The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet

(from SAVE THE CAT)

PROJECT TITLE

Book Title

LOGLINE

Keep it simple: 'poisonous snakes run rampant on an airplane' will suffice

WORD COUNT

(update the blue box and the rest will auto-calculate)

50,000

PAGE COUNT

200

# POINT DESCRIPTION PAGE WORD COUNT CHAPTER

1 Opening Image 1 2 1 500

2 Theme Stated 9 2,275

3 Set-up 1 18 1 4,550

4 Catalyst Life-changing event that knocks down house of cards. 22 5,460

5 Debate Point of no return; character makes a choice 22 46 5,460 11,375

6 Act II A strong, definite change of playing field. Do not ease into Act II. 46 11,375

7 B-Story 55 13,650

8 Fun & Games 55 100 ### 25,025

9 Midpoint 100 25,025

10 Bad Guys Close In 100 137 ### 34,125

11 All is Lost 137 34,125

12 Black moment Darkest point; MC has lost everything 137 155 ### 38,675

13 Act III A story and B story combine and reveal solution 155 38,675

14 Finale 155 198 ### 49,550

15 Final Image Opposite of opening image; show how much change has occurred 198 200 ### 50,000

Sets the tone, mood, type, and scope of the project. A "before" snapshot.

Secondary character poses question or statement to MC that is theme of the movie.

Introduce or hint at every character in A story; plant character tics to be addressed later on.

Often the "love" story; gives us a break from the tension of the A story; carries theme of movie; often uses new "funhouse" version of characters.

"The promise of the premise" / the heart of the movie / all about having fun

Threshold between 1st half and 2nd half; can be false peak or false collapse; stakes are raised; fun and games over

Bad guys regroup and send heavy artillery ; hero's team begins to unravel

Opposite of midpoint (peak/collapse); whiff of death - old way of thinking dies/give up moment/runaway moment; false defeat; no hope

Wrap-up; dispatch all bad guys in ascending order, working way up to the boss