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  THE AVENGERS

  Black Widow tricks Loki into revealing that he plans on unleashing the Hulk. (Minute 105)

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John heads back to campus to try to regain his life. He asks Hansen for a teaching job. (Minute 105)

  GONE GIRL

  Nick’s young mistress publicly confesses about her and Nick’s affair, just before his big TV interview. (Minute 104)

  MINUTE 106

  THE DODGE

  Someone dodges or avoids something

  When the hero or ally has to dodge or avoid something bad, we wince for them. It makes us almost want to scream: “Watch out!” (I’ve actually heard people scream look out during The Dodge while watching action movies in theaters.) Their dilemma keeps us emotionally invested.

  SKYFALL

  Bond thought there were no weapons in the house, but Kincade saved James’s father’s old hunting rifle (barely dodges being weaponless).

  THE AVENGERS

  Hawkeye’s plane barely avoids hitting pedestrians.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Hansen says: “I wanted to write . . .” (dodges the fact that he hasn’t contacted John).

  GONE GIRL

  Nick did great in the interview (he dodged a media bullet).

  MINUTE 107

  GOOD DOES BAD

  Someone that seems good does bad

  Pro screenwriters design Minute 107 to give the audience a glimpse into the hero or ally’s darker side — by showing us that good can indeed do bad. Why? The audience needs to know that the hero and his friends have what it takes to fight — and possibly defeat — the villain in the final brutal battle.

  SKYFALL

  Kincade tells Bond: “Try to stop me, you jumped-up little shit.”

  THE AVENGERS

  Loki seemed to soften and connect with his brother, but then he stabs him.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John slams the newspaper when Charles appears.

  GONE GIRL

  Amy’s ex-boyfriend, who’s helping her, shuts off the TV so she can’t watch news.

  MINUTE 108

  SENSE OF FINALITY

  Finality is shown or expressed

  The Sense of Finality during Minute 108 is used for two reasons: Either to help wrap up the story or a subplot, or to create a sense of impending doom to propel the movie forward . . .

  SKYFALL

  Kincade tells M that when James came out of the hiding spot after his parents died, he wasn’t a boy anymore.

  THE AVENGERS

  Captain America says: “They’re fish in a barrel down there.”

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John tells Hansen: “I am quite certain you will say no.”

  GONE GIRL

  Amy’s creepy ex-boyfriend says: “I am not letting you get away again.”

  MINUTE 109

  THE EXTRAORDINARY

  Something extraordinary is revealed

  Since there was a false sense of finality in the last minute, the writer jump-starts the story again by revealing something extraordinary. This always causes a bigger question to be raised. And when a bigger question is raised, it needs to be answered somehow, like in Die Hard when John discovers an extraordinary amount of explosives near the roof.

  SKYFALL

  Aged M knows how to effortlessly make explosives.

  THE AVENGERS

  Hawkeye tells Black Widow: “You and I remember Budapest way differently.”

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  The librarian says John is “going nuts.”

  GONE GIRL

  Amy’s creepy ex says he wants her to look like she used to.

  MINUTE 110

  STRONG STATEMENT

  Someone makes a strong statement, either verbally or physically

  A Strong Statement is made either visually or, most of the time, verbally during this minute. Again, this statement is designed to propel the story forward and get the hero deeper into trouble. In Spider-Man, Mary Jane tells Peter she loves him. In The Matrix, Tank says that Neo is “The One.” In Pulp Fiction, Jules says: “I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance.”

  SKYFALL

  Kincade blows a hole through the door with a sawed-off shotgun.

  THE AVENGERS

  Captain America proves to the cop why he should take orders from him.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John tells Alicia: “Maybe Rosen’s right. Maybe I ought to think about going back into the hospital again.”

  GONE GIRL

  Amy’s creepy ex says: “I am looking forward to my reunion with Amy Elliot.”

  MINUTE 111

  TURN FOR THE WORSE

  Things take a turn for the worse for the hero

  Another great way to grab the audience’s attention, or to extend the story if you need to, is to have the movie take a Turn for the Worse. It’s a problem that has to be solved, which keeps the audience watching until it’s resolved, like in The Matrix when the agents order sentinels to destroy the Nebuchadnezzar.

  SKYFALL

  Silva’s henchmen arrive.

  THE AVENGERS

  Banner tells The Avengers: “So, this all seems horrible.”

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Charles stands in John’s way.

  GONE GIRL

  The TV interviewer tells Nick: “. . . we know you’re a liar.”

  MINUTE 112

  CHARGING SHARK

  Bad guy takes aggressive action toward hero and ally

  From Minute 112 to the end of the movie, the bad guy comes on strong in the form of aggressive action, or as I prefer to call it: Charging Shark (referring to the shark that rushes toward Hooper in Jaws). We’re gonna go through these remaining minutes pretty quickly, so stay focused . . .

  SKYFALL

  Silva’s henchman presses an explosive on the door.

  THE AVENGERS

  The enemy ship rushes toward Banner.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Parcher glares at John.

  GONE GIRL

  The TV interviewer says to Nick sarcastically: “You talk like you want to make amends with your wife.”

  MINUTE 113

  THE CAGE SLAM

  Bad guy takes another aggressive action toward hero and allies

  The Cage Slam refers to the moment the shark rams into Hooper’s fragile cage during this minute in Jaws. Here are other ways our case studies rattle our hero and ally’s cages:

  SKYFALL

  The henchmen shoot at Bond.

  THE AVENGERS

  Loki says: “Send the rest.”

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Charles tells John that he’s being pathetic.

  GONE GIRL

  The TV interviewer says to Nick: “Look at the lens and talk to your wife.”

  MINUTE 114

  GETS THE BETTER

  Bad guy gets the better of hero and/or ally

  We think the hero might have a chance, but then the bad guy Gets the Better of him, which increases the audience’s anxiety, like when Agent Smith Gets the Better of Neo in The Matrix, or when the Death Star blasts away at Luke in Star Wars.

  SKYFALL

  Silva arrives in an attack helicopter.

  THE AVENGERS

  Hawkeye says: “Stark, you have a lot of strays sniffing your tail.”

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Parcher lets John know he’s still watching him.

  GONE GIRL

  Detective Rhonda brings a search warrant and opens the woodshed.

  MINUTE 115

  BLEAK MEEK

  Things seem bleak for the hero

  It looks like the suddenly passive hero (meek) might be defeated after all (bleak). In Die Hard, John runs from the FBI’s bullets (meek) before they can kill him (bleak). In Jaws, defeated Quint and Brody (meek) pull up the mutilated cage — Hooper’s not in it (bleak).

  SKYFALL

  Silva’s helicopter unloads on Bond (bleak). He hides to avoid the bullets (meek
).

  THE AVENGERS

  While being chased by the enemy, Stark sees his only option is a narrow tunnel (bleak). Caught between a rock and a hard place, he says: “Oh boy” (meek).

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John’s imaginary friend gestures for a hug (bleak). He ignores her (meek).

  GONE GIRL

  Nick watches his sister (meek) being arrested (bleak).

  MINUTE 116

  KICK ’EM WHILE THEY’RE DOWN

  Bad guy exerts tremendous effort against hero

  The bad guy sees that the hero is hurt, so he’s going to Kick ’Em While He’s Down to make sure he doesn’t rise back up. In Jaws, the shark leaps onto the boat to attack Brody. In The Matrix, Agent Smith punches Neo’s stomach with incredible speed. In Pulp Fiction, Jimmy yells at Jules for bringing a dead girl to his house.

  SKYFALL

  Silva’s helicopters fire the big guns at the house.

  THE AVENGERS

  An enemy soldier tackles Black Widow.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  A student (former bad guy in John’s past) wants John to look at his theory.

  GONE GIRL

  Amy’s creepy ex says he’s moving in with her. “I just want you to be you again.”

  MINUTE 117

  THE REPRIEVE

  Looks really, really bleak for hero, but hero does something that might save him

  You may find the phrase “Yes, but . . .” helpful when writing this minute. Yes, it does look really bad for the hero during this minute, but he does something that might give him a glimmer of hope . . .

  SKYFALL

  Yes Silva throws bombs, but Bond finds an automatic rifle.

  THE AVENGERS

  Yes the enemy’s attack intensifies, but Thor and Hulk help each other.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  Yes John is surrounded by students (who he used to hate), but now he teaches them.

  GONE GIRL

  Yes Nick is in trouble, but he tells Tanner Bolt: “The truth is my defense.”

  MINUTE 118

  HOPE MIGHT BE LOST

  Hope might be lost for good for the hero

  Nope, forget that glimmer of hope in the last minute. Hope Might Be Lost for good during Minute 118 as the bad guy hurts the hero, or ally, even more, like in Jaws when the boat sinks as the shark closes in on Brody, or when Sonny is killed in The Godfather.

  SKYFALL

  M is severely wounded.

  THE AVENGERS

  The enemy is going to kill a lot of civilians.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John says that he’d like to teach, but Hansen replies: “A classroom of fifty would be daunting for anyone” (suggesting John may not be able to handle it).

  GONE GIRL

  Nick is arrested for murder.

  MINUTE 119

  ONE BULLET LEFT

  Hero fails, or needs help, as the bad guy closes in

  It’s never easy, is it? So it is for our hero, who goes to meet the bad guy with only One Bullet Left in his chamber, either literally or figuratively. In Jaws, Brody shoots but fails to hit the air canister. In The Godfather, Tom needs a drink to gain the courage to tell Don Corleone that his son is dead. In Forrest Gump, guilt overcomes Forrest when Jenny tells him he’s her son’s father.

  SKYFALL

  Silva firebombs Skyfall with Bond still inside, running out of ammo.

  THE AVENGERS

  Captain America can’t break free from the enemy soldier.

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John asks a student if she can see that man talking to him. She says yes.

  GONE GIRL

  Amy turns the tables — she kisses her creepy ex and musses his hair.

  MINUTE 120

  POWDER KEG

  There’s an emotional or physical explosion

  Minute 120 is the Powder Keg that will, or finally does, blow. And it comes in the form of a physical or emotional explosion. And this explosion is much more intense than the previous explosions. In Knocked Up, Alison screams in pain. In Die Hard, Argyle crashes into the bad guy’s van. In The Godfather, Don Corleone bursts into tears over his son’s death. In Jaws, the shark explodes!

  SKYFALL

  Bond’s car explodes!

  THE AVENGERS

  Hawkeye’s arrow blows up in Loki’s hand!

  A BEAUTIFUL MIND

  John is told that he’s being considered for the Nobel Prize!

  GONE GIRL

  Amy slams herself against the door and screams!

  ACT 4 CHECKLIST

  Have you kept your dialogue and scenes centered around your theme?

  Did your Main Hero head toward the final battle place and defeat the Villain?

  Did your Main Hero sacrifice his flaw for the greater good?

  Did the Main Hero suffer for sacrificing his flaw?

  Did you reward your hero for sacrificing his flaw and defeating the Villain?

  If your story is a tragedy, did the Main Hero fail to give up his flaw and do the greater good? Did we learn something from his failings?

  WHAT IF MY SCREENPLAY IS LONGER THAN 120 PAGES?

  If, after numerous and painstaking rewrites, you still feel like you need more than 120 pages to tell your story, then you’ll need to add a new Act — Act 5. You’ll have to bump up the moment when the Main Hero sacrifices his flaw for the greater good, and include it here. This is also where the Main Hero will: suffer for giving up his flaw, defeat the Villain, and be rewarded for his sacrifices (happy ending); or he fails to give up his flaw, but we still learn a lesson from his failings (tragedy).

  SACRIFICING THE FLAW

  Here’s how our Main Heroes sacrificed their flaws for the greater good, suffered for it, then were rewarded:

  HAPPY ENDINGS

  Skyfall: Overcoming his age and disappointments in M (flaw), Bond shoots the ice below his feet to give M better odds to live (sacrifices himself for the greater good). He almost drowns in the process (suffers). In the end, Eve gives Bond a gift from M: her desk bulldog. Bond smiles (reward).

  The Avengers: Overcoming his selfishness (flaw), Tony Stark intercepts the missile and carries it through the wormhole toward the Chitauri fleet — a suicide mission. The missile destroys the Chitauri mother ship (sacrifices for the greater good). Despite the Hulk’s help, Stark crashes to the ground, which hurts him badly (suffers). His selfless act earns the respect of Captain America who previously disrespected Stark (reward).

  The Hangover: Overcoming his blind love for mean Melissa (flaw), Stu breaks up with Melissa at Doug’s wedding, much to everyone’s relief (sacrifices for the greater good). She pokes Stu and yells at him in front of everyone (suffers). The guys give Stu a group hug (reward).