INCITING INCIDENT
Posted: Oct 14, 2010 10:57 pm
So this is not a question but rather an observation that I want to check the accuracy of. I was watching family guy the other day and after about 5 minutes Peter caught his father-in-law having an affair. This of course was the inciting incident which the story then revolved around.
From this I ascertained that an inciting incident while it does start the problem of the story and starts the story revolving around a situation, activity, manipulation, or fixed attitude, doesn't necessarily need to happen at the beginning of the story.
For example a town can be racist and hate people of color, we can see this through comments spoken by the people and other storyweaving techniques and then towards the end of the first act or where ever a black family moves to town which is the inciting incident that causes the story's problems. The thing that takes them out of the functioning but flawed world and makes them reevaluate their prejudices.
Am I correct in thinking that people can exist for awhile with their problem, happy and content, before the actual inciting incident?
Also would the time before be considered back story or could it be worked into the dramatic structure?
From this I ascertained that an inciting incident while it does start the problem of the story and starts the story revolving around a situation, activity, manipulation, or fixed attitude, doesn't necessarily need to happen at the beginning of the story.
For example a town can be racist and hate people of color, we can see this through comments spoken by the people and other storyweaving techniques and then towards the end of the first act or where ever a black family moves to town which is the inciting incident that causes the story's problems. The thing that takes them out of the functioning but flawed world and makes them reevaluate their prejudices.
Am I correct in thinking that people can exist for awhile with their problem, happy and content, before the actual inciting incident?
Also would the time before be considered back story or could it be worked into the dramatic structure?