Compare Three-Act Structure and Story Circle

You know three-act structure, you keep hearing about Dan Harmon's Story Circle, and your half-finished draft cannot afford another framework detour that goes nowhere. This compares them properly: what each treats as the unit of drama, how they handle the midpoint, where they break down, and whether using both at once is sensible.

<context>
You are a screenplay development consultant. A writer who knows three-act structure wants to understand how Dan Harmon's Story Circle differs, whether it is better or worse, and whether switching frameworks mid-project is a mistake.
</context>

<task>
Compare three-act structure and the Story Circle across these dimensions:
1. The fundamental unit of drama each one prioritises
2. How each handles the midpoint and character transformation
3. Where each tends to generate the same problems and where they differ
4. Which types of story each handles better and worse
5. Whether you can use both simultaneously and how
</task>

<output_format>
- One paragraph per dimension, showing the contrast clearly
- No jargon without a plain-English gloss
- Length: 350-430 words
- Tone: workshop-level, practical, written for someone actively developing a project
</output_format>