3-Act Structure for a 60 Second Film

So, as many of you know, pretty much every film follows a 3-act story structure. However, it is easy to assume that a 60 second film does not abide by these rules. That assumption would, of course, be incorrect. In fact, many of the films that were submitted last year were visually appealing and had a good beginning, but lacked a full 3-act structure. While I do not want to attempt to fit an entire 3-Act Structure lesson into this email, No Film School posted a killer breakdown that I recommend using in your classroom.

So here is how I would approach teaching this contest, starting with day one:

1. Review 3-Act Structure with your students. This link can easily be turned into a powerpoint.

2. Watch the past finalists from the 60 Second HorrorFest on the STN YouTube channel.

3. Then, have the students break down each of the 3 acts of each short film.

   1. Ask them to indicate the action/plot progression that marks the transition into each act.

   2. Pay special attention to the timecode: when did these transitions occur?

4. Talk about how this structure provided motivation, built suspense, and created resolution.

5. Have the students start brainstorming ideas for their film entries this year, filling out a 3-act structure as a starting point.

HORROR FILM LESSONS

Using Off-Screen Space in Horror to Build Suspense

The Gradual Reframe to Build Suspense

The Kuleshov Effect and the psychology of a reaction

Teach Lois Weber's short film Suspense

The Canted Angle

Free Horror Film Movies