The Psychology of Act One
Weekly Screenwriting Tips
Here is our weekly column of screenwriting tips. For all previous columns, please see our blog entries right here.
In our last column, we’ve talked about the Inciting Incident. This week, let’s talk about the rest of Act One.
What Happens After the Inciting Incident
The inciting incident has happened, the monkey wrench has been thrown, our protagonist’s life is completely out of whack. What do we do when something like that happens? We try to ignore it. We don’t want to deal with it. Why can’t we stay on the couch and eat ice cream?
In technical terms, Act One of a screenplay comprises SETUP, INCITING INCIDENT, HERO REJECTING THE CALL
Presence of Hero’s Refusal
Now, often you might find only a hint of the hero refusing their call to action, and sometimes you might find a real struggle. However, it should always be present.
Look at life: if something big happens, we don’t normally immediately embrace it and deal with it. This can be as pronounced as a loved one dying and, at first, all we can do is sit there with our emotions frozen in amber. We don’t normally just jump right into counseling, dealing with estate stuff, planning the funeral.
Or it can be as nuanced as getting a rejection letter. We don’t saddle up right away. Or take a class. Or call our best friend. Sometimes we just end up watching animated chihuahua videos before we take action. In other words, Hero Refusing the Call makes your protagonist human.
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FAQs
1. What is the “psychology of Act One” in a screenplay?
Act One psychology examines how protagonists naturally react to life disruptions by initially resisting change before accepting their new reality. This mirrors real human behavior when facing unexpected challenges or opportunities.
2. What are the key components of Act One?
Act One contains three essential elements: setup, establishing the protagonist’s normal world, the inciting incident disrupting their status quo, and the hero rejecting the call, showing their initial resistance to change.
3. What is the role of the inciting incident in Act One?
The inciting incident throws the protagonist’s life completely off balance, creating immediate conflict and tension. This disruption forces characters to eventually take action toward resolving problems and pursuing new goals.
4. Why does a protagonist often resist the call to action in Act One?
Resistance makes protagonists feel authentically human. People rarely embrace major life changes immediately. Instead, they hesitate, seek alternatives, or attempt to ignore problems before committing to difficult actions required for resolution.
5. How does Act One set up the rest of the story?
Act One establishes the protagonist’s ordinary world, introduces core conflicts through the inciting incident, and shows initial resistance. This foundation creates emotional investment before the protagonist commits to their journey.