Mariner Software Contour for Mac User Manual

Page 66

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Act III -- BIG NO - FINAL YES

In this last pair of reversals of Act III, known as “Good Guy vs, Bad Guy over Stakes” in the Guide Pane, several land-
marks occur:

The Central Question is on the brink of being answered to the negative.

The hero (and indeed, many of the heroʼs allies) make a huge sacrifice.

Hooper goes into the shark cage, Brody goes into the water to face the shark. (JAWS)

Luke switches off his targeting computer, the Princess stays on the planet, Han comes back.(STAR WARS)

If a Third Act Solution was shown earlier, it is brought into play as the device which is needed by the hero to tri-
umph.

Brody knows that the compressed air tank can explode. (JAWS)

Nemo knows that the drain pipe leads to the bay. (FINDING NEMO)

The hero comes to terms with and resolves his or her Private Conflict, which in turn empowers the hero to resolve
his or her Personal Conflict, which in turn enables the hero to resolve his or her Professional Conflict.

(Note: One can be a bit flexible about the order in which these three conflicts resolve. That being said, the closer together in the story
these resolutions come, the more satisfying the conclusion of the story. And if you can answer all three at the same time, so much the
better.)

A short denouement scene to wrap up the story which shows the hero now fully actualized, returned to his Ordinary
World, and both having embraced and embodying the positive values of the thematic question.

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