25 Scary Stuff 3
26 The Big Unexpected
27 The Mini-Quest
28 Big Quest Prep
29 Big Quest Prep 2
30 The Need
ACT ONE
Setup
PAGES 1-30
The Main Hero goes about his usual business with his sidekick, oblivious of his flaw. Suddenly an incident occurs that will force him to eventually deal with that flaw. But since he doesn’t want to face his flaw, or is in denial about it, he refuses to confront what the incident presented to him. Eventually he . . .
THE QUEST (Between 29-35)
31 Distress Signal
32 Anxiety Amp
33 Ominous Oh No
34 Friend Effect
35 Bait And Switch
36 Hide And Seek
37 Over His Head
38 Positive Reconnect
39 New Journey Bond
40 Ally’s World
41 Thorny Rose
42 Surprise Reveal
43 Surprise Reveal 2
44 New News
45 Out Of The Ordinary TURNING POINT 45 (Between 44-47)
46 The Revelation
47 The Escort
48 Needed Knowledge
49 Foreboding Fact
50 The Portent
51 The Engage
52 Say Uncle
53 The Intimidation
54 The Lightbulb
55 Sideswipe
56 Dark Twist Chat
57 Difficult Words
58 Vital Event
59 The Deception
60 The Shocker THE MIDPOINT (Between 55-65)
ACT TWO
The Quest’s Escalating Complication
PAGES 31–60ish
. . . embarks on a quest that forces him to enter a “dark cave.” The Main Hero, with the help of his Sidekick, Maiden, Wise Old Man, and Mother Figure battles the Henchman, Shape-shifter and Villain in this strange dark cave (who all challenge his flaw). Obstacles grow more difficult and complications escalate the deeper the Main Hero goes into the cave. It’s at this point the Main Hero either sees a (false) light at the far end of the cave, or the cave collapses in front of him on his way toward the light. This collapse forces the Main Hero to find another way out.
61 Plus Minus
62 Flirtin’ with Disaster
63 Ally Attack
64 Bad Guy Threat
65 The Resistance
66 Positive Step
67 Hero Effect
68 Ally Aid
69 Captivating Concern
70 New Journey
71 Bad to the Bone
72 Badder to the Bone
73 Baddest to the Bone
74 Put into Peril
75 Skull and Crossbones TURNING POINT 75 (Between 74–76)
76 Death Tap
77 The Rumble
78 Mystery Mission
79 Mystery Mission 2
80 Tick Tick Boom
81 Surprised Hero
82 Surprise-Surprise
83 Gotta Go!
84 Gap Subtract
85 Bad Guy Boo-Boo
ACT THREE
Death Valley
PAGES 61–85ish
The Main Hero then experiences the darkest moments of his entire life as he continues to fight the Villain who prevents him from exiting the cave. In fact, the Main Hero reaches the lowest point he’s ever experienced. Realizing that his only hope of getting out of the cave is to overcome his flaw and to face the Villain directly, the Main Hero prepares himself for battle. He then marches toward the Villain for a final, winner-take-all brawl.
THE FINAL QUEST (Between 85–100)
86 Worry Wound
87 Damage Done
88 Double Damage Done
89 Red Alert!
90 Rescuing Ally TURNING POINT 90
91 Suffer the Weak
92 Hugs And Kisses
93 Hugs and Kisses 2
94 The Aggressor
95 The Separation
96 Death and Dying
97 Taping the Knuckles
98 Kiss or Spit
99 Kiss or Spit 2
100 Kiss or Spit 3
101 Deeper Deeper
102 The Blow-Up
103 The Blow
104 The Upper Hand
105 The Deceit TURNING POINT 105
106 The Dodge
107 Good Does Bad
108 Sense of Finality
109 The Extraordinary
110 Strong Statement
111 Turn for the Worse
112 Charging Shark
113 The Cage Slam
114 Gets the Better
115 Bleak Meek
116 Kick ’Em While They’re Down
117 Reprieve
118 Hope Might Be Lost
119 One Bullet Left
120 Powder Keg
ACT FOUR
Resolution
PAGES 85–120ish
The Main Hero sacrifices his flaw completely on this final quest and suffers great pain because of it, but in doing so he defeats the Villain and finds a way out of the cave. Stepping into the sunlight, the Main Hero is rewarded with a new and better life. (Or, if he doesn’t overcome his flaw, he is defeated and we, as an audience, learn from his failure.)
© 2016 Todd Klick from Beat by Beat: A Cheat Sheet for Screenwriters
FILMOGRAPHY
The Avengers, 2012, Marvel Studios
A Beautiful Mind, Universal Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures
The Conjuring, 2103, Warner Bros.
Die Hard, 1988, 20th Century Fox
Forrest Gump, 1999, Paramount Pictures
The Godfather, 1972, Paramount Pictures
Gone Girl, 2014, 20th Century Fox
The Hangover, 2009, Warner Bros.
Jaws, 1975, Universal Pictures
Juno, 2007, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Knocked Up, 2007, Universal Pictures
Little Miss Sunshine, 2006, Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Matrix, 1999, Warner Bros. Pictures
Pulp Fiction, 1994, Miramax Films
Raiders of the Lost Ark, 1981, Paramount Pictures
Scream, 1996, Dimension Films
The Sixth Sense, 1999, Hollywood Pictures
Skyfall, 2012, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, Columbia Pictures
Star Wars, 1977, 20th Century Fox
Top Gun, 1988, Paramount Pictures
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Courtesy of Stephen Paley
Todd Klick is the #1 bestselling author of Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs to Know; The Screenwriter’s Fairy Tale; and a contributor to the #1 bestselling Tarcher-Penguin book, Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror: Speculative Genre Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers. His stories earned accolades with the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship and the PAGE International screenwriting competitions. Klick has sold and optioned numerous scripts for the stage and screen. He is also a contributor to The Huffington Post and MovieMaker Magazine. www.toddklick.com.
SOMETHING STARTLING HAPPENS
THE 120 STORY BEATS EVERY WRITER NEEDS TO KNOW
TODD KLICK
Something Startling Happens reveals the 120 minute-by-minute story genome that unites all successful films. It shows you what makes a great movie tick.
Get the structural skinny on what made these and over 40 other movies successful: Star Wars, Forrest Gump, Being John Malkovich, The Godfather, Rashomon, Halloween, Jaws, Juno, Knocked Up, The Matrix, Pulp Fiction, and Spider-Man.
“Having sold over 100 scripts and written for virtually every network and studio, I learned early how vital structure was to crafting a successful script. This book can be an invaluable tool in building a professional career.”
— Marc Scott Zicree, The Twilight Zone Companion, Star Trek - The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5
“A dazzling new nuts-a-bolts story guide that reveals the extremely important
“in betweens” left out in other screenwriting books. The perfect companion to Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat.”
— John Philip Dayton (Executive Producer, Director, Writer, The Waltons, Eight Is Enough, Matlock, The Ray Bradbury Theatre).
Todd Klick demystifies how to approach the script-writing process. He will give you tons of “aha” thoughts, and will help you interpret story in a way that will give you answers.
— Jen Grisanti, author of Story Line: Finding Gold In Your Life Story, Writing Instructor for Writers on the Verge with NBC, blogger for The Huffington Post
TODD KLICK is the #1 bestselling author of Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer Needs to Know and The Screenwriter’s Fairy Tale, which sell in over 11 countries. Todd’s stories earned accolades with the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship and the PAGE International screenwriting competitions. odd is a frequent speaker and panelist at writing conventions, contributor to The Huffington Post, MovieMaker Magazine, and the #1 bestselling Tarcher-Penguin book, Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror: Speculative Genre Exercises from Today’s Best Writers and Teachers.
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