Thank you to Adi in Chicago, IL for supporting Film Courage and for sponsoring this video!

One of my favourite episodes so far, thank you Jill Chamberlain!

I found what she said about the movie Sideways and how the point of no return was when Miles meets Maya and his friend lies about his book being published. Why this is so interesting is because that particular moment isn't so obvious as a point of no return so as a writer you realize that point can be as small yet still a point of no return. It doesn't have to be this huge building on fire and now the protagonist has to figure a way out. It can be as little as meeting the love interest based off a lie like in Sideways.

Your videos are magical. Let's collab and weave more enchantment!

Wow! This is so on point! I had to take a check on one of my projects to see if the 25 minute mark is 'the point of no return' that she speaks of. Behold, my gosh! It is INDEED. I'm very delighted to know that I'm on point. And I will certainly keep this in mind on my next project. No mistake that I ran across this GEM! Big ups to Jill Chamberlain.

informative interview.

The point of no return in "Braveheart" is 40 minutes in...crazy but somehow works for a 3 hour movie! Most movies I find it happening at 17 minutes.

This interview is amazing!!! She has explained the trigger incident in such a clear way!

Jill nails it every time. Thank you film courage for this video!

Super helpful. Thank you!

What screenwriting rules do you live and write by with no exception?

@VinnyTheory

3 ай бұрын

1. Beat Sheets are incredibly fun, productive, and the heart of the master design 2. I think it’s important to make a character bio for each main character and then not look at them while you’re writing 3. Use your own life and your own fears and desires to create your main character, but don’t write about your actual life, that’s boring 4. It’s not about what you don’t know, it’s about what you do know. 5. At some point the story starts writing itself, so don’t stand in its way. Let it out

@tintinfromindia2103

3 ай бұрын

Tell a story..you're not story writer or screen writer..you're first - a story teller and this is what I feel/believe...sounds simple but simple is not simple

Jill, this is so informative and such a great explanation about the significance of "The Point of No Return". I was also very impressed with the movie Erin Brokovich, especially the suspense part (as I call it). Some movies leave people inspired, especially those based on a true story. Thank you so much for this great interview!

Your videos are so inspiring.

Brilliant! Much appreciated! Thank you to Film Courage and to Adi in Chicago for this video!

@filmcourage

3 ай бұрын

Cheers! Great to see Adi getting a little extra love!

this is very reassuring. i've been working on a story since 2021 and i'm relieved to find that i actually did write a decent point-of-no-return, and i got it right around page 25 haha so thank you!

I've been finding this channel more and more, while writing and doing research might need to just subscribe already 😅

Thank you Jill!!

Definitely a different point of view, but tips ae great. I've tried the exercize with timer and 25 minutes of writing and I was really surprised when I compared the time and the number of words I've written and how the numbers differed depending on multiple things, such as theme and new story vs.old one, but it is great for focusing attention and staying on topic. Thank you

25 minutes into Good Will Hunting the professor posts Will's bail on condition that they have regular math meetings and that he attends therapy. Checks out

I believe some call this event the stunning surprise.

Jill! She’s a genius!

Is there an analog to this rule for a long form novel?

This sounds like the Call To Adventure. Point of No Return is the fight that builds to the Climax. Midpoint is a change of direction.

@hamadecoaching

3 ай бұрын

To me, it sounds like plot point #1 or Stunning surprise # 1

Biggest take away for me: The “Catch” or “Big Problem: With the point of no return the protagonist is getting something they want at the exact same time they are getting something they don't want.

"A movie is really a series of events ..." at 9:55 . Few scriptwriters would agree with that statement. I'm pretty sure she doesn't believe that.😄

Hmm I wonder where would the point of no return be in a tv episode or in a novel? I assume the tv show would be earlier and a novel it'd be later?

Idk if you can help me out Karen but is the point of no return the inciting incident? Also, a lot of the interviewees you have on have talked about “a choice” the protagonist must make called “the Debate” at the end of act one. If this debate is the same time as the point of no return then isn’t the point of no return a decision? I think it would help if we could relate the point of no return to a big beat

@Sharath275

3 ай бұрын

in her book she mentioned that inciting incident is incident that incites the protagonist, and it will move them toward the POINT OF NO RETURN. The Inciting Incident often has to occur in order for the POINT OF NO RETURN to be a point of no return. I didn't get completely .but i think difference is one is happening to them and other is their choice. Debate , i think, comes after point of return..in which hero is confused whether to take it or not..

@kyk3849

3 ай бұрын

Not sure why she continues to confuse new writers, she’s referring to the Inciting Incident but the Point of No Return is actually the Midpoint of the story.

@5Gburn

3 ай бұрын

*[Please don't hate me for jumping in]* The inciting incident jump starts the story but isn't the point at which the main character has to make a huge choice. Jill makes clear that Point of No Return *happens* to the character. After that is the Debate, at which point the character must make the choice that defines the movie overall. Example scenario: Inciting incident: Cab driver takes a well-paying job as a getaway driver. The robbers warn him if he leaves, they'll come after him. Everything goes well until: Point of No Return: a cop in the bank that's being robbed is retrieving items from his safe deposit box at the time of the robbery and manages to sneak out the back. He rushes into the taxicab, informs him the bank's being robbed, and tells the cabbie where to go. Then... The Debate: the cabbie is completely squeezed; does he p*ss off three bank robbers and take the cop where he needs to go, risking severe retaliation, or confess his involvement to the cop (because now he doesn't want to go through with it), risking time in the slammer?

@Sharath275

3 ай бұрын

@@kyk3849 i think she said somewhere interview that nuttshell is not about linear story telling..its all about connection between act one and three..thats focus and the way we should approach the structure.but as u said some books says its the midpoint beat..like parasite..when door bell rings..but i believe that in nuttshell pov its when the friend came and ask him to tutor..and offer money..and we know that family need money..thats tempting for hero..but my main confusion is in flaw and catch..how to find that one..

Who is Adi?

@filmcourage

3 ай бұрын

She's a viewer who wanted to give back and support the channel so we gave her a shout out and thank you.

Isn't the red/blue pill thing in The Matrix the no return moment and also a choice?

Why does the point of no return has to be an external event? Now, this is a question that reeks quality 👌 the quality of question determines the quality of output of anything..be it screenwriting, business or life. Point of no return starts at inciting incident & with every 4th or 5th page, it builds up towards end of act 2 that leads to climax .. There are experts who come up with their own techniques to tell/unfold a story but basics remain the same. I strongly feel that instead of following various pundits opinions on the craft, a writer should first write the story, finish all acts with scene headings, rework..rewrite and only later cross check these pundits. This would go a long way, better way then following a techniques Puzo won Oscar & later wanted to understand how to write screenplay & he purchased a book..the very first topic was... read/understand screenplay of Godfather 1.. so there! I assume subscribers coming onto this wonderful channel (already) have enough knowledge of acts, plot points, arcs, theme..so, it's better to tell/write the story you feel & later check the pundits.. good day, everyone

who else opened random movies to check the 25 min mark? 😮‍💨

The point of no return happens around the halfway point in the story. Whether the cause is internal or external, once you're past this point it's easier to go on to the end than it is to go back to the beginning. Hence, no return.

Yeah, but we are used to 25 years of formulas that are useless today. People need to actually think when you watch a movie, not been spoon fed by it. Sorry hollywood

Would have been helpful to jump right to examples right away in several films rather than the 8 minutes to the first example in a 12 minute video which is ironic since she spends most of that 8 minutes telling us not to waste time getting to the Point of No Return point.

She is confusing point of no return with plot point 2, how can she teach screenwriting if she doesn't master the craft of screenwriting ?

@GrandSlamSilver

3 ай бұрын

Because it is YOU who doesn’t understand screenwriting 😳. You’re using an arbitrary descriptor from a random screenwriting model, and she is using a more specific description of a plot point that better explains what is supposed to happen AND how important it is.

@aymen2949

3 ай бұрын

​@@GrandSlamSilver go learn about screenwriting then you'll immidiately remove your comment that shows how much you have no idea about screenwriting

The Point of No Return is another word for Midpoint not the Inciting Incident, stop confusing new writers!

@JMWilyat

3 ай бұрын

The point of no return is actually another name for the 1st Act Break, it’s the moment that propels the characters into the 2nd act and locks them into a new scenario. It’s usually caused by the inciting incident though so it’s well before the midpoint of a story.

@eliben4066

3 ай бұрын

The midpoint only happens halfway through the story. I’m pretty sure the point of no return happens before that

@kyk3849

3 ай бұрын

Wrong. @@JMWilyat

@kyk3849

3 ай бұрын

Wrong, do your homework. @@eliben4066

@partridge9698

3 ай бұрын

Correct. Once you're past the midway point it's easier to go on to the end than it is to go back to the beginning. Hence, point of no return.

I’m pretty sure that Michael Hague, in one of your interviews, defined the ‘point of no return’ just in the middle.. but here We see that Jill Chamberlain puts it at the end of Act I .. There’s a complexity about these terminology ..

@filmcourage

Ай бұрын

We are not sure in this particular case, but you are right that the terminology is often mixed up and not everyone uses it in the same way.

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