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Act 3 in a traditional three act story structure is sometimes called The Ticking Clock because it's traditional to include a countdown. Having a literal countd
by TheOtherHobbes 5y ago
Act 3 in a traditional three act story structure is sometimes called The Ticking Clock because it's traditional to include a countdown.
Having a literal countdown timer - usually for a bomb - is a standard trope in action thrillers. But any kind of deadline will do.
- cheschire 5y agoWhat are some good search queries to learn more about these types of standard structures, especially as it pertains to film and TV?
- karlkeefer 5y agohttps://tvtropes.org/ https://tvtropes.org/ has a ton of this kind of thing - not sure if that scratches your itch!
- jholman 5y agoHoly shit, just linking to an meme weapon like that, and not warning people? Not cool! To the uninitiated, do not follow that link unless you don't have anything else you need to do today. It is famous for destroying days of productivity.
- bmn__ 5y agohttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/609:_Tab_Explosion https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/609:_Tab_Explosio...
- Akronymus 5y agoObligatory xkcd https://xkcd.com/609/ https://xkcd.com/609/ But yeah, tvtropes usually leads me down a wiki walk as well whenever posted.
- od1nos 5y agoYou can browse for all of them on https://tvtropes.org/ https://tvtropes.org/
- smogcutter 5y agoTvtropes as others have said, but for structure what you want is an intro screenwriting book. “Save the Cat” is a good one, and Syd Field is a classic (although dated).
- cheschire 5y agoThank you this is closer to what I was looking for
- User23 5y agoEver wonder about the bombs bursting in air from the US national anthem when it was written before bomber planes? Yep it’s the cartoon bomb[1]. [1] https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CartoonBomb https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CartoonBomb
- laurent92 5y agoNow, when I see a bomb in movies, I always measure the countdown. The fact that they extend it kills quite a lot of suspense.
- wolverine876 5y agoMaybe your suspense is killed by focusing on your stopwatch instead of the characters, story, etc.
- UI_at_80x24 5y agoInstead of being an ass please try to understand that some personality types do things like this because that's how we are wired. I count... ...seconds the hero is underwater ...seconds until the bomb is going to explode ...number of bullets fired from a 6-round revolver ...etc I don't like it all the time. Hell at times i wish I didn't, but I also cackle with glee when I discover a mistake in the continuity of a film that depends on these plot devices. So it's 50/50 love/hate thing for me. I already know I'm kind of atypical with most aspects of my life but your advice is as helpful as telling an introvert to just go out and socialize more. Please be aware that words like yours rub salt in an open wound. I'd be fucking normal if I could help it.
- kbenson 5y agoIt also makes those movies that really try to adhere to not breaking the suspension of disbelief for those things all the greater. I too often find myself counting time and bullets. Stuff like that doesn't always arise in a vacuum, for me it was being exposed to movies that toed the line enough in most aspect that completely if iring certain things (like time or bullet counts) took me out of the film because it was so egregious, and then once you start seeing those things, it's hard not to be aware of them. But, like I said above, those directors that go the extra mile to make everything line up provide that little extra bit of joy, just like little plot loose ends being nearly resolved when lesser directors wouldn't care to address them.
- User23 5y ago