Misused Screenwriting Terms
Today we’re going to take a look at the some of the confusion surrounding the screenwriting terms Inciting Incident and Call to Action moments in a script. Are they the same thing? If not, how do they differ? Although the actual terms don’t really matter and many books / gurus use different ones, (catalyst, point of attack etc.) it’s important to be clear on that they are two different points in a script with different functions.
So, let’s start by taking a look at the Inciting Incident, and in the next post we’ll tackle the Call to Action.
The Inciting Incident
This is the moment without which there would be no film. It doesn’t necessarily have to involve the protagonist—they could be completely oblivious of it when it happens—but it’s the moment that kick starts a chain of events sucking them into the story. It is also often the first scene in a film. Let’s take a look at some examples:
Basic Instinct
At the beginning of the film we see Catherine murder a man in bed. This is the Inciting Incident because it’s the moment in the film without which there would be no story. If Catherine hadn’t murdered him she wouldn’t end up being investigated by Nick and he wouldn’t have fallen for her, and so on. Nick is completely unaware of this event when it happens but it’s still the moment that kick-starts the story.
Mean Girls
Sometimes the protagonist is well aware of the Inciting Incident as in this case. In the first scene of the film, Kady describes in voice-over how she has moved back to the States with her parents after twelve years in Africa. Moving back home is, of course, the catalyst to enrolling at that particular school, meeting those particular girls and to the whole story.
In this case, and many others, the Inciting Incident represents a major change in the protagonist’s life, of which they can be aware or unaware at the time. Leaving college, as in The Graduate, or moving to Earth as in Bewitched.
Sideways
In some cases the Inciting Incident happens off-screen before the film even starts. In Sideways, the Inciting Incident is Miles and Jack’s decision to go on the wine tour, but we don’t see this conversation and are thrown into the ride the day of their departure. Nevertheless, it still proves to be the one moment without which there wouldn’t be a film and a major turning point in both of their lives.
Be sure to check back for our upcoming post on another misused screewriting term: the Call to Action.
