Writing a treatment: Todorov

Todorov, a Bulgarian academic, devised a way of looking at narrative structures according to the different stages of the narrative:

1 The equilibrium - the state of balance in the narrative, where we get to know the characters and their situation.
2 The disruption - oppositional characters are introduced and the story moves forward.
3 The recognition (of the disruption) - where the story develops, different events and characters become involved and more drama occurs.
4 The attempts to repair the disruption - where there may be a twist or climactic point.
5 The new equilibrium - the problem is solved and harmony is resolved, though things may have changed.