Writing a Screenplay with the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet
As most of you already know, Blake Snyder provided the screenwriting community with one of the most influential, non-fiction books of all time.
Why so influential?
Not only did Blake Snyder make the, oh so famous, “Blake Snyder Beat Sheet,” he also dedicated the entire book to breaking down the outlining process for screenwriters. I don’t know about everyone else, but for me personally, this was one area that always seemed to be skimmed over with other books on screenwriting.
What’s the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet?
The beat sheet in general is a shorthand of your story – a step-by-step guide if you will. The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet is a collection of beats, broken down in each chapter, that you’re able to use to tell your story. Warning! This isn’t for the screenwriters out there interested in creating abstract art or rebelling against structure. Check it out below, or download the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet here.
THE BLAKE SNYDER BEAT SHEET
Project Title:
Genre:
Date:
1. Opening Image (1):
2. Theme Stated (5):
3. Set-up (1-10):
4. Catalyst (12):
5. Debate (12-25):
6. Break into Two (25):
7. B Story (30):
8. Fun and Games (30-55):
9. Midpoint (55):
10. Bad Guys Close In (55-85)
11. All is Lost (75):
12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-85):
13. Finale (85-110):
14. Finale Image (110):
You can see that Blake covers the major turning points you want to be sure to
include, the dimension introduced in the second act, and even general positioning to aim for as noted by the page numbers.
The outlining process can be one of the most important steps to a screenwriter (if you’re one to think out the story before you write it … which should be most if you’re planning on cutting out two to three drafts of re-writes), so for the screenwriters out there that fumbled with the details of outlining, I highly recommend Blake’s book – check it out over at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need
As an experiment, I’m taking on my latest screenplay using little more than my trusty pen and notebook, PowerBook, and Blake Synder’s Beat Sheet. Hopefully sticking as close as possible to the beat sheet, theryby putting it to the test. I’ll be relaying what’s working and what’s not from this experience to you here at ScriptXRay.
Have you used the beat sheet as a guideline for your screenplay? If so, what’d you think? What worked for you and your story?
If this interests you, check out The Reel Truth.
I used the beat-sheet method in writing a screenplay during National Scriptwriting Month a couple of years ago, and found it very useful in reminding me what a tight artistic form a screenplay is. If you add to the beat-sheet Snyder's limit of 40 file cards (roughly, scenes or events), and distribute your cards along the beat-sheet, you can very quickly see what you have to adjust to make your bright idea fill up (or cram down into) a comprehensible screenplay.
I used the beat sheet on both my first 2 screenplays and then attempted this one using a different method, got sooooo stuck so brought out the beat sheet and am TOTALLY back on track.
Will miss you Blake!
Cindy
I used the beat sheet. My drafts came out tight but dull. It seems more useful to know and let sit in the back of my subconscious. Both of his books are cool.
I have never used a beat sheet. And I discourage my students from getting too wedded/dependent upon outlines.
The reason is simple: it can limit creativity if you are writing TO an outline instead of FROM an outline.
Remember that your understanding of your story and your plot should change — be accessible to change — as you actually compose the screenplay. So, yes, outline, internalize the beat sheet, but don't let it limit your imagination or your explorations of character.
agreed. people forget that you can teach formula, but without talent and skill its essentially useless.
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@GuyGallo — well put.
As mentioned in the post, I was going to attempt to stick as close as possible to blake snyder’s beat sheet … but as I progressed I found it rather difficult — mainly due to the sparse nature of the beat sheet (14 points) as well as my nature of working (chaotic).
I’m writing a post to follow up with this experiment, detailing why it didn’t work for me.
It not working for you only means that you couldn’t work it. It’s not at the fault of the beat sheet. The truth is that most screenplays, if even by accident, work on the beat sheet. It isn’t a rule that Blake Snyder invented, it’s a pattern he observed. Truth be told, it’s a very hard formula to follow, but when you do, the result is almost always a play on what an audience instinctively wants to see on screen. You come up with a story on your own, your own imagination and creativity, sure, but when it comes down to writing a screenplay, which is a technical art form at it’s core (it’s a skeleton on which you rest a story) the beat sheet gives you a good road map on where you need to turn and where you need to climb.
Formula is there for a reason. If you were creative enough come up with the story, you’re creative enough to manipulate it. Or are you not?
@Phillip — not sure why you’re so offended by my follow up comment, but as stated, it just wasn’t working for me.
I never said it didn’t work and that other screenwriters should avoid it.
There is no right or wrong way to write a screenplay — and there’s certainly no truth to be told about screenwriting. The only thing we can do is explore the art and craft and experiment what works and what doesn’t — not necessarily everything that worked will continue to work today (just look at the talkies).
I pretty much disagree with you on all levels — a screenplay is not a technical art form, it’s a story that happens to be formatted pretty technically. The beat sheet isn’t hard to follow — there are 14 points to guide you while writing a 90 to 120 page piece of work.
Believe me, I know why people like the idea of formula — of beat sheets and structures and paradigms, but in my experience it’s been the studio executives that have sworn by these because it’s how they understand story and it’s how they can tell whether or not the material has a good shot at entertaining audiences. There are certain elements and patterns found throughout all stories that we can learn from, but it’s not a formula — If there was a formula to screenwriting, everyone would be writing exceptional work that sold to the studios.
And not all storytellers believe in manipulating their story. It sounds to me like you’re approaching screenwriting as if there’s a definite right and wrong way to go about it, which we all know there is not.
Have you completed a screenplay using the beat sheet method — if so, which I’m hoping you have due to your strong reaction to my opinion, how did it help you personally?
For everyone else out there, how do you feel about Blake Snyder’s beat sheet? Do you make use of beat sheets — if so, what do they look like in comparison to the one above? If not, why?
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