Five-Act Structure

The structure we use today exists since ancient Greece (theatre), and contains of three parts, (together containing five acts), what makes the difference is how one deals with them (based on understanding how things work). Separate parts discussed on a separate page accessible through the button below.

Most moving image work begins with the introduction of the normal state of affairs, the main characters life and possibly some back story to place events into context (time, setting, place etc.). This is followed by a plot twist, and introduction of a complication, an unexpected event in the life of the characters that changes the usual flow of things by creating a conflict that challenges the protagonist. Whilst they face that obstacle it often increases, introducing deeper elements of the issue (rising action), which in turn leads to the characters desperate last efforts of resolving the conflict in which the audience often doubts the success of those attempts, then followed by success (climax). Next the falling action concludes, wraps up and fills any possible gaps of unknown details (longer films, more side plots, not always resolves sufficiently) after which the resolution part of the structure reveals the changes made by the challenge faced (lessons learned, changes in landscape [apocalyptic] /relations [deaths, marriages etc.]). 

Exposition -> Conflict -> Rising action -> Climax -> Falling action -> Resolution