Deep Sea

The Status Quo at 2 minutes (2% through the runtime) establishes Shenxiu, a young girl, sits alone and withdrawn in her blended family home, feeling invisible and unloved as her father focuses on his new wife and baby. Her inner world is grey and lifeless, reflecting her depression.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.

The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Shenxiu falls overboard during a storm, plunging into the dark ocean depths. This near-death experience becomes the catalyst that transports her into a fantastical underwater world - a manifestation of her subconscious.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.

The First Threshold at 27 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Shenxiu makes the active choice to join Nanhe and the crew of the Deep Sea Restaurant in their adventures, embracing this fantasy world as an escape from her painful reality. She commits to seeking the "Deep Sea Spirit" her mother told her about., moving from reaction to action.

At 55 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat False victory: Shenxiu and Nanhe appear to find clues about the Deep Sea Spirit and her mother. Shenxiu feels closer to understanding her mother's disappearance. But the stakes raise - the fantasy world begins showing cracks, hinting at the painful truth she's avoiding., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.

The Collapse moment at 83 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The devastating truth emerges: the Deep Sea Spirit doesn't exist - it was a comforting lie Shenxiu's mother told her. The fantasy world collapses as Shenxiu confronts the reality that her mother deliberately drowned herself, abandoning Shenxiu. The "whiff of death" - both her mother's suicide and the death of Shenxiu's denial., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.

The Second Threshold at 89 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Breakthrough: Shenxiu realizes that while she cannot change what her mother did, she can choose to live. Nanhe (representing the part of herself that wants to survive) helps her understand that accepting pain doesn't mean being consumed by it. She chooses to return to reality and face her life., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.