Format: Movie
Released: 2017
Screenplay By: Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
Run Time: 118 minutes
Character: Elisa Esposito, Fishman McGills
Plot summary of the 2017 film The Shape of Water continues below…
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The Shape of Water: Story Structure Analysis
DRAMATIC PHASE ONE: THE SETUP
All of the main characters are introduced. The story world and its mechanics are established. Foundations are laid for the main throughline, subplots and central conflict.
ACT ONE: DEALING WITH AN IMPERFECT SITUATION
A character in an Imperfect Situation faces Oppressive Opposition as he pursues an Initial Goal. But when there is a Disturbance to his routine, he faces a Dilemma regarding his situation and must assume a New Role.
Orphaned janitor Elisa Esposito (the imperfect situation) is a mute woman in the 60s (oppressive opposition) who lives an uneventful life as a janitor at a government research facility (initial goal). But when a new security leads arrives with a fishman from the Amazon (the disturbance) she and her friend Zelda are assigned as the cleanup crew for the fishman’s storage area (the dilemma) and she becomes friends with him (the new role).
The Imperfect Situation: Elisa Esposito is a mute, orphan who works as a janitor at a government research facility. She is shown to be single and a dreamer. She has a few friends but mainly just listens to their problems.
Initial Goal: Work at the research facility.
Oppressive Opposition: The film is set in the 60s, where civil rights and women’s rights are still contended. Strickland is an intentional caricature of the inherent superiority complex of the era.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Disturbance: 16 minutes (13.5%) – While cleaning the men’s room, Elisa and Zelda meet Strickland, who is a loathsome chauvinist. Shortly thereafter they’re assigned to clean up the fishman’s room when Strickland is attacked and injured by the creature. Elisa sees the fishman in his tank.
Turning Point One – The Dilemma: 23 minutes (19.4%) – Elisa goes to visit fishman. She gives him an egg. Later, Strickland calls Elisa and Zelda to his office. He assigns them to be the permanent clean up crew for the fishman room. Fishman ponders the eggshell and demonstrates an understanding of sign language.
The New Role: Elisa becomes friends with a fishperson.
Act Run Time: 30 minutes (25.4%)
ACT TWO: LEARNING THE RULES OF AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION
The character Learns the Rules of an Unfamiliar Situation and faces Incidental Opposition in pursuit of a Transitional Goal. But when he receives a Reality Check, he makes a Commitment to his New Role.
Act Start Time: 30 minutes (25.4%)
Elisa begins hanging out with fishman (the unfamiliar situation), sneaking around security and Strickland (incidental opposition) as she forms a friendship with him (transitional goal). But when learns fishman is to be killed and dissected (the reality check) she resolves to break him out of the complex and goes to Giles for help (the commitment).
The Unfamiliar Situation: Elisa begins hanging out with a weird, alien-like, swamp creature.
Transitional Goal: Get to know fishman.
Incidental Opposition: Elisa isn’t supposed to socializing with fishman and must sneak around the security to visit him. Although Strickland doesn’t know of Elisa’s budding friendship with fishman, the empathetic Elisa witnesses Strickland torturing him.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Reality Check: 35 minutes (29.6%) – We learn Dr. Hoffstetler is actually a Russian spy named Dimitri when he meets with his handler.
We are shown the laundry carts and loading dock Elisa will use to free fishman and learn about the camera’s blind spot.
Elisa visits fishman to find him chained up. Strickland comes in with the General and tortures fishman. Dr. Hoffstetler sees Elisa hiding but doesn’t say anything. Elisa learns fishman is to be vivisected.
Turning Point Two – The Commitment: 45 minutes: Elisa decides to break fishman out. She attempts to convince Giles to help her. Giles refuses despite her emotional pleas to his humanity. But when he is rejected by his old colleague Bernard, and his crush Pie Guy, Giles realizes Elisa is all he has and resolves to help her.
Despite his pleas to the contrary, Hoffstetler’s KGB boss instructs him to kill Fishman to prevent the Americans from learning anything from him. Hoffstetler has a different plan in mind.
Act Run Time: 23 minutes (19.4%)
DRAMATIC PHASE TWO: CONFRONTATION
The character is thrown in the middle of the Central Conflict and is placed at direct odds with the forces of antagonism. He undergoes a series of successes and failures as he works toward resolving the main throughline.
ACT THREE: STUMBLING INTO THE CENTRAL CONFLICT
The character stumbles into the Central Conflict and faces Intentional Opposition in pursuit of a False Goal. But when there is a grave Turn of events, he has a Moment of Truth.
Act Start Time: 53 minutes (44.9%)
Elisa bumps heads with Strickland (the central conflict) who wants to vivisect fishman (intentional opposition) while she wants to set fishman free (false goal). But when Strickland professes sexual attraction to Elisa (the turn), she implements her escape plan with the aid of her friends the day before fishman is to be terminated (the moment of truth).
The Central Conflict: Elisa and fishman vs. Strickland.
False Goal: Break fishman out of the complex.
Intentional Opposition: Strickland begins implementing his plans to vivisect fishman. Dr. Hoffstetler/Dimitri begins acting on his orders to kill fishman to prevent the Americans from dissecting him. Elisa’s escape plan places her at odds with Strickland.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Turn: 57 minutes (48.3%) – Strickland intentionally spills a beverage and sends for Elisa to come clean it up. When she arrives he tells her in a rather unpleasant manner that he has the hots for her. She is obviously dismayed.
Her situation has gotten a lot more complicated.
Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: 58 minutes (49.1%) – Elisa implements her escape plan. Hoffstetler asks Strickland to delay the procedure, but he refuses. The doctor sees the camera on the loading dock move and goes to aid Elisa. Zelda too realizes what Elisa is up to. She initially tries to stop her but ultimately decides to help. Together with Giles, they narrowly pull off the escape.
Act Run Time: 14 minutes (11.8%)
ACT FOUR: IMPLEMENTING A DOOMED PLAN
The character implements a Doomed Plan and faces Self-Inflicted Opposition in pursuit of a Penultimate Goal. But when an unthinkable Lowpoint occurs, he pulls himself together and discovers a Newfound Resolve.
Act Start Time: 67 minutes (56.7%)
Elisa tries to keep fishman alive and hidden (the doomed plan) under the heightened security of the facility and fishman’s declining health (self-inflicted opposition) as she waits for high tide to free him (penultimate goal). But when Elisa and fishman get it on and she doesn’t want to let him go (the lowpoint), Fishman becomes fatally ill and Strickland vows to find him (the newfound resolve).
The Doomed Plan: Elisa plans to release fishman when the tide comes in, but begins questioning if she can when she start to fall in love with him.
Penultimate Goal: Keep fishman alive until the tide comes in.
Self-Inflicted Opposition: Breaking fishman out was Elisa’s idea. When the facility goes on lockdown and Strickland becomes suspicious of the two cleaners it is all brought about by her actions. In addition to rebuffing his advances, Elisa infuriates Strickland by refusing to help his investigation.
Elisa realizes she is falling for the fishman and tries to resist the urge to jump his fishbones. She relents and goes to him, and the two get it on. Now the question becomes will her love of fishman hinder her ability to release him into the wild?
When Zelda sees Elisa grinning like an idiot at work she realizes she sexed up the fishman.
Fishman becomes fatally ill from not being able to fully submerge in salt water.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Lowpoint: 94 minutes (79.6%) – Strickland gets a visit from General Hoyt. Hoyt tells him that decency is meaningless and that in 36 hours his career and his life will be over. If he doesn’t find the fishman he’s done. Strickland vows to find him.
The day of high tide comes. When Elisa checks the back of the calendar for the previous day it says “Life is but the shipwreck of our plans.” She is sad because she must send her love away. She has an internal musical number professing her love for fishman.
Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: 101 minutes (85.5%): At work Zelda finds Elisa crying. When they go to Elisa’s apartment we discover fishman is dying. Zelda calls Hoffstetler but he’s just left for his extraction. Strickland and his sidekick are on a stakeout and watch him leave.
Act Run Time: 36 minutes (30.5%)
DRAMATIC PHASE THREE: RESOLUTION
The character engages in a final confrontation with the forces of antagonism to resolve the Central Conflict. The main throughline and all additional subplots are resolved. The new status quo is established.
ACT FIVE: TRYING A LONGSHOT
The character tries a Longshot and faces Ultimate Opposition while trying to accomplish the Ultimate Goal. But just when it seems All is Lost, he makes a Final Push against the forces of antagonism and either succeeds or fails.
Act Start Time: 103 minutes (87.2%)
Elisa and her friends narrowly elude Strickland (the longshot) who is now willing to kill anyone who stands in his way (ultimate opposition) to prevent fishman from being released to the wild (ultimate goal). But when Strickland catches up to them and shoots and kills Elisa and fishman (all is lost) fishman rises from the dead, heals himself, and kills Strickland (the final push).
The Longshot: Elisa and company attempt to release fishman at the docks before he dies or Strickland catches up to them.
Ultimate Goal: Release fishman into the wild.
Ultimate Opposition: Strickland learns that Elisa and Zelda were the ones who sprung fishman. With his career on the line, he now comes after them with full murderous force. Elisa must send fishman away despite their love for one another.
Turning Point Catalyst – All is Lost: 112 minutes (94.9%) – Giles says his goodbyes to fishman. Elisa struggles to say goodbye to fishman. He didn’t realize she wasn’t coming with him and signs “You and me together”.
Strickland arrives, punches Giles out and shoots both fishman and Elisa. She looks at fishman who appears to be dead.
Turning Point Five – The Final Push: 114 minutes (96.6%) – As Strickland gloats, Giles arises and hits him with a bit of wood. Fishman stands and heals himself. Strickland proclaims that fishman is a god after all before fishman slices his throat. Fishman takes Elisa and jumps into the canal as Zelda, who has arrived with the police, and Giles look on.
Act Run Time: 18 minutes (15.2%)
ACT SIX: LIVING IN A NEW SITUATION
Having accomplished (or failed to have accomplished) the Ultimate Goal, the character is shown living in a New Situation.
Act Start Time: 116 minutes (98.3%)
Fishman heals Elisa and gives her gills. The two presumably live happily ever after (the new situation).
The New Situation: Fishman swims around Elisa’s floating corpse. He kisses her and her childhood neck wounds turn into gills. They embrace as Giles says a pretty poem.
Act Run Time: 2 minutes (1.6%)
To learn more about Six Act story structure, purchase your copy of “Actions and Goals: The Story Structure Secret” today!
Great breakdown and I’m intrigued with your 6 part structure. I would like to learn more.
Thanks, Mark! My book, Actions and Goals: The Story Structure Secret goes into much greater detail explaining the Six Acts and their components. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRL10N3
Marshall