It's just a beat...

Years ago, I worked with a writer who would pitch at long-term story conference and start by saying, "It's just a beat, it's just a beat..." The table would collectively sigh as he described a detail in a scene, or an exchange of dialogue, rather than a meaty story with enough drive to carry the show through the next few months.

Most of the time, a beat is just a beat. But sometimes, it isn't. Not all beats are created equal.

As a storyliner, I've worked on thousands of episodes of soap opera. Some storylines would flow easily and I could write them as quickly as I could type. Others (sadly more common) would feel like pulling teeth with pliers made from jelly. For a long time, I couldn't figure out why. The key attributes of the story seemed to be in place. Good characters, big plot twists, funny moments, a compelling issue - but it wouldn't click into place in the writing. I'd often blame myself. Maybe I just wasn't connecting with the story?

Through trial and error and reflection, I realised there was a common factor in the stories that demanded so much effort. The struggles could be linked back to one specific beat - the 1st act turning point.

In simplistic terms, the 1st act turning point establishes the problem and the quest. The protagonist will make a decision that starts them on a journey towards achieving their goal, overcoming challenges along the way. The story asks a question which will be answered in the final act.

In Back To The Future, it's the moment Marty McFly arrives in 1955 and realises he has to, well, get back to the future.

In Barbie, it's the beat when Barbie travels to the real world to find out what's causing her imperfections.

It may seem like I'm teaching you to suck eggs, but this beat is crucial. The 1st act turning point defines a story. It gives it drive and direction. It's the engine that propels the car. A good script is about much more than this one beat. But if this beat doesn't function, no amount of dialogue polishing will fix it.

Prescriptive ideas about acts and turning points may feel like they only apply to genre films or TV. But I believe all successful stories are founded on a solid structure.

Aftersun is a wonderful, beautiful, evocative film and as close to art as cinema gets. But I'd argue that, even though it probably wasn't conceived with 3 act acts in mind, it does have a 1st act turning point. It's the scene where Calum (played by Paul Mescal) sneaks onto the hotel balcony to have a cigarette while his daughter, Sophie, sleeps in the hotel room. Through the glass of the patio door, we see him from behind, dancing in silence to music in his head, glimpses of his face suggest a profound melancholy. Until this point, he's been affable and charming, but this brief, enigmatic moment creates a sense of tension and unease. Like Sophie, we're aware Calum is carrying a burden and want to know what it is. A burden he wants to keep hidden. Cut this beat, and the film could have felt like a lovely coming of age movie about a young girl going on holiday abroad with her dad. If the beat was played too late, it would have created a jarring tonal shift. But the timing of this beat lets us know this film is about more than a holiday, and the mystery it hints at is paid off hauntingly, heartbreakingly by the end.

I read a lot of scripts which are perfectly fine, well written, intriguing characters, but I lose interest. I will say to myself, "What is the story?" The script will feel like a series of scenes. The ending will feel flat. If I have to finish a script out of duty rather than because I'm compelled by the words on the page, I'll look for the 1st act turning point. Does the script have one? Is it in the right place? Why isn't it functioning correctly?

Sometimes a script can have a brilliant 1st act turning point, but the story doesn't adequately follow on from it. Or the writer may rush through a story in a few scenes then run out of steam. Imagine Finding Nemo if Marlon set off to find his son, bumped into the migrating sea turtles, followed the current to Australia, found Nemo in the bay after 30 minutes, leaving the rest of the film about Marlon, Nemo and Dory having a lovely time and making new friends. It wouldn't be regarded as one of the Pixar's greatest films and it wouldn't make me cry every time I watch it.

If you have a script that isn't being received as well as you hoped. If you have a hard-drive full of unfinished scripts because you lose momentum half-way through writing them - the reason may be, just a beat.

Disclaimer: I am in no way definitively right! All any of us can do is our best based on our tastes, instincts and experience.