15 Story Beats That Can Help Anyone Write A Screenplay - Zach Zerries

Zach Zerries is a screenwriter and author. His latest screenplay TAKE BACK has been filmed during 2020 and is set for a 2021 release. The movie stars Mickey Rourke, Michael Jai White, Gillian White and many more.
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[@joaquinhernandez6940]

If it wasn't for Blake Snyder's "Save The Cat!" beat sheet, I never would have completed my mostt recent draft if my first screenplay.

[@filmcourage]

Congrats Joaquin!

[@anyleuniter14]

That awesome man, keep it up, and remember that you can improve 😉

[@GumshoeGamer]

Same, 100%

[@RosieDeerMountain]

Me too! :)

[@izzy4el]

How's that coming along since?

[@engelsmola1580]

The way he expresses how the industry has changed is heartbreaking. A harsh truth. This generation has put aside good filmmaking for non-sense. Nowadays It's refreshing to see indies and big companies producing movies with good writing, new ideas. Hats off to those enterprises that give the chance to directors/producers to create true cinema, in an era where explosions, special effects, action, empty stories, shallow characters, have taken over.

[@Rimas.Kirslys]

There's this idea, that innovators/creatives wander beyond the "city walls" (civilization) in search of something valuable and yet to be integrated into the civilization. Some innovators/creatives don't succeed, others strike gold. It's a gamble. When somebody strikes gold, the civilization is quick to wrap it into the civilization, which then becomes "safe territory". People who prefer safety over risk are usually less creative, innovative, thought-provoking, etc. Cinema nowadays is so "safe" you could almost call it commercial. Naturally, that attracts the less creative bunch, who are willing to create without venturing beyond the city walls. Staying with what is safe, AKA reboots, prequels, sequels. The innovators, who discover something get bored with their creation, untie themselves from it and start a new journey into the unknown, undiscovered. So, while it is sad what we're going through - it's also as natural as gravity. No way around it. Best we can do is dare to take risks in hope to enrich our own culture with something either new or forgotten, yet valuable.

[@filmcourage]

Have you used the 'Save The Cat' story structure for one of your screenplays?

[@gaellefrancois1979]

Yes, absolutely. It is like a Bible to me. I hope now that my screenplay is good enough. It's time for me to find someone interested.

[@Azaz011]

Ma'am plz make one detailed video on screenwriter bible.

[@mohamedhadj8000]

I think writers shouldn't be stuck in a method or a formula. You have rules and techniques to use and more important is the structure. Then you have a lot to learn from many authors like Syd Field, Robert Mckee, John Truby, Eric Edson,... The most important thing that all authors forgot is "Imagination" don't be afraid to test and creat new ways, new ideas, don't stick on a certain way if it doesn't work jump and test another one until you get the Masterpiece you're looking for. Write, write and rewrite perseverance is the key to success.

[@DenkyManner]

Learn the common structures then decide if you want to use them or not.

[@fatimagray4604]

He explained it very well

[@Ramin_baharabi]

Very helpful, thanks 🙏

[@rocnathan]

Save the Cat is everything that's wrong with Hollywood today. Ironically, Robert McKee already anticipates and laments this development in Story, which is not only the far superior work, but also far more essential to becoming a well-rounded writer.

[@JasmineJ-SuDirector]

Right on time. Love that book!! Screenwriter Bible

[@LunaLovesDeath]

Wait... what happened to naming the 15 beats?? He talked about 2 barely.

[@NUCLEARDASH]

It is in his book, this is only a tease i believe

[@AlexeyShort]

Do you have information about modern movie making methods? They are not in line with traditional way and somewhat different. Can you cover this please or show some direction where i can do it on my own?

[@barrywilliams5084]

I need help with this. I follow the beats but I do I keep it interesting between the beats

[@thumper8684]

I am not looking at a floor covered with beer bottles. What I see is a beutiful garden of glass. Does anybody know what happened to the cat?

[@MiguelCruz-oz7km]

The short answer to the question can anyone sell a script is no. If by anyone that means everyone the obvious road block is that there are only so many slots in any one prodco or studio's schedule. They can't finance an infinite number of projects. And if there are 80,000 scripts being written every year then a lot of them just won't make it.

[@larkmacallan4257]

Look. Too many beats can really confuse and intimidate an amateur writer. The first ten pages you should get to know the characters. Around page ten there should be an inciting incident, then the character should return to their life and debate it, until they decide to enter the conflict at around page 25-30. Around 60 there is a narrative break where they meet an outside character. That's pretty much all i focus on. Too much is too much, and your brain creates a lot of these beats on their own. Sitting there with 15 different beats to hi can just turn your brain into soup.

[@DenkyManner]

15 isn't many and they line up reasonably well with hundreds of successful Hollywood movies. They key isn't to sit there with the beat sheet and stick rigidly to it. Watch lord of movies, study the structure of each one. Reference the 15 beats, and other guides when doing so. Come to your own conclusions about when and where things should happen. Many of the biggest blocks busters incorporate a lot, but not all, of the beats The timings aren't set in stone. Some movies are combinations of different styles with beats swapped around. You need to become so familiar with all of it, it's intuitive

[@larkmacallan4257]

@@DenkyManner 15 is too many. You also need to let your characters kind of go and let things play out and react in real time. A writer should also have a kind of rebel spirit and too much focus on hitting all these beats can be too confining. I get both sides of this, I really do, I'm telling you what I do personally. I'd never sit there and focus on 15 beats, that's just silly. It's important to also remember that a lifetime of watching film and television will give you a sort of internal clock, and you'll hit a bunch of these without even being conscious of it. You can clip and trim later, but focusing on all these on the first draft can be limiting. It's too much, it's too much clutter. I don't think this helps amateur writers, I think it limits them. "Oh no, it's page X and i haven't hit beat 11." Don't worry about it. Keep going. Re-evaluate later, let it breathe, let it live.

[@MaxV11]

It helps, but the risk is to have always the same film, as it is actually happening... More and more it looks to me it's always the same scheme and it become so predictable that I find myself bored 90% of the time...

[@thereccher8746]

Tools, not rules.

[@hylianbatman3153]

This book is the single reason movies have gone to shit

[@idonthavealoginname]

Save the cat was rubbish, basically he just says make shit up and make your story formulaic .

[@akhilraj7885]

Then what you recommend for screenwriters

[@CompoundProjects]

@@akhilraj7885 Start writing, then read it, then rewrite it. To make a character likable you do not need them to save a cat.

[@idonthavealoginname]

@@akhilraj7885 I'm writing a historical drama that I don't need to just make stuff up like he says in the book.The story and its true characters are strong enough in itself and I believe in it.

[@Pratik.1616]

I don't know why but I am getting the feeling that he is not being honest and trying to hide things.