Toy Story: Film & Story Structure

A look at key story elements from the 1995 film 'Toy Story'

Toy Story is the first film of the popular computer-animated franchise. It made history when it debuted in 1995 as the first entirely computer-animated feature film. Directed by John Lasseter, Toy Story helped launch Pixar to prominence due to the film’s quality and its technological achievements.

Opening Images

The opening scenes show Andy playing with his toys in his room. Once he leaves the room, the toys come alive and behave like humans. We are immediately introduced to this new world of toys and we also see that Woody and Andy have a special relationship.

In just a couple minutes, a few key ideas that are central to the story are communicated: 1) In this world, toys come alive when people aren’t present and 2) Woody is Andy’s favorite toy.

Inciting Incident

Andy receives a Buzz Lightyear toy for his birthday and he soon replaces Woody as Andy’s favorite toy. Woody becomes jealous of Buzz’s new relationship with Andy.

This incident then leads us directly to the key incident of the film, the plot point of act one.

Act One Plot Point

The climax of act one occurs when Woody and Buzz are accidentally left behind at a gas station. Now the story’s dramatic need is introduced: Woody needs to get back to Andy’s room.

It’s Woody’s dramatic need that drives the story forward because, at this point, Buzz is still under the impression that he must complete his mission as a Space Ranger. I think this is an important distinction that the writers considered carefully. Making the story’s dramatic need belong solely to Woody makes him the main character. If Buzz shared the same need of returning to Andy at this point, it would have taken away from Woody’s relationship with Andy, which is what the story is really about (see Theme below).

Midpoint

Woody and Buzz are found and taken home with Sid, Andy’s evil neighbor.

Earlier in the film, Sid is introduced as the sadistic kid that lives next door, who treats his toys cruelly. Now in Sid’s possession, Woody’s and Buzz’s situation has become more dangerous and their progress toward reaching Andy’s room seems even more challenging. The stakes have been raised for the rest of the film.

Act Two Plot Point

Woody organizes Sid’s toys to help save Buzz from Sid. This is the climax of the second act and introduces us to what the third act will focus on: saving Buzz and getting back to Andy (thus, resolving the dramatic need).

Climax & Resolution

Woody and Sid’s toys save Buzz from Sid and they both return to Andy.

Theme

The major theme of Toy Story is carried by the relationship between Woody and Andy. Woody must learn to accept change and make the best of things. His friendship with Buzz helps him do this.

At the beginning, Woody is Andy’s undisputed favorite toy. But when Buzz takes Andy’s attention away from him, Woody becomes jealous and even vengeful.

Through acts two and three, Woody and Buzz learn to work together and, in the process, find that they have something in common after all. Buzz must accept that he is not a Space Ranger on an intergalactic mission, but indeed a child’s toy, just like Woody. Woody learns to accept his own uncomfortable truth: he must share Andy’s attention with Buzz. Their friendship helps them both see and accept their insecurities.

Thanks for reading.

-Bryant

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The Story Department is where I write about the story structure of films. I focus on identifying key story elements so we can break films down and see how they work.

“Hollywood… Not a place on the map, but a state of mind that exists wherever people dream, wonder, and imagine.” -Michael Eisner at the dedication of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This idea serves as my catalyst for writing about film and story structure.

Hollywood, as a creative state of mind.