Okay I went through my old scripts and old arc notes that I made up awhile ago for the Silmarillion. My notes were originally for a series of film, but I've adapted them to align more with the direction the hosts are clearly going in, which is to say an episodic series.
But first some notes on plot arcs and film structure!
There are a ton of different version of this, but I'll use Syd Field's chart. Basically most good visual storytelling can be broken down into three arcs, with specific occurring within these arcs and trigger transitions to new arcs.
Set Up - The period of time encompassing the first act in which the story, characters, and world are established.
Inciting Incident - an event that sets the plot of the film (episode, short, etc...) that sets up Plot Point #1. While this incident commonly occurs about halfway through Act I, it can happen any time before Plot Point #1, and in some cases can even start off screen before the events in the film.
Plot Point #1 - an event that represents a point of no return, a moment in the story where the plot turns in a new direction. This event is set up and tends to be an answer to the Inciting Incident; it also is the moment that transitions us into Act II.
Confrontation - Act II is a series of obstacles that are encountered that prevent the achievement of a dramatic need in the story.
Midpoint - The midpoint usually occurs halfway through the movie, but primarily represents a point in the action of Act II where we overcome some significant point, generally when the main character is at their lowest; in this sense it is a set up for Plot Point #2.
Plot Point #2 - This point ends Act II ushers in Act III; it an event that turns the plot in a new and final direction that will lead to the film's climax
Climax - the point where the story reaches its maximum tension; it is the emotional and physical high point of the narrative where everything that's been building throughout the story is finally forced to meet. In many ways it is the essential point of the story, it's what the film is all about.
Resolution - The calm after the climax where the story comes back down to a resting state.
While the three-act structure is most commonly used to talk about the acts in a film or a play, the structure can be applied to multiple levels of a narrative: from the overall film or season of a show, to the actual acts, to sequences, to individual scenes, to exchanges of dialogue, and even to the structure of individual sentences if you're super crazy. It's all essentially a beautiful mathematical pattern descending from the macro to the micro.
Additionally, there is a progression of positive to negative events throughout a story, with the major points of this progression occurring at the defined moments in an act structure that I highlighted above. The way the story progresses from negative to positive and positive to negative depends on your story, but as your story makes an overall transition from negative to positive there should also be an oscillating wave of micro-moments of negative positive descending along that overall path; the same goes for the other direction as well.
Beren and Luthien is a good example of the three-act structure in action, since the story even in the book already follows is fairly close. Below is a breakdown of the story, and then a break down of each individual act.
Once you know these rules you can start breaking them and start doing all sorts of interesting things and make some pretty unique visual patterns, but for the most part, unless anyone here has more professional experience with this form of narrative graphing, I say let's stick to the traditional arc structure.
Here's another chart for the overall story of Turin:
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Below I've broken down several arc structures present in the many stories of the Silmarillion. I've tried to break things down on an episodic level to line up more with the hosts idea of the story (my notes were all based on film adaptions before). However, I ran into the same essential problem, and that is uniformity: before I could find a good balance of film numbers or lengths, and here I can't find a even distribution of episodes over seasons... I say ignore the problem all together and have differing numbers of episodes per season based on what works for a particular season.
NOTE: These are a continual work in progresses, as they change all the time based on ever-evolving idea of the type of story I want to tell. I also am less sure about certain parts of the story than other and would appreciate any ideas of those parts:
The Ainulindale (Prologue) [Still trying to work this one out, and not that attached to the below strucutre]
- ACT I
- The Music of the Ainur
- Inciting Incident: Illuvatar assembles the orchestra
- Plot Point #1: The First Theme (creation)
- ACT II
- Introduction of the Valar
- Melkor Alone/Discord of Melkor
- The Valar take on physical forms and descend into Arda
- Creation of the World
- The Second Theme
- Creation of the Lamps
- Spring of Arda
- Destruction of the Lamps
- Midpoint: Raising of Taniquetil and creation of Valinor
- Fortifying of Valinor and the darkening of Arda
- Aule Makes the Dwarves
- Yavanna grows the Ents
- Varda creates the Seven Stars
- Orome the Hunter Rides Across Arda
- Assault on Utumno
- ACT III
- Plot Point #2: The Third Theme
- Climax: Illuvatar’s Finale
- Illuvatar speaks: 'Mighty are the Ainur, and mightiest among them is Melkor; but that he may know, and all the Ainur, that I am Ilúvatar, those things that ye have sung, I will show them forth, that ye may see what ye have done. And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me, nor can any alter the music in my despite. For he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.'
- The Captivity of Melkor
- The Flight of the Noldor
- Overall structure:
- Inciting Incident: The Awakening of the Elves
- Journey West
- In Valinor
- Plot Point #1: Melkor’s Release
- Rape of the Silmarils
- Flight of the Noldor
- Midpoint: Burning of the Ships at Losgar
- Sun & the Moon
- Fingolfin Arrives in Beleriand
- Plot Point #2: Death of Feanor
- Climax: Fingon Rescues Maehdros
- Dreams from Ulmo
- The Noldor in Doriath
- The Coming of Men
Now episodic...
- Episode 1 [Unsure on the climax on this one...]
- Inciting Incident: The Awakening of the Elves
- Orome discovers the elves at Cuivienen
- Council of the Valar over Melkor
- Chaining of Melkor
- Council of the Valar over the Elves
- Ingwe, Finwe, and Elwe in Valinor
- Plot Point #1: Journey West
- Crossing of the Misty Mountains
- Midpoint: Of Thingol and Melian
- Cirdan searches for Thingol
- The Noldor and Vanyar cross the sea
- Teleri on the shores
- Tol-Eressa
- Teleri land at Alqualonde
- Tirion upon Tuna
- Episode 2 [Stuff that needs to happen but doesn't fit in the episode before it or after it... any ideas?]
- Birth of Feanor
- Death of Miriel
- Feanor’s adolescence and craft
- Finwe and Idril
- Fingolfin and Finarfin
- Episode 3
- Inciting Incident: Melkor released from captivity
- Feanor’s hatred of Melkor
- Melkor among the Noldor
- Plot Point #1: Feanor creates the Silmarils
- Melkor taints the hearts of the Noldor
- Feanor draws a blade on Fingolfin
- Midpoint: Trial and banishment of Feanor
- Melkor flees Valinor
- Melkor at Feanor’s door
- Melkor and Ungoliant
- Feanor called to festival
- Plot Point #2: Rape of the Silmarils
- Darkening of Valinor
- Death of Finwe
- Climax: Betrayal of Ungoliant
- Episode 4
- Inciting Incident: Feanor incites rebellion of the Noldor
- Oath of Feanor
- Fingolfin and Finarfin speaks against rebellion
- Nerdanel
- Plot Point #1: Host of Feanor set out
- Host of Fingolfin
- Eonwe the Messenger
- Midpoint: Kinslaying at Alqualonde
- Doom of Mandos
- Finarfin turns back
- Anchor at Helcraxe
- Plot Point #2: Feanor steals the ships
- Climax: Burning of the Ships at Losgar
- Crossing of the Helcraxe
- Episode 5
- Council of the Valar
- Creation of the Sun and Moon
- Inciting Incident: Firth of Drengist/Dagor-nuin-Giliath
- Plot Point #1: Death of Feanor
- Capture of Maedhros
- First rising of the moon
- Midpoint: Coming of Fingolfin with the rising of the sun
- Waking of Men [note sure how to really include this]
- Camp at Mithrim
- Plot Point #2: Finrod rescues Maehdros
- Climax: Maedhros abdicates to Fingolfin
- Episode 6 [another one of those stuff that needs to happen but doesn't fit anywhere else]
- House of Finarfin in Doriath
- Council at Mithrim
- Dreams from Ulmo (Felagund and Turgon)
- Galadriel and Melian
- Thingol learns of the kinslaying
- Beleriand and its Realms (Nargothrond and Gondolin)
- Finrod hunting with Maehdros and Amras
- Climax: Finrod Felagund discovers Men
- Beren & Luthien
- Overall structure:
- Inciting Incident: Battle of Sudden Flame
- Death of Fingon
- Beorlings
- Golim Betrays the Outlaws
- Beren Avenges His Father
- Gorgoroth
- Meeting Luthien
- Plot Point #1: Quest Received
- Beren in Nargothrond
- Felagund’s Company Captured
- Hirilorn
- Sons of Feanor
- Death of Felagund
- Midpoint: Luthien vs Sauron
- Nargothrond
- Celegorm & Curufin Attack
- Dorthonion
- Caracaroth
- Plot Point #2: Morgoth
- Escape from Angband
- Climax: Hunt for Caracaroth
- Mandos
- Return
now episodic....
- Episode 1
- Inciting Incident: Battle of Sudden Flame
- Outlaws of Dorthonion
- Betrayal of Golim
- Plot Point #1: Death of Barahir
- Beren's Dream
- Beren Avenges his father
- 4 years later...
- Midpoint: Beren in Nan Dungortheb
- Beren enters Doriath
- Plot Point #2: Beren meets Luthien
- Beren taken before King Thingol
- Climax: Beren accepts Quest of the Silmarils
- Episode 2
- Inciting Incident: Beren goes to Nargothrond
- Felagund torn between oath and the Sons of Feanor's presence in Nargothrond
- Plot Point #1: Felagund fufills oath and joins Beren in quest
- Luthien escapes Hirilorn
- Felagund's company captured by Sauron
- Sons of Feanor find Luthien
- Huan helps Luthien escape Nargothrond
- Midpoint: Death of Finrod Felagund
- Luthien saves Beren from Sauron
- Plot Point #2: Sons of Feanor attack Beren and Luthien
- Luthien heals Beren
- Beren goes alone to Angband
- Climax: Luthien and Huan follow Beren anyways
- Episode 3
- Beren and Luthien disguised
- Inciting Incident: Beren and Luthien head towards Angband
- Plot Point #1: Caracorth and the gates of Angband
- Descend to Morgoth's thrown room
- Luthien's dance
- Midpoint:Beren cuts the Silmaril from Morgoth's crown
- Caracroth bites off Beren's hand
- Coming of the Eagles
- Beren and Luthien return to Doriath
- Plot Point #2: The madness of Caracroth in Doriath
- Death of Beren and Huan
- Climax: Beren and Luthien return from the Halls of Mandos as mortals
- The Children of Hurin
- Episode 1
- Dor-Lomin
- Brethil
- Inciting Incident: Gondolin
- Plot Point #1: Council of Maehdros
- Dor-Lomin
- Hurin Homecoming
- Midpoint: Death of Lalaith
- Huor Wedding
- Plot Point #2: Call for War
- Climax: Council of Hurin and Morwen
- Episode 2
- Nirnaeth Arnodiad
- War Council
- Inciting Incident: Hurin Marches Out
- Pre Battle Camp
- Plot Point #1: Battle starts prematurely
- Orcs incite western elves
- Pre Battle Sabotage
- Western Front
- Eastern Front
- Midpoint: Turgon Arrives
- Plot Point #2: Retreat
- Climax: Hurin & Morgoth
- Episode 3 [little iffy on the first half of this one]
- Doriath
- Inciting Incident: Easterlings in Dor-lomin
- Plot Point #1: Sending Turin Away
- To Doriath
- In Doriath
- Midpoint: Turin 17 - takes up the dragon helm
- Turin 20 - returns to Menegroth
- Plot Point #2: Turin throws the cup at Saeros
- Climax: Death of Saeros
- Turin exiled
- Episode 4
- Turin and the Outlaws
- Inciting Incident: Turin encounters the Outlaws
- Turgon pardons Turin
- Plot Point #1: Beleg sent after the Outlaws
- Turin takes charge of the Outlaws
- Beleg Hunts Outlaws
- Midpoint: Beleg captured
- Turin and an outlaw attack orcs
- Plot Point #2: Turin returns and frees Beleg
- Climax: Beleg returns without Turin to Doriath
- Episode 5
- Ruin of the Outlaws
- Inciting Incident: Outlaws search for new camp
- Plot Point #1: Mim
- Outlaws at Amon Rudh
- Beleg Returns
- Midpoint: Land of bow and helm; revealed to Morgoth
- Androg injured by curse
- Plot Point #2: Mim Betrayel
- Beleg hunts for Turin
- Climax: Death of Beleg
- Episode 6
- Nargothrond Pt 1
- Inciting Incident: To Nargothrond/Pools of Ivin
- Plot Point #1: Gwindor and Turin in Nargothrond
- Turin’s council against stealth
- Mormegil
- Morwen arrives in Doriath
- Midpoint: Time jump: Five Years Later… Nargothrond militarized
- Findulias
- Plot Point #2: Cirdan Messengers
- Climax: Turin does not head the words of Cirdan
- Episode 7
- Nargothrond Pt 2
- Inciting Incident: Sack of Nargothrond
- Glaurung’s Enchantment
- Plot Point #1: Turin chooses Morwen over Findulias
- Turin passed Tuor
- Midpoint: Turin in Dor-lomin
- Burning of the Hall
- Plot Point #2: Turin saves men of Brethil from orcs
- Climax: Mound of Finduilas
- Turin carried away by Men of Brethil
- Episode 8
- Morwen and Nienor
- Morwen in Doriath
- Inciting Incident: No news comes from Nargothrond of Turin
- Plot Point #1: Morwen leaves for Nargothrond
- Nienor follows
- Amon Ethir
- Midpoint: Glaurung and Nienor
- Mablung and Nienor
- Plot Point #2: Nineor runs
- Climax: Nienor found by Turin
- Episode 9
- Brethil
- Inciting Incident: Nienor in Brethil
- Plot Point #1: Nienor returns to health but remembers nothing
- Niniel and Brandir
- Midpoint: Niniel and Turambar wedded
- Plot Point #2: Glaurung’s army in Brethil
- Niniel has Turambar not fight the orcs
- Climax: Turambar goes to war against the orcs
- Glaurung knows Turin by the Mormegil
- Episode 10
- Death of Glaurung
- Inciting Incident: Glaurung is seen coming towards Ephel Brandir
- Plot Point #1: Turin and two others go out to slay Glaurung
- Niniel and Brandir wait
- Up Cabed-en-Aras
- Midpoint: Turin slays Glaurung
- Nienor finds Turin’s body
- Glaurung dies
- Plot Point #2: Nienor casts herself into Cabed-en-Aras
- Brandir slays Dorlas
- Turin slays Brandir
- Mablung
- Climax: Turin kills himself
- Hurin and Morwen
- The Ruin of Doriath [this one is one the harder stories to fit into the structure and fit alongside the other tales...]
- Episode 1
- Húrin wanders to hills leading to Gondolin
- Húrin cries for Turgon, and a darkness comes as the sun vanishes behind the Mountains of Shadow. Húrin slips and falls into a sleep of grief.
- Inciting Incident: Húrin travels to Nagathrond. Slays Mim, takes the Nauglamír.
- Travels above the Falls of Sirion and taken by the elves of Doriath.
- Húrin berates Thingol for the 'fair keeping' of his family. Melian speaks and the shadow moves from Húrin's mind eye, he sees the truth of all that has passed.
- Plot Point #1: Húrin gives the Nauglamir to Thingol and disappears, never to be seen again (casts self into the western sea).
- Thingol becomes bound to the Simaril and requests the dwarves to place in the Nauglamír.
- Midpoint: Dwarves withhold the Simaril and slay Thingol.
- Elves of Doriath all slain save two dwarves who bring tidings to Nogrod.
- The Girdle of Melian fails, she returns to Valinor.
- A host of dwarves enter into Menegroth.
- Mablung is slain and the Simaril is taken.
- Plot Point #2 Beren, Dior, and the Elves of Ossiriand assail the diminished host of Nogrod.
- Beren slays Lord of Nogrod, who casts a curse on all their treasure.
- Climax: Beren dumps all into the river save the Simaril, and Luthien wears the Simaril
- Dior, Thingol's heir, leaves to Menegroth.
- Episode 2
- Inciting Incident: Beren and Luthien die.
- Elf of Ossiriand delivers Simaril to Dior and tidings of Beren and Luthien passing.
- Plot Point #1: The sons of Feanor attack
- Celegorm & Caranthir slain
- Slaying Dior and his wife and sons. (the second kinslaying).
- Plot Point #2: Doriath destroyed.
- Climax: Elwing escapes with the Silmaril.
- Fall of Gondolin
- Episode 1 [not 100% solid on this one... especially concerning the first half]
- Rian
- Grey Elves
- Inciting Incident: Abush
- Outlaw
- Plot Point #1: Escape from thralldom
- Midpoint: Cirdan Messengers
- To the Sea
- Vinyamar
- The storm
- Plot Point #2: Ulmo
- Climax: Voronwe
- Episode 2
- Inciting Incident: Mission from Ulmo [off-screen]
- Plot Point #2: To Gondolin from Nevrast
- Turin
- Midpoint: Orc Ambush
- Dry River
- Plot Point #2: Gates of Gondolin
- Climax: Tuor Addresses Turgon
- Episode 3
- Turin in Gondolin
- Of Maeglin
- Inciting Incident: Adrehel lost
- Adrehel and Eol
- Plot Point #1: Adrehel and Maeglin's escape
- Eol's pursuit
- Plot Point #2: Gondolin
- Climax: Death of Adrehel
- Execution of Eol
- Episode 4
- Council of Gondolin
- Inciting Incident: Idril and Tuor
- Wedding
- Plot Point #1: Earendil
- Maeglin's jealousy
- Midpoint: Hurin calls to Turgon
- Building of the Secret Tunnel
- Plot Point 2: Maeglin Captured
- Climax: Maeglin and Morgoth
- Idril Council
- Episode 5
- Inciting Incident: Maeglin's betrayal
- Festival
- Plot Point 1: Battle
- Turgon holds council, but listens only to Maeglin
- Drakes and orcs assault the walls
- Tuor seeks Idril and Earendil
- Glorfindel delayed
- Rog's charge
- Midpoint: Death of Maeglin
- Death of Salgant
- Glorfindel arrives
- Tuor leads the army to the Square of the King
- Ecthelion vs Balrog
- Plot Point #2: Turgon goes down with the palace
- Secret Tunnel
- Climax: Glorfindel vs Balrog
- Land of Willows Sirion
- Voyage of Earendil [the structure of the voyage of Earendil is the thing that I am most unsure about, hence all the missing labels]
- Episode 1
- Of Eärendil and Elwing. (Elron and Elros).
- Inciting Incident: Tuor heares the call of the sea, the conches of Ulmo
- Plot Point #1: Tuor and Idril secretly pass into the West (Tuor's song to Eärendil)
- Círdan the Shipwright.
- Plot Point #2: Eärendil constructs Vingilot and sails west in search of Tuor (special cloak that does not wet).
- Climax: Earendil sets sail to seek Tuor (Sails with Voronwe's son).
- Episode 2
- Enchantment of the Magic Isles, shadow of shadowy sea; Twlit Isles on the Shadow Seas
- Mermaids/sirens on a rocky island.
- Osse's storm. (Ulmo wants Eärendil to seek Valinor, not Tuor)
- Midpoint: Eärendil slays Ungoliant in the South, the home of Night.
- The Tower of Pearl/Tower of seabirds (not Idril or Elwing, but a messenger of Turgon? can never leave)
- Ancient mariner on a lonely eyot (Ulmo) who is wise and tells of the lands beyond: "Strange things he told me of regions far beyond the Western Sea, of the Magic Isles and that most lonely one that lies behind. Once long ago, he said, he had sighted it glimmering afar off, and after had he sought it many a day in vain. Much lore he.taught me of the hidden seas, and the dark and trackless waters"
- Episode 3
- Eärendil longs for Elwing and feels sudden haste to return to Beleriand. (nightmares)
- Inciting Incident: Sons of Feanor storm the Grey Havens while Círdan's fleet is away (third kinslaying).
- Plot Point #1: Elwing dives into the seas with the Silmaril, but born up by Ulmo as a gull.
- Maedhros and Maglor, now that last of the sons of Feanor (Amrod and Amras slain), take Elrond and Elros captive. Maglor takes pity on them and raises them. Maedhros burned by the oath.
- Remnant of elves lead by Gil-galad, escape to Balar.
- Elwing flies to Eärendil, the Silmaril at her breast
- Midpoint: Eärendil grieved by news of his sons, sees no hope in the east, and sets sail to Valinor.
- Plot Point #2: Silmaril finds the way west: "they came to the Enchanted Isles and escaped their enchantment; and they came into the Shadowy Seas and passed their shadows, and they looked upon Tol Eressëa the Lonely Isle, but tarried not; and at the last they cast anchor in the Bay of Eldamar, and the Teleri"
- Elwing follows Eärendil ashore; the city of Tirion on Tuna is empty (elves at festival).
- Eärendil hailed by Eönwë, herald of Manwë to the Powers of Arda. (diamond dust in the streets, gazes the crossed ocean as he climbs).
- Climax: Council of the Valar.
- The fate of Eärendil and Elwing.
- Episode 4
- Plot Point #1: The War of Wraith: elves of Valinor lead by Finarfin, Balrogs destroyed, uncounted legions of orcs slain, the evil of the people of Uldor
- Morgoth loosens the winged dragons with great thunder and lightning
- Dragons slain by Eärendil (Ancalagon the Black, mightiest of the dragon host) and Thorondor of the great eagles
- Beleriand broken.
- Valar descend
- Plot Point #2: Morgoth hides pleading for pardon, but chained and collared by his own crown; Morgoth cast into the Door of Night.
- Eönwë summons remaining elves to depart from Middle-earth, but Maedhros and Maglor refuse and take back the Silmarils after they are withheld.
- Climax: The Silmaril burns the hand of Maedhros, who casts himself into a fiery chasm. Maglor casts his into the sea and wanders the shores in regret.
- The choice of Elron and Elros.
- Eärendil the morning star. (following the sun, when on his voyage he was chased by the moon... tides
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And that's all for now, I can always edit this again later based on feedback.