Step 4 - Structure

You got your story but you are not ready yet. And it is still some days until Scriptfrenzy starts, and this is a good thing because there is a long way to go.
Today we are filling out the Blake Snyder Beat sheet. I can be found on Blake Snyders homepage but I give you the 15 beats right here.
1. Opening Image (1):
2. Theme Stated (5):
3. Set-up (1-10):
4. Catalyst (12):
5. Debate (12-25):
6. Break into 2 (25)
7. B Story (30):
8. Fun and Games (30-55):
9. Midpoint (55):
10. Bad Guys Close In (55-75):
11. All Is Lost (75):
12. Dark Night of the Soul (75-85):
13. Break into 3 (85):
14. Finale (85-110):
15. Final Image (110):
The numbers after the beat is the page in the script where this part is to go. This is Blake Snyder’s method so if you disagree, take it up with him.
All of these beats have to be filled in with scenes and story, but today I will only talk about a few of them.

1. The opening images - This has to be the opposite of the final image. Let’s say our hero is in a chaotic mess at the start he has to be at peaceful serenity at the end. This do not mean that it is only emotions that can be opposite, anything goes. The hero is alone in the opening, and surrounded by friend in the end.

2. Theme stated - What are you trying to say? What is your movie about? Cool sets, great characters? No. You got to find the moral of the story and that is what you put on page 5. Don't have to be big, a sentences or an imaged is enough. But it has to be said.

4. Catalyst - This is what puts the story into motion. Something happens that will change everything forever. The hero loses his bus, gets bad news, or great news, or meets someone. Something to make him take action

6. Break into 2 - This is the act break. The first act you set up everything. Theme, the need to action and the debate on he/her will make it or not. Here the hero leaves what he is used to (old world) and goes off on his adventure.

8. Fun and games - The most fun part of the movie. You get to go and do something else now. This is where the hero finds his skills that he need to solve the problem. And it involved a new story.

11. All Is Lost - It always seem darker be for dawn right? At this moment it has to appear that all is lost. It also has to be the opposite of the midpoint. It the midpoint is a something great (but it is a false greatness) then the All is lots has to be something miserable. But that too is false.

13. Break in to 3 - The solution! Here the problem from the set up, and what the hero learned in the second act all comes together. Because of the fun and games he/she have figured out how to beat the bad guy.

This is of course a really short summery of the structure, and I did not mention all the beats because I got trouble explaining them. I have been filling out my beat sheet today, and I am in trouble. Some parts are great, some are empty. Some are so filled up that I have no idea how to shorten them. But we will get into this some more next time when we look at "The board"