Pinch Points: Fixing Your Second Act

Summary

This video script delves into the concept of 'pinch points' in character development, offering a practical approach to crafting believable transitions in a character's beliefs throughout a story. It explains pinch points as specific events that challenge and advance a character's arc, serving as stepping stones from one belief set to another. The script provides examples from various films, illustrating how positive, flat, and negative arcs can be effectively navigated using pinch points to create compelling character growth.

Takeaways

• 📚 Character arcs are essential for a character's development, transitioning from one set of beliefs to another by the story's end.
• 🔍 Many writers struggle with creating clear and believable transitions between a character's initial and final beliefs.
• 🤔 Pinch points are crucial for guiding character arcs effectively, acting as specific events that challenge characters' beliefs and propel their development.
• 📌 Pinch points are not just reminders of stakes or foreshadowing; they are practical tools for navigating the second act and character growth.
• 🛤️ A pinch point should cause a character to question their beliefs, acting as a stepping stone from one belief set to another.
• 🔄 Typically, stories feature two pinch points, strategically placed to create a series of escalating belief-changing events.
• 🔑 The first pinch point challenges the protagonist's beliefs, while they resist change. The midpoint confronts them with the truth, and the second pinch point sees them embracing the new belief.
• 🌐 Pinch points can be tailored to various character arc types, including positive change arcs, flat arcs, negative arcs, and fall arcs.
• 🎭 Examples from films like 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', 'Wonder Woman', 'Sicario', 'Fight Club', and 'The Godfather' illustrate how pinch points are applied in different narrative contexts.
• 📉 In a flat arc, the character's belief is challenged but ultimately upheld, as seen in Diana's arc in 'Wonder Woman'.
• 📈 The best pinch points involve the protagonist making choices between their lie and the truth, creating a stronger transition to a new belief system.
• ➕ Beyond the standard two pinch points, stories can incorporate additional stepping stones to facilitate belief transitions, adapting to the narrative's needs.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of character arcs in storytelling?

The main purpose of character arcs is to show a character's development from holding a certain belief at the start of the story to holding a different belief at the end.

Why do some character arcs feel rushed, slow, or non-existent?

These issues often arise because writers fail to make clear and believable transitions between the character's initial and final beliefs.

What is a pinch point in the context of character development?

A pinch point is a specific story event that challenges a character's beliefs and moves their character arc forward, acting as a stepping stone from one belief set to another.

How does a pinch point differ from a midpoint in a story?

While both pinch points and midpoints serve to turn the story in meaningful ways, pinch points are specific events that challenge beliefs and create gradual steps of change, whereas the midpoint is when the protagonist is confronted with the truth and can no longer question its existence.

How many pinch points are typically present in a story, and where do they occur?

Typically, there are two pinch points in a story. The first occurs between the first plot point and the midpoint, and the second occurs between the midpoint and the second plot point.

What is the role of the first pinch point in a character's arc?

The first pinch point serves as the first big event that challenges the protagonist's beliefs, where they will have their belief threatened but refuse to change.

How does the second pinch point differ from the first in terms of the protagonist's development?

The second pinch point is when the protagonist takes a big step towards the truth and away from the lie they believe in, showing a more significant shift in their beliefs compared to the first pinch point.

Can pinch points be used differently for various character arc types?

Yes, pinch points can be adapted to fit different character arc types, such as positive change arcs, flat arcs, negative arcs, and fall arcs, each with unique ways of challenging and changing the character's beliefs.

What is the significance of choices made by the protagonist in pinch points?

Choices made by the protagonist in pinch points are significant because they strengthen the character's transition to a new set of beliefs, as they have to actively decide between their lie and the truth.

How can writers use pinch points to navigate the second act of their story?

Writers can use pinch points to navigate the second act by writing towards the upcoming pinch point and reacting off the previous one, which simplifies the outlining process and makes it more intuitive.

Can there be more than two pinch points in a story, and if so, how can they be utilized?

Yes, there can be more than two pinch points in a story. They can be used as multiple progressive stepping stones to create a continuous progression of the protagonist's character arc.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Character Arcs and Pinch Points

This paragraph introduces the concept of character arcs and the challenges writers face in creating believable transitions between a character's initial and final beliefs. It emphasizes the importance of 'pinch points' as narrative tools to facilitate these transitions. The speaker aims to define pinch points more clearly than existing explanations, proposing a practical approach that incorporates both external and internal character elements. Pinch points are defined as specific story events that challenge a character's beliefs and propel their development, acting as stepping stones from one belief set to another.

05:01

🔍 Pinch Points in Action: Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse

The second paragraph delves into how pinch points function within the structure of a story, using the character arc of Miles Morales from 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' as an example. It outlines the first pinch point as an event that challenges the protagonist's beliefs, where Miles faces a trial that underscores his lack of self-confidence. The midpoint is described as a confrontation with the truth, leading Miles to a realization about the necessity of embracing his uniqueness. The second pinch point is portrayed as a moment where Miles applies his new understanding independently, successfully escaping the Prowler using his abilities, thus illustrating the progression of his character arc.

10:02

🏹 Character Arcs: Flat and Negative Examples

This paragraph explores different character arc types, specifically flat and negative arcs, using Diana from 'Wonder Woman' and Kate from 'Sicario'. Diana's flat arc is characterized by her unwavering belief in the worthiness of humanity, despite challenges. The pinch points for Diana involve her initial uncertainty, a midpoint where she demonstrates her beliefs to others, and a second pinch point where she must make a hard decision to uphold her beliefs. Kate's negative arc, in contrast, shows her shift from believing in ethical crime-fighting to understanding the moral complexity of the world. Her pinch points involve initial disillusionment, a midpoint where she continues to struggle with the truth, and a second pinch point that highlights her frustration with the ineffectiveness of her old beliefs.

15:13

💥 Fall Arcs and the Impact of Pinch Points

The final paragraph discusses fall arcs, where a character clings to a destructive lie, using Tyler Durden from 'Fight Club' and Michael Corleone from 'The Godfather' as examples. Tyler's arc is marked by his descent into nihilism, with pinch points highlighting his ineffective attempts to connect with others and his eventual doubling down on his destructive beliefs. Michael Corleone's arc shows his corruption from a man who sees the truth about unnecessary brutality to one who embraces it. His pinch points illustrate the conflict between his initial beliefs and the life of a mobster he eventually adopts, with the second pinch point showing his full commitment to a life of violence and power.

📘 Conclusion on Pinch Points and Character Arcs

The concluding paragraph summarizes the insights on pinch points and their role in character development. It highlights the importance of making pinch points active choices for characters, rather than passive events, to strengthen the transition to new beliefs. The speaker also suggests that more than two pinch points can be used for more complex character arcs and encourages writers to use upcoming pinch points for outlining and to react to previous ones for a more intuitive story development. The paragraph ends with a resource recommendation for writers struggling with their screenplay drafts.

Keywords

💡Character Arcs

Character arcs refer to the personal growth or transformation that a character undergoes throughout a story. In the video, character arcs are central to the narrative as they illustrate how a character's beliefs change from the beginning to the end of the story. The script uses the example of Miles Morales from 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' to show a positive change arc where he transitions from believing he is not special to embracing what makes him different.

💡Pinch Points

Pinch points are specific story events that challenge a character's beliefs and advance their character arc. They function as stepping stones that facilitate gradual changes in a character's belief system. The script explains that pinch points should not be seen as structural beats but as narrative tools to create believable transitions in character beliefs, using the character arcs in 'Wonder Woman' and 'Sicario' to illustrate their application.

💡Beliefs

Beliefs, in the context of this video, are the core convictions or assumptions that characters hold, which are often challenged and transformed throughout the story. The script discusses how characters start with a certain belief set (the 'lie') and move towards a new belief set (the 'truth') through the influence of pinch points and other story events.

💡Midpoint

The midpoint is a crucial narrative element that occurs halfway through the second act of a story. It is a turning point where the protagonist is confronted with the truth and can no longer deny or avoid it. The script uses the midpoint to illustrate how characters like Diana in 'Wonder Woman' are forced to confront their beliefs and make significant decisions that affect their arcs.

💡First Pinch Point

The first pinch point is an event that occurs between the first plot point and the midpoint, serving as the first significant challenge to the protagonist's beliefs. The script describes how this event tests the character's initial beliefs and often results in a refusal to change, as seen when Miles Morales hesitates to help Peter Parker in 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'.

💡Second Pinch Point

The second pinch point happens between the midpoint and the second plot point, typically three-quarters into the second act. It represents a significant step towards the new belief system for the protagonist. The script explains that this pinch point is where characters like Miles Morales in 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' begin to apply their new understanding and move away from their initial beliefs.

💡Flat Arc

A flat arc describes a character who, despite challenges, maintains the same belief system throughout the story. The script uses Diana's arc in 'Wonder Woman' as an example of a flat arc, where she holds firmly to her positive view of humanity even when faced with its flaws.

💡Fall Arc

A fall arc is a character arc where the character moves from a position of strength or virtue towards a downfall, often due to a flaw or a lie they cling to. The script illustrates this with Tyler Durden's arc in 'Fight Club', where his nihilistic beliefs lead to his eventual demise.

💡Choices

Choices are decisions made by characters that drive the narrative and contribute to their character arcs. The script emphasizes that the best pinch points involve choices, as they create a stronger transition to a new belief system. For instance, when Kate in 'Sicario' makes choices that reflect her struggle with the moral ambiguity of her situation.

💡Narrative Devices

Narrative devices are techniques used by writers to advance the story and develop characters. The script discusses pinch points as narrative devices that can be used flexibly to create progressive stepping stones in a character's journey, rather than being confined to a structural checklist.

Highlights

Character arcs should involve a clear and believable transition between a character's initial and final beliefs.

Pinch points are specific story events that challenge a character's beliefs and advance their arc.

Pinch points can be used to complement midpoints, creating a series of increasing belief-changing events.

Typically, stories have two pinch points, strategically placed in the narrative to challenge the protagonist.

The first pinch point occurs between the first plot point and the midpoint, challenging the protagonist's beliefs.

The midpoint is a crucial moment when the protagonist confronts the truth and can no longer deny it.

The second pinch point happens between the midpoint and the second plot point, moving the protagonist closer to the truth.

Pinch points should not be seen as structural beats but as tools for continuous character development.

Examples from 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' illustrate how pinch points can drive a positive change arc.

In 'Wonder Woman', a flat arc is demonstrated where beliefs are challenged but ultimately held firmly.

The character arc of Kate in 'Sicario' shows the struggle with ethical measures and the realization of a complex world.

Tyler Durden's fall arc in 'Fight Club' is characterized by the rejection of the truth and the embrace of nihilism.

Michael Corleone's arc in 'The Godfather' shows the corruption and acceptance of violence for power.

Pinch points are most effective when they involve choices made by the protagonist, not just passive events.

A story can have more than two pinch points to create multiple progressive stepping stones for belief transitions.

Pinch points can guide the writing process by focusing on upcoming events and reacting to previous ones.

The video offers additional tips for creating believable character arcs and navigating the second act.

The transcript is written by Alberto Halfeld, a member of the Practical Screenwriting team.

Transcripts

character arcs are easier said than done

we all know what characters arcs are

supposed to accomplish a character

should hold a certain belief at the

start of the story and then hold a

different belief at the end

sounds simple and many writers are able

to do just that however what many

writers fail to do is make clear and

believable transitions between the two

sets of beliefs

often amateur writers have their

character arcs feel too rushed too slow

or even non-existent

this is where pinch points can come in

handy in this video i wanted to find

what pinch points are

explain how they work and illustrate how

you can use pinch points according to

different character arcs this way you

can create believable belief transitions

for your own characters

let's begin

first we must define what a pinch point

is

if you look up the definition of pinch

point you will find many different and

often confusing explanations

you may hear that pinch points are

moments where we remind the audience of

the stakes of the story or when we

foreshadow what is to come next

even though these are valid

characteristics of pinch points none of

them give writers practical advice on

how to navigate the second act or their

character arcs in a meaningful way

instead i'd like to use concepts put

forth by author km weiland in her books

as well as her website and propose a

practical definition of a pinch point

i want to create pinch points that not

only focus on external elements but also

philosophical and internal elements

a pinch point should be a specific story

event that challenges a character's

beliefs and moves their character arc

forward

in other words pinch points are specific

events that cause gradual steps of

change and a character arc they act as

stepping stones to get a character from

belief set a to belief set b

each pinch point brings them further

away from their initial set of beliefs

and closer to a new belief system

now let's talk about how pinch points

work

in the past i've talked about midpoints

and how they can be used to turn the

story in a meaningful way

pinch points not only work similarly but

can be used to complement a midpoint in

order to create a series of increasing

belief changing events

let's take a look

usually stories have two pinch points

the first pinch point happens in between

the first plot point and the midpoint in

other words one quarter into the second

act

the first pinch point serves as the

first big event that challenges the

protagonist's beliefs

the protagonist will have their belief

threatened but they will refuse to

change

the midpoint happens halfway through the

second act it is the middle of the story

this is when the protagonist is

confronted with the truth and can no

longer question its existence

the second pinch point happens in

between the midpoint and the second plot

point in other words about three

quarters into the second act this is

when the protagonists will take a big

step towards the truth and away from the

lie they believe in

thus we can generalize each of the

stepping stones with the following

first pinch point struggle to see the

new belief

midpoint see the new belief and the

second pinch point experience the new

belief

you should not see these pinch points as

beats in a structural checklist

instead see them as tools you can use as

you see fit

pinch point should be implemented in

order to continuously progress your

protagonist character arc

let's see how pinch points and midpoints

can be used according to various

character arc types

let's take a look at the positive flat

and negative arcs

first we'll take a look at miles morales

positive change arc in spider-man into

the spider-verse

miles's lie is that he is not special

and will never be skillful

miles's truth is that in order to be

skillful he must embrace what makes him

different

at the first pinch point this is the

first big trial faced by the protagonist

where they are confronted with an event

that challenges their beliefs and they

try to solve it by using their lie and

pay a heavy price for it

when miles meets peter parker at the

collider he is too terrified to help

because of miles lack of self-confidence

he chooses to play it safe and staying

to the side while peter does all the

work

i should go up there and help him

oh my kid and i should not do that

because of miles's lack of trust in his

own abilities peter parker fails and

kingpin murders him

get rid of the body

at the midpoint this is when the

protagonist comes face to face with the

truth they lack

when escaping the lab with the goober

miles is faced with a situation where he

must be skillful in order to survive

peter b parker teaches miles how to web

swing this is the first time in the

story when miles is able to trust

himself and successfully use his web

maybe self-confidence is the only way to

success

[Music]

double tap to release and whip it out

again okay swift and release him

[Music]

at the second pinch point having

struggled and seen the truth the

protagonist is finally able to apply it

on his own and is rewarded for it

miles discovers that the prowler is his

uncle aaron the prowler chases miles

down but miles successfully escapes him

by using his newfound abilities

[Applause]

now let's take a look at diana's flat

arc in wonder woman

diana believes that humanity albeit

flawed is worth fighting for

since this is a flat arc her beliefs are

challenged but she ultimately holds

firmly to her positive view of humanity

at the first pinch point this is when

the protagonist is uncertain if the

truth they hold is capable of defeating

the lie

when steve and diana tried to warn the

british high command about ludendorff

and dr poison the commanders refused to

listen

as a result diana and steve are forced

to disobey orders and find their own way

to the front

in a flat arc the midpoint is less about

the main character seeing the truth and

more about them showing the truth to the

world around them where i come from

generals don't hide in their offices

like cowards

they fight alongside their soldiers they

die with them on the battle that's

enough you should be ashamed

refusing to leave a village to the

germans diana reveals her true self and

storms no man's land as a result she

shows the truth to the rest of the

characters and this inspires the british

to follow her

at the second pinch point this is when

the lie-driven antagonist attacks

forcing the protagonist to take an

increasingly hard decision that cements

her belief in the truth

steve and diana infiltrate ludendorff's

supposedly celebratory gala diana

believes ludendorth to be aries when she

realizes he is about to test his new gas

on a village and diana races off to

prevent it

let's look at kate's arc and sicario

kate starts the story by believing that

crime should be stopped through ethical

measures

she ends the story understanding that

justice is not black and white and the

world is much more complicated than she

realizes

at the first pinch point the protagonist

uses their lie only to pay a price

the team swiftly kills several gunmen

and makes it safely back to el paso

they are actively committing murder and

endangering civilians

rattled by the experience kate explodes

at matt for dragging her into a mission

that she now knows isn't only illegal

but morally rotten matt shuts her down

humiliating her

in the meantime just sponge everything

up you see

learn that's why you're here

tries to act ethically and is silenced

and put back in her place

at the midpoint this is when the

character is faced with the truth but

unlike in other arcs does not accept it

yet

despite the warning given by matt kate

disobeys his orders and attempts to

pursue manuel diaz through banking

activity

however her attempts at avoiding illegal

measures backfire and she ends up making

herself a target

kate can no longer deny that her by the

book tactics are ineffective

however she is not yet fully compelled

to join the other side

at the second pinch point not having

accepted the truth the protagonist only

grows frustrated with the new truth and

the ineffectiveness of the old lie

because cia can't operate within u.s

borders without a domestic agency

attached

i told you'd be useful

here matt reveals to kate that the only

reason she was ever a part of this

entire mission was because matt couldn't

operate without an fbi agent attached to

the operation

kate realizes that she hasn't had any

power from the beginning and that her

attempts to make this mission legal and

by the book were impossible from the

start

now let's take a look at tyler durden's

fall arc and fight club

tyler believes that society is crooked

and the only way to succeed in it is to

adopt nihilism and he has a fall arc he

clings to his lie and rejects the truth

leading to his eventual demise

at the first pinch point this is when

the character has glimpses of attempts

at following the truth but these are

usually ineffective

when marla calls for help the call is

picked up by tyler tyler goes to milo's

apartment takes her to his place and

begins a relationship with her

for once tyler has an attempt at having

a meaningful relationship with someone

he has a glimpse at the truth and a

chance at dropping his nihilistic views

however he doesn't his unwillingness to

give up on his nihilistic beliefs only

leads him to treat marla like a sex toy

marla doesn't need a lover she needs a

[ __ ] caseworker need some wash

sport [ __ ]

at the midpoint this is the first time

the character is confronted with the

truth but unlike in other arcs they

reject the truth and double down on the

lie

when lou the owner of the bar where

fight club is regularly held tells the

men to leave tyler is faced with the

first big societal opposition to his

beliefs what they are doing is illegal

and possibly morally wrong but tyler

chooses not to leave instead he allows

lou to beat him up while laughing

hysterically

[Laughter]

this shows that tyler really does not

care about anything

this freaks lou out convincing him to

allow them to stay you don't know where

i've been luke oh my god

inspired by the encounter tyler assigns

homework to fight club members signaling

the expansion of his views to his

followers

at the second pinch point this is when

the character sinks deeper into the lie

leading to effective but destructive

results

tyler begins project mayhem

he recruits members of fight club to act

as his own personal guerrilla force in

increasingly destructive acts of social

terrorism

the project is successful

sparking widespread chaos

now we can look at michael corleone's

arc and the godfather

michael starts his arc by already seeing

the truth knowing that there is no

necessity for brutality to achieve power

and happiness

however michael is corrupted resulting

in him becoming just as violent as his

family

at the first pinch point this is when

the protagonist is torn between the

truth they believe and the lie they will

eventually embrace

michael takes refuge in sicily hiding

from his family's enemies in the states

although it is clear that he will never

be capable of returning to the life he

formerly desires

michael has not yet committed himself to

the life of a mobster

he is caught between worlds

that of a regular citizen and that of a

cold-blooded mobster

at the midpoint the protagonist embraces

the lie without rejecting the truth when

michael's brother is killed he returns

home to take over the leadership of his

family he moves from a reactionary role

to fully taking an active role in his

new corrupted destiny

at the second pinch point the

protagonist resists the cost that comes

with the truth

michael goes to vegas and proceeds to

build power for himself and his family

in their war against the five families

michael promises his second wife kaye

that he will legitimize the family

business

here even though michael acts as if he

is still a regular citizen he is no

longer able to pay the cost that comes

with that lifestyle he is no longer

refraining from acting unethically or in

hunger for power instead he is fully in

the life of a mobster

[Music]

all right you have now learned what

pinch points are how they work and

various examples of how they can be

applied in different character arcs

there are a few extra elements i'd like

to highlight about pinch points firstly

the best pinch points are not simply

events that push a character arc but

choices made by the protagonist this is

because when a character has to choose

between their lie and the truth their

transition to a new set of beliefs is

much stronger than if they simply

passively witness an event

secondly you can have more than two

pinch points in my video on me earl and

the dying girl i talk about multiple

turning points that serve to transition

greg's beliefs you can do the same in

your story again pinch points should not

be structural beats in the checklist but

narrative devices you can use to create

as many progressive stepping stones as

you need

lastly just like the midpoint you can

navigate the second act by writing

towards the upcoming pinch point as well

as reacting off the previous one this

makes outlining your story simpler and

more intuitive with these tips you can

ensure your character is not only

progressive but believable

and if you are stuck on page 15 of your

screenplay and confused as to how to

actually get to the end of that first

draft without hating every piece of it

then i have a video for you to watch

that handles the three things you need

to actually get that story out onto the

page click the first link in the

description to watch for free now

this video was written by alberto

halfeld a member of the practical

screenwriting team

[Music]

you