Save The Cat - Screenwriting Short Version
Tom Marshall ??
Innovator in Residence for digital and creative sectors. Video Production specialist and Digital Skills Trainer.
Save The Cat has been a best seller for 15 years!
Here is the short version ...
a) A good film logline creates a compelling mental picture.
E.g. ‘There are 3.7 trillion fish in the ocean. They’re looking for one.’ - Finding Nemo
b) It needs a killer title.
c) Think about genre categories. 10 types of movie:
- Monster in the House (Jaws, Alien, Panic Room)
- Golden Fleece (Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, and most heist movies)
- Out of the Bottle (Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty, Freaky Friday)
- Dude with a Problem (Die Hard, Titanic, Schindler’s List)
- Rites of Passage (10, Ordinary People)
- Buddy Love (Dumb and Dumber, Rain Man)
- Whydunnit (Chinatown, JFK, The Insider)
- The Fool Triumphant (Forrest Gump, Dave, Amadeus)
- Institutionalised (Animal House, M*A*S*H, American Beauty, The Godfather)
- Superhero (Dracula, Frankenstein, Gladiator, Beautiful Mind)
d) Create heroes that;
- Offer the most conflict in that situation.
- Have the longest way to go emotionally.
- Are the most demographically pleasing (think mass audience).
e) The motivation for the hero to succeed must be a basic one - PRIMAL! Such as, survival, hunger, sex, protection of loved ones, fear of death.
f) Structure, Structure, Structure. The Beat Sheet:
- The Opening Image. Set the mood.
- Theme Stated. Pose a question or make a statement.
- Set-up. Grab the audience.
- Catalyst. Life changing event.
- Debate. The hero makes their choice.
- Break into Two. Leave the old world behind.
- B Story. Often a love story.
- Fun and Games. It is the movie poster.
- Midpoint. The hero’s “up” or “down” moment.
- Bad Guys Close In. The hero is in trouble.
- All is Lost. Total defeat seems definite.
- Dark Night of the Soul. Beaten to learn a lesson.
- Break into Three. The solution.
- Finale. The hero triumphs.
- Final Image. Show proof that change has occurred.
g) The hero leads. Don’t have an inactive hero. Don’t drag them through the story. They need to be the driving force. They needs goals. Needs to seek clues. They must be proactive.
h) Make the bad guy badder. If we are unimpressed by what the hero achieves, then it’s because the bad guy isn’t bad enough.
i) Turn, Turn, Turn. the plot doesn’t just move ahead, it spins and intensifies as it goes. The writer must show how it affects your characters. You must show flaws, reveal treacheries, doubts, and fears of the heroes - and threats to them.
j) The Emotional Colour Wheel. A roller-coaster ride. Your emotions have been wrung out. You’ve laughed, you’ve cried, you’ve been scared, you’ve felt regret, anger, frustration, near-miss anxiety and ultimately breathtaking truth. Give each emotion a colour and add it to your board.
That's all I'm giving you today. If you want to find out more, I truly recommend reading Save The Cat by Blake Snyder.
If you're still curious why the book is called Save The Cat, I'll tell you ...
The title was coined by Snyder to describe a decisive moment when the protagonist demonstrates that they are worth rooting for. Snyder writes that, "It's the scene where we [first] meet the hero", in order to gain audience favour and support for the main character right from the start.
I.e. The hero climbs the tree to save the stranded cat. The audience then roots for the hero.
It is such an important note when it comes to storytelling. How do you get your audience invested in your main characters?
I hope you enjoyed the summary notes.
Thanks for reading.
Tom Marshall
Creative Director, Captive North