Beat sheet:
Reflection:
The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet was a very specific structure layout that I do not resonate with very much. I find that if I were to follow this structure I would lose my creativity and end up writing a story with very little imagination as I would be too focused on getting the structure right. I find the structure to be too controlling with ‘bad guys close in’ assuming that every good script has an antagonistic character. Some of the most interesting films do not, such as Frances Ha or The Worst Person in the World (hehe ironic). For my script I have decided to use Aranson’s 9 point plan to beat out my story, however there are some parts that I know I can rearrange that might make it an improved beat sheet, which I will explain now. I have written out my set up as Sarah’s normality and the trigger of her grandmother telling her to live her life as she did many years ago, which causes Sarah to book a ticket to Positano. The surprise it that Sarah’s plane doesn’t make it and she ends up in Greenland which is the opposite kind of place she wanted to end up. Her obstacle is now that she is stuck here and her adventure has failed so she wants to go home. Beat 7 (complications/substories) is when she meets Elio who tells her she should go back with him to his small town as it is more beautiful and less touristy… he also likes her and wants to spend time with her. This beat is also when she realises the truth about her grandmother. Looking back at my beat sheet, I’m wondering if it would be a better idea to move back the steps in my beat. By doing this, I would put the events of Sarah arriving in Greenland and meeting Elio in the ‘Plan’ beat, and then the ‘Surprise’ which turns into the ‘Obstacle’ would be Sarah finding out from Elio’s family that her grandmother is not actually her grandmother and that she stole her mother from her actual grandmother. By moving back these steps I think I would be able to put a lot more detail and focus into this plot which is the main plot.
Snyder, Blake. (2005). Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need, Michael Wiese Productions.
Aronson, Linda. (2010). The 21st Century Screenplay: a comprehensive guide to writing tomorrow’s films. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin