Todorov.

Tzvetan Tororov is a man that had many theories of the way that narratives work in films. He looked at all the different stages of a film and made a theory about them. He said that regardless of the genre, a film can be broken into 5 different parts for analysis.

Equilibrium - The setting is established, key characters are introduced and the story line is set up.
Disruption - Oppositional characters appear and the story takes a particular direction.
Recognition of disruption - The lives of the characters and events are interwoven. Tension builds up throughout this section, which is often the longest.
Attempt to repair disruption - The highest point of tension after which there is a change in dynamic.
Reinstatement of Equilibrium - Matters are sorted out, problems are solved and questions are answered.

Example:

        Emily was sick of waiting around for a wimpy prince to come and ask her for her hand in marriage, so she decided to find one for herself. She soon came upon a dragon who was singeing the top of a freckle-faced boy's head.
        Being a resourceful princess, Emily set a trap for the dragon and then tricked him into following her.
        "You're just a silly girl, and even though it's hardly worth it, I'm going to toast you to a crisp and have you for pudding!" boomed the dragon. Just then the branched he was standing on gave way, and he fell down a very deep well, his fire put out once and for all.
        Emily returned to the boy. "What's your name?" She asked.
        "Prince Matthew," said the boy.
        "That'll do nicely," said Emily. "Where do you live?"
        "In Happy-Ever-After," he replied.
        "That'll do nicely too," said Emily. And with that, she and Matther tode off together to Happy-Ever-After.