- HGF is in the public domain, so you can read its script and watch it for free. I'm going to assume you've watched the movie in this post.
- Jill Chamberlain wrote a blog article describing Jordan Peele's Get Out using her Nutshell Technique. Check it out for more details on the method.
There are two flavors of the Nutshell Technique, one for Comedy (in the Aristotelean sense, where the protagonist gets what they want) and one for Tragedy (where the protag doesn't). We'll deal only with the comedy version in this post, since that's what HGF is.
The Nutshell Technique is a way to describe a feature film story using seven story elements which the protagonist (the main character that drives most of the action) has or experiences.
- Flaw
This is a weakness of the protagonist, a character trait which causes the protagonist to react negatively towards the "catch."
In HGF, Hildy Johnson's "flaw" is her "external need" (in "the hero's journey" paradigm): she wants to be a conventional housewife, with a 9-to-5 husband, 3 kids and a house in the suburbs. As a result, she gets engaged to Bruce.
- Point of no return (PONR)
As with the "inciting incident" (in "the hero's journey" template of a screenplay) the PONR happens to the protagonist and is not an event created by the protagonists' actions. The PONR can occur after the inciting incident, but the PONR has to be connected with the SUW and the Catch (see below).
In HGF, Hildy's PONR is her engagement followed immediately by the chance to write a newspaper article that saves someone's (the escaped convict) life. (One could also say, she got engaged and this immediately caused Walter Burns to interfere by giving her the article assignment. So the engagement is the PONR/inciting incident.)
- Set-up want (SUW)
In "the hero's journey", the "external want" of the protagonist motivates action until the midpoint, after which the "internal need" becomes more of a driving force.
Here, the SUW is the protagonist's want that the PONR delivers to them; typically it corresponds to the internal need.
In HGF, Hildy's SUW = internal need is to be great reporter, being thought of as an equal or better by the other newspapermen.
- Catch
This is a plot point something else delivered by the PONR but it is something the protagonist doesn't want. It's a counter-balance to the SUW and a test of the "flaw."
In HGF, the catch is that Bruce's mom plans to live with them and interfere with the marriage.
- Crisis
This is the low point of the protagonist's arc (often marking the end of act 2). It is in some sense the worst thing that could happen to the protagonist, from the perspective of the SUW.
In HGF, Hildy's crisis is when she and Walter Burns are both arrested by the Sheriff (for aiding an escaped criminal and kidnapping Bruce's mom), supporting the crooked Mayor.
- Climactic choice
This is a choice made by the protagonist which is counter-indicated by the FLAW. In "the hero's journey", it can be a choice determined by the "internal need," as opposed to the "external want."
In HGF, Hildy's climactic choice is to ignore the objections of Bruce's mom and to pursue her newspaper article instead of following Bruce to the train station.
- Final step
This is a more emphatic choice made by the protagonist which is counter-indicated by the "flaw." It is a consequence, or at least dependent on, the climactic choice.
In HGF, Hildy's final step is to reunite with Walter Burns and to return to work on the newspaper, but this time as the top reporter.
- Strength
The strength is the protagonist's characteristic that is achieved at the end of the character arc. It is a natural progression from the perspective of the climactic choice and the final step. In some sense, it is opposite to the "flaw."
In HGF, Hildy's strength is that she is an independent woman, as capable or better than any man on the newspaper reporting staff.
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