A clearly defined midpoint can help to propel your story through the long Act Two, raising the stakes and re-engaging the audience. The King’s Speech provides a good example…

Why include a midpoint?

While not used by all writers, the midpoint is an opportunity to add a significant event to your story midway through Act Two (around page 60).

If you’re working to the three act structure format, the midpoint can simply be thought of as the opportunity to raise the stakes ahead of the All is Lost moment at the end of the second act.

Depending on what happens at the midpoint, it can even divide your story into four acts by offering an opportunity to pull the rug out from under your protagonist and change the story’s course.

Let’s have a quick look at this in action in The King’s Speech.

Setting the scene

Set in Britain in the 1930s, The King’s Speech is about ‘Bertie’, the Duke of York, son of the ruling king, who is affected by a speech impediment and hires an unorthodox therapist to help him. Bertie is the second son of the ruling monarch, with his older brother Edward the next in line to the throne. However, Bertie is far more suited to the role (and even covets it).

Midpoint

The midpoint comes when the father dies. In the 92-page script referred to at the end of this article, it happens on page 41.

While Edward is crowned as the next king, it quickly becomes clear that he is unsuited to the role, not least because he is romantically involved with Wallace Simpson, an American divorcee. Edward wants to marry her, which was against the ‘rules’ of the monarchy and would cause a great national scandal. Bertie realises that he will likely become the king.

This takes the story in a new direction and raises the stakes. As the country’s figurehead, Bertie will be required to speak to the nation publicly, regularly and with authority, at a time when the country is headed for war with Germany. Back then, people looked to the monarchy for leadership and reassurance. Therefore, Bertie overcoming his speech impediment and ‘finding his voice’ take on whole new level of importance.

It could be argued that the midpoint is the moment at which Bertie is crowned king. However, from what we’ve learned so far in the story, it’s clear that it will be the ruling king’s death that changes the dynamics. Edward has no intention of giving up Wallace. He also lacks the qualities needed to assume the role of king, such as solemn sense of duty.

At the beginning of the film, broadcasting to the nation over the radio is introduced as a new technology. This means, the monarch can communicate directly with his ‘subjects’. Add to this the growing threat of war with Germany and we can understand Bertie’s sense of foreboding that he will be unable to conquer his fears and fulfil the role of king.

The rest of Act Two then continues with Edward’s abdication, the increased threat of war, Bertie’s coronation (at which he must speak), and other conflicts and complications that intensify ahead of his final act test: a live broadcast to the nation on the occasion of war being declared.

Overall:

If you’re struggling through a long Act Two, adding a strong, surprising and stakes-raising midpoint can really help to move things along and make the All is Lost moment even more compelling.

Script sources: The Internet Movie Database / Script Slug