Case Study :
Simpsons.
Season 1 EP 10 ' Homer's Night Out '

1 Sentence Story Angle : Homer get into trouble with his wife, Marge, whom he cares a lot, because of Bart's photo

1 Sentence plot Summary :

Synopsis : Bart received a spy camera and he starts to take pictures. Homer went out to a seafood restaurant for his friend bachelor party while his family of 4 went to the same seafood restaurant as well for dinner. Bart did not like his food so he went to the washroom instead. By chance, He saw his father dancing with a exotic woman and took a photo of it. Bart joins a photography club and show them the picture he took, he receive good comment about it. Thus, he gave one copy of it to his friend which eventually leads to the circulating of the photo in the town. Marge saw the photo and gets mad with Homer. She throw Homer out of the house. Homer goes to a pub and met his friend whom he offer Homer to stay at his place instead of the hotel. Homer misses his family so he decides to go home and ask for forgiveness. Marge wants Homer to find the exotic dancer again to explain to his son, Bart, that woman are not object.

Homer goes to find Princess Cashmere but he couldn't find her. When he finally met her, Princess Cashmere was in a cage. While Homer was talking to Princess Cashmere, the cage rises causing him to get stuck in mid air. He fell to the stage because Princess Cashmere step on his fingers. Homer ends up dancing on the stage with many women. He then realize it and stop. Homer explain and said to the audience that women are not objects. Homer and Marge made up. Bart told the audience not to look at his folks kissing.

3 Act Structure :

Set Up :
Key character : Homer
Motive: Homer wants make up with Marge.
Situation: Bart's photo causes problem to Homer and Marge after the photo is being spread around the town. Marge is angry and throw Homer out of the house.

Turning Point :
He has the option to stay out of the house or go back home. Thus, he decides to go home.

Act 2 :

Conflict/Drama : Homer need to find Princess Cashmere to show Bart that woman are not object. However, he is unable to find her.
He found her and got caught in the cage and ended up dancing with more girls while Bart is watching.

Act 3 :

Turning Point 2: He stop and decide to explain what he is doing is not right.

Outcome : Homer and Marge makes up.
Resolution : Bart said to the others not to watch his folks kiss.

Case Study - Frasier

1 Sentence Story Idea :

Frasier wants to settle down at Seattle but his father needs to be taken care of.

1 Sentence plot summary :

Synopsis:
Frasier wants to settle down in Seattle but his father needs to be taken care of. His brother didn't want to take care of his father. Frasier wants to be a good son to his father so he allow his father to stay with him as well as to take care of him. To his dismay, Eddie, his dad dog is also moving in together. His brother offered to pay for a care taker for his dad. Thus, Daphne Moon came in for interview at his apartment and got the job. While working in the studios where he work as a psychiatrist at a radio program, his dad called in and told him his problems and concerns. ( Message, things will always work out even though it is not what is always planned. )

Character Bio:
Frasier Crane
A 40+ radio psychiatrist
Moved back to Seattle from Boston
He live a expensive apartment alone
He is able to play piano.
He doesn't like Eddie.
He has 1 brother and a former policeman father that needs to be taken care of.


3 ACT STRUCTURE

Act 1 -
Set up: Frasier Crane with his new job at a radio station and his background & An introduction to his family. His brother bring a new situation to Frasier.
Key Character: Frasier Crane
Motive:
Situation: He lives alone and his brother need him to take of his father.
Turning Point: If he allows his father to stay with him or to put him in another home but he wants to be a good son.

Act 2 -
Conflict: His father is not a easy person to live with and also his father's dog makes him feel uncomfortable due to the staring.
Turning Point: His brother offered a solution to hire a care taker for him.

Act 3 -
Conflict: He didn't like the care taker he hired as well as he needed to give up a room as the care taker was a live in care taker.
Make or Break? : Frasier wants to blow up as the situation get worse.
Up the stakes:
Climax: He got into a big fight with his father.
Outcome: His colleague told him a story about ' Lupi' which send the message of ' Things will always work out even though it is not what is always planned. ' to Frasier. He realize what he wants and his father called in to the station. They had a talk and solve his problem.
Resolution: They resolve his motive and succeed in being the good son he wants to be.

A Scriptwriter’s Terminology:

1 SENTENCE PITCH - The entire plot summed up into a single sentence.

LOGLINE - A brief summary of a television program of film, often providing both a synopsis of the program's plot, and an emotional "hook" to stimulate interest.

SYNOPSIS  -   A synopsis is a brief summary of the major points of a written work, either as prose or as a table; an abridgement or condensation of a work.

CHARACTER BIO - A brief history, description, or analysis of a character in a film.

CHARACTER BIBLE - A collection of the character data.

3 ACT STRUCTURE - A model used in writing and evaluating modern storytelling which divides a screenplay into three parts called the Setup, the Confrontation and the Resolution.

STORYLINE - The plot of a book or play or film.

TREATMENT - A film treatment (or treatment for short) is a piece of prose, typically the step between scene cards (index cards) and the first draft of a screenplay for a motion picture, television program, or radio play. It is generally longer and more detailed than an outline (or one-page synopsis), and it may include details of directorial style that an outline omits. They read like a short story, except told in the present tense and describing events as they happen. There are two types: the original draft treatment, created during the writing process, and the presentation treatment, created as presentation material.

PLOTS/ SUBPLOTS - Plot is a literary term defined as the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate to one another in a pattern, in a sequence, through cause and effect, how the reader views the story, or simply by coincidence. One is generally interested in how well this pattern of events accomplishes some artistic or emotional effect.  subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance. Subplots often involve supporting characters, those besides the protagonist or antagonist.

SCENE BREAKDOWN - Careful annotations of each scene in a play, with all necessary actors listed and some indication of the action and setting.

BEATS - The smallest division of action in a play, film or other work of drama; The moment at which increasing dramatic tension produces a noticable change in the consciousness of one or more characters.

SCRIPT - The written text of a play, movie, or broadcast 

All situations/plots need:

HOOK / TEASER - A thing designed to catch people's attention/A short introductory advertisement for a product/film, esp. one that does not mention the name of the thing being advertised.

MOTIVE - A reason for doing something, esp. one that is hidden or not obvious.

CONFLICT / OBSTACLES - An incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests/ A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.

DRAMA / ACTION - An exciting, emotional, or unexpected series of events or set of circumstances.

DRAMATIC SEQUENCE - The sequence a 5-act play follows including exposition, rising action, climax or turning point, falling action, and denouement or catastrophe

UP THE STAKES

CHAIN REACTION -  A series of events in which each event is the result of theone preceding and the cause of the one following.

RESOLUTION - The resolution in a film is the solution to the problem and main tension of the story. It often explains what has happened, what will happen, and shows a new status quo.

OUTCOME- a final product or end result; consequence; issue.

CLOSURE - A bringing to an end; conclusion.

Terms and the 3 Act Structure:

- PARADIGM = diagram of a screenplay (story map)

ACTS -
Act1 : Set up
Act2 : Confrontation 
Act3 : Resolution

SET UP - Camera position, as for a particular shot in a scene being filmed. 

CONFRONTATION - Discord or a clash of opinions and ideas: an age of ideological confrontation. 

RESOLUTION - The resolution in a film is the solution to the problem and main tension of the story. It often explains what has happened, what will happen, and shows a new status quo.

PLOT POINTS - In television and film, a plot point is a significant event within a plot that digs into the action and spins it around in another direction. It can also be an object of significant importance, around which the plot revolves. It can be anything from an event to an item to the discovery of a character or motive. The plot point is usually introduced at theexposition of the movie.

TURNING POINTS

MOTIVE - A reason for doing something, esp. one that is hidden or not obvious.

CONFLICT- An incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or interests.

DRAMATIC ENTERTAINMENT

UP THE STAKES

CLIMAX - The most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex.

sources - http://avajae.blogspot.sg/2012/03/how-to-plot-without-plotting.html, http://thescriptlab.com/screenwriting/dictionary

What makes a good story?

What kind of story makes a good story ? A character, a character that wants or need something. The setting can be anywhere but most importantly is how the character gets what he/her wants or what he/her needs. For example; Fred teddy wants a new teddy.

Problems arises in the story will make it more interesting, it can be someone who opposes the main character  in getting what he wants or needs or it can be a difficult situation for the main character to obtain what he wants or needs. For example; Fred goes to the zoo to get a new teddy, he walk to the area where the bears are and tried to climb over the fence to get to the bear. The zoo keeper pulled Fred back to stop him from getting to the bears.

Details of the characters or the environment helps to make it a better story, it's also allows the readers to know more about the characters. Giving the character a personality and appearance. For example; Fred tried to resist the zoo keeper, he pulled his long bushy beard and tried to get away from him. However, the zoo keeper was strong much stronger than little Fred. Little Fred couldn't even reach the zoo keeper shoulders even
if he tip his toes and stretch but little Fred refuse to give in. 

How did the main character overcome the problem? And what's the final outcome ( The ending ). For example; Fred suddenly had a idea, he tickled the zoo keeper and managed to free himself from the zoo keeper. He ran towards the fence and got to the bears over the fence but the were too big for him to carry it home. 

Also, having a cliche helps the audience/readers to better understand the story as they can easily relates to the situation thus making it a good story. 
Adding more characters in the story can also enhance the story like a comic relief when the story gets too serious.
Thus, all the points above helps to create a good story.