Beat Sheet ?

[Randall_Oelerich]

How do you all define a "beat" for the purpose of a beat sheet? And how many beats do you all write out for Act I, II, III when structuring a beat sheet. And what is the typical size of each beat (#words or lines)? I think 10,20,10 is supposed to be standard for the number of beats for Acts I, II, and III because that is about what most viewers can handle at most.

I have a story outlined, 10 pages (setup, inciting event, etc) but now I want to structure that into a beat sheet. Looking for feedback on what you all do for your beat sheets to help me think of doing mine. My first screenplay I wrote out as a narrative short story and then fleshed that out into screenplay (this was the method my mentor/consultant had me do); but for my second screenplay I want to go a more structured route from the start with a clear hero's journey (I have that), beat sheet, then a narrative short story present tense, then the screenplay.

 

[EJ Pennypacker]

I always consider beats to mean two things.

1) a beat can be a moment in a scene, like someone jumps in a car (one beat) then they drive away but gets chased (beat two)... etc.

2) another way beat can be taken is in the overal scene, like the above would be described as CAR CHASE (which you can sum as one beat).

They say normally there's around 50 to 60 'scenes/beats' in a whole movie, although lenght can vary of course.

Below is a post I made over at another site regarding beats. It's a mix of various authors.

BEAT SHEET


Title:
Logline:
Theme:
Internal & External Issue (MDQ):


Opening Image (page1)


• State opening with important imagery. Establish TIME, LOCATION, MOOD/TONE.


Theme Stated (pg5)


• Pose THEME question.


Set-Up (pgs 1-10)


• Show the hero in his/her ordinary world.
• What is the story about (foundation of premise).
• Whose story is it (establish HERO)?
• What is their internal ISSUE? (mental problem/ wound/ scar)
• What do they want (GOAL)?
• What’s stopping them from getting it?
• Make them likeable/relatable.
• Make the audience care about them (SAVE THE CAT method).


Catalyst (pg12)


• Inciting Incident. Call to Adventure. Event presented to them to start the story.


Debate about Goal (pgs 12-25)


• Discussion of GOAL.
• Refusal of CATALYST.
• Mentor ENCOURAGES.
• Establish the stakes here too. (What happens if the hero doesn't reach their goal?)
• Establish NEMISIS.
• The MDQ is posed. The point at which we "see" what will happen in the rest of the movie, and we know the movie will be over when the MDQ is answered.


Break into Two/ Final Commitment to Goal (pg25)


• They pledge to story GOAL and promise to topple MDQ. The mission is ON!


Fun and Games & Trailer Moments (pgs30-55)


• Plot B (sub-plot).
• TESTS (FUN and GAMES).
• ALLIES.
• ENEMIES appear.
• Give clue to ARC through MDQ.
• The POINT OF NO RETURN – THEY STOP REACTING - AND ACT/ "no going back"
• Change


Midpoint (pg55)


• Low point. False victory. MDQ in serious doubt. Story flipped/re-directed.


Bad Boys Close In (pgs55-75)


• HERO bands together and gets pumped with PLAN OF ATTACK for GOAL.
• Approach the Inner Cave.
• Bad Guys “Evil Plan” is put in motion.
• Complications/higher stakes.
• HERO makes some progress (REWARD).
• Plot B.
• HERO discovery of BETRAYL.
• HERO learns of “Evil Plan”.
• Chase/escape/setbacks --> act 2 climax.


All is Lost (pg75)


• Everything fails and blows up big-time in their face (due to EVIL PLAN or due to the hero's goal or plan being the wrong goal or plan). Tie in with PLOT B failure.


Dark Night of the Soul (pgs 75-85)


• HERO is at their lowest point. Suicide? Smell of fear...
• The hero is confronted with a choice here whether to stay in the special world or return to the ordinary world.
• The hero discovers a hidden truth about the nature of the obstacle to his goal/ re-frame for three.


Break into Three (pg 85)


• Dedication to resolving problem, and they have “Eureka” moment. (The hero finally realizes he/she's been going about things in the wrong way.)
• Rebirth / Hero sets out to answer the MDQ.


Finale Showdown (pgs85-110)


• Establish NEW PLAN OF ACTION.
• Prepare for NEW PLAN OF ACTION.
• Implement NEW PLAN OF ACTION.
• Plot B tie-in.
• Hero confronts an obstacle greater than ever imagined. Must overcome the internal need/flaw to succeed.
• HERO wins/ defeats NEMISIS.


Final Curtain (pg110)


• Hero's resurrection.
• Scene showing full character growth of HERO.

EJ

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

I too have read that number, 50-60 beats in a movie, but it seems to me that those beats must be sometimes scene sequences rather than just scenes or that would be a short movie. I think of a beat as a chunked scene or chunked scene sequence revealing something new about the story. So the beat might be one scene (dialog at a kitchen table) or a scene sequence (car chase through a city).