn’t been resolved, but something has changed. This Ups the tension for the 2nd half of act 2.
The change in our case is that when Stijn is completely honest with Carmen as he comes clean about his affair, Carmen wants a divorce. This changes the story as Carmen makes her first move away from Stijn, instead of the other way round. After some serious conversations however, they fall in love again, and stand stronger than ever before.
But we now reach the climax of sequence 4; our midpoint. The cancer returns, and it’s a sure thing that Carmen is going to die.
Tip: Interesting to note is that, when the 4th sequence ( the midpoint ) ends with a defeat instead of a victory, this means that the climax of act 2 will be a victory, and the end of the movie will be a defeat. This also works the other way round.
SEQUENCE 5 – Subplot to Raised Stakes
Sequence 5 builds on the change created in the midpoint, and evolves around subplot. A subplot creates space for secondary characters which keeps the story from feeling episodic.
Our secondary character in this case is Roos, who Stijn returns to after some failed attempts to accept his new faith: a life without Carmen. We learn a bit more about her character, and her hurt feelings created by Stijns double life.
Sequence 5 climaxes by a big fight between Carmen and Stijn, after which Stijn leaves Carmen.
SEQUENCE 6 – Momentus Decision & Main culmination to Climax
However, in sequence 6, we see Stijn feeling haunted by his guilt realising he cannot enjoy his old life style anymore as he himself has changed too much. There is this haunting scene in which we see Stijn dancing in a club while his daughters angry eyes are projected on the clubs walls.
This leads to the climax of the 2nd act, which is either the highest or the lowest point of the movie. In our case it’s a real happy moment in which Stijn goes back to Carmen and dedicates himself fully to Carmen. His character has changed and as we progress to the 7th sequence we feel a sort of descending tension.
[ ACT 3 ] The Ending
SEQUENCE 7 – A new Perspective to Third Act Twist
The 7th sequence is the shortest sequence, in which we see our protagonist build on the false victory or defeat with a changed motivation.
We see Stijn caring only for Carmen, literally moving away from Roos. However, the cancer is still there, and as the illness progresses Carmen becomes weaker in the body as well as the mind. She finally decides to commit euthanasia as she’s completely exhausted and done with suffering.
SEQUENCE 8 – Third Act Twist to Final Ending
We then arrive in the final sequence which resolves the previous set climax by seeing how Carmen says her goodbyes and dies peacefully. We then end the movie with a wrap up, in which we see Stijn and his daughter Luna during her 7th birthday, set in the same scenery as the prolepsis, which turns out to be a 3 year time jump from the 7th sequence. open a box full of memories created by Stijn and Carmen.
I hope this gave you some insights into the 8 Sequences theory, for the full timeline of the movie you can press the image below. I highly recommend you to think of Frank Daniel’s theory during your next movie screening, to see whether you can identify the different sequences and to enjoy the story of your favourite movie eight times more!
A mental Pickle 