Stories that Move Mountains: Storytelling and Visual Design for Persuasive Presentations

Plot Structure

As well as the golden rules for storytelling, Aristotle also described the basic three-act structure of dramatic storytelling. The three acts are Setup (of the location and characters), Confrontation (with an obstacle, issue, or major disruption), and Resolution (with a climax and resolution of the issue).

Over the past 100 years, the explosion in film, theater, and television has created a massive industry around the generation of screenplays, resulting in an evolution of the Aristotelian model. In this discussion, we draw on concepts developed by many great scriptwriters. This modern format is ideal for visual stories because it has been truly tested to have an impact on audiences and to be deliverable in many different formats. It's not a magic formula to follow slavishly, but more of a guideline. If you're new to this process, this format is a very basic way to build your story. Let's take a look at the structure.

ACT I: The Setup

We start with the “normal world” of the hero, before he or she is presented with the challenge in the story. This is shown in the diagram as the Equilibrium phase of Act I. In the middle of Act I is the Inciting Incident, one of the most important parts of the story, signaling the beginning of the Disruption stage. This is the first major turning point for the hero, and for it to make sense you have to first set up an understanding of the world of the hero. You want this incident to touch the audience at an emotional level, to draw ...