I have been working on a dizzying number of projects of late.
In addition to my own writing, I hear or read dozens of movie ideas, treatments, and scripts every day. And my mental muscle in dealing with them gets a regular workout. Physically, I may need more days at the gym, but mentally I am buff! I am chisled! I am the Mr. Universe of story solving.
What all this brain exercise is good for is quickness to hear and see problems. This method, the Save the Cat! method of telling stories, really works. And the 50-point checklist we’ve developed in-house to expose any story’s weakness is so valuable. If I were a financier with a movie about to go into production, I would make sure I went down that list before any script was given the green light. No matter where your story is, or where you are — from the studio level, to the individual writer — the weak points of a script are the same. And if you are not looking for ways to fix them, the result can only be less than they could be.
If you are not sending your hero all the way back to show all the problems of his world at the beginning, I will send you there to explore them. If you have all action and no meaning, I will make you look at your Theme, and figure out what B Story it ties into, and why it is not connecting to the overall plot. If you are not delivering on the premise you pitched me, I will ask you to camp out in your Fun and Games section for a while and figure out why you are not giving me the “poster” — and force you to examine the real question: Is your premise not there to begin with?
And of course when I tell you this, very often your reaction is not a happy one.
You had it all worked out! It was perfect! Everyone else liked it! Why, Blake, don’t you?
And I can only say one thing in reply, at least in my head: Resistance is futile!
But resistance also builds 12 story muscles 12 ways.
The pushback between you and me is positively gorgeous! We argue and your story begins to build muscles too. It starts to get handsomer and more quick on its feet, and the awkward pause you had while explaining it suddenly goes away because I’ve forced you to vet yourself, and given you the means to do so, and expose your blind spots, and see the story for what it really is — or isn’t.
And after it’s all over, and you say, You were right! I smile. I didn’t do anything. You did it. I didn’t find your fix. I suggested a few. But you did the work. I just pushed back and made you build your own story muscles. Be proud of yourself.
You had the guts to try something new. You dared to give up your “contempt prior to investigation” that so many lesser writers never got over. And now you can stand up taller than before all by yourself.
Resistance, turns out, may be futile, but it’s also fertile and gives birth to an amazing array of better stories, better told, and with a better chance not only of selling but succeeding!
Blake Snyder
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I have been lucky in that, with my rejections, I sometimes get an line or two of why. Early on, I was stubborn and ignored the notes. Now I welcome them, not as much as I’d welcome a sale or agent mind you, but close. I now treat ever scrap of feedback as gold, and if someone could point me in the direction of the nearest bank, I’d like to cash it in.
Ok, Ok, I won’t resist, I have given in fully, have mercy on me! Besides, I cant fight back, because my nails are chewed down to the bone anticipating this “Holy Grail” of a 50 point list, The List! The List! Do I need to get Indiana Jones to help me retrieve the list? And what of this 12 story muscles? Has the ever insightful Blake discovered 2 more stories? Or have I just read into it wrongly. Thanks again Blake, waiting patiently (yeah right) for the next book. Your humble student, JD
Bloody hell – that’s just what you did in London, last year, as I pitched, reworked and re-pitched and then knew more was still needed to tell this story – even though it was already written! Thank you.
it’s because of resistance that i wont even begin writing until im sure i have the perfect story every step of the way — then i pitch to people and get creamed. but from the mush a better story evolves and usually it’s something parallel to the hero’s journey and comes out in the b-story – aka where i rant about how it could have been in my mind originally.
Is the 50-point check list available online?
Criticism is good. I have comment this article further at http://writerofmoviescripts.blogspot.com/.
Blake if storytelling could be artificially formuliac, Hollywood would stop making bad movies. Unfortunately the reality is this, what Hollywood can’t change is the quilty of scripts writers submit to the studios. Thus in a futile attempt to improve the quality of scripts. They hire people like you who try to quantify what the audience sees as good art. Hence today we are left with poorly trained writers who are naratively niave. And it starts with the myth that “writing by the numbers” is actually true. “Writing by the numbers” are what amature writers call writing from the outside in. Good writers don`t rely exclusively on plot points, rather they rely on understanding the artistic form of their craft.
There is no “formula” there is only good storytelling, Eric. I actually think we agree but are saying it in a different way. Thanks for your comment! Excellent points!
I recently read your terrific book and *just* saw TransSiberian (and quite enjoyed it.) I also watched with a critical eye and noticed that the film follows your Beat Sheet to the letter. Thanks for a workable formula – within which a terrific story can still be told and a quality film made.
Yes, Blake, Please! What is this 50-point check list? And where can we see it?
Hey, Eric! I feel compelled to support your growth as a writer by drawing your attention to a few things. Committed as you are to your craft, I am sure you will be grateful, but there’s no need to thank me!
“Formuliac” should be spelled formulaic.
“Quilty” should be spelled quality.
“Thus in a futile attempt to improve the quality of scripts.” This is a sentence fragment.
“Niave” should be spelled naïve.
“Writing by the numbers” are… This violates subject/verb agreement.
“Amature” should be spelled amateur.
Cheers!
Hey Blake.
Where have you been hiding the ’50 point check list’. Unless I was sleepiing because of exhaustion – I never heard you mention your ‘list’ over the 3 weekend seminars I spent with you. Is it available to us students? It sounds that it would clear up a number of questions and roadblocks I come across. Oh – when is the new book due out????
Namaste Speedo
Speedo! Great to hear from you!! I’ll tell you The 50 Point Checklist is just now being fully put to use in my consultations with studios and production companies. As of this minute it’s a proprietary list and frankly one that would take a full weekend to explain! I love the weekend workshops just the way they are because it allows me to address individual stories and really work out the spine of each. But yes, generous sport that I am, I will be including this list in Save the Cat! 3. I believe in full disclosure and am always happy to share anything I discover that may help writers. We are aiming to have Cat! 3 out the first quarter of 2009 and it will be chock full of all kinds of new information, but that’s why you have to keep tuning in, Speedo!! All kinds of new stuff is being vetted and put to use as we speak dude!! I love you guys!! And I am so grateful for each and every one of you! Thank you for contributing so much to my life! I hope I can keep returning the favor!!
I was hoping you’d say that, Blake. I enjoyed the first 2 Cat! books, and look forward to the next one. And a comprehensive checklist is reason enough to pick it up.
Thanks,
-Mitch
I was hoping you’d say that, Blake. I enjoyed the first 2 Cat! books, and look forward to the next one. And a comprehensive checklist is reason enough to pick it up.
Thanks,
-Mitch
I was hoping you’d say that, Blake. I enjoyed the first 2 Cat! books, and look forward to the next one. And a comprehensive checklist is reason enough to pick it up.
Thanks,
-Mitch
I loved STC and STCGTTM… can’t wait to read this new one.