How I tested the 7 steps using the 2009 Star Trek Movie:
STEP 1:
Does the movie have a main story idea that can be summed up in a few sentences?
Yes - To prevent the Romulans from destroying life as they know it a team of Starfleet Academy students must save Earth from complete annihilation.
STEP 2:
Does the movie create a world for the characters to express what is happening to them - they are allowed to express their feelings in a way that the audience feels is justifiable?
Yes - for example when Kirk intentional tries to rile up Spock into expressing his emotions so he can relieve from duty Spock's reaction is justifiable because as a child in an earlier scene we saw how sensitive the subject of his mother was for him when he beat up a kid who insulted her.
John Truby, author of
The Anatomy of Story:
22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller says
"Good storytelling lets the audience relive events in the present
so they can understand the forces, choices, and emotions that led the
character to do what he did."
STEP 3:
Does the movie have the following structure:
Hook, Bonding Event, Locking Event, Escalating Event, Stakes Raised, Unforeseen Obstacle, Climax, End?
See Barry Pearson's Article that describes these
events
Yes -
Hook: Romulans destroying the Enterprise and the birth of the hero.
Bonding Event: This is the moment when the Hero is brought into contact with the bonding character, which in this movie is Spock. This of course is the scene where Kirk is brought before the board of education and asked to face his accuser. Spock stands up.
Locking Event: When Kirk uses a tactic to force Spock to resign. From this point on they'll have to live with each other - they are locked together.
Escalating Event: Capt. Kirk orders that the Starship Enterprise be redirected to attack the Romulans and he says either they or us are going to come out of this alive.
Unforeseen Obstacle: They are beamed directly into the cargo hole expecting no one to be around and it's full of Romulans who begin attacking them immediately.
Climax: Capt Kirk successful rescues his teacher, the captain, and Spock successfully destroys the red liquid that creates blackholes and the Romulans.
End: The team takes its rightful place in command of the Starship Enterprise
STEP 4:
Do the main characters desires lead to the action that takes place in the film? (especially the hero and the villain)
Yes:
Kirk's desire - to become captain and save Earth
Spock's desire - to prove he's right and Kirk is wrong,
Captain Nero's desire - to seek revenge for the loss of his wife.
STEP 5:
Does the movie follow more than one storyline?
Yes.
To name just a few:
Kirk's life
Spock's life
STEP 6:
Does the dialogue and action of the movie seem to arise out of the character's themselves?
Yes - like when Dr. McCoy Says "Are you out of your Vulcan mind?" Shows how aggravated he is in that moment - not to mention this line of dialogue plays out on several levels - one it's funny, two it refers to how logical a Vulcan mind is, and three it shows his frustration.
STEP 7:
Does the movie contain many details/things that are not directly related to moving the story forward?
No. The majority of what's in the story is related in some way to moving the story forward.
As you can see for a story to make sense the arrows (the actions in the movie) must point inwards moving the
story forward not outwards extending in irrelevant directions.
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This Website was Last Updated on: May 27, 2009
You can E-mail Simon at: author@simonjmichael.com
