Save the Cat

1. Craft a compelling logline to hook your audience

A good logline must have, the single most important element, is: irony.

Irony catches attention. A logline is a one or two-sentence pitch that summarizes your movie's concept. It should include four key elements:

• Irony: An emotionally intriguing hook
• A compelling mental picture: Implying the entire movie
• Audience and cost: Indicating tone, target audience, and budget
• A killer title: One that "says what it is" cleverly

An effective logline allows you to quickly communicate your movie's essence to producers, executives, and potential viewers. It's your first opportunity to grab their interest and make them want to know more.

2. Understand and leverage movie genres to structure your story

Give me the same thing… only different!

Know your genre. Snyder identifies 10 movie genres that encompass most films:

1. Monster in the House
2. Golden Fleece
3. Out of the Bottle
4. Dude with a Problem
5. Rites of Passage
6. Buddy Love
7. Whydunit
8. The Fool Triumphant
9. Institutionalized
10. Superhero

Understanding your movie's genre helps you structure your story effectively and meet audience expectations while finding ways to innovate within the genre's framework. Study successful movies in your chosen genre to learn the rules and find opportunities to subvert them creatively.

3. Create a relatable hero with a primal goal

Primal, primal, primal!

Make it universally relatable. Your hero should:

• Offer the most conflict in the situation
• Have the longest emotional journey
• Be demographically pleasing
• Have a primal goal (survival, hunger, sex, protection of loved ones, fear of death)

Create a character that audiences can identify with and root for. Use adjectives in your logline to describe both the hero and the antagonist, highlighting their conflict. Ensure that the hero's goal is clear, compelling, and primal, resonating with basic human desires and fears.

4. Use the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet for effective screenplay structure

The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (The BS2) is here to help.

Master the 15 beats. The BS2 provides a structure for your screenplay, breaking it down into 15 key moments:

1. Opening Image
2. Theme Stated
3. Set-up
4. Catalyst
5. Debate
6. Break into Two
7. B Story
8. Fun and Games
9. Midpoint
10. Bad Guys Close In
11. All Is Lost
12. Dark Night of the Soul
13. Break into Three
14. Finale
15. Final Image

Each beat occurs at specific page numbers in your script, ensuring proper pacing and story development. Use this structure as a guide to craft a well-balanced, engaging narrative that hits all the necessary emotional and plot points.

5. Visualize your story using "The Board" technique

The Board is perhaps the most vital piece of equipment a screenwriter needs to have at his disposal — next to paper, pen, and laptop.

Plan before writing. The Board is a visual representation of your screenplay:

• Divide a board into four horizontal rows (Act 1, Act 2a, Act 2b, Act 3)
• Use 40 index cards to represent scenes
• Include on each card:
  • INT/EXT and location
  • Basic scene action
  • Emotional change (+/-)
  • Conflict (><)

This technique allows you to see your entire story at once, easily rearrange scenes, and identify potential problems before you start writing. It's a powerful tool for plotting and refining your screenplay's structure.

6. Apply immutable laws of screenplay physics to enhance your script

Screenwriting is like solving a puzzle over and over. You get faster with practice.

Learn the rules to break them. Some key laws include:

• Save the Cat: Make your hero likable early on
• The Pope in the Pool: Creatively deliver exposition
• Double Mumbo Jumbo: Limit magical elements to one per movie
• Laying Pipe: Don't overload with backstory
• Keep the Press Out: Maintain focus on your main characters

Understanding these "laws" helps you craft a more engaging, believable story. They provide guidelines for common screenwriting challenges and help you avoid pitfalls that can weaken your script.

7. Identify and fix common screenplay problems

Is it primal?

Check for these issues:

• Inactive hero: Ensure your protagonist drives the action
• Talking the plot: Show, don't tell
• Weak antagonist: Make the bad guy badder
• Flat plot progression: Accelerate and reveal as you move forward
• One-note emotion: Use the full emotional color wheel
• Indistinguishable characters: Give each a unique voice and traits
• Starting too late in the character's journey: Take a step back

Regularly assess your screenplay for these common problems. Ask yourself if each element serves the story and resonates on a primal level. Be willing to make significant changes to strengthen your script.

8. Market yourself and your screenplay effectively

Every Sale Has a Story!

Build relationships. To sell your screenplay:

• Develop a list of potential agents and producers
• Make personal connections when possible
• Attend film festivals, classes, and industry events
• Consider creating a personal website
• Be persistent but professional

Remember that selling yourself is as important as selling your script. Focus on building long-term relationships in the industry. Be helpful, considerate, and always ready to pitch your ideas. Keep refining your approach and don't get discouraged by rejections – they're part of the process.

Last updated: August 8, 2024