Screenwriting structure Part 12 The Inciting Incident
Been awhile hasn’t it? LOL. I just haven’t had time to write anything but that’s okay, right? I’m knee-deep in my own shit right now and today… Sunday of all days, I really need to get some more work done and you know… The more I look at it, the less I wanna work on it.
So my procrastination turns into another structure post. I had another screenwriting structure post just about completed but it’s now gone. That’s what I get for working on it ahead of time… LOL.
No more.
Winging it has always worked best for me anyway… I type all my blog posts up in a little piece of software called BlogDesk and it’s always performed flawlessly till today… Today it wouldn’t run. Something about Microsoft’s DHTML editor needing repair. So like any good Windows user, I uninstalled it and then reinstalled it and guess what? No more post.
So here, I wing it.
The last post on screenwriting structure covered the first ten pages of the screenplay and your Protagonist’s ordinary world. I won’t revisit it except to say that you really should consider showing us your Protagonist’s ordinary world and make sure that ordinary world is relevant to what’s currently happening to your Protagonist. I’m always getting asked about the ordinary world and a lot of you seem to think we’re talking about the Protagonist’s everyday life and while that might be what you need to show us depending on your story — that’s really not what we’re talking about when talking about the ordinary world.
What I usually find is that a lot of screenplays get the ordinary world just a little bit wrong… Remember, the ordinary world that’s pertinent to the story. The ordinary world that your Protagonist is caught up in right now! Show us that world and it should be easier to get your story moving along.
The Inciting Incident…
Some call it the catalyst… I’m partial to inciting incident and I’ll tell you why… It’s self explanatory plain and simple. Let’s take a look at the definition of inciting and incident:
incite
–verb (used with object), -cit·ed, -cit·ing.
to stir, encourage, or urge on; stimulate or prompt to action: to incite a crowd to riot.
incident
–noun
1. an individual occurrence or event.
2. a distinct piece of action, or an episode, as in a story or play.
3. something that occurs casually in connection with something else.
4. something appertaining or attaching to something else.
5. an occurrence of seemingly minor importance, esp. involving nations or factions between which relations are strained and sensitive, that can lead to serious consequences, as an outbreak of hostilities or a war: border incident; international incident.
6. an embarrassing occurrence, esp. of a social nature.
–adjective
7. likely or apt to happen (usually fol. by to).
8. naturally appertaining: hardships incident to the life of an explorer.
9. conjoined or attaching, esp. as subordinate to a principal thing.
10. falling or striking on something, as light rays.
And just to let you know (in case you’re interested), I’ve discussed the inciting incident here and here awhile back so you might want to read up on these as well… Here, we’re discussing the inciting incident within the context of screenwriting structure…
I personally strive to get the inciting incident going no later than page 12. Sometimes I hit that mark — sometimes I don’t but I do most of the time. Gotta tell ya… One of the first things a producer usually does is either ask the reader when the inciting incident occurs or if they decide to read it themselves, they turn ahead through the pages to see what gets things moving and if you don’t have some inciting incident to get your Protagonist of his or her ass by page 12 — no later than page 15, don’t expect a call back about your script.
Is it formula?
Nope.
It’s form.
It hits us upside the head just a little harder these days when you give us the inciting incident within the first 12 minutes of your story. The mass audience of today isn’t really interested in sitting around waiting for a half hour for something to get your protagonist’s ass in gear. Remember, these are the fucking people sitting in the audience sending text messages and even making Goddamn phone calls. You really think these are the kinda people that wanna wait a half hour or gasp — never — for your incitiing incident?
Not on your life… In fact, you may want to consider writing your inciting incident so that these rude sons-a-bitches decide to turn those fucking cell phones off till the end of your film.
Some artistes might want to argue this cold hard fact… Don’t bother arguing about it with me. Not interested.
My two previous posts above pretty much spell out what the inciting incident is… Not a whole lot more information I can add… The big thing to remember is that you need an event to happen to your protagonist that causes him or her to eventually make the decision to leave the safety of their ordinary world and remember… They won’t want to leave. They will probably try to figure out a way not to leave but eventually, they acquiesce to the fact that they gotta go on a new journey to resolve whatever conflict the inciting incident just caused.
Make note that you’ve actually got quite a bit of leeway with the inciting incident…
Try to come up with an inciting incident that we’ve not seen before… Astonish us. Grab our attention so that we lean forward in that theater seat and invest ourselves into the rest of your story. Catch us by surprise… Don’t telegraph it to us.
Come up with an inciting incident that grabs us by the throat — something we haven’t seen before (yes, it can be done) and you’re on your way to a compelling story.
Remember… You’ve shown us your Protagonist’s ordinary world. We’ve seen how he or she behaves within that ordinary world. We understand it. We understand your Protagonist. It may not be a great place (I’m not talking location here) to be but it’s one that the Protagonist is at home in. He or she is safe within that world because they know the rules and they exist and make decisions based on the rules of that world.
The inciting incident is that unexpected banana peel your Protagonist slips on. He didn’t see it coming and neither did we. It’s that drive-by that happens for no fucking reason. It’s that grenade that makes no fucking sense.
Knock your Protagonist off her or her ass and you’ve got our attention.
Unk
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29 Responses to “Screenwriting structure Part 12 The Inciting Incident”
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Thirteenth…Baker’s dozen!
Hey Unk, nice post.
I always try to knock my protagonist off balance so hard that it’s virtually impossible for them to continue on in the world of the last 12 pages. Their new journey takes them forward as they decide what they are going to do with this new life laid out before them. And just when they think they’ve decided…
WHAM!
I hit them with something bigger and better (or worse) that forces them to really commit to that new step forward. A decision that is finally a no brainer as they need to commit to the decision, or go buy a new set of balls.
I am a die harder for creating a kick ass inciting incident, because I feel that without it, your story has really no where to go that is worth anyone getting excited about. And I never, NEVER, go past page 12. Sometimes 10 1/2 or 11, but never further than 12. In the age of good-for-nothing-but-lining-the-litter-box screenplays out there, you only got so long to grab their attention and you better get it done right, and get it done fast.
Nice to see you back.
Scottie screenwriter.
I call it Catalyst cause I am a Trottier Fan Boy…
I watched DIE HARD again the other night, and it’s surprising that the inciting incident (terrorists take over Nakatomi Plaza) happens well into the film, at least 15 minutes if not later.
The film starts with the plane landing and the “fists with the toes” line.
I know the film is 20 years old, but it’s still the standard bearer. And to be honest, I like the time it takes to get to what happens . . . we get a load of character stuff that really matters, that informs the tragedies which follow and make it resonate more personally.
I’m not disagreeing with you, of course, I just think it’s interesting. I heard someone else tell me the inciting incident has to happen before page 10, which would put DIE HARD out of a job.
Also would do the same with one of the few good Seagal movies, UNDER SIEGE.
Ryan,
Is 14 a Baker’s Dozen now? LOL. I guess maybe in Utah?
Scottie,
Agreed.
Mike,
Catalyst it is then… For you. LOL.
Josh,
I think you can, depending on the story, have the inciting incident happen no later than 30 minutes into a film but by no means would that be standard. Again, depends on the story and the chosen structure of that story.
If you were going to take that long to get to the inciting incident, you had better prepare us like DIE HARD did i.e., with enough of the backstory and exposition for us to invest in those characters.
But again, this wasn’t a spec script was it? No… It was adapted from a book. It was an assignment, correct?
Go ahead and write a spec that takes 30 minutes for the inciting incident to happen and then market it… Let me know how your results are because I’d definitely be interested.
In other words…
If you and Scottie Screenwriter above both write essentially equal screenplays — both professionally written — both outstanding but only one can be chosen… Chances are that the one where the inciting incident happens before page 30 will get the nod.
Either that or you’ll end up rewriting your inciting incident to play sooner… LOL.
I’m just sayin’…
Unk
Unk,
Well… it depends on how many wifes there are for a Baker’s dozen. LOL
When I watch a movie that takes 25-30 for the inciting incident… I get bored.
If I’m in a movie theatre, I start thinking of other things and not the movie… that’s if I don’t get up and leave.
I do agree that it needs to be no later that page 12.
Thanks for the info…
It is an adaptation, of course, and I’m not disagreeing with you - I’m just noting that so many claim that having the inciting incident up sooner is better, yet some of our faves have it happen much later (THE GODFATHER, another adaptation) are our classic films . . .
NORTH BY NORTHWEST, is the inciting incident when Roger takes the telegram boy (and gets mistaken for someone else) or when it looks like he stabs a diplomat?
That one’s not a spec . . .
You’re right, a spec needs it to happen sooner, but that doesn’t mean it needs it to be a better story, it only needs it to happen sooner to show readers you pay attention to the books, right?
Me, I like it to happen soon, I do . . . I like it when it happens BEFORE the movie starts, even . . . I like that a lot . . . heh-heh.
HIGH FIDELITY, She’s already told him she’s moving out, before the film starts, we catch them in the middle of it . . . I love that.
Hi Ukn,
Just curious since you’re reading tons of scripts.
Are the recomended ones really “spectacular” or a few fries from being brilliant?
If a script is brilliant, what happens to it?
Meaning — do you read scripts on a weekly basis where you come across an inciting incident that knocks your socks off.
Since over 60000 screenwriters flood LOS ANGELES, are all the great scripts with powerhouse inciting incident TOP SECRET…
Is it hussh hussh ….producers hiding them?
Regards
BL
Sorry, about the typo
I meant “Unk”,
Regards
BL
Hey Unk,
I have been silently reading your blog on occasion. And loving it. It beats a lot of screenwriting books.
About the Inciting Incident: many writers seem to believe that the I.I. can be AN ACTION BY THE PROTAGONIST. Go figure.
I like how the I.I. can be 2 or more successive events, leading to a climactic realisation (PHONEBOOTH: first a pizza delivery, followed later by a death threat).
Often (DIE HARD, STRANGER THAN FICTION) the I.I. is caused by the antagonist, but not always.
Have you seen LUCKY YOU? What is the I.I.?
BACK TO THE FUTURE: I.I. at 30mins, right?
That was then… Things have surely changed.
But I also believe that if you have magnificent plot points in the beginning of your story, you can delay the I.I. somwhat.
An audience has no clue what the real I.I. is; it is a matter of magnitude of plot points. The I.I. is usually the one standout plot point in the first hour of the movie.
Part 11 & 12 have been invaluable — okay, they’re worth about a hunded dollars… a hundred dollars
Great stuff
Unk lives.
Welcome back!
I think of the inciting incident as the answer to the question, why now? So, I call it, the why now.
The ideal structure is indicated when you write out the narrative of your story.
If you wrote –
Once upon a time there was a disgruntled employee who, after discovering that the fresh-out-of-college corporate relative got the promotion that he wanted despite his 25 years of service, decided to leap off a bridge that the company built back when it was founded – the company’s icon.
If you wrote that, structure is immediately suggested. You start at the beginning and end at the end. Once upon a time there was a disgruntled employee. All that is required is that you paint that thumbnail. If you stray or over develop the requirement, the narrative changes. The idea is to serve the narrative.
If you don’t you might get, Once upon a time in a quirky little office building where the walls are decorated with Victorian era wallpaper and expensive paintings, where the receptionist is a six foot seven albino Swede who obviously has issues with his girlfriend b/c he is more interested in screaming at her on the phone than paying attention to those in the waiting room, there was a peculiar employee with an affinity for donuts and who remembers when he was a child (flashback) that he wanted to be super rich and powerful because his father always belittled him so he decided to choose a career in plastics because, at that time, it was believed that, that was where the future was, (end flashback) but he had now become disgruntled after 25 long years of service as the plaque on his wall indicated and was also evident (exposition exposition) as he complained to his wife on the phone as she repeatedly called to ask if it was alright to buy expensive items (more exposition about how he isn’t rich and powerful).
But there was still hope as there was a position open that he coveted and had on repeated occasions made it known to his higher ups that he feels no one in the office, other than him, would be more perfect. Yada yada yada.
Didn’t you just pay seven, fourteen if you brought a date/lover? Didn’t you just pay to see a movie about a disgruntled dood who’s gonna leap off a bridge because he didn’t get a job? Yeah, well, what’s this movie about so far? Well, the same thing except this one took twenty five pages just to get to the damn reason you shelled out your monies.
If you took a taxi and the driver thought you were a sucker, he’d drive all over forkin’ town just to get you to your destination a few blocks away. That or the driver didn’t know his way around town. I think that no matter what you call the inciting incident, you have a duty to serve the narrative and drive the audience to the point that they paid you to get them to.
Of course this changes a little depending on your audience. I mean, if they paid you to take them for a stroll in the park b/c they’re on a date, you wouldn’t pick them up in your Ferrari, haul ass and take shortcuts. However, the structure itself doesn’t change. The disposition does, but (worth repeating) the structure doesn’t.
How many stinking Ryan’s are there on Unk’s site?
There can be only 1.
2 man enter. 1 man leave.
2 man enter! 1 man leave!
Wow… Everyone’s comments keep ending up in the SPAM area… Next to the viagra, cialis, and shemale comments.
Ryan in Utah… Dude… Just messing with ya. We all know you can really count… LOL.
Right?
Josh,
We’ve had this debate before… I assume most, if not all readers know that I’m talking about writing and selling a spec script. Once you sell a spec, you can pretty much do whatever you want i.e., PEOPLE that can make decisions, will read whatever you write and listen to all your pitches.
I am certainly not advocating the 12 minute rule be applied to everything you write from here to eternity. I’m not saying that there haven’t been a lot of great movies that violate that rule — there are.
I’m simply stating that selling a spec is largely a numbers game. Just getting your script read is a numbers game half the time…
And many many books do not tell you do put the inciting incident at the 12 page mark… That has nothing to do with what I’m saying at all. In fact, a lot of the books tell you that it simply needs to happen within 30 minutes — which it should.
This is just ME telling anyone that wants to read, what I know to be true in the business right now.
However, build that networking list of producers up who are willing to read anything you write (even if you’ve not yet sold anything), and even then you can slap that inciting incident anywhere you want within that 30 minute window.
But if nobody knows you? You’re just making queries and trying to market your script? You gotta get things happening quickly to make an impression.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
I personally don’t think the inciting incident is when Thornhill interacts with the telegram boy… Remember, the inciting incident is that event that propels the Protagonist out of his ordinary world. When Vandamm’s two thugs kidnap Thornhill, he is propelled out of his ordinary world for the rest of the movie…
Ben,
Are the recommended scripts brilliant?
Hell no. LOL. They’re just recommended. One out of a hundred of those are simply “pretty good.”
I have yet to read a brilliant script that hasn’t been made into a film yet.
karel,
You’re right… This is a question I get way too often in my endless supply of email every day. “Hey Unk, what was the inciting incident of such and such movie?”
Me thinks if you’ve not gotten to the point where you can figure out the inciting incident of a movie, you need to go back to the drawing board.
The inciting incident can of course be caused by the Protagonist — depends on your story but it’s certainly not a rule.
MovieQuill,
How the hell are ya? Only $100? LOL. Always free for you my friend…
Ryan R.,
The overwhelming majority of today’s ticket-buying demographic wants it now… So, whether it’s right or not, many producers want it now. All I’m saying is to make it happen within 12 pages and of course make us believe it and you’ve just upped your percentages with that spec.
Good stuff everyone… Love the comments and just want everyone to know that I get a lot of great email from lurkers who learn as much from these comments as they do from the bullshit I actually write.
Thanks again!
Unk
Joshua,
If I’m not mistaken ‘NORTH BY NORTHWEST’ was written for Hitchcock by Ernest Lehman. Not exactly a spec, more like a writing assignment, but definitely not an adaption.
Keep Writing,
Mike,
You’re absolutely correct… I’m sure Josh knows that already.
And I know all about the inciting incident (among other things) when it comes to NORTH BY NORTHWEST because I sat down with Mr. Lehman and discussed it one day.
Quite a character he was…
Unk
Unk, here is a question you may not get every day, but i am interested in your thoughts…
What is your all time favorite inciting incident in movie history?
Scott
Unk!!!!
LOL!!!
EVERYTHING I write in your DAMN comments DON’T come out right for some DAMN reason… I guess that’s y proof reeding is important, huh?
I love seeing all the action that comes from the newest post. I get just as much out of it as reading the original post. It’s good reading everyones comments then seeing what Unk says back. Entertaining.
It’s great to see all the action that happens in here after a new post has risen.
Thanks Unk ‘n’ yall!
Yeah, it was a typo, I meant to say it wasn’t an adaptation (like Die Hard) . . . my bad.
Wait a minute.
Unk, did you say . . .
You SAT down with Lehman?
That on top of your McQueen, Unk, means I should officially hate ya just for being so cool . . . I’ll forgive you as long as you SPILL EVERYTHING HE SAID.
Heh-heh.
Unk,
I’ve read your tip on the “Transformational Character Arc” and would suggest that of the 23 Personality Types listed, which is a highly useful list, you might want to consider changing “Type 10, the Fearful” to “Type 10, the Neurotic,” then add a footnote listing: Anxiety Disorder, Depression, Manic-Depression (Bipolar Illness), Schizoid (split personality), Obsessive-Compulsive, Schizophrenic (hallucinations, hearing voices, etc.), and Psyopathic (cold-blooded killer). And tell us about your encounter with Ernest Lehman, if you’ve got the time.
-R.McN.
Scott,
That’s really difficult… How about some of my favorites?
THE PROFESSIONAL — 12 year old Mathilda is thrown into Leon’s life.
THE GREAT ESCAPE — The new prison camp IS the inciting incident. Happens IMMEDIATELY.
THE STING — Hooker and his partner, Luther pull a switch on a collector.
COOL HAND LUKE — Luke uses a pipe cutter to lop the top off parking meters.
THE GRADUATE — Mrs. Robinson.
THE BIG LEBOWSKI — The rug.
STAND BY ME — The dead kid.
JAWS — The dead girl with crabs eating her.
THE THING (Carpenter) — The dog.
These are just off the top of my head… Probably some if not most of my favorites…
Ryan,
You said: “EVERYTHING I write in your DAMN comments DON’T come out right for some DAMN reason… I guess that’s y proof reeding is important, huh?”
You got it, Buddy… LOL.
Josh,
Forgive me? WTF did I do? LOL.
Richard,
Thanks for the suggestion… But see? Just from reading that crap, you’ve come up with some outstanding observations on your own and THAT’S what it’s all about.
Unk
Ultra that you met the Cincinnati Kid like that … you had the good karma flowing that day … I think I’d give up a finger (not the middle) to have had that experience. Or Cool Hand Luke … I’d flip out … met John Malkovich once, started chatting away to him, telling him how the Square was going downhill, and then I caught myself and blurted, “I can’t believe I’m talking to John Malkovich,” and then went on yammering away. He had his son with him and said he was waiting for his wife to finish shopping. Then an old guy came up and said, “I just want to thank you. And now I want to get out of your head.” And John (I of course call him by his first name now) said, “I want to get out of my head as well,” and said goodbye and walked off.
Hey Unk! Been a while!
Had a little downtime and got into the production side of things more-so to pay some bills, and now I’ve got my writers cap back on, so-to-speak.
And, the first thing I’m about to ask you? If the Ordinary World is not the daily routine, then you’ve confused me a heap!!!
Consider that your example, back on the post about the Protags’ Ordinary World, was the Music Video for “Turn The Page”… that Ordinary World exists as a daily routine.
Can I get some clarity!?!?
I recently discovered this site. Keep moving on UNK… what’re doing its amazing. I’ve learned a lot of things from your post.
I would like to give a little opnion about structure. I do think structure its the key element of any great story. But I think we have to develope our own. And don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that we don’t need to study the all kinds of structures that are out there right now. It is necessary to study them, cause they give us the knowledge to move forward our story. And if we don’t understand the elemental parts of a structure, we will ending creating a completely mess of a story that doesn’t tell us anything. But I think that they doesn’t work for everybody. Well, at least not for me.
Every story its unique. And in my opinion we should be the only ones to give the correct elemental structure so our story works. And I emphasize again… those Act Structures that the gurus teach us are helpful, but we cannot cling to them.
P.S. Sorry for my English. I speak Spanish. I’m learning to speak Enlish.
Javi.