Beat Sheets

DrRita · May 4, 2008

Just curious . . . I wondered how many writer's here use beat sheets and do they help in the draft process. Or do you have other tried and true methods for organizing your screen play drafts ei detailed outline, index cards, etc. I'd love to hear how your process goes.

Plot Device · May 4, 2008

Hmm... I don't quite recall, but I think this exact thread has already been done (like three or four months ago maybe).

And you know what? ...... I can just hear Derek sputtering at his computer already--all the way from Scotland I can hear it. Yes, he's over there on the other side of the Pond right now. And he's hitting that "Search" feature. And he's trying to locate that prior thread about "beat sheets."

And after he finds it, he's going to compose a very very VERY polite reply to this thread in which he explains why he's merging it with the other one.

(Good old Derek.)

.

clockwork · May 4, 2008

Uh, more likely is that Derek is waiting for me to get off my rear and step in on this one. So without further ado...

We've had quite a few threads on the myriad different ways to outline a script and member preference on the matter.

Outline format
it is necessary to do an outline before writing the screenplay?
Outline format
Outline vs. Step Outline
From treatment to script

to name but a few. And of course there's our ever-handy Scriptwriting tips and help thread which has sections on outline and treatments.

I'm happy to leave this one here in case people want to talk about beat sheets or whatever technique they favour since there appears to be no other specific "beat sheet" thread I can find.

Personally, I try to outline but tend to let bad habits get the better of me. I do like index cards, particularly for "seeing" the script as a whole. I also like Blake Synder's model of outlining a script but only ever really use it (or anything else) as a starting point. My work tends to change quite a lot from beginning to end and whatever models I use have to be flexibile enough to hold up to that amount of mid-script switcheroo tomfoolery.

DrRita · May 5, 2008

Thanks for the polite response to "we've already done this a bunch of times lady" to which I add my humble apologies and put on my best "abandoned puppy" face.

I looked back in the previous pages (not very far mind you) and did the "beat sheet" search but didn't come up with any specific threads.

I'm just curious. I am in a program here in HW and of course we're writing a screenplay as our final project. The way I've done it before is a cross between novel and screen play planning where I use the 8 essential story points as my guide with some success. McKee's "Story" talks of beats and arranging according to those, Syd Field the outline, and other books I've read have other methods. On Saturday, our instructor Bill Marsilli, showed us his index card method which I really liked. Part of our process for this program is to do the beat sheets. I think it seems like a good method.

I'm thinking I like this but was curious for the sake of comparison wanted to know what method the rest of you used.

If you find merging this with another will help, thanks in advance.

dpaterso · May 5, 2008

Talking of Blake Snyder, have you looked at the beat sheets on his site, available on his Tools page?

http://www.blakesnyder.com/tools/

:poke:

@ Plot Device

-Derek

icerose · May 5, 2008

I don't even know what a beat sheet is, how pathetic is that? But then again I've never been very good at the "Technical" side of things. I tend to write the story in my head first then put it on paper, then edit it from there.

zeprosnepsid · May 5, 2008

Yeah, I went through 4 years of film school, and I only have a guess what a beat sheet is. Sounds kind of like an outline.

But yeah, everyone's process is different. And sometimes it's a good amount of work figuring out what's best for you. The last two scripts I finished, I wrote one from beginning to end without any outline. And I wrote one from treatment, to outline, to scene outline and filled in the scenes last. And I'm still not sure which is best, both had super drawbacks.

So if you think a beat sheet or whatever will help, give it a try. It's a trial and error process!

dpaterso · May 5, 2008

I'm not allergic to outlines or beat sheets, but I tend to find more joy in the sequence method, which offers (to me, anyway) story organization without being rigid about what happens on what page.

Although my best script to date was written freestyle, with no planning, in 3 weeks, something I can rarely duplicate.

-Derek

DrRita · May 5, 2008

Wow, Derek. I don't know if I could write that free style. I've got a stack of abandoned projects where my characters are sitting high and dry trying to figure out where to go next. I guess my process is to use some planning. I don't free style any kind of writing I do though except for poetry.

Egads . . . a beat sheet for poetry, how anal would that be??

icerose · May 5, 2008

My fastest from beginning to finish to acceptance was a written for hire action movie. I had a 9 day deadline to create, write, edit, and turn in a script for their approval. Those were pretty intense nine days!

For that script, I did a basic outline where I knew what was happening every five pages. It was the only way to get it done that quickly. Not enough time to let it sit and stew in the ol' noggin.

DWSTXS · May 5, 2008

I've been making Beat Sheets for chapters of my novel. I didn't realize there was an official term for rthem

dpaterso · May 5, 2008

DrRita said:
Wow, Derek. I don't know if I could write that free style. I've got a stack of abandoned projects where my characters are sitting high and dry trying to figure out where to go next. I guess my process is to use some planning.

I knew how it would end and had a rough idea of how to get there, and for some reason that was enough of a roadmap.

And I've had failures of course... the ones that shudder to a stop after sparkling Act I ends, or in the mid-60s, the black hole of sagging plots. But when I go back and break 'em down into 10-15 page sequences everything makes more sense, and new story ideas and directions start popping up.

-Derek

NikeeGoddess · May 5, 2008

i too prefer the freestyle method. i'm technologically challenged and feel too much pressure trying to fit my story in a box that includes specifics with page count points and cramps the storytelling.

however, this is necessary for tv writing - gotta have those commercial breaks at the right moment.

Rainy Night · May 5, 2008

icerose said:
My fastest from beginning to finish to acceptance was a written for hire action movie. I had a 9 day deadline to create, write, edit, and turn in a script for their approval. Those were pretty intense nine days!

For that script, I did a basic outline where I knew what was happening every five pages. It was the only way to get it done that quickly. Not enough time to let it sit and stew in the ol' noggin.

I did a complete re-write in 5 days, 20-25 pages a day sending them to the producer that night and making revisions from her notes the next day.

I didn't start using beat sheets or sequence outlines until about a year ago, until then I used note cards and I had my own 5-point structure that I had been developing. Maybe someday I’ll write a book about it, take it on the road who knows, depends on if I ever have a mega blockbuster

Everyone has their own method...

DrRita · May 7, 2008

I like the note card idea and then transferring it to the "beat sheet." I'd never used one before and think it might be a handy tool. We shall see.

Thanks for all the input. And Doyle, yeah I did that too for my last novel. It works great.

Raghu · May 8, 2008

icerose said:
My fastest from beginning to finish to acceptance was a written for hire action movie. I had a 9 day deadline to create, write, edit, and turn in a script for their approval. Those were pretty intense nine days!

WOW.........Genius!!!

icerose · May 8, 2008

Raghu said:
WOW.........Genius!!!

I don't know about genius but it was total insanity. I'm hoping they go through with the June production slate, but we'll see.

Raghu · May 9, 2008

icerose,

icerose said:
I don't know about genius but it was total insanity. I'm hoping they go through with the June production slate, but we'll see.

How much were you paid for this job?

icerose · May 10, 2008

Raghu said:
icerose,

How much were you paid for this job?

It was an extremely low budget piece so I was paid 500 up front then a percentage of the budget which came around 3,000.00. Small project, but good practice.

DrRita · May 11, 2008

You guys don't mind hijacking threads around here do you . . . good for you Icerose.

And so now the beat sheet part of this thread is done . . . Thank you all for your participation.

icerose · May 11, 2008

DrRita said:
You guys don't mind hijacking threads around here do you . . . good for you Icerose.

And so now the beat sheet part of this thread is done . . . Thank you all for your participation.

Sorry Rita,
I didn't mean to hijack it, I was simply trying to point out a situation when under pressure, I do tend to be very organized and have a clear plan from start to finish of what the script is going to be. It's the closest I could come to a beat sheet as I really don't know what one is.

DrRita · May 11, 2008

Thanks icerose for your kind response to my rather snippy remark. Sorry for the sarcasm.

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