Question re establishing plots

I've come up with an idea with for a sitcom and I have thought up a plot idea for the 1st episode. I don't want to reveal too much about the setting or the details for the plot, but it is basically this:

1. Company is in trouble as it is not performing well or getting good contracts

2. Company gets offered a once in a lifetime offer

3. 'Hilarious' consequences as they try to finalise this offer.

4. It all falls through etc

Now, in a lot of articles and books I've read, it recommends that the plot is established in the first couple of pages. At the moment, the first couple of pages involve establishing the characters and describing how the company is in trouble and struggling. The 2nd part probably won't be revealed until around page 10 and this is a major part of the plot. It can't be introduced in the first few pages as it would seem rather cliched and coincidental. The 2nd part will be revealed around a 1/4 of the way through the episode.

Do you think that part 1 establishes a plot at all? I am currently looking at it in two ways

A. The problem/struggle that is established in part 1 could interest people to see how they solve the problem and then part 2 is the first twist/turn that the story takes.

B. Part 1 does not establish a solid storyline and therefore people may be thinking "So they're struggling? I want to know how they're gonna solve this NOW!!!".

I would appreciate your comments

You haven't got a problem if 'At the moment, the first couple of pages involve establishing the characters and describing how the company is in trouble and struggling.' The last bit is the plot. You don't have to establish the whole plot in the first few pages , just the beginning which you have done.

Thanks for that! I was worried that I was going to have to start from scratch again!

No that's fine. You've established that the company is struggling in the first couple of scenes which is needed for the plot.

With the sitcom I'm currently writing, the plot throughout the series concerns a new visitor to the town where the sitcom is set and he is there to take something (which will be revealed throughout the series). But the first scene of Episode 1 is him driving into town and breaking down. Doesn't reveal everything at once, but sets up that its a person from out of town and we don't know why he's here.

So as long as you've set up the plot then it's fine, just don't start with scenes that don't relate to anything.

Quote: Winterlight @ June 14, 2007, 4:11 PM

At the moment, the first couple of pages involve establishing the characters and describing how the company is in trouble and struggling.

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Hi Winterlight

In my opinion, don't *exclusively* establish the characters. The characterisation should come out in their actions with regards to the plot. If you've got any lines where you're just proving that character A is, say, angry just make him angry in the scene regarding what the plot is.

That's my advice

Dan

Swertyd makes a good point. People sometimes say, I'm establishing character at this point so the plot has to go on hold. This is a wrong attitude to the relationship of plot v character because plot events reveal character by the individual reactions to the same event and character decisions reveal or determine further plot. They aren't seperate and discrete, they are influencing and dependent on each other, incapable of existing in isolation without drastically affecting the reader's interest.

When it comes to plot and character introduction you can establish character by the way each individual reacts to plot events. The news / situation that the company is in trouble can be taken in different ways by your different characters so that a plot event shows us your character.

The opening titles for The Prisoner brilliantly tells you about the character without any need for dialogue (it tells you his job / the location / his anger / his forcefullness / his resignation / his importance / and how he got to the village) It allows you to get straight into the meat - the village - without any need for exposition or backstory i.e an episode devoted to No 6 in his ordinary life and ending with him arriving at the village is not needed. I would perhaps fail to have noticed if I'd been writing the series thus I'd have wasted an episode, wheras McGoohan and the writers see the shortcut and go straight there. That's classic execution of an idea.

Similarly, the opening to Fawlty Towers tells you the characters, relationships and conflicts within a few moments of chaos in the hotel foyer plus gets you straight into the plot.

Frasier pilot does the same but from a different angle. Each character important to Frasier is introduced one at a time, yet in a way that develops plot.

These three examples are superb examples of establishing character via plot and vice versa, quickly and economically. With fantastic execution.

Quote: Winterlight @ June 14, 2007, 4:11 PM

Now, in a lot of articles and books I've read, it recommends that the plot is established in the first couple of pages. At the moment, the first couple of pages involve establishing the characters and describing how the company is in trouble and struggling. The 2nd part probably won't be revealed until around page 10 and this is a major part of the plot. It can't be introduced in the first few pages as it would seem rather cliched and coincidental. The 2nd part will be revealed around a 1/4 of the way through the episode.

I would appreciate your comments

View original

Obviously the company is not going to be in trouble every week, that would be difficult to sustain. So what you need to do is use the first few pages to establish the set up, characters and the feel of teh show before moving into the story proper. You will also need to put some signposts up to make sure you are also covering the story to come.