Life is a 3 Act Play

16/06/2017

The other day I was in a discussion with the crew, (my idea of a discussion is, I talk and they listen not really but I must admit it does seem like that at times). Suddenly I was rudely interrupted by a resounding, yea yea we know! Telling a good story means telling it in a three-act structure. If it was good enough for Shakespeare, Francis Ford Coppola, South Park and every successful storyteller from cave carvings to Broadway it should be good enough for us.

Their complaining at least confirmed that our discussions actually had been of some enlightening value!

Later that day one of Ferro's senior storytellers & DP, Frank S, confronted me with a fantastic observation regarding my never-ending pounding of the value of the three-act structure. He commented, Did you ever consider that a perfect illustration of a 3-act story lays out in our normal production day? For those needing a quick and simple refresher of the 3 components necessary to tell a good story, here you go. (Remember, I said quick and simple. NOTE: theater purist standing at the ready to lynch me for the bastardization of your art, I apologize. All I am trying to do is illustrate the basics of great story telling.)

Act1

To establish the main character(s), their relationships to each other and the world around them; to introduce the challenge or conflict that the main character (the protagonist) will inevitably have to face. This call to action and attempt to solve the problem sets up Act 2. This moment is often identified as the initial turning point .

Act2

Here the conflict is explored and developed. The protagonist attempts to resolve the problem usually with limited or no success. In part, because they have not yet developed the skills needed to overcome said obstacles. This conflict usually comes by way of the antagonist. The antagonist can be presented in the form of a person, life circumstances or a physical obstacle. It is here you find the protagonist begins to come of age and seek the tools / skills necessary to triumph over the conflict. This coming of age and self-recognition is the second turning point, setting up Act 3.

Act 3

Three can be summed in a single word. Resolution . It is where the protagonist begins their conquest and believing they will succeed. It is usually where the conflict climaxes, where everyone's true character is revealed, lessons are learned and resolution has taken hold.

Now back to our story . Frank's observation . It was not taken from within the workings of a project or concept being developed. It was taken from our daily lives and a perfect illustration of the Shakespearian line, Life is like a play we merely go through the stages of our life acting it out. He observed that in each and every production day, Ferro's crew lives and thereby creates a new 3 act play simply by the default act of being .

Act 1

The morning production meeting; each team member is called upon to interact with the executive producer, thereby being introduced as a character. Interaction between crew-members ensues during the meeting and character development is exposed . The days assignments and mission is announced and discussed, the turning point is established

Act 2

As we all know, each day and each assignment comes with an array of problems and unexpected challenges, the conflict / antagonist arrives. There are usually several attempts to over come these conflicts.

Act 3

With no option other than to succeed the Ferro team writes the final act, resolution and lessons learned.

The resolution of this story is: we all know how to write and construct a successful story. It is the essence of our daily lives. Each of us is constructing a new and exciting story everyday. All you need to do is write them into the simple, flawless, can't miss structure of THE THREE ACT PLAY.

Follow @FerroProduction

--

LINK:	http://www.ferroproductions.com/life-is-a-3-act-play/...
	See more stories from ferro

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026

January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026 Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...

02/05/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Search, Faster Editing, and an AI-Ready Foundation for Modern Media

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

18/03/2026

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations

SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...

18/03/2026

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K

Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K Brie Clayton March 18, 2026 0 Comments LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...

18/03/2026