Scene Structure: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in the First Scene of How to Train Your Dragon

See the masterful story structure that undergirds the opening scene of How to Train Your Dragon.Great stories are built on great story structure. And my favorite story structure framework is one that you can apply on every level of story.It’s called the six elements of story, and it’s an editing tool you can use on every layer of your story.To prove it, I’m doing a deep dive into the structure of How to Train Your Dragon. First, I broke down the six elements of the movie as a whole. Then, I took a closer look at the first act of the movie.And in this episode, I’m breaking down the opening scene.You’ll learn:The essential value shifts that change from the start of the scene to the endThe critical, life-or-death choice Hiccup must make in the very first scene of the movieHow that choice sets up everything to comeAnd more!Want more? You can see my full analysis of How to Train Your Dragon all on one spreadsheet. Go to alicesudlow.com/dragon to get the spreadsheet.Then, go find the six elements of story in your scenes!Links mentioned in the episode:Watch the opening scene of How to Train Your DragonWatch the resolution of the opening sceneGet the full How to Train Your Dragon analysis: alicesudlow.com/dragonEp. 27: Value Shifts: How to Craft Compelling Change in Every StoryEp. 42: The 6 Essential Elements of Every Novel, Act, and SceneEp. 43: Why the 6 Elements of Story Are the Key to All Great StoriesEp. 45: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in How to Train Your DragonEp. 46: How the 6 Elements of Story Work in Act 1 of How to Train Your DragonSend me a Text Message!Support the showRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love Alice and Your Next Draft." If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more writers through the mess—and joy—of the editing process. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap the stars to rate, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode! Loving the show? Show your support with a monthly contribution »

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