Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

There are just SIX plots in every film, book and TV show ever made: Researchers reveal the 'buildin
Dailymail ^ | 8 July 2016 | Stacy Liberatore

Posted on 07/08/2016 5:38:05 PM PDT by Gamecock

There are just 6 plots in every film, book and TV show ever made: Researchers reveal the 'building blocks' of storytelling

From Harry Potter and Romeo and Juliet to the stories of Oedipus and Icarus, almost every tale told conforms to one of just six plots, researchers have claimed.

A major new analysis of over 1,700 stories identified the core plots 'which form the building blocks of complex narratives'.

Researchers used complex data-mining to locate words linked to positive or negative emotion in each story to reveal the set of arcs.

An emotional arc is similar to a plot building block that tells a story by generating an emotional response from the reader, reports MIT Review.

For example, 'man falls into hole, man gets out of hole' or one of the most well-know, 'boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl'.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Books/Literature; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140141-153 last
To: dsc

Yeah, the actress wanted more money and whack! She was gone. Interestingly in the very next episode none of the supporting cast appeared. It was a message from the producers to the rest of the cast that they were replaceable as well. The actors all learned the lesson.


141 posted on 07/10/2016 11:31:16 AM PDT by jalisco555 ("In a time of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act". George Orwell.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 140 | View Replies]

To: CriticalJ; Gamecock

They all have the same time structure.

In a one hour time slot, there are 15 minutes of commercials, 45 minutes of show.

In that 45 minutes:

20 minutes- Protagonist(s) confronted with problem.

10 minutes- Plan is made to resolve issue.

5 minutes- Plan goes awry.

5 minutes- An on the fly solution is successfully constructed.

5 minutes- wrap up, smiles and hugs, bad guys taken away, killed, puppies found, etc. maybe a lead in to the next show.

PS- “I love it when a plan comes together” Col. Hannibal Smith.


142 posted on 07/11/2016 5:18:50 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Lurking Libertarian

Heinlein wrote a lot of the same stories or plotlines.

For instance: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl.

He would write boy meets blonde/brunette girl, boy loses girl, boy gets better redheaded girl.


143 posted on 07/11/2016 5:21:44 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SaveFerris

That’s why I always thread the needle.


144 posted on 07/11/2016 5:22:26 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: cuban leaf; grey_whiskers

Let me boil that down even more.

Dances with Wolves in space.


145 posted on 07/11/2016 5:28:21 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 68 | View Replies]

To: TexasRepublic

146 posted on 07/11/2016 5:42:56 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 129 | View Replies]

To: Redcitizen

Lassie: I’ve been typecast, Doc. It is the same plot every episode. People cannot see me playing any other role. It’s driving me so crazy, I already hit the director.


147 posted on 07/11/2016 6:11:47 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves. Socialism is governmental theft!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 146 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock
Three actually.

Man against man.

Man against nature.

Man against himself.

Even the stories that have "nonhuman" heroes those heroes have been anthropomorphised so they still fit into one of the three categories.

148 posted on 07/11/2016 6:18:46 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasRepublic

That’s a great caption!


149 posted on 07/11/2016 6:29:58 PM PDT by Redcitizen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 147 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
If anything, that's probably optimistic, although I wonder which of the sixth includes "Timon of Athens".

Timon of Athens, he was a chump,
'Cause all of his money was lent,
Now it's spent,
And he can't,
Pay the rent,
And he has to go live in a tent!

150 posted on 07/11/2016 6:32:22 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Proud Infidel, Gun Nut, Religious Fanatic and Freedom Fiend)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 97 | View Replies]

To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
Note: this topic is from 7/08/2016. Thanks Gamecock.

151 posted on 02/23/2020 5:09:59 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Lurking Libertarian

Man vs Nature
Man vs God
Man vs Man and
Man vs himself.

Covers pretty much everything.


152 posted on 02/24/2020 9:55:45 AM PST by ASOC (Having humility really means one is rarely humiliated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Boardwalk
Some TV shows, like Three’s Company, had the same plot every show.

No one watched Three's Company for the plot. It was cheesecake and gags.

153 posted on 02/24/2020 10:05:24 AM PST by Bubba Ho-Tep ("The rat always knows when he's in with weasels."--Tom Waits)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140141-153 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson