According to Sy Field’s book, Screenplay, Plot Point 2 should occur on page 90 of a 120 page screenplay. Plot Point 2 is the event at the end of ACT II that causes the story to spiral toward its inevitable climax and ending. Of course, not all scripts are 120 pages. If your script is 100 pages — which is a good length these days for a spec script — your Plot Point II should be somewhere around page 80. In other words, it should occur just before the last 20% of you film gets underway.
Notice that in good P.P.II’s, the protagonist’s choice to change the direction of the story is based on their TRUE SELF being brought to the surface. This truth may be a change from who they were at the start of the film, or it may be the self that was always there, now taken to an extreme. In either case, this moment is the culmination of the entire film up to this point; the protagonist has changed as much as he/she is going to. From this moment on, their true self will take action, knocking down the pins set-up in Acts I and II. Here are some fine examples of Plot Point 2 moments throughout movie history.
DO THE RIGHT THING: PLOT POINT II is the moment Radio Raheem and Buggin’ Out (those are names) march into Sal’s Famous Pizzeria with Public Enemy (that’s a rap group) blaring, and demand that they get some brothers up on the wall of fame. This action forces everyone to figuratively show their hands. Pushed too far, the racially tolerant Sal calls Buggin’ Out a nigger and destroys the radio with a baseball bat, leading to the deepest resentments of all of the film’s characters boiling over into the climax. Radio tries to strangle Sal. The white cops kill Radio. Mookie (that’s also a name), stuck between loyalty to Sal (his employer) and his black friends, makes the choice to throw the trash can through Sal’s window, starting a riot. So much cathartic, urban violence, and all because of a powerful, Plot Point II.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: I love when a movie has several characters working together to create PPII. Marty has two goals that constitute the climax: he needs his parents to kiss at the school dance, and he needs to drive the Delorian at 88 miles per hour as it connects with the Doc’s wire just as lightening strikes.
One of Three Plot Point II's
To achieve these goals, all the heroes need to be the best versions of themselves and overcome their fears. PLOT POINT II is when George punches out Biff (he’s never stood up to Biff before). It’s also when Marty agrees to play with the band when their guitar player gets hurt (Marty failed to get the gig at his own school dance in 1985). It’s also when Doc goes out into the real world to rig his lightening rod plan (the Doc’s spent his life cooped-up in his house, inventing stuff with no real word applications — until now).
Another Plot Point II
Once all these Plot Point IIs have occurred within several minutes of each other, the climaxes of the kiss and Marty racing his car towards the lightening bolt can play out freely. But I don’t know what Plot Point accounts for the sequels.
Another Plot Point II
FARGO: This subtle film has subtle Plot Points and it may not be immediately obvious that PLOT POINT II is when, just before Marge leaves Minneapolis, she learns that Mike, the old school friend she had lunch with, was lying about his wife dying of cancer — he was never even married. This reminder to Marge that seemingly nice people lie, leads her to go back and requestion Jerry at the dealership once more. This leads to the climax, as Jerry flees the interview and Marge stumbles upon the kidnappers (one of them more put together than the other).
Plot Point II
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK: It comes rather late in this film and is a bit of an odd duck. After many ups and downs, Indiana loses the Ark and Marion to the Nazis. But he hitches a ride on the top of a submarine (don’t submarines dive?) and ends-up on the island where the bad guys are going to have their extra-special, grand Ark opening event! PLOT POINT II is the moment Indy gets hold of a bazooka and threatens to blow-up the Ark. Belloq, the silver-tongued villian that he is, reminds Indy of his true self — he’d rather be captured than destroy such a holy and historical storage container.
Plot Point II
By giving-up, Indy puts himself into a situation where he can witness the opening of the Ark. But at the last moment, he tells Marion to shut her eyes — the scientist exposes his inner faith that something supernatural and terrible will occur — and this saves Indy and Marion while the deus ex Ark pulls a deus ex machina. Like I said, it’s an odd duck, where the hero exposes both sides of himself at different moments, but it’s worth looking at. For some reason, it sort of works — as if the film is saying that even Indiana Jones can’t defeat every Nazi — he needs a little help from man upstairs (and I don’t mean George Lucas — that guy gets too much credit for this movie as it is).
You may want to try identifying Plot Point IIs in your favorite movies, or in your own scripts. It will constitute fun if you are a serious writer and have nothing — and I mean nothing — better to do on a Friday night.
Thanks for reading. Tune in tomorrow for another tip from Screenplay that I’ll be discussing. And feel free to leave your own thoughts in the “Comments” section!
– Benjamin
