9
" Every story, in a sense, is a mystery. It asks a question in the setup that will be answered at the climax. Usually, a problem is introduced or a situation that needs to be resolved is presented. This situation or problem raises a question in our minds, such as “Will the detective find the murderer?,” “Will these two beautiful young people fall in love and get married?,” “Will the mountain climber reach the summit of Everest?,” “Will the woman get promoted?,” “Will the man get cured of his terrible disease?” Once it is raised, everything that happens in the story relates to that question, which keeps coming up throughout the story. With each turning point and each setback and each step forward, the question is repeated subconsciously. At the story’s climax, there’s an answer, which is almost always “yes.” Will the detective solve the crime? Yes. Will the lovers get together? Yes. Will the mountain climber reach the top? Yes. But since we don’t learn the answers until the end, we remain interested in what will happen along the way and how the objective built into the central question will be accomplished. Once the central question has been asked, the setup is complete, and the story is now ready to unfold. "
― Linda Seger , Making a Good Script Great
14
" For writers, a beat works in a script much as a beat works in a piece of music. In a song, single beats are grouped to make up a measure. By adding more beats (thus more measures) you create a phrase, and eventually an entire melody. In the same way, single dramatic beats or moments, placed together, create a scene. And the beats in a scene, together, create the beats of an act, and the beats of an act, together, create an entire film. "
― Linda Seger , Making a Good Script Great