The Rule of 3 Explained - Why Three is Key to Comedy, Storytelling, and Character

[@StudioBinder]

CORRECTION: The Tim Burton quote should have been attributed to director Jean Luc Godard.

[@AlleyKatPr0]

Spock, Kirk and McCoy - did you really omit that??? Rational, Balance and Irrational or rather, Ego, Super-Ego and ID. /see me after class

[@russellwboss]

Corrected 3hr ago... Perfect.

[@ffnendhgrgd]

It's spelled "Picard". Common mistake.

[@Sobreversivo]

That's why I didn't see any correlation between words and action.

[@s290709ws]

.

[@josephm.benoit9202]

“A story should have a beginning, a middle and an end, but not necessarily in that order” RIP Jean-Luc Godard

[@MrRufusRToyota]

Thanks for correcting that misattribution.

[@josephm.benoit9202]

@@MrRufusRToyota Actually, given SB's consistent quality, I was prepared for that British voice to make two more "mistakes" and admit, in the end, to having _pranked us in-threes_

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for catching that mistake. We've addressed it in a pinned comment. Our humble apologies!

[@chandramohan_sonder]

​@@StudioBinder That's three statements. I hope that was intentional. I'm writing this just so that even my reply is in threes.

[@s290709ws]

"That's why French films are F*ing boring" David Mamet 😅

[@grahamyates2490]

The first time I noticed the Rule of Three was when I read 'Goldfinger'. Auric Goldfinger used this phrase to warn Bond that their third meeting would end in problems for Bond. "Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action."

[@StudioBinder]

That's a great example! We should have used it.

[@jamestait324]

One is Unity, Two is Balance, and Three is Chaos

[@Ribsi62]

I heard that first by R.A. Wilson quoting Ian Fleming. Than a step to South India Ramana Maharshi answered the question wich thought to follow and wich to let go: Let it go two times and if the thought reappear a third time it should be looked at. Now that was something! So is Goldfinger, thank you! Greetings from Austria Vienna

[@solertia33]

This is one of those fascinating topics that you’ve never heard of but makes complete sense because you’ve seen it everywhere your entire life.

[@StudioBinder]

Agreed. Thanks for watching!

[@AbonZel3]

Yeah, I had thought about it for a while, but didn't realize how many facets and forms it could take, like in dialogue. I'm a big gamer, and the rule of three is pretty common in games (you have to hit the weak spot three times to win).

[@mailinglist2451]

It’s something touched up in advanced level English classes in high school.

[@GreenIslandWoodworks]

Any well constructed opinion is always convincing...the same could be said if you wrote about the importance of the Four in our lives....four seasons etc

[@JamesSKessler]

Never heard of the rule of three?

[@UShistorymatters]

I'm 40 years old and am still learning so much from this channel. I remember back when Google didn't exist and if you needed access to information you paid for a legal subscription or went to a public library.

[@dunnowy123]

Stuff like this gives me goosebumps, there's something fundamental about storytelling that feels cosmic and timeless

[@blueyedmule]

I n the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Yup, timeless.

[@Jeremy_Black92]

​@@blueyedmuleFather, son, holy spirit. Birth, death, resurrection. Etc.

[@cabalavatar]

@@blueyedmule Just another _story_, and an obviously fake one at that.

[@th2k864]

Which is why studios want to let AI create all their intellectual property from now on.

[@cat2118]

Narrative is how we structure our world, and stories are how we build and make sense of our reality, both individually and collectively. All of it informs our world view.

[@peterkalyabe7553]

StudioBinder's videos make me feel a little smarter every time I click. Well, one of my favourite examples of THREE, we discover truth in three ways: 1) experience, 2) logical reasoning, 3) words. - In this chronological order, words are the least reliable purveyors of truth.

[@StudioBinder]

That's our goal. Thanks for watching!

[@swoozie]

I am such a proud subscriber of u guys, u have no idea. Thank u so much for all the hard work you put into every video.

[@StudioBinder]

Wow, thank you! We'll keep 'em coming.

[@JoshLange3D]

"u, u, you"--good rule of 3 there

[@Silentkittey]

Swoozie commented on here! That is incredible! So much love towards this channel and your's as well Swoozie🤙

[@nikshmenga]

“Never two without three” Jamais deux sans trois it means that either something positive or negative has already occurred twice and is most likely to happen again

[@StudioBinder]

Oh, that's interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@owie4070]

Not sure if this is the best example but this line delivered by Joan Cusack in the movie Working Girl to Harrison Ford's character: "Coffee? Tea? Me?"

[@StudioBinder]

That's an excellent example! Setting up the punchline for the third option.

[@rayancedrichaddad1197]

This is a complete audiovisual encyclopedia about the Rule of Three in History and Filmmaking. A Complete Audiovisual anthropology about the number 3 in Pop culture. Thousand Thanks StudioBinder for this Inspiring video.💯💯💯

[@StudioBinder]

Well said! You're welcome.

[@low_bal]

A book 😳

[@mattosso7676]

Structurally, I think Star Wars is a great example. Luke fights Vader 3 times. (Once in his X-wing and 2 duels.) Each time he encounters Vader, he learns something about himself and/or Vader. Each time they meet his view changes, which also changes the context (And, thus, changes the way the audience feels). It also makes Luke's victory EARNED when he defeats Vader in Return of the Jedi (unlike MarySue Rey Palpatine in Disney's "sequels".) By the end of the 3rd encounter, he's learned the lesson that what he wants (revenge) will only turn him into the very evil he's trying to defeat. He realizes that in order to redeem his father and save his own soul, he needs to show Vader mercy. (Pity stayed his hand) Doing so redeems Anakin who in turn sacrifices himself to defeat the Emperor and save his son.) That's powerful storytelling right there. That's why Lucas is a brilliant storyteller. And that's how he was able to create one of the most impactful trilogies in cinema history.

[@patrickbaleydier3129]

My favorite trilogy is "The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy a trilogy in five parts" :p

[@StudioBinder]

Douglas Adams is a treasure!

[@bruce-le-smith]

@@StudioBinderyeah thanks for including that Monty Python sketch with the 5 joke, maybe Hitchikers is a faint echo of that joke?

[@mikecastle9555]

From a cinema arcade on the Simpsons: Space Mutants IV: The Trilogy Continues

[@emordnilap4747]

To quote Douglas Adams, 'the increasingly absurdly named Hitchhikers Trilogy.'

[@jayconstantine5928]

This is, hands down, for me, the best 'writing advice' video I have ever watched. So simple yet so concise. No fluff, no banter just plain simple good advice.

[@Beowulf25]

"You know, Pickering, this chap's got a certain natural gift of rhetoric. Observe the rhythm of his native woodnotes wild. "I'm willing to tell you. I'm wanting to tell you. I'm waiting to tell you." That's the Welsh strain in him." -My Fair Lady

[@StudioBinder]

Very nice!

[@CBoy92]

"Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne" 3 races in harmony, and then the 4th brings discord and a sinister feeling.

[@rd6203]

Also, brings in the other commonly "magical" numbers, which is why the fourth and the loner is discord

[@hebercluff1665]

Aren't there some cultures where the number 4 represents death / misfortune?

[@kelvinchiang3297]

@@hebercluff1665 chinese

[@dhirendrakumar276]

3 words - Enlightening, Delightful, Informative

[@the_scrongler]

Personally i like the trope of [INSERT CHARACTER] doing [INSERT ACTION] three times with a different context each time.

[@StudioBinder]

For sure! What's a good example?

[@the_scrongler]

@@StudioBinder i guess maybe the mirror in the "Truman show".

[@amitadarsh6479]

Thanks for saving me from the regret of never going to film school because it's too damn costly. Honestly, I can learn everything I need to learn from StudioBinder alone. Can you make a specific playlist as a course for screenwriters? That would help me a lot. It is hard to sort the videos in order.

[@StudioBinder]

We appreciate the flattery but don't limit yourself. There's plenty to learn outside of film school so don't stop with us. Also, we have a series on screenwriting called Page to Picture: kzbin.info/aero/PLEzQZpmbzckXeB51uPexULfYV3mX7DCdv&si=j8TGMSmn7BaaMEO8

[@amitadarsh6479]

Thanks@@StudioBinder 👍

[@jameshanscomb8072]

One of the best videos Studio Binder has put out. I'm sure there are two others just as good.

[@wyattwyatt4126]

Always incredibly qualitative content 😮 thanks StudioBinder

[@StudioBinder]

Our pleasure!

[@chemistryguy]

I would have loved watching this with my daughter. She had the heart of a storyteller and would've adored this video. Thank you.

[@androssteague]

There are some literature experts who say there are four acts in a story structure. Act 1 Act 2a Act 2b and Act 3. The reason act 2 is split into two is because it's the meatiest part of the story and the front end of act 2 operate under different Dynamics than the back end.

[@StudioBinder]

That's true. There are also five-act structures!

[@Nezumi--]

it also depends on where. japanese literature usually uses ki-sho-ten-ketsu which is by default four acts. third one introduces the plot twist, but western literature experts will see it as poorly executed lol .. there's something interesting stuff when narratives from various cultures are also looked at

[@CaptainQueue]

Good point. The four-act structure seems essential for long-form movies such as Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, and even the original Star Wars IMHO.

[@CaptainQueue]

@@StudioBinder Agree. I think five acts must be a favored structure for complex science fiction -- I would guess those with five acts include Interstellar, The Matrix, Passengers, Contact, The Martian, and even Jurassic Park (of which the novel was better than the movie).

[@nauticfilms]

In western drama, 5 act structure was the standard for ages. Look at all Greek tragedies. Rising action in first two acts, climax in act three, falling action in acts 4 and 5. The 3 act structure evolved with the shift from theatre to movies in the 20th century. With exposition -> complication -> resolution the climax moves toward the end. This keeps people hooked til the end. Stortellers had to keep audiences engaged, while it is more socially ok to walk out of a movie/switch tv channel/scroll on than to walk out of a live theatre performance.

[@lotus65]

Nice thesis. I've always maybe subconsciously used the rule of 3 in interpersonal writing. Maybe it was the leather tripod stool my father used. It was fascinating and I thought that two legs would never work, and four or more a waste! So besides the Trinity, my favorite trio is one I came up with years ago to help find out why someone had wronged me in some way. I'd ask them to choose whether it was ignorance, indifference, or malice. The reasons for mistreatment of others can involve combinations of the three but it's rooted in one: Ignorance; You didn't know. Indifference; You didn't care. Malice; You did it on purpose. Then from their answers, you can dig out the truth.

[@ExecutiveAutomotiveSociety]

I would like to add to this analogy, the concept of balance. Prices Law states the square root of the number of people in a domain do 50% of the work. That means if you have 10 employees, 3 of them do 1/2 the work. This analogy correlates with real life. Think about the people who dominate, or are known, within a skill. It's usually three. We have Chevy, Ford, and Dodge. You probably remember three great authors or three great painters. You'll have three favorite actors. It's not just based on performance, it's based on memorization and performance. Like churning butter, the cream rises to the top. Sure, there are limitless amounts of people and possibilities, but you'll only invest in three. Funny enough, a movie in 30 minutes increments (an hour and half) is acceptable, but a 3 hours movie is considered too long. It's a contest of math and balance. It really makes you think, as humans, how much do we leave on the cutting room floor to make sure the story hits the mark.

[@trikebeatstrexnodiff]

great video! though i have a question, we have been seeing this use of 3s for a very long time and unlike other writing elements, this has not turned into a cliche trope. why is that? why do people like to see it exactly and say not the trope of orphaned protagonist for example? both are ancient tropes but while the latter has turned into a cliche element where it is usually undesirable to write about, the rule of 3 is a big stuff that it is wise to use. i know in the video it talked about how it is related to seeing patterns but is it really that easy to trick the brain everytime to fall in love/accept this rule of 3 element? i think this rule of 3 has to be subverted, has anyone tried something about this yet?

[@caetanobarsoteli]

Certainly, tricking the brain is surprisingly simple. The rule of three remains effective even if we know about it because three is the number that starts a pattern, with "starts" being the operative term here. You can mess with this rule by using any number bigger than three-four, five, fifteen-to maintain a pattern. A pattern's still a pattern with any of these numbers. You can even break it down into little groups of three. Take a trio of sentences like, "I've been eating, sleeping, and having nightmares. I've been eating at work, sleeping at work, and having work nightmares. I've been thinking of you, thinking of you, and dreaming of you." All three sentences have their own set of three things going on. Unlike the trope of the orphaned protagonist, the rule of three is structural, not a content-specific cliché, allowing for endless variation within its form.

[@StudioBinder]

That's an interesting question. Perhaps it's because "three" is a form or "container" and a trope like the "orphaned protagonist" is content (aka what you put in that container). People will notice the content much sooner than they'll notice the form it comes in. But it's all theory!

[@CaptainZachofEarth]

the rule of three has always had such powerful symbolism in our history and the stories we tell. my favorite is the original charmed episodes. the power of three truly set them free.

[@StudioBinder]

Exactly!

[@AmericanActionReport]

I've often observed a 3-plus-1 set of characters. There were Three Musketeers plus D'Artagnan; in Journey to the West, there were three animal characters and the Buddhist priest; in the TV series Laredo, there were three Texas Rangers in the field and their captain. I've seen many others.

[@hermancharlesserrano1489]

Perhaps my fave thing about the rule of three is the three body problem. In balance, the three points make for a very stable structure, but weighting one or more creates imbalance and can even lead to chaos. It’s a powerful dynamic, full of potential energy, with that potential evoking a threat of chaos on the horizon…dialing these in as needed is the simplest range of complexity without losing your audience

[@bobwiegers]

this is some of your finest work. many thanks for the inspiration!

[@StudioBinder]

Our pleasure! We were very excited about this one.

[@KB4JC116]

I wish there was a channel like this for novels

[@jonholstein2002]

"Tell them what you're going to tell them. Tell them. Then tell them what you told them."

[@dougwarner6011]

This is one of the most insightful and educational videos I have seen. Thank you.

[@trorisk]

"Thesis, antithesis, synthesis". -for conflict resolution you have to give the impression that there are 2 possible outcomes and create a 3rd one. The conflict can be a dialogue, rather than having 2 characters, it is good to have a 3rd character to triangulate. One character suggests something, another the opposite and the protagonist chooses a 3rd way.

[@JasmineJ-SuDirector]

The movie "BAPS" was based on three. She found out about the audition for a music video in a magazine, radio, then tv. Ever since then I based my own motivation off three. So for you all to have a video breaking down the psychology and logistics of it. I am a proud subscriber. Thank you!

[@kanchide]

I am reminded of the Spongebob Squarepants movie, where he says "... and no amount of mermaid magic, or managerial promotion, or some other third thing, can make me anything more than what I really am inside: A kid."

[@MemphiStig]

I am enlightened, entertained, and informed. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (See also epistrophe, anaphora, simploce, etc.)

[@StudioBinder]

Well done! And you're welcome.

[@federicovicente8116]

Every time I listen to what I call The Voice, I get excited, because I know it's going to be an excellent video.

[@StudioBinder]

We are blessed to have The Voice!

[@focuspulling]

@@StudioBinder Behold bots and fluffers in the comments.

[@-.._.-_...-_.._-..__..._.-.-.-]

This video was clear, concise and to the point.

[@igorsauchuk7724]

I have three girls in my theatre on stage, recently shot another comedy movie with ,three of these girls where they played two pilots and flight attendant, three languages in this comedy french english and ukrainian as well three actors I played- comming soon))) Thanks for your school, another note in my Konspekt

[@StudioBinder]

You're very welcome.

[@e.s.l.1083]

3 is the 1st of the fibonacci sequence (that establishes the equation for progression into 'the infinity of the pattern'

[@StudioBinder]

The connections never end!

[@alfonta]

Wild things with Dennis -Neve -Dillon

[@StudioBinder]

Yep! Good example.

[@jmchez]

In speech designed to sell or convince you are always told to to use the rule of threes. First, tell them what you are going to tell them (Executive Summary or Introduction). Two, tell them (Main part). Three, tell them what you just told them (Regular Summary). The process is designed to help people understand and remember.

[@freddyjosereginomontalvo4667]

Amazing videos 🌍🌟 I always love starting my weeks feeling like a cineast🧐🍷

[@StudioBinder]

That's funny, we always love starting our week by sharing them!

[@KS-ne5mq]

I notice a lot of happen in 3’s in real life, too. Ex. Getting gas in car 1.Payment method, 2.open gas cap, 3.Get a receipt Same with getting groceries 1. Find what you’re going to buy 2. Pay 3. Receipt Think about it. Things done in 3’s.

[@woodrowwilkins149]

Favorite examples? One would be the Millennium Falcon failing to jump to hyperspace three times. And in journalism, editors taught me to limit lists to three examples.

[@samyakbhadke170]

Please make 2 videos a week !!!!! One is not enough...... I keep waiting a week, it helps much ....

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@darkmindedsith]

How about making......3?

[@ngziin9975]

Hey Studiobinder, I’d love to see a video on how to get producers’ attention for a screenplay and story when someone starts fresh without creating a track record for themselves beforehand. It’s a challenge many new writers face and your insights could be incredibly valuable. Thanks!

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for the suggestion! That is a very common challenge and I'm sure we'll cover it someday.

[@Kingeducates]

This makes so much sense, why have I never noticed it.

[@StudioBinder]

Crazy, right? It's been there the whole time.

[@bodowen]

I notice it in phrases, like “in any way, shape, or form,” or the variations of “zip, nada, zilch.”

[@MD-tv5fp]

Comedian impressionist Mike Yarwood (RIP), "What this country needs is: less Institution, less Destitution, and more Pros......perity."

[@silverfox7436]

I learned something important with this video. Thank you very much.

[@joefelice5062]

11:50 - you included my favorite line from No Country 😀

[@StudioBinder]

So many lines to choose from in that movie, but, yeah, that one's at the top.

[@LastNightIWatchedMyselfSleep]

The Power of Three will set us free.

[@Dismythed]

I appreciate that it is often easy to pick out three things or to nudge things into the appearance of a three-part structure, but this is simply because it is the limit of the average memory. We can remember three things easily, but four becomes more difficult and for some it is near impossible to retain for more than a minute. But just because we can identify threes for memory does not mean there are only three things there. There may be four or even five things, or there may be two things, and to fit the pattern, they find reason for a third or split one or both of the other two. Take for example the three act structure. This represents the so-called "beginning", "middle" and "end" of the story. But really, when you tell someone, "it's in the beginning of the movie", do you really mean it's the first act? No, because most people don't give movies enough thought to break it into its acts. What they usually mean is that it is in the first half of the movie, not the first third or in the set-up. Likewise, the "end" usually means the last half. If they say the "middle", then they mean somewhere in the hour that doesn't set up characters or resolve the final battle. But when we really look at a movie, we see these clear divisions: day in the life, characters, problem, call to action, denouement and/or climax (in either order). The acts are completely arbitrary. The second act could include the problem or be just the call to action. It’s just easy to split these six into three, but sometimes there’s no denouement or no climax. On a character study, there's no call to action. In some movies, the day in the life and character introductions are simultaneous. As to main characters, buddy cop, single protagonist and ensemble (4 or more) movies show that trinities are just another number. You say three beats start a rhythm, but there are four beats in music, thus the fourth beat is usually represented by a silence or climax in the scenes you referenced. Note that when the third hand hits Nielson's character, this is funny for the surprise, but the deep laugh comes from seeing his completely reasonable reaction in the fourth comedy beat. In fact, comedy has only two defined stages: the setup and the punchline. The setup can be just one thing or broken up into multiple things, not just three. So this "rule of threes" thing may make things simple to remember, but a truly skilled writer would only be hampering themselves to use it for anything more than a tool to keep things easy to remember for the audience. "Threes" is just not a rule that requires any enforcement. It is just that simple minds give in to simple ideas. Four DOES NOT bore and two does not get forgotten or ignored. Remember: five is alive and six is full of tricks. Try breaking that into threes.

[@bennywollinmusic]

Thank you! You just saved me the time of writing a similar mini-essay on the internet. :) I do think there's a particular case where 3 does make sense (although you could also argue it's a case of 2): It is the minimum repetition needed to establish a pattern and then change, contrast, fulfill, or subvert it. For example, if a phrase starts out: "I want money, I need money,..." we expect the third statement to also revolve around the character's relationship to money. If it starts out "I want money, I want friends..." then we expect the third statement to be a third category of thing the character wants.

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! We certainly agree that three is not the only option (there are countless and memorable duos out there). And when we say "rule," it's just like any "rule" in writing - more of a suggestion than a commandment.

[@bruce-le-smith]

@@bennywollinmusic+1 "minimum repetition needed to establish a pattern and then change"

[@djn48]

Good comment overall, but here's a quick correction: there are not only four beats in music. Four is the most common number for modern popular music, but songs can be written in a huge number of different time signatures. For example, all Waltz music is written in threes (3/4 time or 3 quarter note beats). Some modern bands even write less music in 4/4 than they do in other time signatures, for example, Tool's most recent album contains many different time signatures, even with an entire song based around 7/8 (7 eighth notes per bar).

[@reedr7142]

Three witches/weird sisters in Macbeth. Game-set-match in sports. Stop, drop, and roll-the stop part is redundant. Dropping *implies* stopping. Technically, you never actually stop, since rolling isn’t stopping. Heck, the longer you stop, the longer you burn. But the three together make it easy to remember.

[@ericwilliams626]

I learned the benefit of three when writing. Two observations which are easy to understand; when writing anything more than three characters creates a complicated mix of time for the actors and the flow of the scene. Three provides balance but most importantly, it removes boredom from the ping pong dialogue of two. Anything more than three characters provides complications for the reader and viewer. Not that this is is absolute, but keeping it a three, you are tightly focused. When you watch a scene from Ocean's Eleven for example, you see all the characters attempting to contribute or The Magnificent Seven, where McQueen had to stand out in some way. In the end, three is efficient, provides enough variety, and is more intimate where you get to know each character wo them being drowned out by other characters.

[@StudioBinder]

It's really interesting how character dynamics come into play with three vs. two.

[@MrGadfly772]

The best example of three characters that I can think of is Captain Kirk, Mister Spock and Doctor McCoy. It is what made Star Trek a wonderfully character driven show.

[@TenaciousSLG]

We are born, we live, and we die. We are all threes.

[@Silentkittey]

Really enjoyed this but would have loved to see a nod to Kyle MacLachlan and his outstanding performance on Twin Peaks The Return. He plays three different people so naturally. Hopefully someday he'll be recognized for it. Still love the video, subscribed and can't wait to see more.

[@Windex314]

Hannah Gadsby furiously taking notes. Then taking notes. And then taking notes.

[@primmoore6232]

At 5:00 the bit about New Zealand - that the guy on the far right (Bret McKenzie) knows about Lord of the Rings. He was IN LotR! Fans nicknamed his elf character *"FIGWIT"* which stood for "Frodo Is Great; Who Is That!?!" 😂

[@doctaran]

Perhaps the most vivid example of this is Run Lola Run- Same story repeated three times; In three different realities…. Only on the last time do they get it right. I never even intended it purposefully…. But in the movie script that I wrote all of the most important scenes have three characters.

[@Tontollorento]

I really expected the beautiful lines from Nicholas Ray's 'In a Lonely Place' to feature in the video. 'I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.'

[@fuegofranko]

I'm always learning something new from you guys!

[@jazzew]

Ahhh, good. I'm not crazy that I noticed the rule of 3 so much! O_O I didn't think about the "3-dimension person" the way you've shown it in the video. Never thought of it and now, I get it! So cool, thank you! :D

[@-NHMeasures-]

Puts a list of the movies that will be spoiled. Then on the count of three spoils a bit of Pulp Fiction, which wasn't on the list. That was awesome.

[@StudioBinder]

Yeah, that one should have been on there.

[@TeddyRumble]

I noticed this in film and television as a young man. In the original Mission impossible, it was always the third person that the leader chose.

[@vdeovisuals]

The longest and most entertaining infomercial ever! 😂

[@merovideodiary2163]

Due to my physical condition i cant able to study filmmaking course which was my dream but through online you guys made my dream come true.thank u guys 🙏

[@StudioBinder]

You're very welcome! We're honored to be able to help people like you learn and appreciate film as much as we do.

[@ajmittendorf]

I love how, while you are giving examples of the uses of threes in fables at the 8:44 mark, you then follow by naming three classic fables: "The Three Little Pigs," "Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." Funny.

[@jessebbedwell]

I love hidden threes. Elements of a character which do not take place one after another and are not repetitions of the same information, but which contain connected information which is scattered throughout a story.

[@StudioBinder]

There are so many ways to use this rule!

[@henryjraymondiii961]

I can't resist this: I have NOT watched this yet. BUT-- I am going to go out on a limb, and say that it is like this: in the first instance you have a posit, like things are like (25). In the second instance, you have a modifier that restates that things are indeed like "twenty five". Then after some friction introduced, we discover that there is only one quarter of a dollar, and it is hidden under a rock, somewhere impossible.🤔

[@BlindeEzel]

Glad I discovered your wonderful channel. Just one word about the 3 musketeers : there were really 4 of them 😉after a while. I guess Alexandre Dumas did not want to give away one of his story lines in the title.

[@Paul_Wetor]

Three definitely indicates a pattern, but I tend to believe in two. Once is "That was weird" but twice is "It happened again, something's wrong".

[@RYXPfan]

One of my favorite examples of the rule of three are the three ta'veren in the wheel of time: Rand, Perrin, and Mat

[@YesterdaysMoose]

Over the past few years, I've noticed the abundance of occasions characters agree to perform a united task on the count of 3, either by counting up (1-2-3), or counting down (3-2-1). It happens so often that it has become a cliche.

[@martinjohnson4405]

That's been around forever. I remember it when I was young, nearly ¾ of a century ago. It is also cross-cultural, my students in China always counted yī, èr, sān (one, two, three) before taking a picture.

[@nOogESsIgHT]

I've Been saying something like that for years about 3 and writing, i started writing poetry /rap about 7_8 years ago as therapy.. also I'm uneducated and dyslexic kind of figured the 3s thing out myself.. 👍🇦🇺

[@GreenIslandWoodworks]

You omitted the best rule of Three. Three....some!

[@pranavdiablo]

If he get shot in the face by a police officer, if he hangs himself in prison cell, or if he gets struck by a bolt of lightning, then I’m going to blame some of the people in this room and that I do not forget. Best 3 line dialogue in my opinion.

[@StudioBinder]

That's a great line. It sounds familiar, what's it from?

[@DreamDetective]

Knives out

[@pranavdiablo]

@@DreamDetective no its from American pie

[@Voodoomaria]

Picked out rule of three when studying animation and classic cartoons. I noticed though a very discrete variation in application of the three-rule. Running gags or jokes ran either two set-ups then the pay-off or THREE set ups then the pay-off. The actual number depended upon the pay-off of the joke. In the first one, two set-ups, and pay-off, the point was to create humour by subverting the pattern BEFORE it was established. That was the joke. All three parts made the joke. In the second instance, the three set-ups then the pay-off, the humour was ENTIRELY dependent upon the punch line. NO subversion of the pattern. The set-ups were nothing more than establishing background for the pay-off. The Punchline IS the whole joke. It's a subtle difference, but application could make or break a joke. I HAVE seen cartoons that do ONE set-up then the pay-off, but these jokes don't always land as well, it feels more like they were done that way due to time or budgetary constraints. Too abrupt.

[@sanzuqui]

OMG i have been teaching this always, even with juggling balls at the class! I have been waiting for this video!

[@sanzuqui]

I believe that we have 2 sides of the brain, two ears, two eyes, 2 hands, our brain is always classifying and labelling, once something gets defined it dies. Adding a third element to the mix, just tricks with our mind that find it harder to label it quickly. That's why juggling balls is a good example for me, 2 is boring just adding 1 more and it is magic.

[@StudioBinder]

Thanks for watching and keep on juggling!

[@mrshadow2514]

I`m a poet and turns out I`ve been using rule of 3 without even knowing its existence :)

[@StudioBinder]

We discovered the same thing making this one.

[@focuspulling]

The return of the old-timey boomer radio broadcaster narration...

[@StudioBinder]

He's great, isn't he?

[@focuspulling]

@@StudioBinder Nope.

[@stealthhumor]

Yup, Cabaret was a perfect three. People say Thomas Jefferson overdid it with the Declaration of Independence, but he was perfect.

[@martinholden2281]

Thanks for another great essay, Studio Binder. Smart, Insightful, Creative; it ticked all the boxes.

[@StudioBinder]

Glad you enjoyed it! This was a fun one.

[@michaelcain9324]

My favorite threes: The Scoobies from Buffy the Vampire Slayer-Buffy, Willow and Xander; His Dark Materials-The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass; the three parts of the movie Moonlight-Little, Chiron and Black. See, I did it in threes? 😊

[@mydogonslow]

“I'm willing to tell you. I'm wanting to tell you. I'm waiting to tell you.” Mr. Doolittle.

[@andrewlowden322]

doing comedy in college in the 90s we wrote sketches and one of the most successful types was the "rule of 3". Ro3 sketches tended to start with a short setup sketch, usually 20-45 seconds long with its own decently fun tagline to get the audience laughing as the lights went out. Maybe 3 sketches later comes the 2nd. This is always very similar to the 1st scene but with a small change. IE 1st scene, character is huge dude going full up-to-11 on how much he loves vacuuming the house while mining vacuuming. "HOW I LOOOOOOVE VACUUMING MY CARPET!!" for 15 seconds or so then doorbell, who is it? with same character "WHY IS ALWAYS WHEN IM VACUUMING MY CAPERT SOMEONE HAS TO RING MY DOORBELL! GO AWAY" but the 2nd is how much he loves CAULKING MY SHOWER!! GD HOW MUCH I LOVE CAULKING MY SHOWER!!" followed by doorbell and similar reaction then the 3rd comes in and turns it on its head. 2nd to last sketch of the day, cut to same huge dude with woman bent over table and him screaming "HOW I LOVE %^&$ING MY GIRLFRIEND!!!" . Both animated (in silly way not in provocative way) and obviously this is a very intimate engagement much more so than doing chores, however this time when the doorbell rings its Domino's Pizza to which he immediately throws her to the floor (again high energy) and runs off stage "ABOUT FRIGGIN TIME!!!" This subverts what we have seen as his response and as its much more intimate the stakes are higher and elicits a huge response update from mid 90s to 2024 yes a % will decide to see spousal abuse or something but in the context of comedy and seeing the other sketches around it etc etc it works and makes an impression (so much so that its easy to remember this rule of 3 more than the dozens we did over the years)

[@nauticfilms]

01:25 TWO can be a coincidence, at other times it can be a hard, binary, life vs death choice. Dilemma, tragic decision. THREE offers a way out, and keeps the story open. Choose wisely when to use what. Tragic choices are binary. It is "To be, or not to be?" not ""To be, or not to be, or perhaps should we explore the storyverse a bit more?"

[@kemonopriestess]

This is an interesting topic... gosh..

[@StudioBinder]

We certainly thought so! It's just as much fun to learn about these topics as they are to share them.

[@jonathangriffin8060]

I just found another aspect of the Rule of Three...A majority of screenplays sometimes use the "three-act structure". Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not. Or absolutely. 😂

[@AniBAretz]

Songs often have three verses and a chorus that is repeated in between them, to separate the verses.

[@mariocardenas3260]

Three main clefs in music (Treble, Alto and Bass)😊

[@ajmittendorf]

1:15. This video suggests that "The Holy Trinity" is created by people as part of the rule of three. I propose that the Trinity is the cause of the rule of three: A single god whom no person could have ever imagined, expressed in three persons, each co-equally eternally God but distinct from each other. The Trinity is not an example of the rule of three but the originator of the rule of three.

[@kimlip_tree2009]

14:55 "WHAT is your name?" "WHAT is your quest?" "WHAT is your favorite color?"/"WHAT is the airspeed velocity of a swallow?"

[@StudioBinder]

Gets 'em every time!

[@SICRoosterKido]

I can't express how much I love your videos.

[@StudioBinder]

Wow, thank you!

[@CaptainQueue]

Three movies IMHO that have clear if not perfect three acts are Shane, Ben Hur, and Alien. There are many others of course such as High Noon, Gladiator and The Princess Bride but those first three stand out for me.

[@Pcoxproductions]

12:29 conflict lives in 3

[@jefftaylor1186]

Even buddy movies use the rule of threes because most of the storytelling/comedy happens when the 2 main characters are interacting with a third individual.

[@venalleader2909]

While it's true that it's all about showing structure without overtelling, we are trained to see patterns, and therefore threes, where they were not necessarily placed intentionally. LOTR was a trilogy forced by the publisher because of its size, not because of its structure. Yes there are lots of movies with three protagonists, but there are lots of them with two (buddy movies) or one -- or even seven (LOTR).