We all recall a moment in a story when everything suddenly shifts, and even though it has only just begun, our protagonist reaches a point of no return.This single, irreversible moment is called the catalyst. It doesn’t just “happen”. It is engineered into the story to set the main plot points into motion. The catalyst drags the protagonist into the story and takes us on the narrative ride we signed up for.Most stories, if not all, have a single defining moment that can be considered the catalyst. Before we look at examples in film and television, let’s try to understand what a catalyst is a little better.What Is A Story Catalyst?A story catalyst is a single, irreversible event that pulls a protagonist out of regular life and forces them to take the story forward. A catalyst makes the film’s plot a certainty.To recognize it accurately, we need to understand that merely a strong opening scene or an early chaotic action sequence wouldn’t qualify as a catalyst. A catalyst moment can be soft, but it has to be defining. It does not have to be glorious in scale. It has to be integral to the story in a manner that ensures that the protagonist cannot return to ordinary life by avoiding it.Everything before this moment is a setup for what will come after. A catalyst must force the protagonist into a crucial decision, a decision that will have consequences that define the entire story as we know it.Most of these moments...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Tuesday, 9 December