Finding ways to move a film’s narrative forward can be challenging. Filmmakers will often employ the usage of Plot Devices to aid in the story’s progression.
A plot device can take many forms. However, at its core they are common storytelling mechanics to advance the plot. At times these tropes run the risk of feeling cliché if it feels too forced at its occurrences in the story.
However, if the filmmakers can find ways in which the plot device can occur organically within the story’s characters, setting, and events, they can be powerful tools that may go undetected by the viewer.
There are many plot device concepts that exist, but these are a few worth mentioning. You can learn more about plot devices in EditMentor’s advanced editing workshop.
MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is one of the most popular plot devices, often associated with Alfred Hitchcock in coining the term. In storytelling, it helps to establish an objective that motivates the main character to move forward within the story. It is typically an item, person, or goal to obtain. However, one can later discover in the story that this “goal” is irrelevant and that there is a deeper objective for our protagonist.
Marion Crane runs off after embezzling money from her employer’s client. In her escape, she finds herself at The Bates Motel where she soon meets an ill-fate. The money ceases to be relevant but it functions in setting the story into motion.
A great way to figure out if a protagonist’s objective is a MacGuffin is to imagine replacing the “objective” with something else.
Would it be the same story?
If so, then the objective established at first is a MacGuffin.
Red Herring
A Red Herring is a type of narrative misdirection that presents the audience with a misleading or false clue. It is commonly popular in film genres such as mystery or thrillers. Through this technique the audience tries to guess the outcome. They mentally engage in the storytelling culminating in what is hopefully a rewarding surprise at the reveal.
The movie sets-up Sirius Black as a direct threat to Harry Potter in The Prisoner of Azkaban. However, the real villain is revealed to be none other than Ron Weasley’s pet rat, Scabbers by the end of the film who turns out to be an animagus, Peter Pettigrew.
Ticking Clock
Sometimes also nicknamed the Ticking Time Bomb, a Ticking Clock is a common story trope. It helps to increase the stakes and tension for the main character to meet their goal by a specific time. This can also help the audience to become more actively and emotionally involved in the story. This is because they become concerned over whether or not the protagonist will beat the clock.
Cinderella has till midnight to attend the ball before her fairy godmother’s magic fades. At the conclusion of this Ticking Clock, her elegant facade disappears and her carriage turns back into a pumpkin.
The ticking clock is usually established early on within the film. The main character learns they have a limited time to reach their goal. That can be be finding authentic tortillas in an hour or saving the world from an asteroid in 24 hours. No matter how the ticking clock is set up, it is one of the plot devices that regularly works to create a sense of urgency.
Deus ex Machina
Latin for “god from the machine” Deus ex Machina is when a seemingly unsolvable problem is suddenly and unexpectedly resolved with an easy solution by an unlikely occurrence. Many times this method of storytelling can feel too convenient, overly simplistic, and unrewarding to the audience.
Buzz and Woody are separated from their owner, Andy, who’s known destination was a Pizza Planet. Conveniently, a deus ex machina arrives in the form of a Pizza Planet delivery truck. Buzz and Woody decide to hop in while the truck refuels.
In Medias Res
Another frequently used latin phrase, In Media Res, meaning “into the midst of things” is one of the plot devices that causes the audience to start in the middle of the plot or action.
This can be a creative way to engage your audience in becoming an active participant in piecing together the film’s narrative. This non-linear technique leads the audience to question how the character or characters found themselves in this situation.
This is a useful technique to energize the start of your film. Also, it can be used to hook the audience with curiosity or questions before you begin setting up the film’s exposition.
The film starts in the middle of the story where the main character narrates his past through a series of flashbacks.
Cliffhanger
A Cliffhanger occurs when the story ends in an intriguing abrupt manner. It can be sometimes at the end of a sequence or episode, often with the protagonist or featured character(s) left in a difficult situation that may seem unsolvable. This device is frequently used in television and various episodic media formats where you want to leave the audience with a compelling question about the story’s resolution. That will get them to return to the next installment in the series.
Captain Barbossa appears seemingly back from the dead before cutting to the credits leaving us on a series cliffhanger.
Plot Voucher
The Plot Voucher is the antithesis of a Red Herring. This is a character or object that is introduced early on in the film in which its set-up will pay-off later in the story.
This compliments a related writing concept known as Chekhov’s Gun derived from the writings of playwright Anton Chekhov. In one of his writings, he states,” If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don’t put it there.” In essence, every story element presented to the audience must serve a purpose. Irrelevant elements should be removed.
Galadriel gives Frodo The Light of Eärendil in which she says,”may it be a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out.” The gift may seem like a symbolic gift of hope for Frodo on his perilous quest. However, he uses it in the darkness of the deadly Shelob’s lair in the third film.
