From structure to content to representation to industry trends, this is the place to discuss, share content and offer tips and advice on the craft and business of screenwriting
If you’re working on a feature, or plan to, today’s webinar hosted by Jesse Wolfe offers insight and advice on how to keep a consistent vision throughout the entire process. Great tricks of the trade that can help at every turn. Here’s a link if you want to check it out: https://www.stage32.com/webi...
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I've been adhering to Blake Snyder's 'Save the Cat' beat sheet, and I always seem to get stuck when it comes to the "Fun and Games" section. Does anyone else follow his system and if so, what are some effective ways to get through this? You would think this part of the movie would be the easiest part to do...
First, word of caution: not every script must be a “save the cat” copy. That said, fun and games are the promise of your movie. You shouldn’t need to get through it. They’re supposed to be fun, in the...
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the fun and games section can be where the main characters do something fun for themselves from ball room dancing to a montage of them painting with another character. you might like to make a list of...
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Check out John Truby's 22 Building Blocks. Or you could switch from Blake Snyder to the 8-Sequence System in scriptoutliner dot com
Fred. Are you aware you are replying to posts that are several years old?
All gurus that present a formula should be taken as a gentle guide but not a gospel. If you get stuck, referring to the beat sheet can help but as long as you focus on telling a good story, missing a beat or adding a beat isn't going to limit the potential.
In this in-depth 4-session class, Sam will teach you how to develop, pitch, and sell limited series to a streamer or network by first learning how to identify source material, packaging talent into your project, and identifying the buyers. He’ll review the pilot script for GENIUS: EINSTEIN to highli...
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Look forward to this class with Sam, as he walks us through the process of developing and selling a limited series.
Hi Everyone, nice to meet you (virtually).
Hi everyone - happy Monday! It's been great being in class with you all these last two Sundays and I am super excited for the next two sessions. Please let me know if there are any questions I can answer for you or if there's any information I can share. Thanks!!
So, I got Save the Cat as a Christmas present and have been reading it, reviewing all I've written. While I find some of my screenplays and some of my loglines desperately crying out for massive revision, I'm actually surprised by how many of the story elements of the beat sheet I have managed to do...
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I usually visualize my whole script before writing anything. Once it's all in my head then I use a beat sheet to outline the main points and then add details if necessary
You've probably heard of or are using the Save the Cat beat sheet. But just how useful is it to help structure your script?
Is it the go-to template that anyone can plug their story in to and get amazing results? Or is it a screenwriting-by-numbers method that’s not much help?
And just what are screen...
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There's no such thing as "which structure method is better?" as it depends on what works for you. Study them but then work out a method that works for you.
The real question is, given the new Netflix model, what is a beat sheet anyway? Blake Snyder just fit the classic / archetypal hero's journey into what was working for Hollywood's necessary 110 minute...
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Whichever works best for the story you are telling. Structure is a tool, and you don't use the same tool for everything.
Most of my stories worked best with that basic Aristotle 3 Act structure that is most common.
I've used STC Beat Sheet before but only as a guide and found it somewhat helpful.
If all movies would be made according to the STC beat sheet , I, as a viewer, would blow my brains out. We need diversity in film structure, and such diversity is part of the art of film/storytelling....
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Hey screenwriters and filmmakers! You all heard of Blake Snyder, right? If you don't, he was a very famous screenwriter consultant. Here is a video I made explaining his 'Beat Sheet'. From an exploding catalyst to a spiritual B/Love Story, I list and explain all the points in Blake's 'Beat Sheet' us...
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Shiona, that's super!
I'm new here and just wondering if there are any other Save the Cat followers here. I have read Save the Cat, Save the Cat Strikes Back, and Save the Cat goes to the Movies. I love the structure ideas that Blake presents with the Beat Sheet and his expansion upon that Beat Sheet. It has helped me im...
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Lol@ Dan.
I read the first two Save The Cat books. They were extremely helpful, especially as a companion to Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey."
I absolutely loved this book. In fact, I was going to announce that Amazon.com just published my review. Link is http://www.amazon.com/review/R2G1PFH3MH641N....
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I also enjoyed it. Review is here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1EPZ601VDLNF7/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&AS... I think it's important to remember, though, that there needs to be a compelling story to...
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Blake Snyder has absolutely helped me. I also love Frank Daniel's 8-Sequence System. He taught it at USC and AFI. His and Blake's guides are the most popular structures at www.scriptoutliner.com
Finally, I found this overall comparative assessment of the different theories regarding the screenplay paradigm (beat sheet). This pdf compares Syd Fields, Michael Hauge, Robert McKee, Linda Seeger, John Truby and Christoper Vogler. http://dramatica.com/resources/assets/Dramatica_paradigms-0707.pdf...
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I also just skimmed it. I've never cared for Dramatica. I just wanted to see the graphs of paradigms from Syd Field, Michael Hauge, Linda Seeger etc. And this is what I did. Wrote down a template that...
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That's a nice summary of some story structures in the "compare and contrast" marketing piece by one of the developers of Dramatica. Nobody from The Write Brothers is trying to be disingenuous in the i...
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Duly noted. They're not my words.
A.S. Nobody on this planet can attribute their success to any one thing.
That is a thorough doc! Linda Seeger's system reminds me of the suggested series arc for a Netflix TV pitch. I may add it to scriptoutliner.com
Hello screenwriters, do you write a beat sheet then a treatment and then FADE IN, or do you jump from the BEAT SHEET to FADE IN? please tell me about your methods.
Sometimes I just write when I have an idea in my head. But I'm a rebel.
I have never done a beat sheet. Never even enters my mind. I write notes, outline, think, ruminate, notes, treatment, script. Revise. I tend to write stories with lot of action and stuff going on so i don't think i need to worry about where the beats go.
I use John Truby's methodology. I fine it is a natural way to flesh out a concept and populate it with characters, conflict, story world and narrative. Then it's log-line, and beat-sheet then writing the script. it made my process faster and better. The man's a genius I tells ya!
I think that if you have a beat sheet first, then you do an outline and write the scenes necessary to hit each beat stated, then you can jump to FADE IN, or why do a treatment?
A treatment is usually for a buyer / potential producing partner to read. It's like marketing material. If you query the buyer/producer/agent with a logline and they ask to hear more you can send them...
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We're looking at buying a low budget feature script, we need a script that could be done with a shoestring budget. Drama, Thriller, simple SciFi (no horror). 80 pages minimum. Budget for the film 50k. Short sample on: dorsinai.com. PM me. Thanks.
I've got one if you're still interested! Small, character focused and ready to shoot. Let me know!
Hi Dor, when do you need it?
Hello I have added you. I have pitches from writers. Thank you!
Great blog by Lewis Ritter. If you're developing, writing, or rewriting a script, this blog will really help you out.
https://www.stage32.com/blog/why-cant-you-be-perfect-the-dilemma-of-maki......
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Hey, guys.
My latest script is designed to have multiple endings depending on the main character's ultimate choice made at the story's climax (I got the idea from playing the "Deus Ex" games, which I highly recommend, even the unfairly-shafted "Invisible War"). The only problem is... how do I integra...
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Sounds too complicated to push on a spec...many other (simpler) ways to be original...check out this new "Day Shift" flick filmed of spec script...guy did an overdone vampire hunter theme and squeezed something fresh outta it.
One thing to consider...who is your main target for the script? If it is a seed investor, you can frame your Logline and eventual pitch with an angle at this unique point of intrigue. At this point, y...
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Having multiple endings in a script could look to the reader as if you don't have confidence in pursuing one or the other so you're making them chose. It works for videogames because the player is tra...
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It's a very cool concept to have multiple endings and very daring! You have my respect! I would suggest doing it as follows-- Before presenting each ending have a focal point that each ending will tak...
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Excellent Michael!
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