Unit 24 Assignment 2 - 3 Act Structure

ACT 1 

Story: We see Ben Smith wake up in his double bed, he's sleeping in the middle alone. He stretches, yawns and sits up slowly. He looks towards his clock and we have a minute of silence before he realises that he's late. Suddenly he jumps up, runs to the wardrobe, throws on his suit, grabs his tie and puts it around his shoulders untied, falls backwards onto the bed as he tries to put his socks on quickly. He grabs his shoes and slips them on. He grabs his coat and runs out of the door fixing his tie.

Camera shots:

Ben waking up the camera will be either a birds eye view so we can see his face and body lay down, or a side angle view of the side of his face facing upwards. Either that or he is lay on his side so we can see his full face.

When he stretches, yawns and sits up the camera will be a wide/mid shot from the bottom of his bed looking at the headboard and him.

We get a shot of him looking at the clock then the camera lingers on a close up of his face for a while before he jumps up and panic ensues.

We get a mix of different camera shots each changing rapidly to portray the stress and quick pace of the scene.

We get a shot of the house from the outside the scene is quiet and silent before Ben bursts out of the house, the shot stays the same we then get a wide shot of the back of Ben running.

ACT 2

Story: We see Ben Smith run to the train station, missing it by seconds. (First dilemma) We see him look at his watch and then run to the timetables. The next train to this particular location isn't for a while. (Second dilemma) We see him run outside and run in one direction towards the nearest bus stop. A bus passes him as he runs, it's the one he needs (Third dilemma) he stops, out of breath and leans against a wall hands on his knees so he can catch his breath. He looks around not willing to accept he is going to be late for work. He glances at the time again and we see where his work is compared to where he is. He gets up from the wall looking determined. Then he sets off running, tie flailing behind him in the wind. Pushing past a bunch of people, knocking things over, stumbling every now and again, sliding around the corners of walls.

Camera shots:

Ben Smith running into the train station, the camera is angled to the side so that when he runs in you can see the side view of him then he disappears.

A front view of the train and a back view of Ben as the train drives off without him.

A close up of his watch.

Another mid shot from the side angle of him running to the timetables.

A close up of the train station timetable or a close up of the back of his head and him pointing to a certain time in order for him to see it better but also to point it out to the audience.

Another side shot of him running out of the train station this time.

A back view of Ben with the camera following him as he runs to the bus stop and as the bus passes him.

Same shot but the camera slowly stops with Ben as he leans against the wall catching his breath.

The camera switches to a front view of this scene

As he looks around we get wide shots of where he's looking with a close up on his face as he turns it

We get a close up of his face looking determined and then an extreme close up of the watch.

We get a close up of his face looking down the street, then the camera moves to the right and goes to where his work is (as if someone is walking to it in first person view but sped up)

We cut back to a close up of his face and then going back to the front view of him, speeding off to the right.

We get a mid shot of a blank wall and then Ben runs past the scene.

We get different types of shots of him pushing past people, knocking things over and stumbling everynow and again.

ACT 3

Story: He gets stopped by a big man as he runs into an alleyway (a shortcut that he knows) the man stops Ben because he looks quite smart, rich and young. (Anyone in a suit looks pretty rich.) A scuffle happens when someone comes to save the day (somehow), maybe a work colleague of his. He leans against the wall again as the work colleague puts his hand on Bens back the man has run off by this point, they don't think it's worth calling the police (explain in more detail or their motives for not wanting to call the police maybe?) and motions towards a car asking him if he wants a lift. Ben gets up and accepts the lift pointing to his watch and saying what time he has to be there, they run to the car and then drive to the place of work. We see the clock one last time and the film ends.

Camera shots: 

We get a shot from behind Ben as he runs into the ally way, we can see the man blocking the other side.

We get a variety of camera shots when they have the scuffle in the ally to show the panic of it.

The shot cuts to a view of the ally facing the street outside, when a car pulls up and the colleague jumps out and runs to them. Ben and the thug are still in camera shot but out of focus.

We get a shot of the thug and Bens head turning to work colleague (close up of Ben and the thugs face)

We get a wide shot of the action and then a close up as the thug pushes Ben against the wall then it flips back to the wide shot as he runs off

We get a front view of ben leaning against a wall and then the colleague consoling him. That shot continues on until Ben motions to his watch

We get an extreme closeup of the watch.

We go back to the front view as the colleague motions to his car. We get a mid shot of the car.

We get a few different shots of them walking to the car then the shot cuts to them arriving at the place of work.

We get a wide shot of the workplace from far away and we see a car (Ben and the colleagues car) pull up.

We get a mid shot of ben and the colleague getting out of the car.

We go back to the wide shot (or we follow them) as they walk into the building.

We get a close up of the clock or a clock that is outside or near the building or another closeup of bens watching showing us that he has made it on time.