Format: Film
Released: 2016
Screenplay By: Jared Bush & Phil Johnston
Directed By: Byron Howard and Rich Moore
Run Time: 96 minutes
Character(s): Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde
New Role: A police officer in Zootopia
Salutations, storytellers. Yes, I know it’s been a while. Longer than either of us would prefer. My lack of attention to updating the website (and my YouTube channel) is due entirely to my focus on The Story Structure Blueprint over the last year or so. The good news is the Sixteen Episode paradigm to compliment the Six Acts is complete. I think.
Because it delves so deep into the character’s implicit motivations, it has required a bit more finesse than the overt nature of the Six Acts. As such, I have been rigorously testing the paradigm by developing a screenplay with a producer friend my journey in storytelling has connected me with. There is something magical on the horizon. In the meantime, rest assured I’m striving to ensure the expansion of the Six Act paradigm into Sixteen Episodes is as groundbreaking as its predecessor.
Stay tuned.
Plot summary of the 2016 computer-animated buddy cop film Zootopia continues below…
Story Structure Analysis: Zootopia
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.
Bunny Judy Hopps wants to be a cop (the imperfect situation), but is ridiculed by everyone around her (oppressive opposition) because she would be the first bunny to join the force (initial goal). But when she graduates the academy at the top of her class (the disturbance) she’s assigned to the Zootopia and must leave her family (the dilemma) to become an officer on the ZPD (the new role).
The Imperfect Situation: Judy Hopps wants to be a cop, but there’s never been a bunny cop. No one thinks she can do it. Prey animals still don’t trust predators.
Initial Goal: Become the world’s first bunny police officer.
Oppressive Opposition: The powers that be don’t think Judy can ever be a cop. Animals are still being limited by what people perceive them as.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Disturbance: 6 minutes (6.3%) – 15 years later, Judy attends police academy. She struggles at first but slowly begins to overcome her disadvantages. She graduates at the top of her class and is assigned to City Center in Zootopia.
Turning Point One – The Dilemma: 8 minutes (8.3%%) – While Judy made up her mind about this moment long ago, as she prepares to depart from Bunnyburrow her parents try to talk her out of going. She concedes that she will at least be wary of predators. They give her fox repellent. She gives them hugs.
The New Role: Judy becomes a police officer on the ZPD.
Act Run Time: 10 minutes (10.4%)
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: 10 minutes (10.4%)
Judy travels to the strange and wonderful city of Zootopia (the unfamiliar situation), where she is treated harshly by everyone she encounters (incidental opposition) while trying to demonstrate her abilities as a police officer (transitional goal). But when she’s hustled by a grifting Fox who points out her delusions about life (the reality check), she gains a chance to redeem herself by apprehending a criminal and taking a missing mammal case from the Chief (the commitment).
The Unfamiliar Situation: Judy goes to Zootopia for the first time. She is insulted by her fellow officers and dismissed with parking duty by the Chief. Everyone thinks she’s just a meter maid. She has to steal a case from Chief Bogo who only gives her two days to solve it or be sent back to Bunnyburrow.
Transitional Goal: Demonstrate her ability to her new, fellow officers.
Incidental Opposition: Judy overestimates how unified Zootopia actually is. The Chief wants nothing to do with her despite her stellar graduation stats. She’s swindled by a local hustler. When she finally gets to do some police work and arrests a thief, she is threatened with termination.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Reality Check: 22 minutes (22.9%) – Judy sees Nick Wilde and his “son” melting down the jumbo pop and selling the components across town. She confronts Nick but doesn’t have anything on him. He calls her out on the delusion of her dreams. She returns to her department and wallows in her failure.
Turning Point Two – The Commitment: 27 minutes (28%) – Judy is berated by people she issues tickets to. She’s approached by a store owner whose store has been robbed. She chases down and apprehends the suspect only to be berated by the chief for all the damage she caused in Rodent Town. The wife of a missing otter, Mrs. Otterton shows up and begs for the Chief to assign someone to the case. Judy volunteers. Bogo wants to fire her but the Mayor’s assistant learns Judy is on the case so he can’t. He gives her 48 hours to find Otterton or she will be terminated. Judy agrees.
Act Run Time: 24 minutes (25%)
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: 34 minutes (35%)
Judy works a case no one will help her with (the central conflict) and must work with a criminal against police bureaucracy (intentional opposition) as she tries to follow the lead on the missing otter (false goal). But when it’s revealed the otter turned savage on the panther limo driver who subsequently goes savage on her and Nick (the turn), the driver escapes before the Chief arrives and Nick intervenes to stop Judy from being fired for what the Chief believes is a hoax (the moment of truth).
The Central Conflict: Judy vs. the case of the missing Otter
False Goal: Track down the missing otter.
Intentional Opposition: Judy enlists the help of the reluctant Nick who tries to thwart her investigation to get out of it.
Mr. Big nearly kills them both for Nick’s past transgressions. Chief Bogo tries to take her off the case immediately until Nick intervenes.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Turn: 44 minutes (46%) – Judy and Nick go to Tundra town to investigate the limo. Nick realizes the limo belongs to Mr. Big, whom he has crossed. They discover claw marks all over the rear of the limo and find Emmet Otterton’s wallet. When Nick wants to leave they are captured by Mr. Big’s polar bears.
They are taken to Mr. Big who intends to have them killed after Judy reveals she’s a cop on the Otterton case. Mr. Big’s daughter stops him after recognizing Judy from saving her life earlier. At his daughter’s wedding, Mr. Big reveals Otterton was the one who attacked after going crazy.
Judy and Nick visit the driver of the limo. He recounts the story of Otterton turning savage, only to suddenly turn savage himself and chase after the fleeing duo. They narrowly escape by cuffing the driver’s leg. Nick thanks Judy for saving his life.
Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: 55 minutes (57%) – When Chief Bogo arrives, Judy discovers the driver has escaped. Bogo demands her badge since two days have expired. Nick comes to her defense and reminds the Chief that Judy has 10 hours left. Judy and Nick have a heart-to-heart. He tells her the story of how he tried to join the Junior Rangers only to be bullied for being a fox. That’s when he decided to be the sly fox everyone assumes he is. Nick suddenly realizes the traffic camera would’ve seen where the jaguar went. Judy has a friend who may be able to help.
Act Run Time: 26 minutes (27%)
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: 60 minutes (63%)
Judy and Nick track the driver’s kidnappers (the doomed plan) and sneak into a guarded medical facility (self-inflicted opposition) to learn who’s making the predators turn savage (penultimate goal). But when Judy insults Nick by implying he’s savage, and the prey animal public turns on predators, Judy quits and returns to Bunnyburrow (the lowpoint), where she learns what Night Howlers really are and leaves to solve the case (the newfound resolve).
The Doomed Plan: Judy and Nick attempt to track down the driver’s kidnapper. They ultimately track them to an abandoned hospital where they find the other missing mammals who have all gone savage. The mayor is implicated. Judy becomes a hero but her remarks sever her budding friendship with Nick.
Penultimate Goal: Find out who’s making predators turn savage.
Self-Inflicted Opposition: Judy and Nick go into the belly of the beast so to speak. They have the mayor arrested. Judy puts her foot in her mouth at her press conference and greatly offends Nick.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Lowpoint: 69 minutes (72%) – Chief Bogo holds a press conference. Judy asks Nick to join the force and gives him the recording pen, but she unintentionally insults Nick when she blames the outbreak on the predators’ inability to control themselves. He gives her back her application which he has already filled out. Nick walks out.
Tensions are high in Zootopia with prey animals protesting predators. Clawhauser is transferred to records. Bogo tells her she’s a good cop. Bellwether takes over as mayor and asks Judy to serve as the public face of ZPD. Judy declines and turns in her badge. Feeling she is responsible for Zootopia’s troubles, Judy returns to Bunnyburrow.
Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: 77 minutes (80%) – Judy meets her old nemesis Gideon who apologizes for his past behavior. Judy learns from her parents and Gideon that night howlers are actually plants that make animals, including bunnies go savage. She races back to the city to track down Nick. She apologizes and tells him what’s going on. He accepts her apology and the two reconcile.
Act Run Time: 21 minutes (21.8%)
DRAMATIC PHASE THREE: RESOLUTION
The character and the forces of antagonism engage in a final confrontation 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: 81 minutes (84%)
Judy and Nick follow their sole lead without any aid (the longshot), and go up against whoever’s turning predators savage (ultimate opposition) while trying to uncover who’s behind the Night Howler attacks (ultimate goal). But when it’s revealed to be the new Mayor Bellwether who tries to have Judy killed (all is lost), Judy and Nick trick her into recording a confession (the final push).
The Longshot: Judy and Nick attempt to locate and take down whoever has been using Night Howlers to make predators look bad.
Ultimate Goal: Figure out who’s behind the Night Howler attacks.
Ultimate Opposition: Judy and Nick go up against the mastermind behind the savage predator attacks. They are betrayed, set up and nearly killed by the Assistant Mayor who attempts to use Nick’s status as a predator against Judy.
Turning Point Catalyst – All is Lost: 88 minutes (92%) – Bellwether catches Nick and Judy in the natural history museum and they realize she is in on it all. The mayor and her rams pin them in the museum and Bellwether tries to reason with Judy. Bellwether shoots Nick with night howler and he appears to go savage.
Turning Point Five – The Final Push: 92 minutes (96%) – They reveal they swapped the night howlers with blueberries and recorded Bellwether’s unintentional confession with Judy’s carrot pen.
Act Run Time: 12 minutes (12.5%)
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: 93 minutes (97%)
Judy is vindicated. The predators are returned to normal. Nick joins the force and he and Judy become partners (the new situation).
The New Situation: Bellwether is arrested. Otterton and the others receive an antidote. Judy gives a speech at the police academy graduation where Nick is the first fox graduate. The two go on patrol as partners with Chief Bogo’s blessing.
Act Run Time: 4 minutes (4.1%)
