Write a Film Like THE INVITE

If you're looking to write a low-budget film, it's really worth looking at the set-up and structure of The Invite.

Directed by and co-starring Olivia Wilde, the film features Seth Rogen, Ed Norton, and the wonderful Penélope Cruz. It’s set largely in one location and is basically a four-hander (meaning there are only four characters).

Let’s get into the structure of the film and break it down into its three acts. But first, let me explain why you too could write a film like this.

The Set-up

The Invite is based on a Spanish play, The Neighbours Upstairs, by Cesc Gay–who also directed the Spanish feature film version. Its set-up resembles a chamber play; things are kept simple with one location and a limited cast. Thematically, chamber plays usually focus on the psychological & the relationship dynamics between characters.

Rather than depending on exterior plot or action scenes, the turning points of The Invite rely instead on emotional shifts within & between the characters to provide momentum into the next act.

Three-act Structure of THE INVITE

*Spoilers Ahead

Act 1

In montage clips we see Joe is not happy at his workplace & struggles to bike home while Angela preps the apartment for the evening ahead.

Pre-dinner tension between the married hosts (Joe & Angela) as they await their guests from upstairs.

The guests (Pina & Hawk) arrive just as Joe & Angela are arguing.

Awkward introductions and bubbling conflict between Angela & Joe, who is visibly prickly with the stylish yet eccentric guests.

Tension rises as we wait for Joe to try and ask his awkward question about the noisy sex Pina & Hawk regularly have.

Things are turned on their head however when Hawk & Pina get there first, asking if their loud love-making is disturbing Joe & Angela.

Act 2

Hawk & Pina’s pre-emptive move introduces a reversal in tone. On the backfoot, there’s a shift in the dynamic between the couples as they learn that Hawk & Pina are actually holding swinger parties at their apartment.

This opens up new possibilities for Joe & Angela. Curious and somewhat awestruck, they ask questions regarding the process & logistics of these events.

Complications and tension when revelations come to light re: Angela & Joe’s secretly coveting Hawk & Pina respectively. The subtext is clearly that they wonder if they might be invited to join a party. Then they are.

They go for it and break off into two rooms. We wonder how this will play out. As things go wrong, things devolve into a bit of a farce.

Act 3

The messy fall-out from an unsuccessful evening causes more revelations & conflict. Hawk delivers a vulnerable and touching monologue. Joe is nevertheless hostile, which makes Pina lose her temper. Cracks also start to show between Pina & Hawk for the first time.

Angela reveals some hard truths, as well as the spark of what brought her and Joe together in the first place. The couple agree they shouldn’t remain together.

After Hawk & Pina suddenly leave, Joe sits down to play the piano he hasn’t touched in years. Angela joins him in a duet, providing not only a book-end to the opening credits, but leaving the couple’s fate open-ended and the resolution up to the audience to decide.

Could you write a film like this?

If you're on a budget–as most emerging filmmakers are–find one location, one set, and a limited cast. Then pour your energy into crafting a story rich in character dynamics, reversals, revelations, and emotional shifts rather than expensive action sequences.

Producers love that!

Story Inkubator was founded by writer, scriptwriter and teacher, Kristina Jilly, an Australian living in Central Europe who's written for HBO Europe and RTL Television. She has an M.A. in Screenwriting and teaches at the University of Applied Sciences in Austria. Kristina also writes online content about the art of storytelling and topics that inspire creativity. 

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