My apologies if I get any of this wrong, I'm not a writer... or really very good at anything involving writing.
- What do you think is the purpose of the three act structure?
I see it as a guideline for pacing and an overall solid story structure.
- Why do you think this structure is the most popular amongst storytellers across the world?
It's really to work with, the instructions are very clear and the layout is overall simple. At least, that's why I would think it's so popular.
- What issues do you think sticking rigidly to a three act structure could cause?
I imagine, just like with putting too much focus on anything, it could be detrimental to your story. Not every story works with this kind of structure, forcing in this kind of structure for all of them make affect pacing, how the story is told and how the characters act. It's better to put the focus on the story first, brainstorming whether it would call for a three act structure or structure of a different kind.
- What works can you think of that use a simple three act structure?
Lol most stories, at least the movies I've seen. I guess one example would be Jurassic Park, we get act 1 where all the characters and the park are introduced, the midpoint where the dinosaurs escape, the climax is that iconic moment where the raptors are about to kill everyone, the T-Rex bursts into the lobby and eats the raptors. Which allows everyone to escape, leading to the resolution showing the MCs flying home.
- What works can you think of that break the rules of the three act structure?
This one is a little tougher to answer since I'm admittedly not the most well versed in writing, also opinions on this are more subjective. Like, there are people who see Forrest Gump as a movie that breaks the three act structure due to it's style of narrative with how the flashbacks and present day stuff is laid out, while other's see it fitting right in with the said structure.
I guess for me personally, one movie I can name off the top of my head that I feel doesn't fit the three act structure is Swiss Army Man. If not for the introduction style, or the fact that it feels like it has more peaks and valleys, but it kinda has two climaxes. The first one where Hank escape a bear attack thanks to corpse-man Daniel Radcliffe learning to walk, and they scare it away with a fire explosion. The second, smaller one, is when the cops are about the arrest Hank for stealing corpse-man Daniel Radcliffe and taking him to the shoreline. But before they could take Hank he farts, causing corpse-man Daniel Radcliffe to "come back to life" and jet fart his way back into the ocean, making everyone except Hank question what just happened.
I may be misreading the structure of Swiss Army Man, but it is a very unique film regardless.
As for the writing exercise, I don't really feel like breaking out my MS Paint or Photoshop since it's my bedtime, but I will say I don't think it quiiite fits into the three act structure. The pacing is very slow and doesn't progress like a normal story, there are about two major realization moments and one major event, also the story gets more sad or upsetting until it reaches the second realization moment after the major event. So it's like: Act 1 - Act 2 - Act 3 - Act 2 - Act 3 - Act 3? Although this may be my lack up understanding talking, and my comic could very well have a normal three act structure.
