The point of screenwriting is to make the reader feel something and secondarily, think something.
You do not make the reader feel something by hitting page numbers in your screenplay.
That is, if the reader is immersed in your story, by page 30ish, the end of the first act and the beginning of the second act, the reader isn't thinking "oh, good, the story is taking on a new direction and the hero is fully engaged". Instead, if the reader's immersed, they're thrown into a state of anticipation, excitement and an eagerness or hope to see how things turn out.
The Save the Cat beat sheet correlates page numbers to plot points. It is a guide to see if the emotional impact expected is happening at that point of the story.
Script analysts, especially those that work in the industry, are looking for easy reasons to say "no" and to decline a script. Saying "yes" has them put their neck out. Saying "yes" means someone else will likely read it and then not just evaluate the script, but evaluate the analyst. The easiest defense for a "no" is to cite page numbers and plot points.
And it is often a valid and economical criticism.
I read one script where what happened on page 60 should have been page 30. Simply saying that, the midpoint of the story should have been the end of the first act, saves a lot of time and I don't have to explain how many scenes started late and went on too long, character's flaw should've been set up sooner and been engaged sooner to clarify what the story is about and on and on... or just say page 60 should've been page 30.
Here are the "beats" of a good mainstream screenplay as defined by Save the Cat. The brackets around a number indicate the page number the beat should occur.
- Opening Image [1]: An opening snapshot.
- Theme Stated [5]: We are introduced to the central theme or lesson of the story.
- Set Up [1-10]: The hero and the 'ordinary world' are introduced.
- Catalyst [12]: Something happens that sets the story in motion.
- Debate [12-25]: The hero is hesitant to take action.
- Break Into Two [25]: The hero takes up the challenge.
- B Story [30]: The subplot kicks in, introducing a character who helps the hero in their transformation.
- Fun and Games [30-55]: The hero in the throes of their challenge or journey.
- Midpoint [55]: The stakes are raised.
- Bad Guys Close In [55-75]: Things start going downhill for the hero.
- All is Lost [75]: Things go from bad to worse. The hero hits rock bottom.
- Dark Night of the Soul [75-85]: Faced with defeat, the hero must reckon with their loss and how they got there.
- Break Into Three [85]: The hero realizes a truth that’s been evading them all this time.
- Finale [85-110]: Putting their new awareness into action, the hero conquers the bad guys.
- Final Image [110]: A snapshot that mirrors or contrasts the opening image.
A simple way to grasp the beat sheet, or outline, is to watch a movie and write down what the beats of the movie are as they fit in with the Save the Cat outline. Do that before doing it to your own story.
There's a whole library of books built around the "Save the Cat". It's a fun, simple read that all screenwriters should be familiar with:
