opening image the first impression of what a movie is— its tone, its mood, the type and scope of...
Post on 21-Jan-2016
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Beat SheetFrom Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat!
Opening Image The first
impression of what a movie is—its tone, its mood, the type and scope of the film
Marlin’s family destroyed, leaving only Nemo. Marlin couldn’t protect his family
Theme Stated Somewhere in the first
five minutes
Someone (usually not the main character) will pose a question or make a statement (usually to the main character) that is the theme of the movie.
It’s not obvious; it will be conversational
Marlin: “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Marlin: “You think you can do these things, but you can’t.”
Set-Up First 10 pages of the script
Make-or-break section where you have to grab the reader or risk losing his/her interest
Plant character behavior and show how and why the hero will need to change in order to win
Where you set up the film’s thesis—it’s where we see the world before the adventure starts
Marlin is overprotective
Nemo is pushing for more freedom
Catalyst In the set-up you, the
screenwriter, have told us what the world is like and now in the catalyst moment you knock it all down. Boom!
The first moment when something happens.
Nemo is taken by divers.
Debate Section between
pages 12 and 25 when the hero considers what he/she must do
Asks a question—can he/she do it?
Ends with decisive action that leads into act II
Where does Marlin look for Nemo?
How can he find Nemo?
Break Into Two Page 25
Definite, decisive break from thesis (life as it was) to what is to come
Move from thesis to antithesis
Hero must make the decision to move into act II
Marlin finds the address to Australia
They have a goal—a destination.
B Story B story begins on
page 30
In most screenplays it is “the love story”
The story that carries the film’s theme
B story gives us a breather
Often introduces new characters
Nemo and the fish in the fishtank
Fun and Games Pages 30-55
The promise of the premise
The core and essence of the movie’s poster
Why did I come to see this movie?
We take a break from the stakes of the story and see what the idea is about
Marlin and Dory’s adventures on the road
Nemo joining the tank tribe
Midpoint Page 55
Either an “up” where the hero seemingly peaks (though it is a false peak) or a “down” when the world collapses all around the hero (though it is a false collapse)
The stakes are raised at the midpoint
The midpoint has a matching beat on page 75 called All is Lost—these two points are a set because they are the inverse of each other. The rule is: It’s never as good as it seems to be at the midpoint and it’s never as bad as it seems at the All is Lost point.
Marlin’s with the Turtles. They’ve found the current and all is well.
Nemo stops the filter. He’s going to escape with the other fish.
Bad Guys Close In From pages 55-75—the
midpoint to the All is Lost, is the toughest part of the screenplay
All seems fine, but even though the bad guys are temporarily defeated, we’re not done yet
It’s the point where internal dissent, doubt, and jealousy begin to disintegrate the hero’s team
The forces aligned against the hero, internal and external, tighten their grip
Marlin swallowed by the whale
Tank is cleaned and the little girl comes to get Nemo
All is Lost Occurs on page 75
Opposite of the midpoint in terms of an “up” or “down”
It’s also the point of the script most often labeled false defeat, for even though all looks black, it’s just temporary. But it seems like a total defeat. All aspects of the hero’s life are in shambles. Wreckage abounds. No hope.
Whiff of death
Marlin thinks Nemo is dead
Dark Night of the Soul Pages 75-85
The point of darkness right before dawn
It is the point just before the hero reaches way, deep down and pulls out the last, best idea that will save himself and everyone around him
We must be beaten and know it to get the lesson
Marlin leaves Dory
Nemo’s about to go in the garbage can…
Break into Three Page 85
The answer is found
Both in the external story (the A story) and the internal story (the B story), which now meet and intertwine, the hero has prevailed, passed every test, and dug deep to find the solution. Now all he has to do is apply it.
World of synthesis is at hand
Nemo finds Marlin—with Dory’s help
Finale Pages 85-110
Wrap it up—where lessons learned are applied
A story and B story end in triumph for our hero
It’s the turning over of the old world and a creation of a new world order—all thanks to the hero, who leads the way based on what he experienced in the upside-down, antithetical world of Act Two.
The chief source of the problem must be dispatched completely.
Dory stuck in the net
Nemo can save her
Marlin has to decide whether to let Nemo go—to trust him.
Marlin trusts Nemo, and Nemo saves the day.
Final Image Final image in a movie is
the opposite of the opening image
It’s proof that change has occurred and that it’s real
Marlin finds Nemo
Marlin sends Nemo off to explore
Father/Son relationship mended
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