If someone asked you to tell a story about an exciting event in your life, where would you begin? Likely you would start your story with the events that led up to that moment. You probably wouldn't start with your birth, because that would create quite a long story.
The same is true in a television show, a play, or a book. The writer does not typically begin with the birth of the main character, but instead starts where he or she wants to begin the character's journey, whether that is age 15 or age 50.
However, a character's past is still important. On TV as in real life, people's experiences and background influence how they act and react. That means a screenwriter will need to provide enough detail to help viewers understand why characters act the way they do. These details are part of the story's exposition, which—in a sitcom—usually appear in the first act. Click each image to learn more about the exposition of a sitcom screenplay.
Read Act 1 of The Juice. As you read, pay attention to how the screenwriter introduces the characters and their backstory. Can you identify the inciting incident?
