Save the Cat! is the title of a popular book on screenwriting. The name refers to the actions of the hero of your story.
There should be a moment (a beat) in your story/script where the hero does something that makes the audience think “I want to see this character’s story. I want to root for this character.” A classic example of this is a firefighter saving a cat from a tree. Get it?
The book outlines 15 different beats of a script — we won’t get into great detail with them — across three acts. This should give you a sense of how important it is to move your story forward with these various turning points.
Today we’ll look at:
- Three act sctucture
- Story Structure Explained — Avengers Infinity War vs Save the Cat’s Beat Sheet
- The Story Spine
- 5-Part Scene (Bringing it together for short films)
Check out today’s Quest to add a few more skills to your storytelling toolbox! When you’re done with this, you should be able to take one of these approaches and create a great story.
- 4.6 Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of 5-part scene structure with complete accuracy using an outline or presentation.
- 4.8 Students will be able to identify 3 or more examples of effective heightening.
- 4.9 Students will be able to create a storyboard, shot list, and or two-column script based on project needs.
- 4.11 Students will be able to demonstrate effective visual storytelling techniques.